Hook of Holland to Amersfoort, the Netherlands

I am on the bike again, this time riding from Holland (specifically the Hook of Holland) to Berlin. I will do this over the next seven days. 

I flew into Amsterdam yesterday from Central Asia, and this morning I headed into downtown Amsterdam by bus.

Frederic's bike shop opened at 9:00 and I headed over to pick up my bike.

Mostly Frederic's rents bikes for tourists with more local plans, but when I messaged them a couple of months ago they said they could get me set up for a ride to Berlin. This is not the style of bike I am used to riding, but it seemed okay, so I loaded it up, and left a backpack in the rafters of the shop.

From Amsterdam Central Station I took the train to Schiphol, then to Schiedam, and finally to the Hook of Holland. Here, around 11:45, by the shore of the North Sea and outside of the ferry terminal, I mounted up and began heading east. 

The route I am traveling is far from straightforward, but the trails and paths I am riding on are basically a dream. Here are some examples . . . 

Luckily, the rental bike includes a really good phone holder on the handle bars, so I could have my GPS on. This was essential given that the route involved a lot of turns and merges and zig zagging. A lot of navigation made the trip interesting, for sure, but did detract a little bit from my ability to enjoy the scenery or even at points know where I was. For example, the route took me right through the middle of Delft, and I did not really understand where I was until I turned a corner and saw the impressive Nieuwe Kerk! Unfortunately I did not stop in Delft, but kept on moving, as I felt a bit pressed for time given my relatively late-in-the-day start.

I did stop for lunch shortly before reaching Utrecht, and then joined the crowds of pedestrians and cyclists in the centre of the Netherland's fourth largest city and the capital of the province of the same name. 

About an hour after Utrecht, largely along this wonderful bike path, I reached Amersfoort. 

It was just before 18:00 when I arrived, having ridden 106 kilometres. My average speed of 20.9 kmph is unimpressive, but I was happy enough with the ride.

My hotel is a nice place, with a large outdoor patio . . .

. . . and, apparently, some history.

I am traveling with very little, so I had to ride into the centre of town to do laundry. I got the laundry going in a laundromat and then walked around the very quaint historic centre.

After my laundry was finished I ate dinner and bought some snacks for tomorrow's ride, including a very economical pack of Stroopwafels.

I parked my bike underneath the hotel and was super impressed at how well equipped they were for bicycles! You never see this in Canada.