Day 373 – THE NETHERLANDS: From Vlissingen to Rotterdam outskirts


Today’s distance / 今日の走行距離: 103km
Average speed / 平均速度: 14.4km/h
Time on skateboard / 走行時間: 7h 08m
Total skateboarding distance to date / 今までスケボで走った距離: 821.61(plus 428.5km)
Total cycling distance to date / 今まで自転車で走った距離: 11,800km

Hold me back, people. 103km on a skateboard in one day. Very happy, I am. This distance was assisted by this:

Perfect cycle path near Gervliet, The Netherlands

and this:

Strong nor'wester naer Vlissingen, The Netherlands

That is, howling tailwinds and smooth as silk cycle paths.

But what is exciting is that the roads weren’t 100% smooth, and the wind wasn’t always at my back. For a large part of the day I was fighting massive side winds or rough cycle paths. It was the 50km or so of smooth eastward cycle paths toward Rotterdam at the end of the day that really helped the distance tally along. Just give me a good solid tailwind all day, and things could get really exciting.

The day started a bit tough. After four days off, it felt like I was learning to ride the board again. The North Sea coast was unrelentingly gusty. I was happy for the kite surfers, if not a little jealous not to have my own kite.

The North Sea coast in Zeeland, The Netherlands

This part of The Netherlands, Zeeland, is just breathtaking. The civil engineering feats that have been acheived are phenominal. Massive dykes protect the low lying land behind them from the vicious North Sea.

One of the many massive dykes in Zeeland, The Netherlands

Just seach for Zeeland or Vlissingen in Google Earth and have a gander northeast along the North Sea coast. You’ll notice a number of large islands all connected by a series of what look like bridges. These are actually dykes, some of which, like the one pictured above, can open and close with the tide. On either side of these collosal man made features are wind turbines making the most of the ever present wind, blades straining to keep straight against the pressure of the gales.

Wind turbine in Zeeland, The Netherlands

Now my big day would not have been, had it not had been for Wim and his family in Vlissingen over the last few days. Thank you for just letting me rest and take it easy. My heels that got a rough time through Germany were well and truely healed from their blisters. Thank you and thank you again.


Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

4 thoughts on “Day 373 – THE NETHERLANDS: From Vlissingen to Rotterdam outskirts

  • Mum

    Glad to know the blisters are all healed. Keep an eye out for any returning blisters and get on to them pronto! And my thanks, too to the all those people who have so far put Rob up (or put up with him?)for rest periods. It's really appreciated by family so far away.

  • Aunty Les

    Somehow or other those big dykes wouldn't inspire me with confidence if I lived in Zeeland. Melting polar ice caps could still cause havoc in that very low lying land, dykes or no dykes!

  • Pete

    I was once more looking at trips for next summer and thought about how lovely Holland is. So, of course, I had to check out what you thought of it.

    Very much inticing it seems. Lovely people and lovely places.

    The cycle path you took on this day – is it part of the North Sea cycle way?