Not a great distance today, but it felt like longer. It took us forever to do 28 miles or so up to lunch at Hilversum, mostly due to problems navigating through and out of Amsterdam but also some interesting headwinds. After lunch was much better but very hot – over 30 degrees at the peak, I think. I would have been glad of the headwind just to cool off.

More demon drivers on mobility scooters today, including one gentleman who hogged the whole path for quite a distance at a stately pace and with an equally stately manner: regal waves to buses to go through at junctions, but not a hope for cyclists stuck behind him. We also had the indignity of being overtaken by the occasional elderly cyclist. Some are obviously just very fit, but quite a few turned out to be on electric bikes, which seem very popular here. I comfort myself that they were not carrying lots of luggage, even though I know it would probably make no difference.

As we cycled through Weesp, there was a very loud, slowly repeating noise like a warning siren that went on for several minutes. As there were no incoming missiles, we concluded that it was not an air raid warning. I wondered if it might be to warn people about a bridge raising, but if so it warned the entire town and I never saw the bridge.

Some good street names today. We passed an Argonweg, which was near Heliumweg, Uraniumweg, Kryptonweg and Xenonweg. I was rather intrigued by Florence Nightingalelaan, and much later by Parallelweg (to what?). Name of the day for me was a motor dealership on the outskirts of Soest called Cars & Joy. If I ever open a bike shop, I think it will be called Bikes & Joy.

Tomorrow we cross the border into Germany and head for Bocholt, supposedly the most cycle-friendly German town and home of Rose Bikes, who supplied the hub dynamo Bruce has installed on his bike. We are dropping by for them to install yet another attempt to charge Bruce’s multiple electronic devices from the hub-dynamo. We will also cycle through, or at least around, Arnhem, which is close to Ede.

All going well, tomorrow should be a slightly shorter day in the saddle. I’m slightly apprehensive, as day three of any cycle tour is usually the day when I feel tired, achy and generally fed up with the entire idea of being on a bike. After that, I usually get my second wind and enjoy it all again. We shall see.

Hotel rooms near Bocholt were looking scarce so I have just booked ahead in a nearby town called Isselburg. The beer in that hotel will be doing well to beat tonight’s: Veluws Heidebeer for a brewery in Ede. Very smooth, and apparently contains honey. I would recommend it, but doubt it is widely available in UK or NZ!

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