European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 10, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                For a amps . Runquist a dutch cyclist travels past a canal on part of the country s Well kept network of Bike paths. By Pam Runquist staff writer the first thing we noticed on our Holland bicycle trip was that we had plenty of company. We saw businessmen biking to work Young children off to school racers out on morning training rides and families cycling together in the afternoon hours. We were even passed once or twice by women peddling Home from the grocery store. It did t take us Long to figure out Why the dutch Are such cycling fanatics. After three Days of biking through the heart of Holland we realized that cycling in their country is Safe easy and enjoyable. The biggest Benefit is the country s extensive network of bicycle paths. There Are approximately 20,000 Miles of Bike paths that extend across the Netherlands. They Are clearly marked with Blue signs with White bicycles in the Middle. The quickest safest Bike routes to nearby towns Are indicated by White signs with Small red bicycles. When a Bike path winds through a town or City there Are bicycle Stop lights and direction signs at intersections. Another plus is that the land is Flat. The country s highest Point is the Reilan Depunt or three lands Point where the dutch German and French Borders join a and it is All of 1,046 feet High. Most of the country is so Low that it s practically under water. In fact 20 percent of the land surface of the Netherlands has Bee dutch trea Holland is a cyclists Delight reclaimed from the sea and actually is below sea level. Biking along these level paths was practically effortless except for the times when we ran up against a Strong wind along major canals. The final incentive is the scenery. Holland is a Beautiful country especially during Tulip time. Flower Fields Are in Bloom everywhere in the Spring and the Green Countryside quaint towns and bustling cities make for unforgettable vistas. The possibilities for a cycling trip through the Netherlands Are endless and there Are plenty of books brochures and maps to help. Before taking our trip we read up on the area and chose a circuitous route that would Lead us along the Waterways and through the Scenic Countryside. Our tour would also allow us to see some of the smaller towns like Gouda and Delft and to hit a few essential tourist attractions including the Keuken Hof gardens and the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam. Our time was limited to three Days and we knew Only approximate distances but we relied on the fact that transporting bikes by train is a common practice in the Netherlands. We knew that if we could t make it Back to our starting Point Oesterberg a near utrecht we  on a train. Below is an outline of our journey. The distances Are approximated from maps and signs along the Way. Day 1 Oesterberg to Rotterdam 80 Kilometres 48 Miles we hopped on our bikes and headed for utrecht six Miles away to begin our tour. That s not As simple As it sounds of course. Before hopping on our bikes we loaded them with assorted paraphernalia a panniers saddlebags water bottles and the like. The Road Between the Small town of Oesterberg and the larger City of utrecht is dotted with some of the prettiest houses i be seen in Europe. We got our first whiff of dutch sheep and cows too. For most of our three Day trip that smell would remind us that we were peddling through Farmland. In utrecht we visited our first Vav one of the Many offices of the dutch National tourist Board located throughout the country. Throughout our trip we found that employees of the Vav a in fact most people we met in Holland a speak excellent English. At the utrecht Vav we bought a Bike map to help with directions and headed on toward Gouda. Despite our maps we took one turn and promptly got lost. When we asked a passer by for help we discovered that the dutch not Only possess excellent English skills but they also Are great with directions. A few turns later we were Riding in the right direction following the main Bike path Southwest to Gouda this Trail runs beside the Hollands Ijssel one of Holland s Many canals and passes through several Small picturesque villages a including Montfoort where we saw our first Windmill. As we approached Gouda we were thinking of Dairy farms and cheese but the Community is actually quite metropolitan. There s a Central pedestrian area and if you Are Lucky enough to be there on a thursday Between 10 . And noon you la find a big cheese Market. We missed that but we still managed to buy a chunk of cheese to nibble on. Our final destination for the Day was Rotterdam another 18 Miles Down the Hollands Ijssel. Following the advice of one of our guidebooks we took a Short Detour to Kinderdick across the Lek River. It s a Small town with the largest collection of windmills in the Netherlands. We counted 19. The wind picked up As we left Kinderdick and the final Miles into Rotterdam were a Little bit harder but we made it before dark. In town we headed again to the Vav office and there reserved a room at a nearby hotel. Storing bikes overnight in a hotel in the Netherlands is hassle free. We Only had to ask and hotel owners wheeled our bikes into their garages Day 2 Rotterdam to Lisse 60 Kilometres 36 Miles our course for the second Day took us North from Rotterdam to Lisse the Home of the Keuken Hof gardens. The Bike maps published by the tourist offices in the Netherlands Are divided into sections and we were headed beyond the area of our first map so we purchased a replacement before heading out of town peddling past the zoo and Campground toward Delft about eight Miles away. Delft Blue China is world famous and it s obvious from the number of buses and souvenir shops that Delft is a popular tourist Stop. But Delft retains a Small town atmosphere and a Beautiful continued on Page 12 pedal Power 7 1 stripes Magazine May 10, 1990