A Trip Around The IJsselmeer: Day 1

Andrew wants to sleep in a tent. I want a good excuse to eat 6 chocolate pastries for breakfast.

Yes, it’s definitely time for another bike tour and once we get the idea in our heads, it takes only moments before we both agree to dedicate a long weekend entirely to cycling. We want to ride our bikes all day, until the sun sets, and we want to see a few more scenes like this.

Dutch windmill

It’s simply been far too long since we’ve done a long trip. Eight months, to be precise. That’s when we finished our world tour and our love of bike touring hasn’t gone away since then. In fact, if anything it’s grown stronger, encouraged by the passionate cycling culture here in the Netherlands. Everyone rides a bike  here and it’s just so easy!

We are gushing over the simplicity of cycling in the Netherlands, even before we set out on tour. In other countries, we might plan a trip by plotting points in a GPS or buying a map. Here, we simply use Google to find one of the many bicycle route planners (search ‘fietsrouteplanner’ to see for yourself, use Google Translate to help with the Dutch) and soon we’re watching multiple options being traced across our screen on interactive maps.

Will it be the Fietserpad, a 500km long trip from south to north across the country? Or perhaps a trip along the North Sea coastline, finishing with a beer tasting in the Belgian city of Brugges?

After a lively debate, we settle on  something different: a Rondje IJsselmeer. For you English-speaking folks, that’s Dutch for a tour around the IJsselmeer Lake. This shallow body of water was created in 1932 when the Dutch built a dam across the entrance to an inland sea. Not only can we do a round trip from our front door (we want to avoid taking the train on a busy long weekend) but we’ll get to go through 5 of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands. Not bad for a 4-1/2 day trip.Heading Out On A Bike Tour Of Holland

We pack our bags, stuffing everything we need into 2 panniers each. In go the sleeping bags, our MSR Whisperlite stove and 2 t-shirts each, plus a roll of toilet paper (not always supplied in Dutch campgrounds). The shortwave radio (our lifeline on long expeditions) and our water filter stay at home. We’re not planning to drink out of the canals.

Then, on a Thursday night after work, we hit the road. Actually, we hit the bike paths. In the Netherlands, there’s rarely a need to tango with the cars. You can get almost anywhere without being bothered by traffic.

Normally, we prefer to start in the morning but tonight we have a special destination: a free camping site about 30km from home. Ever since we discovered paal camping – the only way to legally free camp in the Netherlands – we’ve been hooked on it.

These tranquil spots are usually set in woodland, well hidden from roads and even nearby tracks, and so far we’ve had them all to ourselves. Tonight is no exception. We roll our bikes through green fields, down a little path to a clearing and there is our spot, next to a canal. Home, sweet home.

Almost at our first campsite

Home, sweet home

Andrew cooks supper – a vegetarian feast of peppers, carrots, onions and fried halloumi cheese, served over a bed of quinoa. I go to take some pictures of the sheep.

Supper on the go

Awwwwwwww........

On my way back to camp, I stop in front of some stinging nettles and spot this bug. While I’m taking his photo, I think about how I should have looked up how to make stinging nettle soup. We would have had a feast here in our campsite, because it’s surrounded by thousands of nettle plants!

A Bug On Stinging Nettle Plants

After supper, Andrew does some dishes, scooping water out of the canal for the purpose. And as the sun sets, we take a few last shots before crawling into our tent. It’s not the world’s most spectacular sunset, but the grey skies do make for some erie shots.

Bicycle Silhouette

Soon, we’re sleeping soundly in the woods, accompanied only by the sound of a few frogs croaking in a nearby canal. Tomorrow, we head further north, skirting just to the side of Amsterdam and into the man-made province of Flevoland. But first, we’re in for one of the best sleeps we’ve had in a very long time.

Next: Day 2 of our Trip Around The IJsselmeer

Comments

  1. Jayme
    30th May 2010 at 1:25 pm #

    It’s so wonderful to be reading your journals again! I have really missed hearing about your bicycling travels! Looking forward to reading Day 2!

  2. Alan Shea
    9th June 2010 at 3:08 am #

    Hi from your big brother—Looks like you had a great trip on the ling week-end, just an early Happy Birthday to Andrew, enjoy the day——-Alan/Carol/Maggie

  3. George Pitlik
    31st August 2010 at 5:12 pm #

    Hi there,
    I just bought two Gazelle Dutch bikes on ebay. They each have a Nexus seven speed hub. We have ridden in the Netherlands before on Dutch city bikes and love flat terrain.

