September 17, 2022
Welcome to Amsterdam
A long, action packed day
We are treated to a spectacular view of the countryside from Rotterdam to Amsterdam on our early morning flight into Schiphol airport. Under sunlit rain clouds, rivers and canals cut across the green polder lands. We can't wait to ride through this country.
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After a quick trip through passport control, we find our cardboard bike boxes waiting for us in baggage claim. Barry's box was intact but the bottom of mine was open. I had industriously taped up the top of the box but hadn't thought about the bottom. Happily there was no apparent damage to the contents. It took us less than an hour to unpack and set up the bikes with all the bags.
We throw away the boxes, load up on Euros at the ATM and wander off to find the airport exit.
I had mapped a bike route into the city on RidewithGPS but wasn't sure what it would be like. The reality is way better than I hoped. There are stress-free bike paths starting right from the airport that lead to bike lanes on neighborhood streets. The bike paths are reddish, making them easy to spot. We continue along the canals and into Vondelpark, Amsterdam's largest city park.
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It's great fun to watch all the people on bikes, especially parents toting kids around. The e-cargo bikes with kids look big and heavy but they pass us easily. It's close to noon by the time we reach the Jordaan neighborhood of our AirBnb apartment.
Our host has referred us to a nearby office to stow our bags and lock up the bikes. Time for lunch. It's an effort not to fall asleep at the table while we wait for our food at the Black and Blue restaurant.
We meet Judy and Steve from the San Francisco Bay area when they sit down next to us and enjoy learning from them about their travels in Europe. We're newbies at this. Their upcoming cruise on the Rhine River sounds like an easier way to go than what we're doing. The conversation helps us stay awake as jet lag bears down.
The news from our hosts after lunch is not great. They are "hoping" the place will be ready to check in at 4 or 4:30. Ah well, there's plenty of entertainment to be found. We visit a coffee shop and walk the streets enjoying the street performers.
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Judy gave us a hot tip about a great bar at the Hotel Americain/Hard Rock Cafe. Sounds like a nice way to kill some more time. We admire the stained glass windows while Stefano mixes us up some fancy cocktails.
By the time our room is ready at 5 we are pretty strung out from lack of sleep. The whole process of removing the tiny U-locks from the bikes wedged into the rack by the office, reloading our bags and pedaling streets crowded with bodies and bikes to the apartment is hard. At one point I bobble a turn and crash in slow motion with a post. My front brake is inoperable, but no damage otherwise to me or the bike. Barry is sure he can fix it later. I have no doubt. Onward we wobble to the apartment.
Once there, our host is clear that bikes are not permitted in the apartment. So much for the naive assumption we could avoid leaving them unattended at night. He points to his family's bikes chained up outside and assures us the bikes be fine if they're secured with a good lock. We pin them to a rack by the canal with the little u-locks and take the front wheels inside for the night, thinking it will make the bikes less attractive. We'll be here for three nights, will just have to do our best on security and stop fretting about it.
After settling in and a blessed, long-awaited shower, it's nearly 8 pm local time, and 32 hours since we got up for the flight Friday morning. Time to crash.
Today's ride: 23 km (14 miles)
Total: 23 km (14 miles)
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