Vordingborg Races

The Danes love cycling and they came to this quaint seaside town to cheer on competitive cyclists who sped around a circuit that passed through the central square and across the gentle hills surrounding the town. The races were divided into categories: juniors, women, veterans, and professionals. Each race had police escorts and team support vehicles. And, of course, it was televised for a national audience.

The Tour D' Afriques set up a booth to promote the tours. Klaus, our host, and a few former TDA riders helped market the value of these tours. 

After each race, the top three received medals and prizes. The national anthem was played and the winner received a national jersey. These riders go on to compete for the country and for teams in the big European circuit: Giro D'Italia, Tour de France.

The Red Brick Road

Haarlem is a bustling suburb of  Amsterdam. Erma collected me from Schiphol and whisked me back to the home by a canal where she and her husband, Wouter, a psychotherapist, live. We cycled along the designated red bike paths to Wouter's workplace. These tracks are segregated from both motor vehicles and pedestrians. The traffic moves quickly and safely. It seems as though bikes are the dominant mode of transport. 

Erma and I rode to Haarlem train station and rolled our bikes on to the train to Schiphol Airport to catch a one-hour flight to Copenhagen. The trains accommodate bikes and the train doors are labelled for bicycle loading. At Schiphol,KLM has simple, efficient boxes into which you can load your bike without using a tool. 

Toronto to Amsterdam

My friend Erma inspired this journey. My partner Cathy enabled it. The ride will begin from Vordingborg, a port southwest of Copenhagen. It is time to head to the airport from our home. Summer has begun and the backdrop is Cathy's garden. The hope is to learn how the Danes, Germans, and Dutch have designed cycle-happy cultures.