Online Seeds Progress

Although some of the online seeds have sprouted, but they are currently not doing so well.  The cucumbers have way too many male flowers, the beans not bushy as described.  I better keep my expectation low.

Much Deserved Bike Wash

I should really be washing Unthank more often.  After collecting all the dirt from Northumberland, Forrest of Bowland, Lake District, the Dales, the Netherlands and Belgium, she had a much deserved wash.

Belgian Produces

In the morning, I cycled to the local clogs maker, they were open but nobody was around.  Then I cycled to the bakery, got a waffle and some bread.  When I got back, I had some bread and waffle with the Belgian vending machine strawberry, so Belgian.

I rode to Antwerp for a walk around, got some chocolate.  When I set off, it started raining.  I stopped at a cafe, still in Belgium, a ham and cheese sandwich and a coffee.

I went to a farm shop for some asparagus, Dutch!  I got a few green and a few white, all for 2 euro.

I stopped and had a quick snaps of Breda, then onto Rotterdam, specifically, the Markethall.  I had two croquettes with the bread I already got.  I went into AH for yet more chocolate.

Finally, I went to to ferry terminal, and got on the ferry.  Where I was working hard to use up the roaming data I bought for this trip.  I ate my bread and the rice cakes for dinner.

GLME Soesterberg 2025 - Day 4

On the check out day, everyone was just loading the bike, having breakfast and saying goodbyes.  It has been fun.

I took the motorway route to get to the Hague to see Karen.  We caught up and have some lunch.  Sample of two Canadians also have the general misunderstanding of the word dike.

Then I went Southbound to Baarle-Nassau and outskirt Antwerp.  On the way, I took a detour to a farm shop, which was shut.  Then I came by a strawberry vending machine!

I parked up, changed mode of transport.  I borrowed a bike to go to the shop to look for dinner.  I went to a Belgium chip shop, it makes British chip shop look healthy...

The place also have a washing machine, so I used it!  Always good to come home with mostly clean clothes!

GLME Soesterberg 2025 - Day 3

More nice breakfast to start the day.  The ride are earlier and earlier, today we set off at 8:30!

We had a mixed routes, nice pace, and went onto see a few traditional windmills.  The first stop was a flour mill, and I was able to get some flour.  After asking if Noam, has luggage space for my flour , he wanted some too, then someone else also bought some. We also saw a sew mill, which was interesting.

As the final night, so I got the packing done.  It was BBQ night, I was looking forward to it, it took a long time, we ended up having dinner late and slept late.

GLME Soesterberg 2025 - Day 2

Breakfast was very nice.  They had a few hot things for the British, then the typical German, French and of course Dutch selection.  

My gear were still wet from yesterday, but since the forecast was good, I was sure it would dry up shortly.

I went onto the scenic ride to Amsterdam for the boat trip.  The scenic ride involved riding on a lot of dikes.  Only now I know the dikes mean the bank, not the ditch!

It was good to see Amsterdam from the boat.  I did do a lot of walking around the canals when I was there, but it was a different prospective.

Before dinner, I was chasing down the ride leader for tomorrow, to ask if we can buy flour.  The Dutch think I was crazy...

Dinner was equally nice and equally messed with.  I checked with Sarah, she also had the misunderstanding of the word dike.

GLME Soesterberg 2025 - Day 1

I was still stuffed from dinner, so I only had a modest breakfast.  The immigration officer actually asked everyone where they were going, so the queue was long.

It was only some 50 miles to the venue, so I thought I would check out the other bit of the Netherlands before getting to Soesterberg.  Where I went, Friesland, was actually quite far, and the weather was pretty bad.

I did make it to Leeuwarden, used some Dutch, had a coffee, took a few pictures.  Then I went onto Amersfoort, then onto Soesterberg.  I was drenched...

It was a very nice hotel, coffee and cookies were flowing.  I got into the room, got the wet gear off me, then I did a little socialising before dinner.  The dinner was too nice, too messed with...