Day 8 - Sponsored by Sylvia Saperstein

An early breakfast of muslich, yogurts and a variety of cold cuts and cheeses on freshly baked buns started off the day on the right foot. From the all-you-can-eat buffet I made myself a care package of bananas, apples and egg salad sandwiches, all courtesy of the hotel. Well fed and stockpiled with mid-morning lunch and afternoon snack packs I was ready to take the ride on the road and crank out the miles.

I exited out of town through the city center and stumbled upon the marzipan house. A must stop for me, having been addicted for many years to this sweet almond paste. The place was huge and filled to the rafters with marzipan bars, figurines made from the same sweet almond nectar, and gift boxes galore all within my reach. I munched on some free samples and left the store with a handful of goodies for later in the day!

The weather cooperated with warm, sunny and slightly windy weather mostly in my favor, and the hilly route on smooth country roads, adjacent to rolling fields of wheat and soy, made for an enjoyable ride. This Schleswig Holstein region is perfect for cycling and the terrain is sometimes referred to as little Switzerland, but I don't think it quite compares.

Half way down the stretch in Lensahn I stopped for a break and found an Italian ice cream parlor. It has now become tradition to have one ice-cream cone a day and this time I tried a scoop of apricot. While the caramel gelato in Haren is still in first place, today's fruity flavor is a definite contender and tied for second place with the white chocolate mouse from Hamburg.

By seven o'clock I made it to the ferry terminal in Puttgarden for the crossing of the Baltic Sea. The vessel carried a lot of weight from cars to freight liners, and as I was parking my bike in the belly of the ship a bullet train look-a-like pulled in right next to me. The crossing was only 45 minutes long, and gave me just enough time for a sandwich and a Carlsberg beer. After debarking in Rodbyhavn in Denmark I biked for another 15 miles to the city of Maribo. Vilkommen til Danmark. Vand er liv. Videregive den! Water is life. Pass it on!

Day 7 - Sponsored by Rose Singer

I was up by the crack of dawn, had breakfast with the host family, and by eight o'clock, headed with Christian, for the ferry terminal to Hamburg across the Elbe river. It was a beautiful warm and sunny morning, and a perfect way to start of the day with a river crossing. The 35-minute ferry boat float, costing less than three euros, passed by the Hamburg container harbor and fish market and terminated near the center of town. Many bike commuters were on board the ferry catching a few sun rays on deck before getting in to work. After disembarking in downtown Hamburg, I found a park bench under the sun and lounged for a while overlooking the Binneralster. As I was about to head out of town, I spotted an ice cream stand near the Starbucks Taj Mahal and not long thereafter made good on my ice cream-a-day tradition. Today's flavor was a white chocolate mouse.

By late afternoon I had progressed another 165 miles since Oldenburg and arrived in the beautiful city of Lubeck. Without a warmshower host and having a slight cold, left over from the rainy days, I opted for a room at the Wakenitzblick Hotel, to get some rest. The price was right and the food plentiful and tasty. All in all another perfect day.

Day 6 - Sponsored by Paul Saperstein

From Oldenburg the ride journeyed through the port city of Bremen along the river Weser. Two years earlier I had been here for the 2007 Blue Planet Run on our travels around the world. So it was somewhat reminiscent for me to now bike through this city of tales, passing once again by the impressive city hall, Parliament buildings and St. Peter's cathedral. Like so many historic towns in Germany, Bremen boasts an abundance of sculptures around the city square and in parks and flowering gardens. I took my time taking it all in.

This year's bike ride is different from last year's experience in that the cobble stone roads within the city limits of the towns in Germany have been a challenge. The medieval brickery makes for an uncomfortable and slow going and shakes the panniers vehemently, causing regular adjustments. On the other hand the bakeries, and eateries along the way more than offset the discomfort of the road conditions.

