Cycling Around the World in NL: Stage 2: Table Mountain - Granada (170km)

Join in an unforgettable bike adventure where you don't need to leave the country for a round-the-world cycling journey!

History of the idea
Inspired by the book "Fietsen rond de wereld in Nederland (http://www.fietsenronddewereld.nl/)" by Flip van Doorn, this event is the second in a long series of stages to cycle through The Netherlands while visiting America in Drente, Table Mountain in Blaricum, Austerlitz in Utrecht, Brooklyn in Breukelen, Russia in Uithoorn, Bombay in Groningen, etc. Each one coming with a rich history how they got their names. All the while seeing some of the most beautiful parts of the country by bike.

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/9/b/0/3/600_449319683.jpeg

Official certificate
If you participate in all the stages and collect stamps along the way on your personal stamp-card you can get an official certificate at the end of Stage 9. You'll have cycled around 2000km by then!

How do I get the stamp card?
You can download the stamp cards here (A4 sized). (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/45487/FRDW-NOORD/Stamp%20cards%20A4.zip)

Stage 2: Table Mountain -> Granada
This second stage is 170km in length and it will take two days of cycling. It will start at café Tafelberg (Table Mountain) where the first stage ended. Day 1 will end near Uithoorn at camping "Groene Hart". Day 2 will end in Alkmaar at grand café Granada (Kerkplein 5, Alkmaar). This is NOT the official end of the second stage of the tour, that would require us to cycle yet another 30km and that's too far. Stage 3 will start in Alkmaar and go over the stamp place in Sint Maarten.

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/b/f/b/2/600_451249074.jpeg

DOWNLOAD GPX: http://bit.do/b7Jwy
SEE ROUTE ON GOOGLE MAPS (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oPyxjd4op_NUn7tZEcA6FcVTtZY&usp=sharing)

Highlights of this Stage

• 🇮🇩 Nature area "Bantam" (Indonesia) (Hilversum)

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/62289967.jpg

• 🇬🇧 "Engeland" island (Kortenhoef)

http://www.kanoroutes.nl/images/Kortenhoef12.jpg

• 🇺🇸 Brooklyn (Breukelen)

• 🇨🇳 Chinese temple (Breukelen)

https://www.hotelbreukelen.nl/inc/hotels/39/desktop/carousel_wide_1024x768_Hotel%20Breukelen%202.jpg

• 🇷🇺 Russian farms (Zevenhoven)

• 🇮🇱 Beth Haim Jewish cemetery (Ouderkerk a/d Amstel)

http://www.jhm.nl/beeld/cultuurgeschiedenis/Amsterdam/ouderkerk1.jpg

• 🇪🇸 Plein Spanje 36-39 (Amsterdam-Noord)

http://www.buitenbeeldinbeeld.nl/Amsterdam_N/hagendoornplein_bestanden/image003.jpg

• 🇷🇺 Tsaar Peterhuisje (Zaandam)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Interieur,overzicht_van_het_interieur_van_de_achterkamer_in_het_interieur_van_het_houten_huis_binnen_het_stenen_huis-Zaandam-20341841-_RCE.jpg/800px-Interieur,overzicht_van_het_interieur_van_de_achterkamer_in_het_interieur_van_het_houten_huis_binnen_het_stenen_huis-Zaandam-20341841-_RCE.jpg

• 🇳🇴 Bergen (Bergen, NL)

What you can expect
We will cycle 85km a day, which means that we will probably spend about 5-6h on the bike each day. Therefore it is key we leave early, so we have time left to take breaks, eat, rest at the end of the day and have fun together. That's why we will start at 9am.

The overall pace of the ride will be between 18 and 22km/h. This leaves room for taking photos, peeing, waiting for the group to get together again, etc. The pace will be a bit higher than normal, as we need to cover more km's per day.

Lunch will be a picknick where we all share our food or a pitstop at one of the many restaurants and cafes along the route. Expect to spend around 7-10€ if we stop at a lunchroom.

Dinner will be at the camp site, at a local cafeteria or we order some take-away food.

Where we will sleep

Camping "Groene Hart (http://www.groenehartcamping.nl/)" (De Hoef Oostzijde 119, De Hoef). It's 5km off the main route. Costs will be €8,10 per person per night. This includes power, hot showers, tourist tax and WiFi.

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/1/7/a/600_451077722.jpeg

Costs

The event itself is free of charge, however there are costs associated with cycling two days:

• Train ticket to Naarden-Bussum or Bussum-Zuid

• €6,10 for the bike supplement (per day)

• €8 for food each day (snacks, lunch)

• €8,10 for the night at the camping

• €10 for dinner in the evening

• Train ticket from Alkmaar to your house

• A few Euros cash for some ferries that might be along the way to cross rivers and streams

What to bring
We will be camping after day 1, so be sure to take a sleeping bag, a mat and a tent. Arrange with other participants if you can share a tent, this way you have to carry less on your bike.

Apart from that, take clothes that allow you to ride in the varied Dutch weather. It can be sunny one moment and pouring down a moment later. Things like sunscreen, sun glasses and a hat can also be a good idea as it is almost summer by then.

Things to consider

• Be sure you are physically fit for this journey and that you know you can handle the distance and pace.

• Consider buying cycling pants and consult a bike shop about the conditions of your bike. Cycling for so long absolutely requires a comfortable bicycle position or otherwise you are not in for much fun. Especially saddle height and pannier bags (https://www.google.nl/search?q=pannier+bags&newwindow=1&espv=2&biw=1536&bih=1297&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiN0NSwnanMAhUKFSwKHaLtAjwQ_AUIBigB) are important.

• Although not required, it is more fun to complete all the stages so you can get your certificate. So be prepared to dedicate about 10-15 weekends of your time in the next year to complete the whole Northern route.

• Some stages are longer than others. The maximum cycling distance of any event per day will be around 100km. This means the pace of these events will be a bit higher. This also means that sometimes stages will be cut up in multiple events or shortened to fit in one weekend.