Well, folks this one I have been looking forward to. My trip to see my Niece, her man and the new baby and Vinnie (the first born) of course.
And after that the planned journey across the border into Germany.
We had some rain and just a little thunder last night, so I was hoping for a what cooler temperature…but you know what is gonna happen.
I set off around 9 o’clock as I had to be at Sam’s around 10, and since it was only 17 kilometers or so, it would give me plenty of time.
Yes, you’ve guessed it, it was just as humid as always and at 9 in the morning it was already 26 degrees. So much so for bloody cooler temperatures
I cycled towards Zevenaar (where they live) and found it pretty easily, and I was there in time for coffee.
It’s always nice to see them and now especially to see the new born. How quiet he was, sleeping or when he woke up. I always wondered how I was as a baby, but I can only really imagine me being the perfect baby…LOL
After the bye bye’s, I set off with ‘Duitsland, Duitsland Über Alles’ playing in my head and it seriously is only a few kilometers and you are in a different country. But as in Belgium, you know you have left the Netherlands when the bike paths are not up the standard of Holland.
But anyway, I had crossed the border and the temperature had decided that 28 degrees was not enough and it was now above the 30. So it was bloody roasting…again
I stopped at few towns, you can see where on the map and on the photo page of course. I also paused ‘down by the Rhine’ (now there is a song title if ever I have heard one). Slowly but surely I could feel that heat was starting to drain my energy away, so I thought it would be wise to head back over the border. So I set off towards ‘s-Heerenberg, a small town on the border. I decided also I would stop for lunch, but since I thought it was unwise to sit for too long I found a baker and got myself a very tasty sausage roll.
So I headed towards a place called ‘s-Heerenberg. As I had heard that there would be a few hills for me to climb with the bike
And so before you know it I was back in the Netherlands. The only disadvantage about cycling on those small country roads is there is no way of telling when you cross a border
Only via my mobile provider could I see where I was, but back in Holland. I decided to contact the house owner, as I had promised to visit her and her girlfriend.
But due to another commitment she wasn’t there, so we will meet on the morning that I leave. I stopped at a snackbar to get some cold refreshments as my bidons were running low and I still had around 30 kilometers to go
While sitting at the snackbar, I noticed yet another church with open doors, so after finishing my drinks, I went across and looked in. In the lobby, there was a place to burn a candle, but since this was a bigger candle, I paid more and only lit the one for the brother, Sol and myself.
There after I decided it was time to set off home. It was in those last 30 or so kilometers I was thinking to myself. It was only going be around 80 kilometers today, but my legs and knee’s were f**ked.I thought, there is no way I will make the 144 kilometers in one go back to Alkmaar. So after discussions with the brother. I have decided Sunday, that I will bike 75 kilometers to a hotel in Hilversum (halfway home) and Monday morning I will bike the other 70 home.
I have to be sensible, I can have these wild plans, but I listen to my body nowadays and it said…’Fuck that, the journey would kill me’.
So dear friends this blog with have a day extension…good news, the bad news is, my laptop is going back with the brother tomorrow, so I will not be able to write the last 2 blogs until I am back in Alkmaar.
I was just sitting outside at 10 o’clock at night and it was a very pleasant 26 degrees, much better than the 36 we had lately.
Folks, I will publish this blog as it is and tomorrow morning, I will finish it, and tell you more about Germany plus I have not told you about the evening and I have to post the many photo’s of the day.
After showering and freshening up, I visited the snackbar, just up the road from the apartment. I feel I had burnt so many calories I was allowed to indulge in chips…well, I was…how should I put it…I was fuckin’ starving.
I tried to relax after eating, I booked a hotel, where I can stay on my return journey. I see they have a bath, so the chances are this wee bum will be floating in a bath on Sunday evening. My legs are seriously beginning to struggle, so I reckon I have made a wise decision to split the return journey. I could have taken the train home, but this is much more fun and it’s like I am oozing every last breath out of the short holiday.
It was dark quite early, but as I sat by the front door again watching the world go by, it was 10 at night and the temperature was still a nice 24 degrees.
As I sat there I suddenly had a visitor, who came up said hello and just sat there the whole time and even when I went in I could see him stare at the door
The rest of the evening, I just worked on the blog. I could not be bothered with television. Just crap nowadays.
I decided to go to bed about 11 and I think I was sleeping by 11.02. I woke up an hour early and my mobile phone still had a Netflix film on. So I turned it off and went back to sleep.
I awoke around 3 for a bit, but slept again until this morning. yes the tour did take a lot out of me. I love pushing the boundaries, but sometimes you just have to admit you pushed them too far and respect your body.
As stated earlier. Saturday will be my last full day and it will be spent in town and later in the evening out to dinner with the brother in a nice restaurant. Afterwards when he returns to Alkmaar, he will take my bag, which will include my laptop, back with him. So the next few days I won’t be able to write on the blog, I will continue and conclude this blog when I am back in my studio.
As always, I thank you for taking the time to read this and please leave a message below. It is always nice to hear from you.
Until later. Be safe, my friends
Check out the photo’s from today, click here