I traveled north to Buxtehude and rode on top the river dikes of the river Elbe flanked on the west side by acres and acres of apple orchards. Further down the road this peaceful and green farming landscape with beautiful farm homes was interrupted by the industrial aircraft giant Airbus who has made it's home here with an assembly plant for the airbus 380 complete with controversial airfields and runways. I arrived at Christian and Catherina's house by six in the evening and enjoyed wonderful hospitality, dinner and a hot shower. That evening we talked bike vacations and toasted with a local apple cider wine.

Day 5 - Sponsored by Henry van de Werken

Tanja and I said our good byes and while she was going home on the train, for me it was the long road ahead to Copenhagen. First stop was the beautiful city of Oldenburg in Germany and by noon I crossed over the border past Oude Pekela. For the occasion I had changed into my T-Mobile jersey, a gift from the cell phone giant.

To stay on course I use a Garmin eTrex. It navigates me and keeps me on course. At times I ignore the suggested route as it is programmed to take the bypasses, avoiding busy traffic through the towns. The Garmin is set for bike traveling so it circumnavigate around freeways and main highways and instead takes country roads and off-the-map routes, often adding an additional twenty miles a day. Today was my longest distance so far and the cyclometer retired at 102 miles.

At exactly 6:00 o'clock in the evening I arrived at my warmshowers host Dietmar, who treated me to a healthy fruit and vegetable salad followed by dinner. After sharing in the duty of doing the dishes there was still enough daylight to go for a guided tour through the Old town of Oldenburg, rich with history and beautiful architecture. My well informed friend and guide showed me the sights and explained the history in amazing detail. We walked around town to a small Jewish Temple standing near a memorial site commemorating a synagogue that was destroyed in 1933 during Kristal Nacht. A sobering moment. At the end of the walk we sat down at a restaurant for a glass of German wine and caught a glimpse of a world soccer cup game in progress.

Day 4 - Sponsored by Maribeth Koss

It is Saturday and an off-day reserved to tour the city of Groningen and meeting up with relatives I haven't seen for eight years. We met under the Martini tower near the town square and had a traditional mid- morning coffee and Dutch pastry treat. My father rode the train in that morning and so we had a pre- father's day and wonderful family reunion. In the afternoon we visited the local synagogue for a unique clarinet and guitar concerto. Before the intermezzo nineteen clarinetists performed on seven different types of clarinets and after the break seventeen guitar players entertained us with wonderful melodies from Brahms, Bruderl and Isaac Albeniz. The evening was concluded at an Italian restaurant for appetizers, and an elaborate spicy rijst tafel dinner at the Jaffa Indonesion restaurant.

Day 3 - Sponsored by David Pincus

The rain has finally subsided and the change of weather made for an enjoyable ride. We followed part of the eleven-city bike tour, sometimes paralleling the canals of the same number city skate route. This ultra long distance ice-skating event, occasionally held when winters are cold enough for the canals and lakes to freeze over, is a one of a kind event, drawing contenders from all corners of the country. Many skaters won't finish this event and the winner becomes a national hero!

In the city of Leeuwarden we stopped at the outdoor market and met a local cyclist who guided us through the town. A quick stop at Us Mem, a statue of a famous Frisian cow, bred for her superior dairy production was added to the agenda. We followed the country road through Dokkum and Lauwersoog to the north coast of the province of Groningen. From that point on it was down wind and we flew through the countryside and made it to our final destination of the day by six o'clock. In the city center of Haren I spotted an Italian icecream parlor and decided to try the caramel waffle cone. A nice treat and a great way to finish off the day. That evening we were welcomed at the cozy home of relatives of Tanja and feasted on an appetizing and healthy pasta dinner with a savory glass of wine.

Day 2 - Sponsored by Ross and Malka Wolman

After tightening some screws and greasing the bike chains, dry and rusty from the copious amounts of rainfall from the day before, we were ready to get back in the saddle. The winds had picked up and gave us a good work-out through the Noord Holland polderland. The route followed the river towards the North where eventually we connected with the Afsluit dike. This dike some thirty kilometers in length is an ingenious and ambitious Dutch water project from the nineteen thirties to safeguard the country from floods and water inundations. It is flanked on one side by a now fresh-water lake called the IJselmeer, formerly called the Zuider Sea, and on the other side the North Sea, and connects Noord Holland with Friesland. On top of the dike sits a four-lane highway with on the seaward side a separate bike path and herds of sheep grazing the grassy slopes. With a northerly wind this would be a tough haul, but fortunately this time around the wind was in our favor and pushed us at a comfortable cruising speed of 40 km per hour.

