June 11, 2018

This is the route we followed today. Last night I found the Netherlands Cycling Routes website and planned the route, then wrote all the numbers down we needed to follow. We saw lots of cyclists out yesterday with only cue cards to follow.

This is where we cycled?

I think I prefer the French way – they would have signs underneath road signs at main intersections with how many kilometres to the end of your route and the next Town you were heading to.

After breakfast of cereal and juice we headed back into Bergijk and found our first set of numbers. We seemed to be doing o.k. but then the numbers got confused (or we did) and we headed out in the wrong direction. Fortunately, today there were information boards with maps on them placed regularly throughout the route. This means we could find the number and correct our route by looking at the map as well as the numbers.

We were only misplaced three times today!!

The route was very nice once again a mix of paved cycle paths, a couple of unpaved areas and a few streets with cobblestones.

We saw horses disguised as zebras.

We followed the route through a small town with a private house – Kastel Heese – that had its own moat. Ralf said every house should have its own moat to keep out the riff-raff. The house is open on the week-ends for tours of the house and gardens.

I wouldn’t usually comment on garbage bins, but in Holland along the cycle routes they have these bins that are designed to be used from a bike, they are cone shaped and at the height of cyclist. It seems to work as we didn’t see a lot of garbage, although around the bin some cyclists aims were not so good.

Although it was a lovely route today, the wind was brutal. We were heading north-east and we were into the wind all day. Of course Holland is flat however, we both struggled and felt shattered by the end of the ride.

We eventually arrived in Venray at 2:30 and found a Tourist Information Centre open. The two older ladies behind the counter were more interested in chatting than assisting me. Eventually one of them turned to me, I asked if there was a campsite in the area, not too far as we have already cycled 78 kms. I can honestly say she was the most unhelpful person I have encountered at a tourist information centre. I did manage to get a map of the area we are going to cycle tomorrow, they had no maps of the City Centre and eventually she went on-line to find the route to the campsite. She was quite surprised that we didn’t have a phone that we could get all the information ourselves. She even directed me to a telephone store! I told her we would be in Germany tomorrow and would get a cell phone then. Her response “That is not very helpful now”

Venray is a nice city with lots of historical buildings, but don’t expect a lot of help from the Tourist Information office.

We haven’t managed to find a supermarket open yet, other than the small campsite store yesterday. A lot of the stores are closed on Mondays. The market in Venray was already closing down for the day. We decided to head out to the campsite in the hopes that they would have a small shop or cafeteria or we would pass a supermarket on the way. No such luck, the camp site is a small campground with few facilities, a swimming pool, good, hot, clean showers, a small cafeteria (closed on Mondays). The campsite was called Barrier Oude de Camping and cost Euro 14.50.

Fortunately for us we had passed a McDonalds (1 km away). After setting up the tent we headed back to fill our empty tummies. Chicken filet on a bun, large fries, salad and a milkshake, I almost replenished the calories I burnt today. We might have to head there for breakfast tomorrow as we don’t have any coffee.

We will be in Wesel tomorrow and visit with Ralf’s family for a few days and then we will be joining Eurovelo 15 route down the Rhine.

Windmill spotting two to one for me Running Total Ralf 6-Jacky 3