Netherlands Bike Tour – Deventer to Kampen, war time revisited.

Day 5 of the tour and I am pleased to see that it is starting to dry out and warm up just a bit.  Yet, the effects of the time change, the dietary changes, and living in the lower cabins is having a bit of an effect with Honey and just prior to departure, we decide it would be a good rest day for her so she can be stronger for the rest of our trip.  The rest of the group disembarks and to begin our ride just after breakfast.  One mile in to the ride, Hannameike discovers her bike wont shift out of first gear, which causes a half hour delay as we repair her shifter.

Crossing a bridge in Hattem

Once underway, we wind our way up through the towns of Diepeoveen, Olst, Wijhe,  and Hattem, in a Northerly direction following the river Ijssel up to Kampen.

Our lunch spot in Hattem

Hattem  was the largest town of the day, and this is where we stopped for a stroll through the town.  With time to tour the Hattem reformed church, built in 1455, it is in remarkably good condition.  George, Lena and I  sat on street side benches behind the church to relax with our lunch. After every one had their time to stroll, and shop, and of course, have some coffee, we were off again.

Stork in the field

In the fields we often had occasion to see some storks.  Its the closest I have been to a wild stork.

WWII Hospital bunker

There is still much evidence of the effects of the war, on the countryside of The Netherlands. Here, we stopped at a concrete hillside bunker that was built as a hospital. On this day, we passed two placements along the road that were essentially tank cannons mounted in concrete. Hannameike took us on another slight detour through the forested gravel paths to an area that was to be filled with earthen dams, that would flood a very large open section of the countryside, turning it into an impassably marshy land, with the hopes of preventing the Russians from attacking.

Riding in to Wijhe
Then it was on to Wijhe, we we could again their windmill, and stop for coffee. We got into Kampen a little after 5:00, where Honey was waiting on the top deck, and having rested and read an entire book she we feeling strong once again.

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