Circumnavigation of the IJsselmeer NL

Cloggy

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Went for a ride today with a mate, we rode around the IJsselmeer, the largest fresh water lake in the Netherlands (and the largest in Western Europe).

We took this route, only starting and ending in the old city of Hoorn

It took us through some nice old Dutch towns, Hoorn., Monnikedam, Edam (yes from the cheese), Volendam, Muiden, Naarden, Harderwijk, Elburg, Blokzijl, Lemmer, Stavoren, Makkum, Medemblik and Enkhuizen, just to name a few.

Our first stop was Muiden, where we had a coffee at one of the lockside cafes:

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After this we rode through the fortified town of Naarden, it's difficult to see but the whole town is fortified with a thick wall in a star shape:

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Then we rode onto Harderwijk, where we had lunch, heres one of the gates:

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I spotted another FZ6, and chatted with its owner:

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We crossed the IJssel river at Genemuiden:

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We had planned to have a coffee in Blokzijl, but there was some kind of festivities going on and the town was overflowing, so we had one in Lemmer instead, and then over the Afsluitdijk and then on to Medemblik, Enkhuizen & Hoorn (where we had started).

The route was about 500Km's, which is nothing to write home about, but most of it was on narrow roads where the speed limits rarely get up to 80Km/h. It was a very tiring day but we had a blast :thumbup:
 
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Motogiro

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Thank you the great pictures Martin! 500Km's is a good ride!

That first photo looks like there are some kind of mechanism for cable or rope to maybe raise gates? It would be so fun to ride in these places. :)
 

motojoe122

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Awesome ride report Martin! What model honda is that and how do you remember how to spell the names of the towns?:BLAA:
 

Cloggy

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Thank you the great pictures Martin! 500Km's is a good ride!

That first photo looks like there are some kind of mechanism for cable or rope to maybe raise gates? It would be so fun to ride in these places. :)

Well to be honest Cliff most of the main locks work on electricity, but they leave the capstains to make it look authentic (they used to use ropes and chains to open them). It's Always fun to take a ring side seat at these locks especially when its windy, just to see how irrate partners get at each other when it goes wrong, great entertainment value :thumbup:

Awesome ride report Martin! What model honda is that and how do you remember how to spell the names of the towns?:BLAA:

It's an old CB900 (Bol d'or) it only uses 98 fuel so we have to shop around when we have to fill up, as not all gas stations carry it any more, he also has to carry an addative to keep it running well :banghead: luckily his enthusiasm makes up for the short comings of his bike :thumbup:

Joe, I must admit the names take a bit of getting used to, as did the language ;)
 
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PPieter

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Looks like a great trip Cloggy. I'm planning on doing it myself as I will be in the neighbourhood the coming months. What about the trip itself? Does the area suit for em.. 'sportive' riding or is it just tourist cruising?
 

Verharen

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Beautiful pictures Cloggy. I think it's pretty neat how different the scenery can be around the world, but how similar our love of riding is. Thanks for posting! :thumbup:
 

Cloggy

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Looks like a great trip Cloggy. I'm planning on doing it myself as I will be in the neighbourhood the coming months. What about the trip itself? Does the area suit for em.. 'sportive' riding or is it just tourist cruising?

Well TBH it was a varied route, but a lot of slower roads, and the route goes through a lot of towns. There were a few nice twisty roads over narrow dikes (dijks) or that followed them, but in most places there was a speed limit of 60km/h. The good thing about dikes is that you can generally see quite far ahead, so if it is totally empty you can pretty easily ride 80km/h (not that I would ever do such a thing ;)). I enjoyed the stretches between Vollenhove and kuinre, between Enkhuizen and Hoorn (recently resurfaced) and a few of the roads in Friesland.

There are also some really boring straight roads especially between Huizen and Nijkerk and between Den Oever and Medemblik.
I think that the main attraction of this route are the old towns you travel through, but it’s quite slow moving, and more touristic than most routes..


Beautiful pictures Cloggy. I think it's pretty neat how different the scenery can be around the world, but how similar our love of riding is. Thanks for posting! :thumbup:

Yeah, I'm really jealous of you guys in Cali, that looks like a great place to ride :thumbup:
Unfortunately we have to go into Germany or the Belgian Ardennes to find any real hills. Also many of the newer roads are as straight as a die here, which is why the older roads are the most travelled by bikes.
 

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Great pics Cloggy! Are you anywhere near Winschoten.....because that's where my youngest son is with his girlfriend!
 

agf

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thanks for the pics Martin, I'd love to do a ride like that
the closest I have come to some broad country riding is on a step thru in Thailand
while wearing motor cycle hats ( I kid you, not), they are like an ice cream bucket

any way I'll have a look thru my pics- see what I can find to post up somewhere

sometimes doing a run at 60 is nice coz you get to see where you are and enjoy it
 

Cloggy

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Great pics Cloggy! Are you anywhere near Winschoten.....because that's where my youngest son is with his girlfriend!

Talk about a small world, does he live there now?

Well I'm about 2 hours from Winschoten , its up in the top of the Netherlands close to Groningen and the German border, so I don't go there often. I rode through the place in 2009 when I went on a ride with some guys from my work here's the ride report.

thanks for the pics Martin, I'd love to do a ride like that
the closest I have come to some broad country riding is on a step thru in Thailand
while wearing motor cycle hats ( I kid you, not), they are like an ice cream bucket

any way I'll have a look thru my pics- see what I can find to post up somewhere

sometimes doing a run at 60 is nice coz you get to see where you are and enjoy it

Looking forward to your pics Adrian, I'm curious about the bucket helmet :thumbup:

My Brother hired a (small) bike when he was on holiday in Thailand and went all over the place. He got into an accident (too fast, bad roads) and was kindly helped by an Australian from the embassy there, who happened to be passing, he took him to the hospital and arranged for the bike to be picked up, I think it's great when I hear stories about people going out of there way to help others :thumbup:
 
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XTremo

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Talk about a small world, does he live there now?

Well I'm about 2 hours from Winschoten , its up in the top of the Netherlands close to Groningen and the German border, so I don't go there often. I rode through the place in 2009 when I went on a ride with some guys from my work here's the ride report.

He's there most of the time Cloggy!

He was there from early Feb to mid March.....then left here mid April and not been back since. Probably return later next month when the wall of heat has lifted.

I thought about a nice ride up there to see him....but when I looked at the map (cos I'm in the deep south of Spain).....I doubt I could do it. Twenty years ago no problem.....but those days are gone.

Followed your link to the thread.....Groningen looks a beautiful place. I know my son and his girlfriend have been there a few times.
 
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Cloggy

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He's there most of the time Cloggy!

He was there from early Feb to mid March.....then left here mid April and not been back since. Probably return later next month when the wall of heat has lifted.

I thought about a nice ride up there to see him....but when I looked at the map (cos I'm in the deep south of Spain).....I doubt I could do it. Twenty years ago no problem.....but those days are gone.

Followed your link to the thread.....Groningen looks a beautiful place. I know my son and his girlfriend have been there a few times.

Just curious what brought your son up to windswept Holland from sunny spain, or was it his GF?

If you ever get up this way we could meet up for a ride, but I realise it's a looong way to travel (on bike).

Groningen was a blast, we stayed close to the centre in a hostel but it was great for going out in the evening :rockon:
 

XTremo

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Just curious what brought your son up to windswept Holland from sunny spain, or was it his GF?

Just the young lady Cloggy! Like my other son he made no attempt to learn the language here.....so social life was limited.

Hell....if I'd been their ages when we came here (2005) I'd have dedicated every waking moment to learning Spanish.....cos these chicas are seriously hot!
 
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