"Tra-la-laa twiddly-de-dee it gives me a thrill ...
When the sun in the morning peeps over the hill
And kisses the roses 'round my window sill
Then my heart fills with gladness when I hear the trill
Of the birds in the treetops on Mockingbird Hill...."
When the sun in the morning peeps over the hill
And kisses the roses 'round my window sill
Then my heart fills with gladness when I hear the trill
Of the birds in the treetops on Mockingbird Hill...."
For the last couple of days, everytime I bike to work in the morning, I always hum Patti Page's "Mockingbird Hill". Perhaps the picturesque scenery along the way, inpires me to hum this tune...Tra la la... =)
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www.rijwiel.net
"A Dutchman without a bike is like a fish without water!"
"A Dutchman without a bike is like a fish without water!"
Holland is the "Bicycle Nation" (where there are more bicycles than people)...The Dutch are proud of their biking culture and can be seen pedaling rain or shine (although never with a helmet,fashionistas!) through the city streets. In other countries, the police will apprehend you should you bike without a helmet. Here, if you do bike with a helmet, you'd be in trouble with the fashion police =). Style is everything...he3x.
Bike paths connect the entire country and cyclists are well respected on the roads (they're "Undutchables!",he3x) , making cycling an efficient as well as healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around.With the abundance of clearly marked cycle routes/ lanes in Holland, the "iron steed"(Dutch nickname for bikes) is the fastest way to travel indeed(!). Cycling is not just a recreational sport, but is used for daily must-do activities. The cycling community is very diverse: kids on their first bike, children riding to school, people commuting to work, couples on holiday, septuagenarians on a leisurely Sunday ride, racing professionals, Barbie Dolls on bike (he3x!)...
The cycling is relaxed as the country is very flat and full of public bicycle trails where cyclist aren't bothered by cars and other traffic...
The classic Dutch "upright" bicycles allow you to ride in comfort and style(again,very important!), and encourages good posture...Below is the classic Dutch bike, in its most sturdy appearance. The ladies model:
It has an adapted frame geometry and is often unofficially referred to as omafiets ('granny bike').
A "timeless beauty" might be a more respectful way of describing the traditional Dutch bicycle . It is a design classic, an integral part of the Dutch landscape, a machine perfectly suited to its environment and to the function it has to perform. (http://www.grailtrail.ndo.co.uk/Grails/bike.html)
And of course, the Dutch,known to be very innovative, literally "reinvents the wheel"...
"Dutch version of pedicab/trisikad:Workcycle"
They say, the 4 major Dutch Bicycle companies are: Gazelle (the supplier to the Dutch Royal Family) , Batavus, Union and Sparta...Also, becoming more popular in the Dutch bicycle market are foreign brands such as: Giant and Koga Miyata (a.k.a "The Cadillac of touring bicycles", they have bikes at 2,000 Euros!)...I fell in love with a Gazelle bike at first sight. One road test, and I was downright sure it was the one for me.Ahhh, "love at first ride" ;) He3x.
And hubby, after 2 or 3 road tests with different models and brands, decided that the Giant bike is the most equipped and most durable for him...
