Hup Oranje!

[pchbreeze]

Welcome future Nederlanders

[Cloggy]

Bedankt! (translation "thanks")

[mikebike]

I will be riding in the netherlands in Late April and Early May 2008

-- on my Bicycle not the FZ6

2 week trip should be fun

[Cloggy]

Giving up the Florida sunshine to come to wet and windy Holland, you must be off your rocker.
But it is well geared for cyclists and there are not many hills.

[pchbreeze]

I was in Holland January of 2005...it was perfect. The day before returning to California, I was a bit sad to not have seen frozen canals (that I remembered)...but then it snowed that night, and the next morning I was content.

Alkmaar was nothing like I remembered...Cloggy, do you remember a "Wimpys" in Alkmaar?

[mikebike]

never been there.... our trip will be a "bike & boat" trip.... you sleep on the boat and you bike to the next location 40 -50 miles then back on the boat

looking forward to seeing a slice of Europe... I am sure Amsterdam will be interesting --- we begin and end the trip there

[Cloggy]

Originally Posted by pchbreeze

....
Alkmaar was nothing like I remembered...Cloggy, do you remember a "Wimpys" in Alkmaar?

.

No I don't remember a "whimpys" here only a micky D's and burger king. But I've only been living in Alkmaar for 5 years now. Before that in Leiden for 7 years and previous to that in the UK (as I am British by birth, but became "Cloggy" later).
I do remember plenty of frozen canals though.
January ain't exactly tourist time in Holland, so what was the attraction? Apart from the dope:

[Cloggy]

Originally Posted by mikenbern

looking forward to seeing a slice of Europe... I am sure Amsterdam will be interesting --- we begin and end the trip there

Sounds cool, Most Americans I've spoken to seem to do europe in a week or two but you'll have plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere (and the rain ).

Anyway I find it slightly strange to find an american who likes cycling (apart from Lance of course).
My experience of being a pedestrian in Florida was taking my life into my own hands, lord knows what it must be like on a bicycle.
I guess cycling in the states is more dangerous than riding your (other) bike, at least America is geared up for the (motorised) road user.

[pchbreeze]

I was born there and despite the many years living in teh US, I'm always Dutch in my heart.

My dad has a restaurant there, pretty nice sized for Holland...when I went there, it was turned into many smaller touristy stores. I lived in Zaandam for most of my childhood, so I'm a true AZer I had 'alkmaar' on my cars license plate. Of course, I still have my childhood loyalty to Ajax! And I even have a PSV shirt I wear often (often mistaken for a popular Mexican team Chivas).

I used to be a cyclist also (of course...I was born in Holland!) but you're right, the US is very cycle-unfriendly. Everyone needs to take their SUV to anywhere...even for a stroll if they're bored. I love that about Holland...everything is normal

[Cloggy]

Originally Posted by pchbreeze

I was born there and despite the many years living in teh US, I'm always Dutch in my heart.
I love that about Holland...everything is normal

Great to hear from a true AZer, I must admit its my adopted team (after Leeds United of course). Unfortunately its not going too well with either team at the moment but the seasons just begun.
I did go through an Ajax supporting stage (when I lived in Leiden) but I don't think that this had anything to do with the free football (soccer) tickets from my previous boss .

Well I became a cyclist when I came to Holland, as you know its the quickest form of transport around town.

You're right about the traffic in america, it was quicker to take the automobile to cross the street than to wait (for ages) at the pedestrian crossing.

Anyway back to bikes, the motorised ones.
Had a great trip home from work this evening over the West Fresian ring-dike (westfriese ringdijk) from Schagen to Scoorldam, its just the thing to blow the cobwebs away. This is an old dike (not the kind with comfortable shoes) and as with many old dikes it is has many turns (apparently this was necessary for increased strength), it's rather narrow but very quiet and as it is raised above the rest of the (very flat) countryside you have a great overview of the oncoming turns. This is not the quickest way home but it's worth the detour.

Hows the ride in your part of the world? apart from being warmer of course