Tue 25 – Aalsmeer, Gouda

Predicted:

• Good news: tailwind, only 4kms to flower auction
• Bad news: 6:30 am start, a couple of degrees cooler, variable weather

Actual:

• Headwind (55%)
• 4 degrees on the road, 2 deg. after the first hailstorm.
• 6km to flower auction including a few diversions
• but a very interesting day

Flower auction, Aalsmeer (6k)

Those flower auctions were worth every inconvenience. In a huge warehouse building in Aalsmeer and by Internet around the world, hundreds of buyers generate purchases every few seconds. Each purchase produces a need for movement of containers of flowers in the huge building from one bay to another, by trolleys, automatic trains, an external air bridge, and drivers with trailers full of blooms and other frenetic bustle on a huge scale.

The trolley drivers were constantly driving their precious loads to and fro, like ants on a nest., while a hidden bank of buyers generated more activity.

Map and stats for the first leg HERE>

Watermills (17k)

After a few more hail showers and wrong turns, we reach Aarlanderveen, where an old windmill pumping station is preserved in operating condition. Three windmills were built during the 18th century, each with a waterwheel that would lift water 1.25 metres from low land created by peat cutting.

The sails are quite massive. This decorated facade shows the date of building’ “J80J”

A fourth windmill but with an Archimedes screw water pump, was built in 1801. Sails and internal wooden gears are quite massive The water level at the lowest point is 5.20 metres below sea level.

Our tour guide took us into her home (the thatched tower of the mill) where we climbed narrow stairs to the top. There, the full power of wind and machinery could be felt. Huge gear wheels, levers and shafts were largely made of wood, save for rough iron pins or straps, such as a repair it the main shaft caused by a lightning strike. OH&S rules in Australia would have prevented access to such stairs and open machinery; we would have missed a great experience.

MAP and stats HERE>

An uneventful transit to the Elodie took the day’s trip to 31 km. MAP and stats HERE>

Five enthusiasts rode another 26 for a total of 57, through pretty villages, fens with swans, and open farmlands to join the others at Gouda.  This was a fairly rapid transit courtesy of  a good tailwind at last. We hoisted the virtual spinnaker and used Gear 14 more than ever before. MAP>