I recently wrote about visitors going to Amsterdam and hopping on a bike for the first time since childhood (blog post here). In this post, I am going to write about my experience riding outside of Amsterdam and seeing other parts of The Netherlands.
The hostel I stayed at rented bikes which made it convenient for me. They have the “typical” omafiets or what you would call a Dutch bike. They are heavy, steel frame, very few gears and where you sit in an upright position. Add to that a heavy steel chain lock that’s wrapped around the seat post and this thing must have weighed 50 lbs (22 kg). These bikes are really comfortable to ride around town, but not the most practical for a long solo day trip. But I wanted the challenge and I’m probably a masochist.
Prior to my trip, I planned my route on RidewithGPS. I knew I wanted to do more of a loop so I can see more things rather than an out and back along the same route.
My solo day trip by bike in The Netherlands began around 9am. After fueling up with coffee and breakfast, I was off. I brought a backpack with water and a light jacket. I was excited to experience everything I have heard over the years about how amazing Dutch cycling infrastructure was outside of the cities. I also had some trepidation because what if my omafiet broke down, got a flat tire, or my legs started cramping up because I’m riding a 50 lbs (22 kg) bike for long distance? I’m glad none of that happened and I’m glad I didn’t let my trepidation get in the way of my bike trip. My trusty rented omafiet is photoed below.
This was an absolutely amazing ride! I’ve had amazing rides before, but this was the first time where I was wearing “normal” shorts and t-shirt, no helmet and had a backpack on. What made it amazing wasn’t just the scenery (which was a huge part), but how safe I felt. I don’t think there was a single time where I felt threatened by drivers or came across a dangerous section where drivers and cyclists had to negotiate for space. And if there were dangerous portions on the route, it's significantly worse in the US so I didn’t even realize it on my bike in The Netherlands. And with the exception of some neighborhood streets virtually the entire route was on a separated bike path.
It’s unbelievable the amount of thought the Dutch have put into allowing people to travel safely by bike.
My route took me out of Amsterdam and into Haarlem. From there I continued to ride west to the small beach town of Overveen. I grabbed a quick bite and beer at San Blas. Then I headed northeast to Zaandam. I crossed a river by ferry. By the way, the ferry is free for those biking and walking. They only charge if you drive your car.
I took a break and walked around Zaandam Centraal. The street level isn’t very exciting, but the elevated pedestrian level is very interesting with quirky building designs. The elevated pedestrian level feels like an outdoor shopping mall next to the train station. From there, I crossed over the same river by ferry and headed back into Amsterdam.
You can see my Strava route here. It shows 3hrs 49min, but that’s total moving time. It doesn’t account for my lunch at San Blas, walking around the beach, random pit stops or walking around Zandaam. I would say all in all, my day trip took about 6 1/2 hours.
If you ever get a chance to do a day trip by bike in The Netherlands, do it! It’s such an amazing way to see parts of the country you would never see if you only stuck with a tour group. And it’s so incredibly safe to ride a bike!
Below are a few more photos of my bike trip in The Netherlands.
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