Maarsseveense Lakes (bicycle tour)

Name of Tour; Maarsseveense Plassen ± 150 km. Date; Wed., July 25, 2007 (DT L-216) Trip Km. ; 146.3 Trip Time ; 6:57:56 Trip Ave. Km./Hr. ; 21.003349 Trip MXS (Location) ; 39.2 (Hollandse Brug) Clock (Ave. Km./Hr.) ; 1046-1855 = 8’ 09” = 489 (17.950920) BP/RC Description ; 7 - /G. Weather ; Sun/Trip % ; 3 ð 1 ; ± 65 Cloud ; Cloud Ceiling m. ; 6 à 0 ; 2,000 Visibility m. ; Wind ; 5,000 ≥ ; SW (225º) à S (180º) 3 à 5 Trip °C. min./max.; Hygro % min./max. ; 19/26 ; 35/72 Humidex °C. ; Windchill °C. ; 27 ; 9 Barometer kPa ; PoP % ; P/T % ; 102.3 à 102.0 ; 30 ; 0 Altimeter m. (Location) ; total Climbed m.; 15 (Witte Bergen) ; 180 Heart Rate zones ; Trip Ave. ; Trip Max. ; 110/145 ; 131 ; 179 HR time in zone ; above zone ; 6:45:33 ; 0:07:03 Kcal Trip ; Kcal km. ; Kcal hr. ; 5,000 ; 34.176 ; 717.817 Blood Glucose mmol/l trip/home ; --.- / --.-- Blood Pressure SYS/DIA trip ; home ; ---/-- ; ---/-- Tour nr.; 1,609 Narrative; After much consideration I finally selected no scheduled route but decided to make up the route as I went along. The only thing which I had determined is the general direction to be selected; Het Gooi! In Flevoland the route selected is basically the same as always when travelling to the Stichtse Brug (Bridge). You actually can’t deviate enough because it would always be too long. The shortest distance is about 35.5 km. The route selected today is a little shorter than that, namely 33.7 km. The wind is very strong and I feel a little chilly as I go and head into the wind. Very soon though, within 2 km. on the Torenvalkweg (road), I warm up. I maintain a speed of around 23 km./hr., most of the way, to the Stichtse Brug. On the Houtsnippad (bicycle path), past the Paradijsvogelweg (road), 2 small dogs come running and bark threateningly. I brake to a stop and the dogs see no more threat in me. All they are doing is to protect their boss, a woman. One of them licks my left leg and the other sniffs it. The woman commands them to sit but they don’t listen. The woman and I, we chat for awhile and then the dogs sit and relax but are very watchful. The climb up the Stichtse Brug is relatively easy considering the headwind. The speed is around 13 km./hr. and the gears set at 42/26. The sky is friendlier now; the sun shines intermittently through whitish mushroom and sometimes very dark gray clouds. They are luckily not rain threatening clouds. When I pass the Stachouwerweg (road) over the A-27 highway connecting Eemnes and Blaricum a female driver honks. I think she recognizes me and I look back at her. I stop and gesture at her and then myself. She wants to speak to me. Does she want a date? Maybe she needs information about something else? It’s the latter; she wants to know where the tea-house is on the Meentweg in Eemnes. I give her the information. It helps when you know this kind of information … even if you’re not a local. She isn’t bad looking either! The Gooiergracht (road) in Laren towards the ‘Witte Bergen’ is rather awesome in a bad sort of way. There are 6 speed bumps and the road surface is bricks … uneven at that in most places. I’m glad to be in the forested area of the ‘Witte Bergen’ with the hard earth-surface. In Hilversum I stop at the corners of Weg over Anna’s Hoeve and the Liebergerweg. It’s actually a bicycle path. I check the map and decide to take it. It goes through a nice and small forested area and 2 small lakes. There are some pick-nick tables but their situation is not right at the moment. They are in the shade of the trees. In the summer time and when the sun is unbearable it would be an ideal place to have lunch. Not now though! I see a local map at a gasoline pumping station on the Soestdijkerstraatweg (street), check my bearings and decide where to go. I still end up in a place where I don’t want to be; Laapersveld. It is where the bus company ConneXXion has its garage and offices. The street ends with a fence and a not so wide earthen surfaced path. Where’s this leading me? I can’t find the place on the provincial map so I have to backtrack; 900 metres. Then I know where to go to and accordingly make my way further south, to Hollandsche Rading and Maartensdijk. I should have had my break in Hollandsche Rading, having cycled 63 km. already, but I still felt pretty good. I made the same mistake in Westbroek; 71 km. I decided to stop in Oud Maarsseveen but I couldn’t find the restaurant. Oh well! The bicycle path on the west side of the Maarsseveense Plassen (Lakes) means another battle against the wind. Now I’m beginning to feel the pains and hunger pans. I’m never going to recuperate from this! I need a rest! Through Maarssen I cycle and end up at a place called Bolenstein. Bolenstein house lies in the city centre of Maarssen. It is a Ridderhofstad, a priviledged property, with a long history. In its present state