report:
Friday 10/12 1700: weekend! straight home, shower and we're off to Bastogne: Karine took the day off so the camper was ready to go! we, luckily, had positive T°s so the roads were clear from home to Bastogne. Once we entered the province of Luxembourg the snow on the fields got thicker. It was a nice intro to the weekend.
The camping was less prepared, we had to make the road icefree by hand and take the 1st space available to park the camper. Straigh/Horizontal was impossible......
Not for from the camping there was a resto where we had a good meal, served by some very nice ladies
Saturday 11/12 0700: waky waky to the both of us: we decided not to take the dog on the walk so we left him in the camper. We left at around 0800, in the dark and snowing (see Karines picture below). We only took the necessary, me the camera and equipment, Karine the medicine box. From the camping to the center it was about 2-3 kms so we were warmed up when we arrived at the registration. Organisational there was alot that could be better but luckily the walk itself was super.
Very strange was the fact that after paying we got the patch and certificate in our hand, before we walked 1m
And...well...where do you put 2 big certificats when you start a walk/march? Luckily there's a big pocket in my photography-jacket so the papers survived but not in a perfect condition.
We decided to try the 28kms but due to the up-down terrain and the terrible walking conditions with mud-ice-water-snow Karine had troubles with 1 foot where she underwent a surgical operation along time ago.
At the 14km-21/28km split she took the 14km and I went for the 21/28km.
Keeping in mind that this was our 1st walk/march we did both well. From the re-start after the split only 4 guys overtook me where I re-overtook 1 of 4 near the end. My general condition was ok but my legs, heavily undertrained, got as stiff as trees so I had to cancel my 28km idea and so I ended my 1st march at 21km.
It was great to test myself so I'll certainly be doing this more in the future.
There were several US soldiers, army and airforce, who were doing the walk and they were all very friendly. One thing I noticed that alot of them were a bit
overweighted 
but as one said to a girl: 'I'm an airforce tech so I have an 8 to 5 job and we never do marches/walks'. Strange to hear MY reason to leave the airforce from a US brother.
The terrain was heavy with the mud/snow/ice/water, ups and downs, small roads and much more misery BUT it was ideal to get into the mood of end 1944.
As said, the organisation was terrible, papers handed over at the start, no checkpoints.
Bastogne as city was not at all interested in the event. The positive things to remember were all done by the many volunteers and re-enactors.
At sunday we decided not to wait for the vehicles caravan at 1430 since there was nothing to do in Bastogne and also because the clouds were filled with snow.
Next year we'll go back but will be concentrating for the walk/march. Bastogne city has alot to learn from Ypres.
I'll be posting more interesting pictures, here are the 1st ones to give you an idea (cold, snow, rain, mud, ice............) (didn't take loads if pics, had to keep on moving....)
