Welcome to Amsterdam

Phone dead? You can ride a bike at this table to charge it! Look how much fun people are having! (Also, the terminal is decorated like a forest, with REAL trees!)
Cycling paradise

For once, i wasn't the only person assembling a bike at the airport! There were SIX other people traveling with their bikes!
Naturally, it poured rain on me and i got lost in the 20 miles betweenLes mer
A couple two-three bicyles

View from the top of a five floor bike parking area. And other pictures of bikes 😍
Obligatory canal pictures

Featuring my CLEARLY not-dutch bike
Fresh cut herring, pickles, and onions!

Just like a chicago dog
Noordermarkt farmers market

Creme fraiche and raspberry ice cream from de ismakerij. I don't know why I'm making that face....maybe cause it was seriously delicious ;-)
and so much cheeeeeeeese! There was also an accordionistLes mer
Camping Zeeburg

"Wow! A campground in Amsterdam for $12 a night, wifi, super clean showers, good security, and on-site bar, restaurant, and bike shop? What a deal!" I thought, along with the rest of Europe....
(ThisLes mer
Cafe De Eland

If you search for a "coffee shop" in amsterdam, you will actually find yourself in a weed lounge. If you search for a "cafe," you'll find yourself in a bar. I gave up looking for coffee...
Last evening

Tomorrow I wanted an early start, so I only planned to stay out until it got dark enough to see the canals at night. Well...the sun sets at 10pm. Whoops.
I got about 40 miles in total in just over aLes mer
GOAT

I arrived to my campsite at night when i couldn't see much, and due to jet leg and beer... I was pretty out of it in the morning. I woke up in my tent two days in a row, thinking, "wow, those birdsLes mer
First forty miles

Well, my "early start" turned into not leaving until almost noon. Luckily the first 20 miles were easy, flat, and smooth - a paved trail with the gorgeous River Vecht to the left and cows and sheep toLes mer
Things that are So Holland

"Ohhhh...."

I was riding my bike through the charming and quiet Dutch town of Passantenhaven when I had the following interaction.
Small child: "(something in dutch)?"
Me: *smiles and nods*
"Something else inLes mer
Cafe Trappisten

There are only 11 Trappist breweries in the world and after 45 miles today I'm at one of them! Trappists are a particular order of monks that live a pretty strict monastic life, but (because it'sLes mer
Brussels, finally

Well: yesterday, because I started so late, I only made it 55 miles instead of 80. Which means that I had to make those miles up today. I rode 95 miles to get to Brussels, Belgium. Holy crap.
not-french fries

Belgium is REALLY into fries and beer. I saw a guy with a belgian fries tattoo today. Usually they come in a cone, but this was the "small." They gave me two forks....I ate them by myself.
Things I ate and didn't eat in Bruxelles

The five basic food groups of brussels are: waffles, beer, fries, chocolate, and mussels. It's a weird combination, to be honest. Well, this unpopular opinion penguin is here to say:
1. I don't likeLes mer
Ok, europe, you're alright

I'm going to be totally honest and say I didn't actually expect to be impressed by some buildings. But wow! The Grand Plaza was pretty amazing
Thank god for soccer

Rode 60 shitty miles.
The first 20 were EXTREMELY hot and in the sun (and my face is already peeling and burnt from day 1 - its very attractive)
The next 25 were under construction, unimaginablyLes mer
Campsite #3

Where I endured one of the strongest thunderstorms I've ever seen on a bike trip.
I was woken up around 1am by rain pounding on my tent, thunder and lightning. This "campsite" was not technically atLes mer
Gastropods of Belgium Under Attack

The snails and slugs of the Rance Regional Forest in southern Belgium woke up to a grisly scene Thursday morning. An American cyclist rode 18 miles through rush hour traffic, injuring dozens. Some,Les mer
Crossing into France

It looked like this
Pain Sandwich

Yep. After 300 miles, that's about right
chimay, belgium

Chimay, Belgium is another famous Trappist brewery town. I was there around 10am after only a few hours of sleep so I skipped the beer, but it was beautiful
Morning after the storm

Look at this stupid, beautiful Belgian countryside. Pretending there wasn't a storm that put the fear of God in it last night