Day 6 - Gorichen to Venlo

Firstly a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Paula, and for a special treat we had such a long day on the bike that we actually finished on the day after her birthday!

The day started with a fantastic breakfast and the hotel managers singing and playing happy birthday on the piano. We also spent time blogging, up loading photos, which is not as easy as it sounds and relaxing, this all resulted in a very late start of 11.45. The start of the ride was along the dykes along the north of the Waal before catching a ferry south and heading to Hertogenbosch. We stopped for a late lunch and carried on south east to Deurne. It was a late Sunday afternoon and there were loads of middle aged ( old people according to the children) out for a Sunday afternoon cycle ride.

At Deurne we ate more pasta before deciding to try to make up for the miles we lost the previous day by continuing to ride to Venlo which is right on the German border. We booked a hotel in Venlo and headed off  on the "30k" ride there. As we left the church bells rang out. " It must be about 8pm" I said..... it was actually 9.45pm!!!!!!

The first 25k were great easy riding, but then it was dark and as we entered the outskirts of  Venlo we ended up on a road where cyclists were not allowed, and were advised to cycle in some dark woods! This was not an option, too scary! Then we found ourselves in the industrial area, totally lost and no sign posts, we carried on cycling and finally found a sign post saying 4k to Venlo. Once we got to the  town centre crossing the river Maas for the last time we had the problem of finding the hotel.

A couple of young guys gave some rough directions which seemed to be going nowhere before Chris said the motorway is on the right lets go there. After another 2 mins, to our relief, we found the hotel at 12.15am!!!!!

Certainly a birthday Paula will not forget

Today's Stats
Distance 133.4k
Time 6.41.48
Average speed 19.9k
Climb 135m
total distance 536k