Ramblin' Dan: Bike Touring Adventures

Amsterdam, Netherlands

My last full day in Europe was packed from start to finish. Amsterdam has a variety of things to do and see and I tried my best to get in as many things as possible. It’s my last chance to experience a new city before getting back into the NYC routine that I am so used to.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Today was a great reminder of why I built in a few buffer days between arriving in Amsterdam and leaving. It was another beautiful day, but I spent much of the morning in search of a box for my bicycle. I would have thought Amsterdam would be the easiest place in the world to find a bicycle box. It turned out to be much more of a challenge than expected.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

There are too many things to do and see during the next few days in Amsterdam to stop the blog even though the riding is over. I should have taken more pictures today but had a great time walking around the city with my friend Deborah, her bother Erick and their friend Jenn.

Utrecht, Netherlands to Amsterdam, Netherlands

Well I guess that’s it. After 1,212 miles I have arrived at my stopping point in Amsterdam. Today’s ride was an uneventful 30 miles which went by quickly. I almost got stuck riding in the rain again, but it thankfully stopped just before I got on the road.

Utrecht, Netherlands

Today was the perfect day to spend in Utrecht. I finally got a warm sunny day and took full advantage of it, walking along the canals of Utrecht and having a few beers outside.

Rotterdam, Netherlands to Utrecht, Netherlands

Today’s ride was much like the last 2 in terms of the elevation being completely flat. I did have the benefit of nice scenery and no rain which made today’s ride the best I’ve had in the Netherlands. Riding in the Netherlands has been defined by the flat roads and bike paths which make for easy navigation in and out of the larger cities. Rotterdam and Utrecht are two of the largest cities in the Netherlands and it was very easy to get from one city to the other.

Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands to Rotterdam, Netherlands

I’ve ridden in the rain enough on this trip that another day of it wasn’t all that bad. Even with the rain it was a quick 41 miles from Bergen op Zoom to Rotterdam. With a heavy downpour the entire ride I decided not to make any stops, so there is no photo evidence of today’s ride.

Brussels, Belgium to Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands

Today was far from the prettiest ride I’ve done in Europe, but it was one of the flattest. Even though there wasn’t much to see I still enjoyed being back on my bike after the 3 day hiatus. There weren’t any challenges today, just easy pedaling to get me from Brussels to the Netherlands.

Brussels, Belgium

Another day in Brussels that started with some sightseeing and finished with food and beer. I’ve had a great time in Brussels, but I am ready to get back on my bike to finish out the trip to Amsterdam.

Brussels, Belgium

Today started as a productive self-guided walking tour of the city but by lunch time I had switched over to full on beer drinking mode. There are definitely more interesting beers to drink than sights to see in Brussels and that is fine by me.

Brussels, Belgium and Bruges, Belgium

After catching the train from Brussels to Bruges I spent the day trying all of Belgium’s food groups including mussels, fries, beer, waffles and chocolate. The day started with rain, but it turned into a great day to walk around.

Namur, Belgium to Brussels, Belgium

If the last 2 days felt like Missouri, then today I hit the Kansas part of Belgium. The terrain flattened out significantly making the ride enjoyable from start to finish. I ended the day in Brussels, where I will be taking a few days off to do some sightseeing.

Bastogne, Belgium to Namur, Belgium

Today was another day of grinding through a ride. This part of Belgium has reminded me of riding through Missouri with many deceptive hills and short but steep climbs that take a toll on the legs. It was supposed to be 74 miles from Bastogne to Namur, but there was a conveniently placed train station where I could cut the ride a bit short. I knew this would be a hard day from the moment I mapped it out and I think the train may have been my plan A the entire time.

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg to Bastogne, Belgium

Today was a slow ride due to all the ups and downs involved in traversing the landscape. There was never a long flat section to get my speed up and no rhythm or consistency to my riding. I spent most of the day on bike paths through wooded areas which was nice, but I was exhausted by the end of the day.