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Imagine riding up a 20km-col to the roof of Hungary only to be totally enveloped in a dense white wall of fog. All the way up, including at the summit, and all day long. The Mátra didn’t reveil its secrets today.

Today was supposed to be my summit-day. The climb from Gyöngyös at 170m to the 🏔KÉKES at 1014m is Hungary’s number 1 col. But the past few days, the weather here has changed with every turn of the globe. Torrential rains, bright and sunny skies, the densest fog: all of it I saw in just 3 days. 

When I’m on the roof of a country and can't see a stitch in front of my eyes, when I can count only on imagination about the majestic views hidden behind the white wall, I get stubborn and nervous.

Reaching the highest point of a country by bike (even though I was at more than double the altitude in other countries) remains something mythical. Why suffer for 20 km, in the cold, if not for that reward at the summit? That mighty feeling of standing on the roof of the world?

It was the hope in the transience of the weather phenomenon 'fog' that propelled me forward. It will clear up, soon the sun will push its light through the white deck, and tufts of blue will appear here and there. Yes, and at the summit, the curtain will miraculously open, revealing the hidden beauty to me. 

But none of that happened.

'Yesterday the sky was clear,' said the lady at the viewing tower at the summit, pouring salt in the wound.

Ssssssjjjj, I don't need to know that! She meant it well. 'You can go up for 2 euros, but you won't see much,' she said honestly. 

The temptation was too great. It just had to be done. 140 steps up the tower. And yes! Some peaks actually began to appear above the cloudy cover. The joy was short-lived. Seconds later, new gusts of fog came to obscure everything even more. 

There was little point in finishing today's ride as planned. I had planned to descend all the way through the forest, and climb again on gravel roads to the Galya at 964 m altitude. The second highest. But it would be wiser to make this foggy day a rest day and try again tomorrow. 

The descent from the Kékes through the forest below the giant was spectacular. Here, the fog did create an otherworldly atmosphere of pure beauty. I was riding through an unreal greyness where tree trunks were stripes of barcode, rocks were overgrown with bright green moss, undulating valleys, soil totally covered in leaves. 

Logging roads waved through this scenery. I feared an impenetrable mud trail, but fortunately that was not the case. Mud, for sure. But easily rideable. Lots of rocks and thick boulders too, in this Mátra mountain range. Any descent off-road here is best taken alertly and carefully.

Suddenly: psssjjjj. Flat front tyre. Oh well, I looked around me and found myself in a fairytale forest. There are worse places to change a tyre.

The rest of the descent was still solidly kicking, along the rocky bed of the mountain river Csatorna-Patak all the way down to Mátrafured.

The rest of the day was chill. Had an interesting conversation with the very kind manager of the guesthouse in the basement by the washing machine. He asked where I was from. Belgium. That word evoked a disapproving response from him. 'Brussels' has been used endlessly over the past few years as enemy number one in the Hungarian government's 'communication campaigns'.

Don't get me wrong, these are the most interesting conversations for me. And I engage in them with an open and curious mind. While my cycling clothes spun around in the washing machine, the man jumped from the 'sanctions' (which the Hungarian government nevertheless supports against Russia, but which in the same Hungarian government's communication are the sole cause of all Hungary’s economic woes), Russia invading neighbouring Ukraine ‘to stop the neo-Nazi genocide against Russian speakers and the Hungarian minority’, Angela Merkel flooding Europe with migrants,…

After a glass of delicious red Mátra wine and dinner, I got under the wool early. 

I will not take the Mátra’s no for an answer. For tomorrow’s ride, I mapped out a new route to climb to the Galya through the forest, then to the Kékes-roof of Hungary again via a different road, and down via the same descent as today, followed by another 45 km to my destination Eger.

A select group of high-level company (up to Prime Minister Orbán's office) will join me to the highest peaks. Interestingly, my call in the Facebook group ‘Gravel Cycling Hungary’ attracted some government institutions’ attention. More on that tomorrow.

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Pieter Stockmans

North Hungarian Mountains 🇭🇺 4️⃣ Mátra Mountains

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Hearts for Gaza 🚴‍♂️ Rode Lijn voor Gaza 🇸🇩

F24 Leuven-Bunsbeek Leuven

Grit! Kempense Heuvelrug Herentals-Leuven

Tielt-Winge

Vlierbeekriders 2️⃣2️⃣ (wervelende woensdag)

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