Bicycling Day

And now, back to our previously scheduled program...

The Red Rock Classic is always fun, but I want to finish our travel blog posts before I forget too much. So we're headed back to the Netherlands (and using the WayBack Machine to go back to 11Sep15).

Friday was just about the most perfect weather we could have picked. It was definitely a day for renting bicycles so we headed for the local Bike Totaal shop in Zevenhuizen and rented a pair of nice Giant bikes. They were so nice to ride that I was tempted to take them home.

We used the map on the local bike path (fietspad) to figure out a place to head for, then basically followed our noses from point to point around Zevenhuizen.

This is a sample of one of the maps (courtesy of http://www.cycletourer.co.uk/cycletouring/holland.shtml). Junctions have numbers and you can pick any route you like by picking the next number you wish to go to. Then you follow these signs which tell you which direction to the next junction on your route.

A pair of herons was right next to the fietspad.

Linda is on a bicycle "cloverleaf" type of ramp. Instead of a simple T-style intersection, this ramp makes a gentle slope and then goes under the adjacent highway.

It's tough to find a better place to stop for lunch than this (well, some shade trees might have been nice). We packed a lunch of buttered krentenbollen (raisin buns) with sliced belegen Noord Hollandse Gouda cheese and salami together with sliced pears from the roadside stand in Tiel. Yum!

At the end of the ride we walked around Zevenhuizen for a little while. This is the main street through the town.

Back at our apartment, there was time to relax and sample a local beer before supper and an evening at Kinderdijk. (And yes, the beer was every bit as smooth and delicious as it looks!)

The Last One

The last of 6 bottles of Hertog Jan Grand Prestige has been lovingly stored in the refrigerator since our trip to the Netherlands in 2012. I've been "milking" my supply ever so carefully since this great beer isn't available in the United States. (We're a very backward beer country.)

Well tonight's the night to enjoy the last bottle and it's every bit as good as I remembered and expected. Too bad it's the last one.

So I guess it's time to go back for more. I think a week from Wednesday would be a great day to fly.

P.S. - Thanks, Harm, for the glass!
 

POD: Portland, Oregon - Part 4

Scenes from NE Alberta Ave neighborhood.

The Random Order Pie Bar - love the name! (Haven't tasted the pie.)

 Diagonal bicycle parking.

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Scenes from the Columbia River at the end of the Yellow MAX line.

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It's a Red thing...

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At the Deschutes Brewery Pub.

Now, normally I don't take photos of urinals, but these at the Deschutes Brewery Pub are works of art. My question is, even in the late 1800s when these were probably made, why would someone go to so much trouble for a piece of plumbing equipment???

POD: Portland, Oregon - Part 2

Scenes from around Portland today.

 I have no idea why Ginkoberries are "worthy" of memorializing in a gallery of the Portland Convention Center, but I'm sure this image is gonna give me nightmares.

 Kir & Porter with dinner at Chez Machin.

Portland, Oregon - Part Deux

Portland is full of pleasant surprises. Seeing the word "Utrecht" on a sign-board was certainly a surprise since we weren't in the Netherlands. We'd never heard of Utrecht Art Supplies before, but this was a whole store full of that brand.

There is a parking lot on the other side of this wall, but the wall with these industrial doors are still there just for the architectural detail.

Fall in Flagstaff is probably the best time of year for weather, but you can never depend upon having bright colors on the trees. Even if the colors are bright, it's pretty much just yellow from the Aspens. By contrast, Portland has lots of trees that turn various shades of red and we were there at a perfect time for them.

As wonderful as the tree colors were, some of the most fascinating color was on the ground.

If you want to see more, we've got more photos at Portland Photo Album