The route continued from the Afsluit dike through the Friesian polderland, populated by sheep, cows and world famous Friesian horses, and further inland through scenic villages like Bolsward and Sneek. After being douched by a cloudburst of rain a lunch break was in order and we found refuge at a fish store in Bolsward where we dinned on the new raw herring of the season. Still somewhat wet and cold we continued on our way, got drenched again and finally made it to Wygaart where we met our warmshower hosts Pier, Marit and Jelle.

When Pier gave us the choice of pasta or pancakes for dinner we opted for the later which turned out to be a great choice. The pancakes with home-made strawberry, cherry and plum jams were prepared to perfection and soon the rain and bad weather had faded from our memory. When my iPad, and Tanja's iPhone came on the scene, both Marit and Jelle were spell bound for several hours. Later that night Marit serenaded us with beautiful tuba music.

Day 1 - Sponsored by Tanja and Tessel Jarigsma

The 2010 tour de water is finally here and started this morning as planned at eight in the morning from the city of Lisse, known for it's tulip gardens and nearby Keukenhof. It was a special departure for me, with three generations in tow. My 88 year old dad leading the pack, me sandwiched in the middle and my niece Tanja following close behind. We tracked along a country road and before long rain was pouring down our faces. A blessing from the sky perhaps, since it is after all a Tour-de-Water. "Water is leven. Vertel het verder!" Water is life. Pass it on!

This first cycling day traveled north, across the Noth Sea canal locks through the beautiful city of Alkmaar, famous for it's cheese market, and onward to Broek op Lange Dijk our final destination for the night. In this quaint village in the middle of Noord Holland we were hosted by Jos and Maria, friends I found on the warmshowers website. Their hospitality was over and beyond expectations. Besides a hot shower, a healthy organic meal complete with wine and herbal tea, they took us on a late evening boat ride through the Oosterheem zorgtuinderij where Jos was enthrusted with the cultivation of organic vegatables on several islands, only reachable by boat. These wetlands are a waterfowl and bird watching paradise.

Almost ready to take the test

The time has come again to go for another roundabout. This time it will be Europe and having upped the ante over last year’s ride a bit, I have to question myself whether or not I have pushed it beyond my limits. But to quote Elder Regal Black Swan: ”The only way to pass any test is to take the test”, and thus I go yonder. The voyage will begin from the familiarity of my childhood neighborhood near Amsterdam and will return there seventy days later. I feel fortunate to be able to undertake this journey in support of the Blue Planet Foundation’s important initiative. When I finished the ride last year I was elated and grateful, because of all the positive encounters and energy that came my way. Will this year’s European bike journey be able to repeat that? Only time will tell. Please let your family and friends know about this water mission and forward them my blog link, because in order to reach my fundraising objective we will need all the support we can get.

Together, wifi permitted, we will explore, over fifty major cities and a multitude of different cultures. While riding the Dutch countryside, I will be your personal tour guide, as I know this country like the back of my hand. Some destinations will be personal, like the city of Mauthausen in Austria, where my grandfather died in a concentration camp during the Second World War. Other day-trips through Berlin, Dresden, Budapest and Florence will boast rich history, art and architectural landmarks. The route will follow major waterways including the Rhine, Danube and Rhone and traverses through scenic landscapes in Cinqa Terra, the French Riviera, Arles, and Flanders Field, where poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row, … (by John McCrae). And did I mention the anticipated endless fruit of the vine tasting parties in the rolling hills of Italy and France? My carbon neutral pedal power adventure will take place during the time of the Tour de France and World Cup soccer. I will undoubtedly spend time looking for the Dutch soccer matches wherever they may play on the silver screen, and dress up with my orange bandana in support of this Dutch powerhouse team. They may even go all the way this time around. Hup, Holland hup!

