It’s hard to believe that the last two and a half weeks are close to coming to a close.
I’ve spent my time spread equally between Holland, Spain and France and have had the absolute pleasure of temporarily immersing myself into each culture; short as it may have been.
Holland was eye opening. The month of May ended with comfortable, yet mild temperatures of around 10-15C. Cycling seemed intuitive as motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians went about their days in Amsterdam in a seemingly bustling, yet comfortable manner. Both pedestrians and cyclists meandered about their travels in ways in packed streets far more busy than our Stephen Avenue. From Amsterdam, I went to Tilburg, a city in the south of Holland next to the Belgium border. Main streets in the city were paralleled by cycle tracks and adjacent cities and towns connected by gorgeous treelined pathways running alongside the small highways.
What stood out most to me was the lack of helmets on all of the cyclists and the amount of parents with their kids in tow, in cargo bikes or on bike seats. Everyone was seemed to be happy and comfortable.
I was in Tilburg visiting my partner’s family for a 50th wedding anniversary and we were treated the following day with a 70km bike ride in the Dutch countryside complete with stops for coffee, beer, and sightseeing. I didn’t realize how common it was for the Dutch to spend their weekends outside cycling, moreover, I didn’t realize how common it was for the retired demographic, and I’m talking 70 + crowd to be exploring the back roads of Holland with little more than a jacket and an appetite for good beer. We cycled with a large group of 12 and I was suitably impressed at both the level of stamina and the youthfulness of the pack. It definitely had to be the cycling that kept them young. I hope when I get to 70, that I look that good, can cycle that far, and can drink that much beer!
Renting bikes in Holland was extremely easy as well, our rental spot at the Tilburg train station was open from 6am until 12 am, so it was a breeze to pick up and drop off our bikes. And never in my life had I seen so many folding bicycles than on the train. There was adequate storage for the bikes in the passenger cars and I saw a guy set his up in a matter of seconds after disembarking. The ease at which the infrastructure in Holland allows for seamless transitions between different modes of transportation is commendable.
I can’t wait to come back to visit and have my ass handed to me by yet another group of seniors!
commit to commute 