We stayed in the wrong part of Rotterdam, the port area was far nicer as we cycled through. However anywhere on the sea side of Rotterdam would have been better. The cycle down the last part of the Lek/Rhine was great - fine weather, gentle following wind and good tracks. We were having coffee when I spotted the older couple just about to start their day - they had a bad night, their accommodation turned out to be someones garage, they hardly slept and are going to complain to Booking.com as it was not as advertised. Shame, it turned out he was 84 and found any slight incline difficult but he was still cycling. They stayed just 5 km outside Rotterdam in a great place with canals and cafes and there was a huge music feastival taking place - probably why they were shoved in a garage.
We were sucked away from our route by some duplicate signing and were then stuck the wrong side of a motorway but managed to get back to the Rhine at Maassluis. We then followed the water for the last 15 km - fantastic. We passed the largest moveable structure on earth, the Rhine barrage, about 5 km up from Hoek van Hoalland is the barrage which is protect the Rhine flooding during storm surges. It is deployed if a 2.6m or more surge is expected, it was thought it would be deployed about every 10 years but since it was built (1995 I think) it has only been used once in anger in 2007. Each year in August they practice deploying it to ensure it works. It lays flat and moves from each side of the river to block it off, if the 2 sides were placed vertical on top of each other it would be taller than the Effel Tower.
We cycled through Hoek down to the Strand and along Pier One which is along the east bank of the estuary to as far as we could go. The end, we could go no further, Gilly and I had followed the Rhine from source to sea.
It was a great journey, seeing the Rhine grow from a small lake in the Alps into a vast comercial river and then discharging into the sea has been one of the best rides we have done. Our bikes behaved and we survived with no injuries although Gilly's knees played up occaisionally. I had one near death experience, I was 'car doored' but screamed very loudly as it was opened on me and the old bloke in the car shut his door in fright and I just slipped past and Gilly, who was behind me, was OK.
If you like river cycling, this has got to be up there withe best.
Total Odo 1441.7km
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