Amsterdam is simply a majestic city. Like Copenhagen, the city is more than 800 years old. It grew up around a port on the River Ij, which is located just north of the Centraal Station.
Even since I was here in 2006, the station area has improved dramatically. Long known as a hotspot for seedy characters and a bastion for raucous, the station now teems with people on a mission. Its bursting with the hustle and bustle of people with intentions rather than the sketchy stagnancy of aimlessness. For what its worth, the city appears to have taken steps to make the whole centrum a bit more controlled. Politzei can be seen casually strolling in and around the red light district just beside the station, a scene of control amidst a culture that in some ways promotes indulgence.
The road to Amsterdam was a long one; probably around 1800 Kilometers.
I didn't have a computer, and honestly, I was a bit too tired each night to calculate my mileage. But while the road was long, it was amazing.
Once I was in the Netherlands, these very helpful red signs pointed the way at every major intersection. I had a map, but it turned out to be little more than a confirmation for the signs. The routes throughout the Netherlands are incredibly well signed, and it's possible to take a bike path to almost every city and town across the country.
When I neared Amsterdam, I found myself on an off-road single track path, a pretty common feature of touring in Europe.
I think this picture is poignant, as sometimes life is like having a double wide trailer on a single track trail. In other words it's not always easy to move forward, but it is always possible. Sometimes it just requires a bit more effort.
I finally saw the sign I'd been waiting for since I left Copenhagen just outside the city:
My Dutch isn't so good, but I'm almost positive that this sign says watch for wandering sheep. I think this means I have officially arrived in the most bicycle friendly place in the Western world: They make the effort to warn cyclists of hazardous sheep.
Less than 10k outside of Amsterdam, I came upon a German couple bent over a bicycle lying on the ground. I asked if all was okay, and they responded with troubled looks and a clear "nay," things were not okay. Upon further inspection, the lady had crashed her bike into the barrier preventing cars from entering the bike path; she had bent the bicycle frame and fork in the crash restricting the handlebar movement. After a bit of grunting and pulling, we bent the frame back into place (sorta...) and the handlebars were free to turn again. Joyfully, the gentleman passed along his card and asked for a photo:
He offered his home to me anytime, a house just outside Nuremberg, Germany. We both left a bit happier than before I arrived.
The path into the city was smooth and wide open; though I arrived without a place to stay, despite having searched like mad, I found a great campground just north of the center. Tired but satisfied I set up my tent and began my travels throughout the city.
The first thing I noticed after beginning my walk through the city was that my shoes were probably the most tired object in my traveling cache. I think these photos tell the story:
I bought a pair of blue high top "chucks" at the local flea market and left these on the sidewalk just where they lay. A big piece of my trip is about learning how and when to let go. For these, my favorite slip-on Vans, the time had come to let go.
I've made some great contacts in the city already; bike polo, alleycats, cargo bike shops, racing shops, BMX/Freestyle shops, community bike programs; More bike culture than I know what to do with. I reckon I'll find a way to fit it all in.
This was the final picture of the tour:
View The tour from CPH to AMS in a larger map
Being that I had never done a bicycle tour alone, I was a bit nervous about leaving Copenhagen headed for the Netherlands with a heavy trailer packed to the gills with my life for a year.
Still and all, away I went. Into the, well, into the sheep.
There were sheep crowding the path out of town. I suppose sheep are friendly enough creatures, but I would have hoped that the most bicycle friendly city in the world might have posted a "watch for sheep" sign. Sadly, I was left to my own best devices to contend with the sheep.
I rode down the coast most of the way south. This was a fairly typical picture for me during my tour of Denmark. Lots of ocean, which means....you guessed it...lots of wind.
The first night, I camped next to a high-schoolish thing. There were loads of kids running around into the wee hours having fun. I camped in a free spot, one of hundreds across the country that Denmark has created and preserved. They usually come with a shelter and a saw to cut firewood. The above picture is a shot from my tent where, just beside me, a German couple camped peacefully. The German man looked quite a bit like Harry Potter.
