Found an unlimited power supply to feed my batteries for an update – the dynamo (or electronics in the front light) are frankly, disappointing. It’s only enough to keep up with the normal drain on a phone – in my case mapping and music. I was contemplating solar – would it have been better? I suppose at least I can keep a almost dead phone alive!

Enough moaning! Decided to do both days in one go – not because they were the same, but it only counts as one job to do.

On Saturday morning went back down to the bikes – a lot more cyclists had boarded (and many “lads” in custom BMWs – the Dutch police could really boost their funds if they were smart!). It was good cycling through the port as a long snake of cyclists – until passports, but even that was quick. Said goodbye to Olly (and I will come to Brixton for a beer when you finish).

Then hit the road (or rather cycle tracks) – you pretty much never cycle on the road in Holland – it’s amazing, often having right of way, traffic lights that see you coming and change. It’s really well signposted as well, but it fails in some area (I think the finger pointers might be too loose), and closed paths and diversions are a major pain.

Back on the ride, lots of people out and the route took the coastal path, often through moonscape sand dunes. Headwind all the way – but I’m not moaning yet!

Stopped at Scheveningen Beach for a coffee, and it feels very much like Brighton. Then stopped in a Co-op for, my now traditional, riding food – if it works why change. A loaf of unsliced rustic bread (everything was sliced, and my selection turned out to be museli bread!!!), interesting sliced cheese (the 30 month stuff I got didn’t go well with museli bread, cherry tomatoes (in suitable protective casing), and anything else that catches my eye (in this case Coke, and some unbelievably chocolatey chocolate – by Tony?).

Anyway pushed on through the headwinds, trending inland, and made it to the Amsterdam Forest Campsite in Amstelveen by 3:45. Unfortunately I wanted to visit the Cobra Modern Art Gallery, which closed at 5:00 (should have cycled faster – impossible, but a good excuse to use the new Eurostar service).

Nice campsite, very different to one I stayed years ago, where there were resident drug dealers wandering around. That said, in the morning it transpired that the guy (living) in the next tent was a cycling Delivroo (or Uber in Holland) rider – so perhaps not much has changed it’s just different people, or big business dishing out the misery!

Anyway.. Too tired to go and see any sites (I know there are none in Amstelveen – as I worked there for a year!), So cooked up dinner and was asleep by 8:30 (bit worried as it was only 80km). I tired to buy a local beer, but despite all the fridges being Heineken branded there was one dented tin and they were full of Warminster (or whatever it’s called – I just getting into Day 2s beer which is excellent!)

Next day got away about 8:30 (couldn’t find everything, everything else was in the wrong place – so I will get slicker). Hoping to do 175km to the German border (I’m writing this afterwards, but it was a crazy plan – beating my previous unloaded best of a crazy plan around the Ferries of Trondheim by 10km – and I only finished that at 2:30 am, and ran out of water – so drank beer in desperation). Needless to say I didn’t make it (although I think I could have* without trying to navigate through the suburbs of Amsterdam, it being a Sunday so no supplies or easy water, and – yes – the headwind).

Really nice cycling, just going town to town, with some remote paths through wind turbines (and it was a tail wind). Nice villages, small towns, sporting events (I think I was lucky the Muiden half marathon hadn’t started or I would have been really held up as it was all on the cycleways).

It being Sunday and everything was shut, but loads of people on their bikes or walking – and all sharing the path with no problems (the walkers are walking towards you on your side – all real easy with no surprises. Maybe only 2 dog walkers with their backs to me in 100km – it seems a mystery in the UK). Grabbed a burger at a lunch stop (one of many, my supplies are lasting) knowing that getting food would be difficult.

Ultimately made it to Zwolle (about 40km short, of my target), but it was 6:30 so needed to start looking for somewhere to stay. Really nice site, with bar (and restaurant if you are earlier). The big thing is I got some local beer, so despite pasta and pesto again all is good in the world (except I need to plan how to be in Hamburg at 10am Wednesday, when I am undermining all my planning by taking an easy day! Cheers