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On Tuesday, it was finally warm enough outside to go cycling for an extended distance without becoming numb to the cold and wind. So I put on my jersey, strapped on my helmet (a rare sight in Holland), and set out for Gouda - the all-Dutch city!

According to Google Maps (and the various signposts around Rotterdam), Gouda is about 19km from where I live. That’s a long ride, but it is certainly within my abilities, especially since south Holland is so flat.

Stage 1: Rotterdam to Capelle a/d IJssel (13h00)
The first part of my journey across the Dutch countryside is to get out of Rotterdam. Easier said than done; Rotterdam’s bicycle traffic is extremely dense, and the people on their bikes are either (1) extremely aggressive or (2) driving 2km/year. Having ridden on the trails in DC, I can tolerate a moderate amount of traffic. The problem becomes that mopeds and small-engine motorcycles are allowed on the specialized bike lanes as well. I think the general rule should be “if it has a license plate, it belongs on the road,” given that the mopeds are going much faster than the cars in the road next to them.

The most direct route for me to take is along the river Maas. It’s actually a nice ride, and not terribly congested. I cross the Erasmus bridge, turn right, and head along the river. The path then crosses beneath the Willems bridge, then on to Kralingse Zoom, past Erasmus University.
Once I get past Kralingse, the ride changes dramatically. No longer am I surrounded by tall buildings, but by small, single-family homes. The density change is striking. The neighborhoods also start to look like upper Northwest Washington — big, expensive cars, extravagant homes, and so on. It is also the first sign of the change in living style I’m going to see on the rest of my journey.

Capelle a/d IJssel is a small suburb of Rotterdam. Aside from a road sign, it’s hard to tell at first when I’ve entered the city limits. After a while, the density here drops even further, and it become more of a rural community. The ride is easy through this section.

Stage 2: Capelle to Moordrecht (13h30)
When I set out on my journey, I had very little knowledge of the surroundings or of the route. I set out with the assumption that the cycling paths, which form a nationwide network, would be marked by signposts. Thankfully, my assumption was correct.

I continue from Capelle across the countryside. Let me tell you, it’s flat. There is the occasional hill, but I think most of the hills are man-made, either as a means for flood control (a must when living below sea level) or for some other purpose, like creating an embankment for a road (again, usually for crossing water). Like much of the U.S., there is a large amount of land dedicated to agriculture. There is not quite as much of an emphasis (at least not as apparent an emphasis) on getting the most from each acre of land. Also, I didn’t notice many fields dedicated to crops. Most of the farms I passed on my journey were raising sheep, goats, or cattle.

I briefly pass through the village of Nieuwerkerk a/d IJssel, mostly because that’s all you can do. I rode past more houses, some with small farm plots adjacent. One of these “micro farms” had two sheep and a fence. I suppose if that’s enough to be sustainable, it’s a good use of the land. In Nieuwerkerk, I spot my first windmill. This is what I’m looking for in Holland!

Moordrecht, my first detour on this ride, is a cute little Dutch town. It has a compact, historic centre, narrow streets, and small shops. It seems to be quite old, but I don’t know much more about the history. I’ll do some reading on it later, I suppose.

Stage 3: Moordrecht to Gouda (14h00)
My previous statement about the bike route being marked by sign posts needs some qualification. There were conflicting signs in the town, and no clear path in the city centre on how to proceed. I see a sign post that says “Rotterdam, Den Haag, and Gouda”. This is a bit confusing, since I thought I was coming from Rotterdam (the Hague is on the same route). Nevertheless, and without any other signs, I continue along this route.

More countryside. The farmland I pass this time, however, seems a bit larger. It also seems to be for the planting of crops. I don’t know when the planting season in Holland is, but given the short seasons, I would imagine it will come soon.

After another 5km, I come to a drawbridge. Across the bridge is Gouda. One problem: the bridge is up. All I can do now is wait for the barge traffic to pass by so that I can continue along the way. After a 15 minute delay, I’m on my way.

Gouda is exactly what people picture when they think of a Dutch city. It has narrow, moss-covered brick roads that work their way along canals. Narrow townhouses line these streets, houses that date back hundreds of years. It is only a short ride into the centre of the town. I dismount from my bike (it’s illegal to ride through the centre). I spend the next few hours looking around the city, taking in the sights. I come across another windmill. These seem to be a source of pride for the Dutch, and it’s easy to see why. They’re amazing feats of engineering that have survived for hundreds of years.

Final Stage: Gouda to Rotterdam (15h45)
After an enjoyable day in Gouda, I decide it’s time to head back. After all, I have a 25km (estimated) ride back. I bid a fond “tot ziens” to Gouda, and begin my journey home. While I brought my rail card and some cash just in case I wasn’t feeling up to riding home, I was having a pretty good day and was ready, after a quick snack, for the ride home.

Along the way, I find another cyclist (not a Dutch cyclist, but a proper one). Since she’s on the way out of town as well, I follow her for a short distance. As we leave the city limits, I come across another sign post for my bicycle route. It points to Rotterdam one way, but it points to Moordrecht another. This time, however, the distance to Moordrecht is only 2km, not the 6km I had ridden from there to Gouda. Strange, but encouraging. I turn down the road to Moordrecht, leaving my cyclist companion behind. The sign is correct. I’ve already shaved some time off my return trip. I navigate my way through the center of Moordrecht (which I know have an intimate knowledge of) back to my original path, and continue home.

The rest of the journey breezes by. I make it back to my apartment in Rotterdam in a mere 45 minutes. It’s pretty easy to haul when you’ve got a few things going for you, such as flat land, a 10 knot tail wind (instead of the persistent 10 knot head wind I had going to Gouda), and a drive to get home and eat. And rest.

All in all, I estimated my trip to be about 46km or so. Not bad for a day trip.