74. Europe Bicycle Trip--Day 27--Akersloot To The Island of Texel--65km.

Today I will ride a little over 65 km but it will be into the wind. It is Day 27, Tuesday, May 13th and I am headed from Akersloot up to Alkmaar and then to the coast finishing at Den Helder where I have to take a ferry to the island of Texel. I have decided to go to the islands because it is too windy to cycle over the Afsluisdijk.

I left Akersloot and went through farmland toward Alkmaar. I can't resist taking many photos of windmills.

M

A small windmill

Alkmaar where we had gone to the Cheese Market a two weeks ago

We had been sitting at the right of this photo. Today the square was filled with chairs.

Room Seven

The old and the new

A heron

I looked at everything in the window of this bicycle store.--rain legs (like I have made), wool seat pads, saddle bags

Rental tandems

Chilren, dogs or items can go in the front in the wooden shoe.

I stopped to talk to this group of Dutch bicyclists having a morning snack.

From Alkmaar, I headed to the coast.

A big dike seperates the North Sea from the land.

View from the top of the big dike-you can see that the land is lower than the water.

Panorama

Busy boats

One of the many pumps that dot the landscape. The village of Petten is behind the inland dikes.

The dunes

There are HILLS in the dunes. I made it up this one but some of these school children got off and walked. Many children are on outings in this good weather.

These large grates stop the animals from leaving the area.