Friday late morning, time of departure! I decided my first stop had to be IJmuiden. On the map I saw this was attainable in 1,5 hours cycling. Just in time for lunch. You need to know; the prospects of eating moments are keeping me going. I couldn’t remember I ever have cycled 1,5 hours in my life.

I arrived at 2 PM.
I confess … I took me 2,5 hours. Included 2 mini stops to stare at the grazing cows. But, it wasn’t bad. I still felt good and the weather was not too windy.
I ordered a lunch in Hotel Augusta. Just 1, haha. Read some magazines, and after 2 hours I left again, heading Castricum.

And Castricum … became quite a wild thing soon.

I got the dunes in sight before 6 PM. I put my bike at the beach access and was hoping that nobody was interested in the bags fully packed with underwear and socks. I squeezed out a last bit of energy for a little stroll along the sea. I preferred to lay down (I can perfectly imitate a whale on the beach), but first I felt the need to reset some body parts. After a total of 4 hours cycling, my bottom felt like a dead-end.

At dusk I picked up my bags from my bike and entered one of the large wooden decks of the restaurants on the beach. Finally, feeding time! The crowd inside fell silent when my appearance in the doorway locked out the last daylight. Or maybe it were the enormous bikers bags I was dragging with me.
There was only a large shared table available, so I drew up beside another stag.

While I was studying the menu, the whisky drinking stag ordered another glass and shove it to me. And that’s where it all started going wrong. … More out of habit than politeness I ordered a seafood dish for two (all for me) and the guy beside me joined in the bite. I smiled.
He asked me what was in the bikers bags and I asked him what was in his guitar-shaped box … (a magazine and battery cables).

After emptying three-quarters of a bottle, we sung ‘Black Betty’ in karaoke, to the great enjoyment of the other guests.
By the way of thanks for the fish, Edgar provided me illegal access to an empty beach cabin. So I didn’t need to search for a hotel at 2 AM.

After an early wake up in the beach cabin, I had to wait ’till 9 before I could buy a morning coffee to wash down the taste of dead mouse … 40 kilometres and 40% alcohol doesn’t go well together.
I did a chilly beach walk and even found a kind of public shower, made of tin watering cans and a garden hose on a pole. I didn’t dare to use it.

This Saturday I only need to do the distance to Oriana in Alkmaar. That is less than 1 hour cycling for today. More than enough.
Before I knocked on her door (and taking a real shower and writing this blog), I did some shopping in the centre.