Places without races

With 8 days to go I am already contemplating all the ins and outs of the upcoming bicycle adventure. This Blue Planet ride is about places not races. Most of my athletic destinations over the last several years were about cool city marathons and opportunities to improve my personal record. This time around it is about blue planet moments in the true sense of the word. So sit back, relax and watch the world go by carbon neutral on pedal power! With my camera by my site, I hope to capture the special moments as I see them.

If you know of a town, sight, local food specialty, brew or special event, on or near the route, tell me about it. If you have relatives in any of the 50 plus metropolises I am cruising through and you would like me to go there and have their picture taken, leave me a post or email with the details. If your employer is into corporate social responsibility and is looking for opportunities to support a great cause either by a matching fund drive, a sponsorship or a donation, tell them about this initiative and steer them my way. And last but not least if you haven't yet, but would like to be involved help make this world a better place for so many who are struggling daily due to sanitation problems and lack of safe drinking water, take a moment and click the donate now! button on the sidebar of my blog. Your donations will save many lives and improve living conditions, and that is what this campaign is all about. All corporate sponsorships, donations and pledges will go 100% to water projects in third world country. None will support expenses for my ride!

The plan is to blog weekly in places where I can find a computer to upload my pictures, and update daily on twitter and my Blue Planet Ride pages on Facebook. Please take a moment to join, by clicking the thumbs-up icon for free uninterrupted entertainment from the road!

It is not about the ride

Another year, another Tour de Water. This summer I will attempt to circumnavigate Europe. The ride measures over 4,200 miles, is twice the distance of the Tour de France, and journeys through fifteen different countries with various languages, cultures and customs. It means that I will be biking, navigating, communicating, camping, raising awareness, and hopefully make many new friends along the way. I will be a messenger, bike mechanic, athletic director, operations manager, adventurist and tourist all in one. In the end, I hope to raise another $10,000 for water projects around the world. So come along and follow me on Facebook, Twitter and this blog where you will be able to witness around the clock, commercial free adventure cycling in action.

Aside from the scenic beauty, the places of interest and natural wonders, it has been the people I met along the way that really made last year’s endeavor such a positive experience. From the casual acquaintances to the "lifesavers" that somehow showed up whenever I most needed a helping hand. It was that spontaneity and generosity of total strangers caring and giving of themselves that stood out the most. Thank you to all who supported the cause and encouraged me along the way. Together we raised over $11,000 for global water projects. The net effect of the money donated is that it will provide safe drinking water and ultimately reverse the number of people with deadly water born diseases. Furthermore it will afford women and children in third world communities to go to school and live healthy and normalized lives. Our involvement shows that we care and gives hope to those in need. Thank you for that. Water is life. Pass it on.

Day 50 - Sponsored by Marja and Jan de Baare

Today will mark the end of my 2009 tour-de-water bike adventure. At least for a while, this will be the last time I hook up the trailer, panniers and other life support needed to pedal the wide and open spaces and scenic byways. It has been a daily routine firmly implanted in my core being since the beginning of the ride. Packing and unpacking, everything had its place and needed to fit in the limited luggage arrangements. Weight was a concern, but then again if it would fit or could be stowed it was going, and on average I was lugging some 120 pounds of carry-on. My sixteen year-old Trek touring bike was holding up well and doing the job, trekking like a true mule, in the good sense of the word!

By 8:30 I was ready to hit the road and was in for a scenic treat on route to my final destination. Back on the main road in Willsboro the terrain gradually became steeper and steeper, leading up to the Ausable chasm near Keeseville. This tourist attraction sometimes referred to as the little Grand Canyon of the East, boasts three rainbow falls, plunging a hundred feet deep into the sandstone gorge and Ausable river. From there it carves a way through the foothills of the Adirondacks and out into Lake Champlain. The downhill was long and resilient and soon turned towards the lake where the terrain flattened out for the remainder of the trip. In the meanwhile the weather had become more turbulent and delivered a stubborn headwind. So whatever gained by elevation loss was negated by the wind. I crossed the border at Rouses Point where the friendly customs agent took a great deal of interest in my trip itinerary and warned me of the poor road conditions ahead. Once in Canada the plan was for my brother, a resident of Montreal, together with my father, who had flown in from Amsterdam for the occasion, to meet me somewhere at a yet to be defined location outside the city. By dusk that plan came to fruition and somewhere on the side of the road with nothing but fields of corn as a backdrop was the end of the line. Before we packed it in there was a breef victory reception complete with Heineken, smoked fish and a traditional Dutch treat called "gevulde koek" hand delivered from the Netherlands. A dream come true finish for an unforgettable journey! Heerlijk Helder Heineken!

