Cycling in
The Netherlands
CYCLING IN T HE N E T H E R LA N
DS
This book is about four c ousins and they set off how on a journe y all over T Netherlands he trying to ge t to know e other better, a c h or somethin g like that. During eigh t days, they followed the path –the n LF9b ew coast th e sea draw floodgates fa if the iled– from South to No cycling 475 rth, Kilometers the best way could. they
This book w on’t probably tell you anyth you didn’t ing already kno w , but it mig make you th ht ink twice on where to go, to carry or w w hat ho to go wit h.
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Cycling in The Netherlands From 26th June to 8th July, 2012 2015, Xabi Requejo You are free to copy and redistribute both texts and photos, remix, transform and build upon the material. However, you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes have been made. You may not use the material for commercial purposes. If you remix, transform, or built upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the very same license as the original.
Groningen
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Km
INTRO
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All of us had our requirements: we wanted to go somewhere where we didn’t know the language; since visiting antique churches would’ve made us seem 30 years older, we had to have the chance to do something physical; and last but not least, it had to be within a budget.
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My name is Xabi and in March of 2012 along with my cousins Aitor, Maite and Unai, we decided to go on holidays. The four of us together for the first time.
Km 60
Amsterdam 60
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Zeewolde
Meppel
Zwolle
Utrecht
Heukelum
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We spent the following months drawing our stages but took as a base the already created LF9 named route. And its surname would be “b” because we would do it from South to North (LF9a if you’re going from North to South).
50 Km
Once we rejected the former USSR countries (some thought they’d be cheap) and the UK (Olympic Games were taking place that year and none of us enjoys crowded places), we decided to go to The Netherlands. And we would visit it by bike.
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Appelscha
Breda
Not only would we start in the South but we would also do it in Breda and not in the border to Belgium, the way it should’ve been. The reason of this decision was that Unai knew a few people in the town who could help us start our adventure. 5
Breda 6
Bilbao - Amsterdam - Breda The beginning of our route. The place where we will get our bikes. They’d better stay with us until the end of our journey! It’d only be possible with the help of Adriaan, Paul & Dorien: Unai’s friends. Unai himself will take advantage of their friendship, not only to get the bikes we need, but also to be able to show his work under the train station.
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BILBAO - BREDA June is never easy, especially if you’re a student who spent all May blowing your nose because of hay fever and now you have to make tons of works and study for dozens of exams. But we did it, and we set off on 26th June at 5 in the afternoon. We got to Schiphol and took the train to Breda (25€). Our suitcases were nothing but dirty cardboard boxes we would get rid of as soon as we took out the panniers we were carrying inside and set them up. None of them got broken on the flight.
Breda will be a big two day stop. This is where Unai’s friends Paul & Dorien –from IDFX– live, and will let us sleep in their attic. We expect to find some cheap bicycles with theirs and Adriaan’s friends help.
We had two goals in Breda: get the bikes to cross the country from South to North, and show Unai’s work at the window IDFX owns on the crowded tunnel under the train station’s tracks.
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BREDA The Netherlands, known in the whole world as bike friendly and by the number of bicycles there are (after China, or course), we thought it would be easy to find four bikes for little money because of the huge stock they must have. Our expectations soon crashed.
We kept repeating to ourselves the advice a friend of Maite gave us: «don’t pay more than 50€ for a two-wheeler». Also, the guy from the bike shop was Adriaan’s neighbor. Who said bargain?
Well, not here. The cheapest bicycles were the ones the brake was cycling backwards. Over 100€ you could find a bike with the brakes we all know, but with no gears. 125€ and over cycles were slightly better and some of them had the gears on the handlebar and not on the head tube. 150? Now we’re talking.
We ended up with three bicycles and a mountain bike. We also got the pannier we needed, the installation of a rack, and the mandatory lights, all for 440€. That’s how we spent all morning. 10
In the evening we went to the train station. IDFX owns a window there and Unai brought a picture to show there: brandnelets. After attending the local press, we headed to the pub.
Brandnelets. IDFX’s Etalage or window, in the tunnel of the train station
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LF9b 12
Although Holland’s cycling path network is vast, we’ll still have problems getting to our destinations. 13
Rest area
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BREDA - HEUKELUM Our first and dreaded bike day. Aitor, Unai and I had cycled together before, but not with Maite, so today we’re going to check on how the four of us work together.
Problems didn’t take long before starting to pop up: we were only carrying two bottles of water and the heat increased during the day. We got excited at the beginning of the journey on thinking if we would be able to get to the accommodation before it started raining.
Finally, the lack of water made Xabi go to a hotel on the path for some drinks for all of them.
The day felt long and it was late by the time we got to Kees’s place.
Our host didn’t offer dinner and he suggested we went, the sooner the better, next town where we could eat something. But the only restaurant was closed because it was their day off, and we had to go even further to fill our hungry tummies, crossing the highway, 15 kms away from our accommodation.
Kees was the owner of the B&B. It only had two twin rooms and a shared bathroom in the upper floor, an open living room and dining space and a tiny kitchen on the lower one. It could have been a page of Ikea’s magazine. There were drinks in the fridge. Kees was really nice and patient with us. He let us keep the bikes in a shed he had next to his house. He gave a good account of himself. It is true that we were exhausted and who knows if we could think straight after such a tiresome day.
