We wake up in our beautiful B&B to a glorious day of sunshine with a few puffy clouds and a good breeze. After another great breakfast, we are ready to head out and decide to change our route. Instead of following the Rhine, we will go inland as the ‘breeze’ is quite fresh from the SW again, and I didn’t really feel up to getting blown off the dike today. So instead of the LF route, we will be on the Knooppunten numbered system. The challenge of the day is to get through some more of the ‘hills’ between us and the Maas River, so we think we have found a flattish route(?). At our first Knooppunten stop to check the map a car honks at us and stops and out hops our host from the B&B, Leon. He has brought our little Sony Bluetooth speaker which apparently was hiding under the pillows and we didn’t get into our panniers! Unbelievable luck was with us again…he never would have found us if we went the Rhine route!

We carry on south from there picking our way through the countryside finding some shelter from the wind amongst the trees and bushes and corn fields lining the roads. At one point we find ourselves in Germany, the only indication being that the bicycle route signs have changed. Then back in Netherlands where we are meeting some very cool small convertible sport cars with signs on them saying they are participating in a “rally”.

They wave to us as they pass by.

Next we come to the town of Breedeweg where we seem to be very slowly climbing, sometimes into the wind, which slows us down a little. We have a short rest then carry on again up a slight incline…so much for avoiding the hills. At the top there is an incredible view over to Germany and we come across this plaque….

The poppy wreath under the plaque reads….”We will always remember and are eternally grateful to our liberators”.

Then we ride through the fields and come upon another Memorial to an American General who led a huge battalion of American paratroopers over the Germans as part of Operation Market Garden.

The battle took place during the month of September 1944 and every year there are various events in this part of Netherlands to commemorate this particular offensive by the Allies, although it was not in itself a victory, it did play a part in the eventual liberation of Netherlands. The view at the top looking towards Germany where the paratroopers and gliders would have landed….

So after our sombre moment, we carried on and a fast flying ride down a winding trail through the forest….yippee!

never realized how much elevation we had gained, but the downhill sure was fun!

Then it was onto the flats and the Maas River…more lovely gardens.

And now we rest our weary butts in another lovely B&B in Gennep…and it is pouring rain again tonight! I wonder what tomorrow will bring?