Sid’s and Gedinne

It’s a short cycle ride from Gedinne to the circuit, taking the back road. They are busy getting it ready.

This is on the second half of the circuit, where the track (it’s all a public road) dips down the hill, before climbing up again to the hamlet of Patignies:

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Looking across the valley you can see the pit area and what will become the general camping area:

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An enterprising soul in Patignes, turns his front garden into a pop-up restaurant. It’s usually pretty good. You can watch the bikes and sidecars come by (you pound reach out to touch them) at a fair old lick, before taking the sharp right turn to start the run down to the pit straight:

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The run down to the start / finish line. There’s another house (out of shot) to the left, where you can buy a beer from the owner and sit on his bank to watch:

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Did you establish the new lap record for bloke on a bike

How long before the record is broken ;)
 
Did you establish the new lap record for bloke on a bike

How long before the record is broken ;)

Ha, funny you should say that. I chatted (in Franglais) to a Belgian lady on her pushbike as we cycled along this morning. She joked that we should try for the lap record.

It’s interesting cycling around, as you get a much better feeling of how the track rises and falls, along with the section through the trees with its blind curves.

It really is a proper race track and perfect for ‘Classic’ bikes / sidecars. But, above all it’s the relaxed nature of the whole event. Everyone, from the chap wandering the campsite, selling the tickets / permits, through to the fellows putting out the bales and the crew marking out the campsite and my next door neighbour on the site, have all been pleasant.
 
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In between downpours, I have marked adventuredon out a spot.

This is where my red and white tape, ‘posts’ made from old reinforcing ties on a swimming pool, an electric drill and a long 6mm masonry drill came in handy, as the field is very stony an inch or two down. It’s not my finest work, but….

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And now it’s back to peeing down.
 
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I can only imagine what Special Branch might think if they ever raided your house (gaff in local parlance I believe) or looked through your phone!
 
Great opportunity to change your brake pads 😀

Is it possible to walk all around the circuit, or are there places you have to skip?

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We've walked most of the way round apart from the run down hill into the curves in the trees; and the bit of straight before you reach the last corner before the start and finish;
 
Is it possible to walk all around the circuit, or are there places you have to skip?

You can walk around quite a large area, whilst the racing is on.

You can also decamp to another part, whilst the road is open. The downside is that you are then fixed there until the road reopens.

One way or another I have been to much of the track, except for the part closest to Gedinne itself, where it enters the wooded section.

For example, it’s possible to go backwards as it were from the pit straight, back to Patignies, by walking along the small access road at the back of the campground. It’s where I took these pictures:

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They were taken using nothing more than my iPhone, you are that close.

Other spots include:

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In short, it’s a good track to view at.

The timetable / schedule is pretty busy, it being a series of sprint races, divided by class. There is always something going on, whether on the track or in the paddock area, which is freely accessible. If you miss one race, then the timetable (near enough) repeats the next day.
 
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After breakfast, I plan on pedalling around the circuit the wrong way, to see if it’s possible to access the wooded section, to view from the banks on the run through the curves and up the rise to Patignies.

That’s the advantage of coming to the campsite early, you can ‘Find stuff out’ and, hopefully, use it on another visit, if not this year.
 
As I suspected, the fast bends through the wooded section are ‘out of bounds’ to spectators.

I went down a farm track to see if you could get close. You probably could but it would mean a crawl through some dense woods, alive with every flying biting thing and brambles. Not least, it’s usually best to not take the piss at events, not least when everything is run under goodwill from the local authorities and staffed by volunteers.

That aside, I reminded myself of the several very good viewing spots, inside and outside of the track’s perimeter. I also chatted with some bods as I went around, which passed some time quite nicely.

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The bar is opening up, with the sale of the ‘cash cards’ starting at noon today. The Ducati was out earlier, sounding and looking fantastic:

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