Day 49 - Sponsored by Nel Achilles

Fall is upon us and the New England canvas will soon be changing into a display of vibrant tints of yellow, orange, crimson and flaming reds. Bold brush strokes of bright and luminous colors will emblazon the landscape to celebrate the end of summer with a spectacular victory lap. Although only in it's beginning phase, this year's painting of the deciduous forest foliage has set into motion and shows much promise of yet anoher masterpiece. Morning temperatures are dipping lower ever so slightly one day at a time, and bare legs and arms from earlier days now need warm-ups during the first few hours of the ride. My sleeveless vest, bought on the Blue Ridge Parkway as a souvenir has become part of my daily attire. But apart from the waning daylight, this is a terrific time of year to be out and about. Not too hot, but not too cold either.

Today's ride followed the road alongside lake Champlain, a natural border between New York state and Vermont. A wrong turn after the historic town of Ticonderoga took me on a treasure hunt through the foothills of the Adirondacks. The scenic route paid a visit to the quaint little hamlet of Ironville claiming to be the birthplace of the electrical age. All and all the expanded side trip was well worth the extra calories burned. As the evening, progressed the miles kept clicking away on my cyclometer, passing through Crown Point, Westport and picturesque Essex with stately Victorian homes converted into magnificent bed and breakfast places. Too expensive for my meager budget! The overlook from the road onto the ferry dock below with a stunning view of the lake, made for a picture perfect moment. A stop at the turtle island cafe in Willsboro turned out to be a fine dinning experience presented by award winning chef David Martin. If in Willsboro don't miss it! By the time I finished my meal it was pitch black, but now I had a lead on where to spent the night ... just another eight miles on a foggy and dark dirt road. After I told the innkeeper about my water mission he instantly lowered the room rate and upgraded me to a suite. So here we are, my last night on the road. Woa!

Day 48 - Sponsored by Regine Treschak

Another day, another byway, and for this trip it will be my last one. I have been pretty content freewheeling around the country for the last 47 days, and am actually in no hurry to get to the finish line. Today's ride will go north from Albany to Whitehall, along the Lakes and Locks Passage, touted in travel advertisements as the great Northeast Journey. The scenery is bound on the east by the upper Hudson River and Champlain canal and on the west by an elevated terrain of the Adirondacks Mountains. There is water everywhere in the form of lakes, rivers, canals and waterfalls. What a blessing! To my surprise the bike lane conditions on the shoulder of the road were far from ideal and often bumpy, full of cracks and potholes, sometimes repaired but mostly unattended. This US Route 4 could stand some stimulus funded road repair!

As I passed through Waterford, the annual tugboat roundup was under way warranting a quick detour to take in this local spectacle. Tugboats were lined up from stem to stern alongside the canal and a fair like atmosphere filled the air with sound bites of local music and tantalizing tasty delicatessen. Further down the road in Stillwater a restored and well-preserved Blockhouse built in 1927 was open to the public, replicating the early 18th Century blockhouses of the region. At the town of Schuylerville I got off the bike to make my acquaintance with the homestead of general Phillip Schuyler. A historical landmark visited by notaries such as George Washington and Alexander Hamilton. Luck had it that the tour guide was still on duty and offered me an elaborate private tour. What a treat! When I stumbled across a little roadside motel in Whitehall it was time to call it quits for the day. Across the street was a local diner with homegrown cooking and an assortment of old fashioned brews.