Every site is different. Each with its own pros and cons. Size wise, some are like postage stamps, where you get stuck uniformly cheek by jowl. Unable to sneeze or let rip a fart too loudly, especially at night, for fear of waking your neighbour. Then, when in others, like today’s Huttopia site in De Meinweg National Park, you find the workers moving around in Prisoner-Like Mini Mokes, you know you’re in for some serious on-site hiking.
Some larger site may resemble a small village, or town. By comparison, this is more the size of the USA. It’s low season and the place is less than a tenth full. Even so, the lady in reception allocates us a pitch that is the equivalent of being parked up in Washington DC, with the shower block way down south in Jacksonville. Despite there being only two other campers between us and the showers. Maybe the other pitches are pre-booked? Or maybe word has gotten round about my wind-breaking capabilities . . . who knows?
In any event, we do as we’re told and pitch up at number 4. Then, the opportunity of a gadabout is quickly curtailed by a severe clouburst that leaves us wishing we’d packed our wellies and oars.
With most of today set dry, we break out the bikes for a morning recce. Netherlands, home of the bike, has an endless labyrinth of car free cycle routes. Numbered waymarked junctions provide a seamless routing system that functions and co-exists with the car driver.
Our totally flat 20K loop is being enjoyed by many other cyclists. We stop for a selfie. Chat briefly to a Dutch couple who’ve pulled up for a Scooby Snack. Discover that their ride is saving them from having to watch Charles’ coronation!
We’ve seen some pretty pictures of a nearby town. So Scoot gets his first outing too. But not before a swift battery change. His flat one came to light on Bank Holiday Monday. An in-stock replacement, from Bournemouth Battery Centre, on our day of departure, to the rescue. Scoot coughs into action and Scoots us into Roermond, where the indoor shopping centre provides shelter from a downpour.
