Thursday, May 6, 2021

Bicycling The Netherlands D "1"

Do not be fooled! This is the start of our trip, not the end.

 After a night in the "warmest campsite ever" (aka our bed) we set off again in attempts to continue our journey. 

Some positives reflections on Day 0.5:

1. It rained --> at least it didn't pour  blizzard/hail/thunderstorm

2. Spokes broke --> at least they both broke near or in cities/towns

3. Had to go back home with tail between our legs --> at least the Netherlands is awesome and has public transportation at your fingertips that also allow tandems (with an additional fee).

Take 2 with normal bikes that hopefully won't break. (photo by Jason)

We started in Leiden where we left off and continued our trip utilizing the magical red signs that were everywhere. Or, Jason followed the signs because I can barely find my way back when I go to the toilet at restaurants. 

We went past some beautiful tulip fields near Lisse that distracted me from the fact that it was raining. According to Jason there is a Disney World of Tulips (Keukenhof), but we decided to bypass and just enjoy the free show (update: it was closed anyway for corona).

The colors were not photoshopped - I distinctly remember these uncanny hues!!!!!

(Are those giant tulips or just tiny people? Photo by Jason)

We stopped by the campsite we were supposed to stay at on D 0.5, the Ruigenhoek Goed Kamp, to pick up our "nature card" (a pass that allows you to stay at and reserve several camp sites around the Netherlands). Here I was able to practice my broken Dutch with the very patient and kind caretakers ("My have reservation in need of cancelling last night, because broken bicycles. Allowed is my green card to have?"). 

Overall, it was looking like a pleasant trek up to Alkmaar.

...then we started riding along the coast towards Zandvoort and I wanted to curl up in a fetal position and sob softly because all the hills that don't exist in the Netherlands are here. No photo documentation because the mental capacity I had was spent on just moving through the dunes with a hateful headwind and pouring rain. So instead, I give you an image that gives the false impression that things were just dandy. After the dunes, we ate a sad lunch of rolled up tortillas in Zandvoort with kidney bean spread (which was pretty amazing) under a store awning as passersby glanced at us pitifully. 

The calm before the storm, somewhere along the path from Noordwijk to Zandvoort to Ijmuiden.

Then additional moments of serenity again, like below of canals, rowers on canals, and of course, windmills. 

Many of these windmills don't seem to be used anymore most seem to be maintained. In Kinderdijk, people live in them explicitely to maintain them (and even get paid, I think) - I'll need to investigate.

Mixed once more with agony as it poured...and poured...and poured...
Can you detect the death in my eyes? On the ferry going from Ijmuiden across the North Sea Canal (Photo by Jason)

We eventually made it to Alkmaar, but that will be a post for the next and last episode of Netherlands sans maps!!! 

In total, Day 1 was 110 km (68 miles) in 7 hours. Does it get better? Does my 39-year old body that has only been on the bicycle for 20 minutes at a time finally shatter?? 



Monday, May 3, 2021

Bicycling The Netherlands: D 0.5

Such high hopes were involved in the taking of this photo...


Seems like we're in a different decade (?!) since my last post so I thought it might be appropriate to lift the rusty hinges off this blog and put some words down. And why not start back up with another bicycle tour? Because I like to give the impression that I actually enjoy traveling long distances on two wheels and that it doesn't take extreme bribery to get me to don hotpants that feel like adult diapers, endure excruciating posterior discomfort, and have the revelation that I'm hopelessly out of shape forced upon me.

But I digress. Moving to a new country during the pandemic sucked. Starting a new job in a new country during the pandemic sucked x3 (but my co-workers are lovely. Even in 2D). J and I were in a bit of a rut so decided to take advantage of the marvelous work-life-balance package that is part of virtually every Dutch job and took a whole week off like it was nothing to give our spirits a bit of a make over. And instead of lazying around on the couch eating bon bons and watching You Tube like I wanted to, I let Jason convince me to go on a bike tour. Because, you know, why not.

What was the bribe this time? 1) visiting our friends Y and A in Alkmaar, 2) seeing tulips 3) getting to ride the tandem, and 4) attempting the trip...SANS MAP! The benefits of visiting friends basically convinced me to do it (ignoring that you can also do this by train). The tandem was icing on the cake - I wouldn't have to always ride in front and break wind (in more ways than one) lest be left far behind, and we'd go twice as fast (or so my non-engineering brain figured). No map = bragging rights and potential stories.

Signs such as these make the crazy possible.
Me already looking apprehensive as the droplets begin to fall.

...the spoiler alert is the title of this post, because Day 1 didn't quite happen. Let's sum it up here:

  1. It rained from the get-go (it's the Netherlands, yes, but the preceding 3 days had gloriously blue skies)
  2. Km 20 (mile 12): Spoke #1 snaps
  3. (the only) Bicycle shop in Zoetermeer did not sell spokes or new wheel rims (WTF: Dutchies - is this normal????)
  4. Km 32.8 (mile 20.4): Spoke #2 snaps
  5. Tire was so wonky we couldn't ride/fix it
  6. Tried to lift our spirits to find a cutsie hotel to stay in at Leiden but of course neither of us have smartphones, and are too cold and dejected to ask anyone
Jason after finding out that spokes aren't necessarily common items in Dutch bike shops.


    ...so we hopped on the train back to Rotterdam.

    The End.



    Just KIDDING. To be continued....