After an uninspiring breakfast we headed off in a direction planned to intercept the main cycle route north. It did. But we took a turning too early and meandered round a pretty Utrecht park, dodging Sunday morning fitness groups, for 15 minutes before identifying the error. Back on track, we left the city on one of the most beautiful cycle rides we've ever done. It was all canals, fancy houses, beautiful gardens, windmills, and hydrangeas everywhere in every colour, and the smell of flowers filled our nostrils as we rode along. It was sunny and very warm with a soft breeze that didn't hinder progress. Navigation was pretty simple again with few differences of opinion on which way to go. A coffee-and-cake stop, a beer stop, and a pause to eat our blagged cheese rolls were the main interruptions to today's progress so it was a fabulous relaxed ride. We thought there were a lot of cycle club groups out yesterday, but that was nothing compared with today. The chain gangs were everywhere, both blokes and girls, most in matching kit, all mixing it with normally dressed folks on big bikes out for a Sunday pedal. We came into Amsterdam crossing the Rhine Canal on an absolutely enormous bridge constructed purely for cyclists and pedestrians. Cycling here is taken really seriously! We have 3 nights booked here at the Stayokay Hostel (a converted school from c.1900) which is fine quality but, as you'd expect, basic compared with some of our previous hotels. We shall save exploring the city until tomorrow, but meanwhile we have a huge Thai curry to digest!
55.1 km; 17.2 kph avg; 3:12 moving time; 72m ascent
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