This blog records some historical information on the bike tour of the good ship Elodie from 23 April to 7 May 2017.
For information on the converted barge, the bicycles and other tours offered by this company, go to their web site.
The itinerary was roughly a figure of eight looped south and north around Amsterdam. The route was chosen according to the destinations and events to be seen, but was broadly informed by the excellent system of cycle routes and numbered intersections across the Netherlands.
Distances and speeds were not ambitious, compared at least with serious road cyclists. Then again, how much of the countryside and village life can you take in at such a frenetic pace?
A formatted summary table of the itinerary and daily and aggregate distances follows. Figures in brackets represent additional optional rides undertaken by the more enthusiastic riders on a few days.
| Day | Destinations | Dist | Prog |
| Su 23 | Loop north of Amsterdam | 13 | 13 |
| Mo 24 | Amstelveen | 18.5 | 31.5 |
| Uithoorn. | 6 | 37.5 | |
| (local tour, optional) | (10) | 37.5 | |
| Tu 25 | Aalsmeer flower auction | 6 | 43.5. |
| Windmill Aarlanderveen | 18 | 61.5 | |
| Barge RV | 7 | 68.5 | |
| Gouda (optional) | (26) | ||
| We 26 | Kinderdijk | 20.5 | 89 |
| Alblasserdam Ferry | 4.5 | 93.5 | |
| Rotterdam to barge | 5.5 | 99 | |
| Th 27 | Walk to Delft Blue factory | ||
| Elodie sails to Den Haag | |||
| Parliament and Peace park | 6 | 105 | |
| Leidschendam | 10 | 115 | |
| Fr 28 | Keukenhof | 18 | 133 |
| Haarlem via steam engine | 26 | 159 | |
| Sa 29 | Amsterdam | 33 | 192 |
| Su 30 | Optional AMS to Volendam | (22) | |
| Mo 1 | Hoorn, Enkhuizen | 52 | 244 |
| Tu 2 | Den Oever, Den Helder | A35; B21 | 265 |
| We 3 | Texel | 44 | 309 |
| Th 4 | Maartensvlotbrug | 28 | 337 |
| Alkmeer | 28 | 365 | |
| Fr 5 | Purmerend | 35 | 400 |
| Sa 6 | Amsterdam | 24 | 422 |
| (494)* |
* These last figures are:
- 422 is the total if you completed all the programmed day rides
- 494 is a maximum distance that includes all optionals plus the longer A Team route to Den Helder on Tuesday 2 May.
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Elodie Spring 17 