To Amsterdam and beyond

Yesterday I packed it in early when faced with a notice of a road closure ahead - when I was already half way along my river gorge route. The road closure was for over a year so sounded potentially serious. After much evening research, in which I enlisted Alain, he suggested I called the campsite near the blockage: ´possible but you have to go around on the grass’.

Arriving at the closure, there is a road-bridge in bits, with a river and electrified railway underneath. Not a chance of crossing over, and no grass either. I backtracked and started asking for help, eventually finding a tiny map showing the cycle diversion.
Meanwhile 2 other cyclists turn up. This proves extra handy as it’s necessary to use the station subway to cross the railway line and my laden bike is heavy. I carry Maisie (bike) down and am about to offload the panniers for the up part - when one of the cyclists offers to swap bikes and carry mine up. I don’t think he had quite appreciated how heavy my bike was compared to his (featherweight). At the top « you’re crazy «  giving it to his friend to lift «  you’re crazy » he too remarks. « How can you cycle that? » (remember here that actually i am relatively lightly laden for a solo cycle camper). We then set off across the grass and around the field, and there ahead is, lo and behold, a replacement pontoon floating cycle bridge!!! How cool is that.

And then the kind cyclist insists on helping me push my bike up the embankment back onto the road. I award him Hero of the day status (with 2nd prize to Alain as without his bright idea I would not have persevered and found the diversion). Thus begins the ride.
The day also includes a chat with a local at the viewpoint, a tiny becastled village perched on rock in the meander of the river, a climb up beside the lake above the barrage and, crossing into Belgium with several km of beautiful beech woodlands. It was a good day.Read more