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HEUKELUM - UTRECHT
We tried all kind of accommodation during our trip. From B&Bs to the apartment in Amsterdam, we stayed at campsites, hotels… but if there is one to outstand them all it’s Utrecht’s youth hostel. Dismal, dark, decadent and shabby are not even close to the first impression that place gave. It was run by a woman with hormonal issues, trying to hide herself under a hat. A hat that could have been stolen from the set of Crocodile Dundee.
The two bottles of cheap wine we were given when we checked in didn’t change our negative perception about the hostel; the fact that someone drank them while we took our panniers to the room didn’t help either. I must admit that I didn’t expect anything good when we looked for accommodation on internet and we chose the cheapest one.
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On its site they stated that the food was free and unlimited, and the only condition to consume it was that it had to be cooked by oneself.
This woman, when we told her we were meeting a friend from Utrecht, suggested inviting him over so the five of us could have a BBQ in the backyard. The very same backyard where two giant rabbits were nibbling everything, making us wonder if our bikes would still be there next morning or if they’d have been eaten by the monster mammals.
Forgetting the mouse we saw in the kitchenliving room-reception-music area-cybercafe was easier as soon as you got into the bedroom; a hundred of red couches and the reddish light that came through the red curtains made everyone forget everything (and lose their minds). The conditions of the bathroom matched the rest of the facilities.
The decision of buying the bikes in The Netherlands
We couldn’t find any company that would’ve let us pick the bikes up somewhere and give them back 500 Kilometers away; it might be possible, but it must cost an arm and an leg.
We could’ve carried the bikes we had at home with us (50€ each way if you’re flying) but we were afraid they could be damaged or stolen. And one of us didn’t have a bike, so we had to buy one anyway.
We thought that it wouldn’t be difficult to buy a bike –or four– in The Netherlands, having in mind we had a friend in Breda. But when we had to sell them… no one would give a bean. If I made this trip again, I’d bring my own bike. We spent long hours buying and selling them and who knows whether you’ll like the bikes you are offered, or if they’re good, or if they’re your size…
But keep you bike in sight always and use a proper lock/chain (over 8mm thick). It doesn’t matter how many bicycles are abandoned at every train station, every single one is wanted, especially mountain bikes.
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The only time we stopped and stretched was while we were waiting for the ferry 18
UTRECHT - ZEEWOLDE It’s one of the longest days I remember. We cycled through an area of grass dunes and didn’t see anyone in many kilometers.
The only one who came to welcome us was the wind, so we had to slipstream for a while. We took turns on the front to try to keep our speed steady and to protect the ones coming behind from the wind. Far away we could hear the sound of some music festival.
The campsite where we stayed didn’t have a restaurant or, probably, the kitchen was closed by the time we got there. The odd owner, who looked like Glenn Close, suggested we went to this restaurant at the end of the road: the house of Hansel & Gretel, where children celebrate birthdays. Crepes and ice cream for everyone.
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ZEEWOLDE - ZWOLLE The accommodation of this day couldn’t be more different than the one we had in Utrecht. Only the breakfast, not included in the prices of the room, was 25€ per person. Half a liter of water, 4€. Bottled water is considered a treat, since the water coming from every fountain is drinkable in The Netherlands.
Maite had got a bite many days before and since it was spreading through her leg, next morning we were taken to the health centre to check it out. GP decided not to chop it off and we picked the trip up where we had left it. 20
Aitor’s bike 21
On our way to Meppel 22
ZWOLLE - MEPPEL
Meppel is a nice village with very little traffic. What we worried about most was to find a place to have dinner at the time we got there. But we made it. We had dinner at an Italian restaurant, next to a very noisy Dutch group.
On our second night there, we decided to have pizza or kebab in the backyard of our accommodation, which had some picnic tables.
Grey heron (Ardea Cinerea)
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THE GREEN VENICE Or the day to rest, which turned out not being so.
This day was conceived to have a resting day in our journey, extend the trip and, on top of everything else, wash our clothes, because, just in case anybody was wondering, no, there’s no room to swing a cat in the panniers.
As Aitor proposed, we decided to pay a quick visit to Giethoorn, also known as the Green Venice.
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We rented a small boat in Giethoorn and unlike any other day, we had the chance to talk to each other for a few hours about childhood memories or the speed of bikes, among other topics.
«Do you think I’m slow?» Maite asked me on the boat. The answer, never pronounced by Xabi, was given by Unai the first day: –Maite, even if it’s flat, you have to keep on cycling, ok?
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MEPPEL - APPELSCHA
When we decided that we would go to Holland and cross the country on a bike, the male cousins started getting in shape; Maite, meanwhile didn’t say a word.
To test ourselves and check if our workout routine was either just ok, or enough, or there was room for improvement, we decided to go to the dam of Uribarri from Gasteiz, and surround it cycling. The distance would be the same we had to cycle each day in The Netherlands.
