[Home]     Cycling Down the Rhine Wednesday 6th September 2017 Arnhem to IJsselstein Ah, what a day... that 'ah' should have a big 'g' in the middle of it by the way. Absolutely exhausting! Arnhem is a large place and it took a while to get clear of it in the morning, then Andrew wanted to visit the Arnhem military cemetery so that took a while to find it too, but find it we did and went in to have a look round. Arnhem military cemetery It moved me to tears. Rows of identically shaped gravestones with the name, age, rank and regiment of the occupant. Ages were 19, 21, 23... most within a few years of that range. And the families were allowed to add a line or two at the base of the headstone. 'Will always be remembered by his two little girls...' My god, it was sad. 'some day we'll understand' Anyway we signed the visitors' book and left. There had been rain earlier, before we left the hotel, but it had cleared now; unfortunately there was also wind, which hadn't cleared and which was annoyingly in totally the wrong direction. We ended up on top of a dyke - no jokes, please - on a narrow road, exposed and blasted by the wind, on which traffic and bikes shared a dodgy existence. Probably more dodgy for the bikes than the cars. And it went on and on and fon... Awful Dutch dyke   The world's only drive-through windmill - in Wijk bij Duurstede Then the cycle computer stopped working. Then we tried a short cut by the canal only to have to turn round and slog all the way back when the route petered out. Then it started raining and I found my rainproof overshoes didn't fit. Then the route went from tarmac to cobbly blocks that jarred my arm... moan, moan, moan... On with the waterproofs Ok, I'm alright really, just knackered. We eventually got to Nieuwegen and had even more trouble navigating our way across town and over major highways to get to our destination, the B&B 'Het Oude Gemaal' in IJsselstein. Why the town has to start with two capital letters is just another of those mysteries which are always with us. And no, we didn't have to sleep in the caravan. Canal locks at Nieuwegen The B&B in IJsselstein - Het Oude Gemaal The B&B was small and we were the only guests but it was clean and fairly well appointed. In the evening we walked into town and dined at the 1560 Bistro as recommended by our host. The food ok but the amount too small after a day like today - I could have eaten it twice over. Expensive too... but what the hell, eh. 48 windy miles today making the total 824.97 miles.