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..<\/i><\/p>\n
Lack of rain and dry gear this morning inspired a rapid and successful packing effort on my part. Time to roll!<\/p>\n
Collected my shower token refund. Consulted map and one of the campsite<\/a> staff (the blonde here<\/a> 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<\/i> (cycle path) signs point to Ommen from the main road near camp – too easy.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n 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! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n She says, once I pass, “Niiiiiiiiiccccce Aaaaaasssss!!”<\/b> <\/p>\n (in bold because this is a VERY rare moment for me! ;))<\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n 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<\/i> cycle tourists – the kind that carry fabled things called maps<\/i>. These guys made me do an about-face and I was all good to go again!<\/p>\n 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! \ud83d\ude1b<\/p>\n I told him I had already left. Sorry dude, I got itchy feet and had to roll when the weather was clear(ish).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/i> a meat pattie in paper! <\/p>\n 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<\/a> quickly. <\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Spent 25euro on dinner at Rigoletto<\/a> 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 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Headed into town for a look. Found some pubs and also a drum shop that I marked for later investigation – Stiggelbout Slagwerk<\/a>.<\/p>\n Eventually: Bed. Sleep. Bliss.<\/p>\n Zwolle to Groningen Stats<\/b>:<\/p>\n 132.55k, 6h 22m, 20.8kph<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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 … Continue reading