We did it, but we got home busted and feared that two days, one after the other in the same conditions would be too much. And even if we never said it out loud, we all had Maite in mind, who we knew wasn’t shaping up. Her comments weren’t soothing either: «last year I attended a belly dance course; that must’ve helped me somehow, right?» Poor little thing, we thought!
If that wouldn’t have been enough, Maite’s bike was the only one with no gears. The least in shape with the worst bike. Not a good combination. Poor little thing. 28
Poor little thing my arse! Hurt by Xabi’s silence on the previous day, when he was asked if he thought Maite was slow, she took the map and the lead. She set a pace none of us could keep up with. Our moans, our shouts… like water off a duck’s back; no matter how many times we asked her to stop or we told her that it wasn’t the right path, she continued.
So we caught up with her when she got stuck in a soft, loose sandy path, and so did our bikes. We had to drag them under the burning sun for a while in one of the hottest days I remember. It was her way to get her back on us. Finally Unai, as Xabi did the first day, decided to stop somewhere and get us some drinks. But, unlike the first day, instead of a touristic bar it was a florist, with no double drinks, but tiny berry juices. Sigh!
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APPELSCHA - GRONINGEN
The stupidity of the previous day took its toll.
Maite said that the reason why she went that fast the previous day was that she wanted to get to our accommodation early, to go to sleep early and set off early next day. We knew that we would need a few hours to get to Groningen, sell our bikes, take the train and reach Amsterdam. I guess we could say Maite got what she wanted: at 10 in the morning we were already cycling. We had never set off that early.
But the margin of advantage didn’t last long. Maite’s bike chain got loose up to seven times and made us lose long hours trying to fix it. We didn’t have time to even try to sell the bikes, so we took them with us to Amsterdam.
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Two couples who helped us fix Maite’s bike 31
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Amsterdam 34
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AMSTERDAM We got to Amsterdam in the evening of a grey day and went straight away to the apartment we had rented. It was the basement of one of the houses Amsterdam is very well known by. It still had some stairs connecting the basement with the upper level, but they where closed. Closed enough so the people couldn’t use them in any other way than as storage shelves, but with enough room for mice to rumble up and down. Amsterdam was so different from the relaxed, lonely and quiet bike rides we had been used to!
The hardest part was to try to sell our bikes. No one wanted them, at least not for the price we considered reasonable. Finally, we sold them for 50€ each, so I guess it could be considered as an 8 day rent for 60€, having taken them in Breda and leaving them in Amsterdam.
We packed the panniers in cardboard boxes and went back home. 36
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A church 38
More popular churches 39
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De Dam
Vijzelgracht Street
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Rijksmuseum
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Museumplein
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Last & least
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ROUTES There are many paths to cycle in The Netherlands and you can check them out here; but if you don’t like them, you can design your own, there’re thousands of cycling routes. If fact, there’re so many it’s easy to get lost.
We decided to cycle 50 Kms a day for seven or eight days (plus three more in Amsterdam). We needed 4-5 hours to get to our destination. It’s very easy and even someone out of shape could do it on a bike with no gears and wouldn’t end up short of breath. You’ll enjoy it more if you’re in shape, though.
We couldn’t stop at every village during the day, so if you have money to burn, take your time: cycle less and walk around more. It’s a matter of money and preference, too, I guess; maybe you don’t like walking.
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CRUISER OR MOUNTAIN BIKES? Mountain bikes are really comfortable with their damping, thick tyres… but they’re not necessary in The Netherlands, since most of the paths are paved, made out of concrete, cobbles/paving stones, dust and, maybe, sand. So cruiser bikes don’t have any problems to cycle them (except on sand, but again, mountain bikes also get stuck). Have in mind the panniers will be higher on a mountain bike than on a cruiser, so it won’t be as balanced and will top over easier, especially on sharp turns.
ACCOMMODATION We took the LF9b route as a base and designed our own course. We decided that we’d cycle 50 Kms a day at a speed of 15 Km/h. So, using one of the many websites created for cyclists in The Netherlands, we tried to find the closest accommodation at the end of these 50 Kms. Many villages are so small that there’s not a single place to spend the night at. Hotels, hostels, B&Bs, campsites… we tried them all. I’d suggest:
Spijkse Waard [Heukelum]. Two twin rooms, shared bathroom. Kees –the owner– was really kind.
De Sternhof [Zeewolde]. Rooms, caravans, tents… only the rooms have bathroom. Far away from any town or shop. De Compagnonshoeve [Appelscha]. Huge rooms.
There’re also some places on the route where one could spend the night in their own tent. But who wouldn’t want a hot shower after 4-5 hours on a bike? Besides, odds are it’ll rain that night and if you’re lucky enough to spend a dry night, it would’ve rained the day before, so the earth will still be wet.
We spent about 35€/night/person.
BASIC GEAR It seems helmets are not compulsory in The Netherlands, but front and rear light are.
TRAINS If you’re going to get on a train with your bike, you’ll have to take the panniers off. Trains have hostesses that get off to the platform at every stop, and get back on once all the passengers are on the train, so there’s no chance to lose the train because of the bikes. But bicycles can’t be carried in at rush hour unless you get the permission from the driver. 47
doei! Xabi Requejo