I passed through a mid-sized town (by Danish standards) called Vordinburg on my way to the islands south of Zealand. These are the largest castle ruins outside of the small island of Bornholm.
At the top of the castle is a golden goose, which was intended to taunt potential invaders.
I crossed over from Zealand to the island of Halster on this bridge. A bridge complete with a bicycle lane; imagine that. Don't let them get the renovation of the I-55 bridge done without including a bicycle path!
It's super easy to tour by bicycle in Denmark because the route is filled with signs directing you the right way. Still, I bought a compass just in case.
I camped on the tip of Halster the second night before taking the ferry across to Fyn. I ended up in a very small harbor, Tars Havn, where I met a man that made windmill wings. The harbormaster didn't speak any English, so when he came to collect my money he jokingly referred to himself as "No-English Man." It was like he was a super hero! Well, the campsite was super anyway, and I caught this shot before bed.
When the trailer is un-packed, it's a bit amazing how much spills out. At the end of the day I often feel like my hometown of Memphis--like I'm sprawling out of control!
The next morning I woke up bright and early to catch the ferry. The sailors tied my bike to the boat so it didn't fall over. I was greatly appreciative.
I arrived in Odense at the end of the third day, tired and ready for a shower. Odense was slow. There were quite a few "cute" pieces of bicycle infrastructure--like bicycle emblems built into the cobblestone in light colored stones--but nothing especially interesting. I tried to get air for my tires at one of the many pumps they keep around the city, but alas, it didn't work. Odense may get a bit short-changed in this post.
After leaving Odense, I traveled to Jutland and towards Germany. I met 6 amazing Germans at a remote, free camping spot positioned directly beside the ocean on my first night outside of Odense.
We stayed up quite late having adult beverages and talking. They were taking a break from the big cities--like Copenhagen--cause they were running out of money. When its free to camp, and the shelter is provided, a quick trip to the nearby town every now and again to grab supplies is all you need to make a very nice vacation spot. Cheers to my new German friends!
So this is the path so far, from Copenhagen to my current location in Flensburg, Germany.
View Copenhagen to Flensburg in a larger map
Next stop: Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Even since I was here in 2006, the station area has improved dramatically. Long known as a hotspot for seedy characters and a bastion for raucous, the station now teems with people on a mission. Its bursting with the hustle and bustle of people with intentions rather than the sketchy stagnancy of aimlessness. For what its worth, the city appears to have taken steps to make the whole centrum a bit more controlled. Politzei can be seen casually strolling in and around the red light district just beside the station, a scene of control amidst a culture that in some ways promotes indulgence.
I didn't have a computer, and honestly, I was a bit too tired each night to calculate my mileage. But while the road was long, it was amazing.
Once I was in the Netherlands, these very helpful red signs pointed the way at every major intersection. I had a map, but it turned out to be little more than a confirmation for the signs. The routes throughout the Netherlands are incredibly well signed, and it's possible to take a bike path to almost every city and town across the country.
When I neared Amsterdam, I found myself on an off-road single track path, a pretty common feature of touring in Europe.
I think this picture is poignant, as sometimes life is like having a double wide trailer on a single track trail. In other words it's not always easy to move forward, but it is always possible. Sometimes it just requires a bit more effort.
My Dutch isn't so good, but I'm almost positive that this sign says watch for wandering sheep. I think this means I have officially arrived in the most bicycle friendly place in the Western world: They make the effort to warn cyclists of hazardous sheep.
He offered his home to me anytime, a house just outside Nuremberg, Germany. We both left a bit happier than before I arrived.
The path into the city was smooth and wide open; though I arrived without a place to stay, despite having searched like mad, I found a great campground just north of the center. Tired but satisfied I set up my tent and began my travels throughout the city.
The first thing I noticed after beginning my walk through the city was that my shoes were probably the most tired object in my traveling cache. I think these photos tell the story:
I bought a pair of blue high top "chucks" at the local flea market and left these on the sidewalk just where they lay. A big piece of my trip is about learning how and when to let go. For these, my favorite slip-on Vans, the time had come to let go.
