Cycle: 78.39km//4hr38min//16.88km/hr
Sunday Sept 1
Feeling like we might have added about 15km to the ride to Gouda on a cold windy day...ouch.
Prior to our trip we bought maps of the countries we were going to tour, but maps are really expensive so you have to pick the scale that works best for most things. Big enough scale to have smaller, less traveled roads but small enough that you aren't carrying around 6 maps for each country. Where this falls short is on the cities. For the most part we try to avoid the cities but this is not always possible. We then have to rely on an information center being open (and usually isn't) when we arrive, or else a city map sign somewhere in the city. Gouda was no exception. Rule of thumb...head for the city center (or towards the towering church spire)
Desperately needing warmth we found a bagel shop and indulged in a cappuccino, mochacchino, and croquette!! In typical cycle tourist fashion, we made ourselves at home, took out our extension cord, crawled under tables to plug in, and started charging all of our electronics. When we do find wi-fi, we loose time route mapping, searching out campsites and attractions, that it seems there is so little time to actually blog/facebook/email.
After 2-3 hours in the bagel shop, we started feeling our fingertips again, and made our way to Moordrecht. This is the town my dad (Jenn) was born in, and immigrated from when he was 14. We found Juliana Straat, the street he lived on, but all I knew was my dads place growing up was at the end......not helpful that helpful for precise pinpointing. Juliana straat follows the length of a canal and sits near the edge of town. I got a sense of the town of Moordrecht and thought of my dad perhaps fishing in the canals, running down the streets, and things like that.
Dilly dallying in Gouda and Moordrecht, we found that darkness descended quickly, and we got caught in the outskirts of Rotterdam, and were forced to urban camp on an virtual island between 4 major highways. As per usual, we were charged as much as caravans, but then out in a grassy field with no electricity or picnic tables. It is unfortunate, cycle tourists leave the smallest footprint since our needs are so small! Then again, we aren't big spenders, and suppose therein lies the crux
