NOTE: This post has been sitting in draft form since before I arrived in Groningen, hence the 23rd of July date. I now reveal it in its completed glory.. or something..
Lack of rain and dry gear this morning inspired a rapid and successful packing effort on my part. Time to roll!
Collected my shower token refund. Consulted map and one of the campsite staff (the blonde here is a total hottie and nice to boot!) and decide on: Zwolle to Ommen to Hoogeveen to Assen ending in Groningen as the best path to ride. Red and white fietspad (cycle path) signs point to Ommen from the main road near camp – too easy.
I joked to myself about “Bad Ommen” and was half right.. I stopped and checked out a funky little market (you’d think I’d be sick of sticking my nose into these things by now – they’re everywhere!) and managed to spend an hour riding in circles after that. The market was full of women in traditional dress selling things like stroopwaffels and bric-a-brac. Blokes with bees in glass cages, selling honey and honeycomb. Another guy making things from wicker, including a cool little bike.
A woman finally told me that “Dedesvaart”(?) was the town in-between Ommen and Hoogeveen (pron. “hoog eh vain”) – I could make progress again! Had some more trouble with a roadwork detour (not the first time – see earlier comments about the Dutch and their chronic construction issues). Followed a solo female roadie for a bit – I think she started riding hard when she saw me, not to prove something, just to get away from the hairy scary man! 😉
Outside Hoogeveen, I caught two chicks on a bike, one sitting “side-saddle” on the rack, as the Dutch do. The rider turned to me and said something in Dutch. I give her my best Dumb Aussie(c) look (not hard for me to manage!) and say “Sorry, I’m Australian” as I roll past.
She says, once I pass, “Niiiiiiiiiccccce Aaaaaasssss!!”
(in bold because this is a VERY rare moment for me! ;))
It was so lusty as to be borderline scary, now that I think about it. At the time, I pissed myself laughing.. and.. like the dickhead that I am.. I continued riding away! Man, just kill me now and end the suffering!
I got lost again after asking a lady with a horse for directions – she was right, of course, but I messed up her final instruction. Thankfully I spotted some real cycle tourists – the kind that carry fabled things called maps. These guys made me do an about-face and I was all good to go again!
Mark from Zwolle called to see if I wanted to go out (have I mentioned him? Nicest dude in NL, I’m sure!) just as it started raining. While stopped I put on the rain jacket. Clever aren?t I? DON?T ANSWER THAT! 😛
I told him I had already left. Sorry dude, I got itchy feet and had to roll when the weather was clear(ish).
I noticed myself looking at the speedo distance on longer rides and then freaking a bit when it was “high” and I still hadn?t arrived at my destination. Consequently, I forced myself NOT to look and just aimed for Groningen with a “don?t even think about stopping, mofo!” attitude.
If it wasn?t for this I probably would?ve found accomodation in Assen. Instead I found solid food and continued! Hamburger, chips (yes, again!) and some kind of energy drink. The hamburger didn?t even have bread! It was just a meat pattie in paper!
Groningen turned out to be closer to Assen than I (and the Rotterdam guy I chatted to at the burger van) thought. I was frickin? stoked to see “Groningen 15k” and “put in” a little bit. Found the Simplon Hostel quickly.
Paid 20euro for a bed in one of the large (20 people?) dorm rooms, which included an optional 4euro for brekkie. Turned out to be only 10-15min walk from the centrum.
Spent 25euro on dinner at Rigoletto a nearby Pizza and Pasta place. Garlic bread was small pocket/flat bread, with spread-your-own garlic butter. The “Emilio Romagna” pizza was one of the best pizzas I?ve eaten. The dessert was an over-priced, pre-packed let-down but that didn?t stop me sending it inwards. The staff were nice and I tipped bigger than usual after a chat with one who wanted to cycle tour 🙂
Headed into town for a look. Found some pubs and also a drum shop that I marked for later investigation – Stiggelbout Slagwerk.
Eventually: Bed. Sleep. Bliss.
Zwolle to Groningen Stats:
132.55k, 6h 22m, 20.8kph