    Have you used your bikes for touring in hilly or mountainous regions? How are your bikes geared.

    Great pictures and story by the way.
    Thanks for your time.
    George Pitlik
    Alpine, Texas USA

  4. supreme hoodie
    4th November 2022 at 7:27 pm #

    I intended to compose you this tiny word to say thanks a lot yet again just for the awesome solutions you’ve contributed in this case. It is surprisingly generous with people like you to make unreservedly what some people could have sold for an ebook to make some dough on their own, even more so considering the fact that you might have done it if you wanted. These good ideas as well served as the fantastic way to know that many people have similar zeal just like my own to find out significantly more with respect to this matter. I’m sure there are numerous more enjoyable opportunities in the future for individuals who read carefully your website.

  5. off white
    4th November 2022 at 7:28 pm #

    I wanted to create you a tiny word so as to say thanks a lot once again just for the remarkable knowledge you have discussed in this article. This has been seriously generous with you to make extensively what exactly a number of us might have supplied as an ebook to earn some money for their own end, notably given that you could possibly have tried it if you ever considered necessary. Those good ideas likewise worked like the fantastic way to be sure that other people online have the identical zeal really like my own to find out a little more when considering this issue. I think there are thousands of more fun times in the future for individuals who look over your site.

  6. supreme
    5th November 2022 at 6:35 am #

    I together with my pals were analyzing the nice points located on your site while all of a sudden developed a terrible suspicion I never thanked you for those techniques. Those young boys had been certainly glad to read through them and have now extremely been loving them. Appreciation for turning out to be very considerate and for making a decision on variety of cool ideas millions of individuals are really wanting to understand about. My very own sincere regret for not saying thanks to sooner.

  7. off white clothing
    6th November 2022 at 7:30 am #

    Thanks a lot for providing individuals with an exceptionally splendid chance to check tips from here. It can be so nice and also full of a good time for me personally and my office fellow workers to search the blog a minimum of three times every week to study the latest items you have got. And definitely, I am just at all times astounded with all the extraordinary tips and hints served by you. Selected 3 ideas in this post are certainly the most efficient I’ve ever had.

  8. off white hoodie
    7th November 2022 at 9:01 am #

    I happen to be commenting to make you know of the exceptional encounter my child enjoyed studying the blog. She noticed so many issues, most notably what it is like to have a great giving style to make many more effortlessly know precisely selected problematic things. You undoubtedly did more than people’s expected results. Thanks for displaying those productive, healthy, educational and also unique tips about this topic to Tanya.

  9. golden goose
    11th November 2022 at 12:59 am #

    I am just commenting to make you know what a cool discovery our girl encountered viewing your blog. She came to find some pieces, which include what it is like to have a marvelous teaching style to make other individuals just have an understanding of various complicated things. You undoubtedly exceeded our desires. Many thanks for giving the interesting, trusted, edifying not to mention easy tips about that topic to Lizeth.

  10. pg 1
    13th November 2022 at 8:46 am #

    Thanks for your whole labor on this site. My niece enjoys engaging in investigation and it is obvious why. We notice all about the dynamic means you make both useful and interesting guides on the website and in addition boost participation from other individuals on the subject while our own child is always being taught a great deal. Have fun with the remaining portion of the year. Your performing a powerful job.

  11. off white t shirt
    13th November 2022 at 8:47 am #

    I precisely had to appreciate you all over again. I do not know what I might have sorted out without the information contributed by you regarding such area of interest. It became a traumatic issue in my position, however , encountering the specialised strategy you dealt with it took me to cry over joy. I will be thankful for this guidance and thus hope you recognize what an amazing job your are getting into teaching many people using your blog. Most likely you haven’t come across all of us.

  12. russell westbrook shoes
    16th November 2022 at 7:38 am #

    I want to voice my affection for your kind-heartedness supporting all those that absolutely need help with this important content. Your real dedication to passing the solution all around had become definitely significant and has regularly permitted guys and women just like me to arrive at their goals. Your personal helpful hints and tips implies a great deal to me and still more to my colleagues. Thank you; from each one of us.

  13. supreme clothing
    21st November 2022 at 7:20 pm #

    I simply wished to appreciate you once again. I am not sure the things I might have carried out in the absence of the actual tips and hints shown by you about my question. Completely was an absolute depressing matter for me, however , viewing the specialized way you handled it forced me to leap for contentment. Now i am happy for your help and in addition pray you really know what a great job you were accomplishing educating many others thru your webpage. I’m certain you have never come across all of us.

