Day 51
Wednesday 24/8/16
Early start and cycled through Noordwijk and along the dunes to Zandvoort and inland towards IJmuiden where I found a campsite in the woods, showered and felt great, so I went on a 22 km ride without panniers and any weight. It felt good to be able to cycle at speed, but I was a bit wobbly at first having no weight on the front, the handlebars felt really light.
Total days mileage 63 km.

Day 52
Rest day
I washed my clothes this morning as it was going to be a really hot day, then took a walk to Driehus station and caught the train to Amsterdam as it was only about 15 miles to the city centre. I tried to walk around town but as it was at least 33 degrees with no wind I found a bar with chairs outside by a canal, tied Pippa up under a Sun umbrella and went in to get a drink, when all of a sudden while I was standing at the counter a little white thing came sprinting through the doors and bounding up to me with a big smile on her face, Pippa had slipped her harness, proberly due to me trying to make Pippa more comfortable by making her harness looser for trailer travel. I had a coke, then a beer while watching boats going along the canal, it was too hot to do anything so went back to the campsite.

Day 53
Left campsite and had a lot of wobble at first until I was used to cycling with all that weight on the bike again. 2 km along I caught another ferry, this one was free, then on the other side back to the coast. I felt like an easy day today but first campsite, no dogs, the same with second and third sites, the fourth and fifth campsites only let in campervans and caravans, no tents and the sixth site was full. So I carried on past Bergen aan zee where I found a bench, made a tea and started cooking dinner, I was half way through cooking when a bull came over to see what Pippa was. Ate dinner and carried on to the next cattle grid where I was safe from beasties, found another bench and set up camp for the night.
Today 48 km.

Day 54

Early start and carried along the dune path but the headwinds were to strong so I moved to the cycle path 500 metres inland, there was still the same headwind but at least it was flat. It was a very hot day so found a campsite put up tent and also put up tarp as a Sun shade.

I have to get my timings right as in a day or so I have a 30 km dam to cross.
Today only 26 km

Day 55
The rain I had been expecting over the last few days came this morning from 8am to 10am, left the campsite at 11 on a very overcast and humid day heading forvthe big dam. I had a tailwind today for the first time in days and after 31 km I made it to the start of the dam at Den Oever. I decided to make use of the tailwind an crossed the 30 km dam in 2 hours. Found a campsite and took a well deserved rest after cycling 67 km today.

Day 56
Rest day
I managed to get Pippa into a sink and gave her a good bath, so I could give her her monthly worming pills and flea gel. Then I charged up all my electrical things.

Day 57
Left campsite at 11 and stopped at Harlingen Aldi to do a big shop, I must have added another 8kg to my load. Stopped a 2pm for a brew and lunch then carried onto campsite just past Oudebildtdijk. Today 42 km.

Day 58
An easy ride today camping at Holwerd campsite after 32 km cycling.

Day 59
Thursday 1/9/2016
Rest day
There was a church next to the campsite that rang the hour on the hour and 1 ring on the half hour, this came in handy as when the bell rang say 3 times in the night I knew what time it was and did not have to look at my watch to see what time it was that I had woken. I walked into town to do some shopping and also bought some fire gel as I could not find meths, as I did not want my trangia burner to get blocked up with gunk I invented a new burner, I say I invented, I just used a tomato puree tin.

The site was a slug haven, snails without homes, and I think they all wanted to move in with me, I spent a lot of time throwing them out.

Day 60

Carried along the dyke until I came to what I think is my last dam, I checked out the campsite at Lauuersoog but it was too expensive so carried on and wild camped in tent about 5 km further up the road. Total distance for today 40 km.

Day 61
I’m out of map now so I have to follow the coast from cycle point to cycle point. Early start at 7.30 and stopped at 9am for breakfast, and then at 12 noon under a wind turbine for lunch. A very boring day of cycling with a big dyke to my left, sharing the path with sheep, and a drainage ditch/canal to my right with fields of crops beyond, same scenery for over 35 km. I did see hares and birds of prey hunting. Camped at campsite in Bierum after 51 km

Day 62

Rest day
The weather forecast has been threatening it would rain today, but the last time I had internet access was a few days ago and I have travelled a distance since then. About 9 in the morning there was a heavy summer thunder storm then the Sun came out again, so we went for a walk around town and just made it back before the heavens opened up again, Pippa still has problems understanding that she has to stay in the outer tent and not allowed in the inner tent when wet.

Day 63

2 months on the road and going good, cycle route signs disappeared at Delfzijl but I found them again on the other side. Carried on towards Germany but ended up wild camping on the beach just over the dyke so I was out of view from anyone. Today 33 km.

Day 64 6/9/2016

Broke a spoke this morning, it must have been the cattle grids that I have been going over every 5 minutes for the last few days. It took about 2 hours to replace but at least I put the kettle on so I could have a cuppa. I had to remove my seat post to get to my spare spokes, all my panniers, the trailer, disconnect the gearbox, remove the tyre and tube and then the brake disc to get to it, lucky it was a nice day as I do not think I could have done it as calmly in the rain. Made it to the border but could not find a way across the canal so headed south and camped up in a campsite. Today only 24 km.