it dates from the early 20th century. There’s a plaque outside the gate which I read; The history goes back to about 1340 when the plans were laid by Derck de Bole. He was married to Engelina of Drakenburch. Bolenstein wasn’t much more than a single living tower with rectangular sides. The walls were more than 1 metre thick and on the 2nd floor were shooting turrets. Above that was the big room which is still the most important room of the house. Above that are the sleeping quarters and finally the attic. I see 2 cyclists turn a right hand corner and decide to wait if I can see them on the other side of the courtyard because I can see ships on the Vecht and other buildings on the opposite side. After about 10 seconds I see them again and my thoughts are correct. There’s a path of some sort! I round the building and see a lovely sight. On my left hand side is the castle Bolenstein, on my direct right is a green area for relaxation, the Vecht river with luxury ships of all sizes and shapes and on the opposite side are large 17th century mansions. These mansions once belonged to the wealthy of Amsterdam who had built second homes to retreat the stink of Amsterdam during the hot summer months. There are many more mansions along the Vecht, to name but a few: Slot Zuylen, Cromwijck, Goudensteyn, Slangevecht, de Oliphant, Over-Holland, Vreedenhoff. Finally, in Breukelen, I take a much needed rest. I go to the Shell gasoline pump station and purchase cold drinks. While I rest on a big slab of cement that I claim as my chair for the time being, I hear busses pass me. I turn and look to see who the driver is and they recognize me. After 20 minutes I’m cycling again. At Over-Holland I turn left unto a path that leads me to the Amsterdam-Rijn Kanaal (canal between Amsterdam and the Rijn (Rhine). The mansion that I pass every day on bus line 120 is the place I recognize now. The mansion has been renovated for the past 4 years now. I see a small ferry cross the canal to the west side and decide to check up on some information about sailing times; between 0610 – 2030 hrs. daily, Saturdays and Sundays between 0815 – 1830 hrs. Another time, not today! With the wind in the back now it feels like sailing and within minutes I have to get off. There’s a flight of stairs and a bridge across the small river. It’s a high bridge at about 5 metres and it is very steep. I wait and look around at the home living boats on the river and also to get my bearings. Alongside the canal I wait and watch a very large car-container ship pass me by. I think of taking a picture but it would have been much grander if the container had been filled with cars. As I cycle on I try to figure out how fast she’s going. I stay beside the ship and focus on a spot and check the speed on my computer; 20.2 km./hr. I see the ship’s bridge being lowered and wonder why until I realise that the bridge over the canal is only 2 km. away. In Kerklaan I wonder if it’s a good idea to stop and have a rest for 15 minutes. A quick debate in my mind and checking the clock I decide to continue onwards … to Nigtevecht. I want to have my km. registered at the bicycle touring club back in Lelystad. The time now is 1535 hrs. The bicycle path alongside the road towards Nigtevecht is terrible. It always has been! It is 6 km. of death defying acrobatics to stay on the bicycle sometimes. Tree roots have made cracks in the asphalt and made bumps. My cap, resting on the right side hook of the brake system flies off as one of these bumps tends to be higher than expected. I walk about 25 metres back to retrieve it. In Nigtevecht the drawbridge goes up just as I arrive. Of all the luck! Through the village I cycle. To my right and left, on the Dorpsstraat (Village Street) there are plenty of ancient homes. These are protected and that means that they can’t be demolished. The reformed church dates from the 13th century. More familiar terrain towards Muiderberg. It’s very scenic alongside the Vecht with home living boats on the river, on my right. To the left there are plenty of views over the landscape. The sun is also shining through a slightly overcast sky. I’m being stopped by a car driver. He wants to know where the harbour of Naarden is. I explain how he has to travel and he curses softly. The previous person told him to go this way. He stopped me just outside Muiderberg. Up the Hollandse Brug (Bridge) I go with a speed I don’t believe; 22 km./hr. Going down the opposite side is also rather fast. The last 38.5 km. back to Lelystad is done in a time of 76 minutes. I’m late arriving at the touring club because the barkeeper was about to close the gate and go home. When he notices me he makes an about face and re-enters the facilities and registers my cycled km. A quick drink of new cold water and I go home. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-