  14. bape hoodie
    26th November 2022 at 3:02 am #

    I am glad for writing to make you know of the excellent encounter my girl developed checking the blog. She mastered some things, with the inclusion of how it is like to possess an awesome helping mindset to make certain people really easily know precisely a number of very confusing subject areas. You really exceeded my expected results. Many thanks for supplying these informative, trustworthy, revealing and cool thoughts on the topic to Gloria.

  15. bapesta
    27th November 2022 at 6:20 am #

    I simply wished to say thanks once again. I’m not certain the things that I could possibly have gone through in the absence of the type of concepts shared by you relating to my subject matter. Previously it was an absolute fearsome situation in my circumstances, but witnessing the well-written technique you managed the issue made me to jump with fulfillment. I will be thankful for this advice as well as hope that you find out what a powerful job you’re providing instructing the mediocre ones through the use of a site. I’m certain you’ve never come across all of us.

  16. golden goose sneakers
    1st December 2022 at 7:53 am #

    I want to voice my admiration for your kindness giving support to people that really need help on your matter. Your very own commitment to passing the solution all around appears to be especially useful and have constantly enabled ladies much like me to get to their aims. This important publication can mean a lot to me and somewhat more to my fellow workers. Thanks a ton; from everyone of us.

  17. a bathing ape
    14th May 2023 at 6:34 am #

    I precisely needed to appreciate you all over again. I’m not certain what I could possibly have sorted out without the actual points shared by you on such a industry. It had become an absolute difficult scenario for me personally, however , coming across this specialized fashion you processed it forced me to jump for contentment. I’m just thankful for your advice and as well , pray you recognize what a great job you are always doing training the mediocre ones using a web site. I am sure you haven’t got to know all of us.

  18. a bathing ape
    26th May 2023 at 10:16 pm #

    I want to show some appreciation to you for rescuing me from this circumstance. Right after checking throughout the the web and coming across methods that were not productive, I believed my life was gone. Being alive devoid of the approaches to the difficulties you have fixed through the guide is a crucial case, and the ones that might have badly damaged my career if I hadn’t encountered your blog. Your good mastery and kindness in touching all the things was tremendous. I’m not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t come upon such a stuff like this. I am able to at this moment look ahead to my future. Thanks very much for your skilled and sensible help. I will not hesitate to propose the sites to any individual who should receive assistance on this subject.

  19. off white shoes
    29th May 2023 at 3:07 am #

    I precisely had to thank you so much once again. I’m not certain the things I could possibly have accomplished in the absence of those tips contributed by you about that question. It had been a real difficult issue in my opinion, but taking a look at this professional strategy you resolved it forced me to cry with gladness. Extremely thankful for the work and then believe you realize what an amazing job you have been putting in educating many others using your site. I am sure you have never come across all of us.

  20. fear of god essentials
    14th June 2023 at 1:59 pm #

    I precisely needed to say thanks once more. I’m not certain the things I might have made to happen in the absence of these points shown by you relating to such area of interest. It seemed to be the depressing concern in my opinion, but taking note of the skilled form you dealt with the issue made me to leap with fulfillment. I’m grateful for this assistance and as well , have high hopes you find out what a great job you’re providing teaching men and women thru your webpage. Probably you haven’t encountered any of us.

  21. yeezy 350 v2
    20th June 2023 at 5:55 am #

    I simply needed to appreciate you all over again. I’m not certain the things I might have tried without the type of methods documented by you over such subject matter. It was actually an absolute intimidating setting for me personally, nevertheless taking note of this specialised style you processed that made me to weep for delight. Now i’m grateful for this assistance and even wish you recognize what a great job you are always doing teaching most people using your website. Probably you haven’t got to know any of us.

  22. paul george shoes
    22nd June 2023 at 9:14 am #

    I would like to express my appreciation for your kind-heartedness in support of folks who should have guidance on in this theme. Your personal dedication to getting the solution all over had been pretty useful and have continually encouraged most people like me to get to their pursuits. Your insightful hints and tips signifies much to me and somewhat more to my office colleagues. Thank you; from all of us.

  23. Best universities in Africa
    24th December 2023 at 1:22 am #

    505576 240920I want to start a blog written by a fictitious character commenting on politics, current events, news etc..How?. 657881

Leave a Reply to supreme clothing Click here to cancel reply.