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Tournai

Good morning! [says Bilbo] 

Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on? [replies Gandalf]
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. 

Today the morning is good with sunshine, a gentle breeze, a fine breakfast and more bicycling to look forward to. The type of morning you want to embrace wholeheartedly. If I sound extra cheery it's because I had mis-recorded the distances and today I can look forward to a full 53 miles and it's either downhill or flat. It is a Good morning! to quote Bilbo.

As part of last night's planning session I extended tomorrow's ride from Tournai to Ypres to include Kortrijk which I visited last year but where I didn't really pause that long. The day after is also extended to include the hilltop town of Cassel which I rode to last year and which will save the ride down the coast to Dunkirk; I rode up and down that last year. These 2 days become 65km and 70km respectively. That will leave a final day-ride from Dunkirk where I am staying for 2 nights.

I hadn't erradicated paths from my route and am presented with this option early on; quite passable but I decline and stick to the road.
Binches is the first real town and has lots of bone shaking cobbles and fortifications. 
This mural was enchanting. 
Eventually I pick up a canal which will take me into Tournai. 
WAPITOUR is Wallonia's cycle route. WAPI itself is derived from WAloon PIcardy and my assumption is that the historic region of Picardy extended into what is now Belgium. 
This bridge has barriers either side but I cannot work out how the bridge moves. It's not a swing bridge and there is no central join suggesting both halves pivot up /  \.
Eventually everything is made clear.
More security for the town though I wonder if this wasn't more of a cosmetic statement to visitors. 
The day extended out to 91km as I had to divert around work being done on the canals which are still working canals and as a result certain industries spring up where canal transportation is beneficial and this means today wasn't always picturesque. 

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