European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 4, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A amps a Tsiotos by Ken Clauson a signpost near Groningen shows the Way for car and Bike routes to nearby destinations. Biking dutch treat continued from Page 3. Rain. At a Small cafe Grill we sat under an umbrella and polished off plates of delicious spiced grilled meat. The restaurant at which we dined was what is known in Germany As an i miss. These Small establishments Are veritable monuments to artery clogging cholesterol fat grease and calories. Grilled and Fried meats and potatoes. Stuff i love. Food Doug eats like horses eat Hay. On our 50 or 60-mile weekend rides he shovels Down i miss potato salad hat looks like a Small diced potato stirred into a quart of Mayonnaise. I prefer my Mayonnaise nestled in a bed of French Fries alongside Hall a Fried Chicken. So while we sipped our Coffee and debated the merits of i miss cuisine i proposed that during our tour we search for the perfect i miss. Doug agreed. That decided it was time to look for somewhere to Camp for the night. When we asked the waitress if she knew where the nearest Campground was she disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a startlingly detailed hand drawn map to a site just outside town. We happily set off into the now steady rain and were not surprised to find her directions were exact. But the rain was coming Down harder. It seemed like the Cloud dwellers were playing with Garden hoses up there. We were drenched As the Campground manager pointed to the bit of swampy Lawn we had paid about $4 to set our tents on. But As the rain fell even harder Doug made a discovery we would appreciate for the rest of the trip. He noticed what looked like a Row of Large tool Sheds behind the Campground office. Quot do you rent those Little Wood buildings Quot he asked. Quot yes of course Quot the Mao replied. And for about $10 each we pulled our bikes inside a warm dry hut with bunk Beds electric lights a table and chairs. Our tents stayed rolled for the rest of the trip. This was also where we discovered the great joke the dutch have been pulling on americans for years. They keep the real Heineken in the Netherlands. It has body and flavor. What about the version you get in the states Well can you say Quot tap water Quot in the morning we stopped at a tourist office and picked up a camping guide for the whole country that showed the facilities including Cabins at each site. This was invaluable because each Day s route planning went something like this Quot let s ride South   we headed out of Linschoten toward Groningen but decided it was t far enough away so we turned right somewhere to Detour North through Delft ill. We followed the general route of Highway 362 but Stock mostly to secondary roads that loosely paralleled it. When cycling from Point to Point in Holland riders Are guided by White signs with red lettering and a bicycle Symbol. Many main roads in the country Are off limits to cyclists which is actually a Blessing. The Bike routes often diverge from the Auto routes and sometimes wind through forests completely removed from cars and trucks. They usually follow Scenic routes winding alongside canals and past farms. It is Only around Large cities that they get crowded. A word of caution be Alert on these paths near Groningen. Moped riders cruising at 30 Mph make them seem like autobahn. On the Way to Delft ill the sky cleared at last but for a powerful reason. We found ourselves cranking into a stiff headwind across table Flat Farmland. There was t a tree Bush or bump in the landscape for several Miles. At first glance the City looked like a sprawling Industrial Park full of warehouses and refineries. But we were pleasantly surprised when the Road led us around a Corner and Down to a Small old Harbor lined with fishing boats. We d burned a lot of Energy on the Way up to Delft ill so instead of wasting time sightseeing we headed straight for a tiny i miss about Block from the Harbor. This one had a Bathtub size deep Fryer. The display Case was filled with mysterious victuals we had never seen before but knew were suitable for frying. The Cook helped us select a Cross Section of the a amps Susan Harris two riders enjoy a quiet ride under a canopy of poplars along a Rural Trail. Offerings which included the especially tasty Eier bal a hard boiled egg packed in a Curry paste and lightly breaded for deep frying Krokes sort of a meat paste egg Roll Kaas Routle a piece of cheese breaded for deep frying. I miss rating pretty High. Such a Fine meal would Only be Complete however with a visit to the bakery across the Street where we bought cookies and bread for later and Superb Cream puffs for immediate consumption. Everyone around us seemed to be smiling. Were they amused by two men in Lycra shorts sitting on bicycles with huge grins and whipped Cream on their faces. Our rewards for the hard push into Delft ill were not Only culinary. The ride Back Southwest to Groningen was a treat. We finally had the wind at our backs and stayed on Small roads cutting across Farmland through Small villages and hugging canals. We enviously Rode past neat Square houses with huge Plant filled picture windows and views of the owners private piers on the canals. The afternoon Riding was Fine but As we neared Groningen the Bike path traffic increased greatly. Although the City is pleasant enough and the people Are Friendly after Days of Riding on Remote country roads the Clatter and Bustle and vehicle exhaust were jarring. We stopped anyway for a leisurely Coffee a required move on All our rides. On one of our Coffee stops Early in the trip we were Given chocolate covered cherries that had been injected with about an ounce of Brandy. We immediately realized the value they would have As an addition to our carefully balanced diet and bought a Large bag at a grocery store. They Are an excellent Energy boost when you Don t want to Stop Riding. We Quot camped Quot again in a Roomy rented hut and after our Standard breakfast of cold cuts fresh bread Jam and Coffee Rode Back through Groningen in the morning for a newspaper. Following a tip from a Friendly Groningen bartender we Rode Southeast for a few Miles to Leek then turned South toward Assen. This was a Day of truely Fine Riding. The Cloud dwellers behaved and we happily Rode under mostly Blue skies Down Remote tree lined lanes past the ubiquitous dutch windmills and alongside canals. We found a Campground in our Guidebook listed As having camping Cabins but owners ton hidding and Joa Sebring actually rented us a Large Mobile Home for the night. We drank a few Beers with these folks and had a pleasant evening of conversation. Perhaps it was the country we were in or the fact 4 stripes Magazine july 4, 1991