Safe Return Doubtful

44 miles (70 km) – Total so far: 2,233 miles (3,594 km)

I was quite surprised this morning to start riding and find I was on a hill. Actually the riding was wonderful for the first couple of hours as I passed through the woods of the nature reserve Koninklijke Houtvesterij, climbing up to a giddy 70 meters asl at the village of Hoog Soeren. It was a cool and cloudy morning but there were plenty of people out riding (mainly mountain bikes), running and walking. I guess they get real benefit from training at this altitude, as the majority of people in Netherlands live below sea level.

Out of the nature reserve, but still on good bike tracks I caught up with a Cambridge student of music, Conrad, who was also at the end of his tour of a similar length to mine. We were headed the same way, him taking the ferry the day after me, so chatted and rode together for a while. By now rain had started and was to continue until mid-afternoon, with a westerly wind, so it was good to change to focus for a while. We rode together until Hilversum when he started looking for a campsite for the night, as the rain got heavier, and I took a train into Amsterdam. The last 20 kilometres or so riding into the city in heavy rain had less interest for me.

I’m staying just on the 17th century canal ring, and the city is busy with tourists on a Sunday afternoon. Those who know me will know that these days this is not my idea of a pleasant Sunday. However, I have a decent hotel room, and have just visited the highly acclaimed Der Beerkoening, a craft beer store with thousands in their range. I will enjoy a couple of those later and on the ferry tomorrow.

Distance 43.7 miles Time left 10:50 am Time arrived 3:45 pm Time riding 4 hours 2 minutes Height gained 126 metres