The last big push.

From Nijmegen, we had two days solid riding to get to the North Sea.

First stop, after a delightful day of riding along dykes with the wind to our backs, was Aalst. Who would have thought that my PDA would get flogged on the last night of paid accommodation? It did. I was bummed out.


From Aalst to Rotterdam was a different day, and the wind was no longer our friend. It howled accross the flat Dutch coutryside, hitting us head on. The succession of large and small ferries provided a welcome relief from the slog. The last 20km into Rotterdam was vintage Netherlands, with the path following the canals of Nieuwe Waterschap, lined with traditional windmills built in 1720.

A quiet afternoon beverage in central Rotterdam, and we pushed on towards Poeldijk. Before getting there, we were greeted by running out of water, my first puncture of the trip and our host's son, Rob, (in that order), who rode out to meet us and guide us the last couple of kilometers.

115km is too long to ride into the wind on one day , but Ruud, Gerda and Rob, instantly made the ride worthwhile. It turns out that Ruud is a chef by training. Nuf said. They have spoiled us rotten in the last few days. . .and with Den Haag and Delft just up the road, there's been more than enough to fill our last few days and nights. Thanks guys!

Tonight, we're off to the Hook of Holland, where a ferry awaits to take us to England overnight