I remember Thursday mornings in year 8 at high school in Australia. Tech studies – woodwork. I dreaded it with a passion. 30 years later I am afraid of touching my bike – I might stuff it up. Not good if I am to cycle around the world. So, biting the bullet – Matthew and the art of bicycle maintenance.
The bike maintenance course is offered through wereldfietser.nl with bicycle guru Marten Gerittsen – a lovely guy with a dry sense of humour. He lives in Kiel Windeweer – a village that runs along the length of a canal in the back blocks of Groningen provence in the north of the Netherlands. We were allowed to camp in his apple orchard – time to get out the bike, the new tent and mat, and camp for the first time in 2014.
Camping in the apple orchard
I can now replace a broken link in a chain, remove the gears from a wheel, and change a tyre (although, I must admit, I could do that before). I watched on as brake and gear cables were replaced, pedals axles replaced, the handle bars taken apart, and spokes replaced. One of the students helped fix a wobbly handle bar that he had on his own bike. I looked on in awe, hoping that I would never have to do this. On then cycling to the train station, I noticed a click coming from the handlebars. :-O
It was a lovely group of people learning the art of bicycle maintenance. Oh. And a cat.
My bike maintenance friend
Its a beautiful part of the country up there. I cycled to Kiel Windeweer from Groningen city, did a circuit around Kiel Windeweer on Sunday morning, and cycled to Assen to take the train home.
To Kiel Windeweer
I passed through marshy areas with only me and the symphony of squawking birds.
I passed windmills that reminded me of Australia,
Windmill
and lovely paths through the fields:
Path through the fields
arctic-cycler.com 
Oh those photos of Holland make me want to come there even more now. My Oma, uncles, aunts and cousins all live in Brabant in the south of Holland. I am hoping to visit them all early in 2015 as the winter turns to spring. Will bring my bike with me because I have always wanted to cycle in Holland but never had the chance because my partner (who I have broken up with but am still living with until the sale of our house is finalised) doesn’t ride. But now I think one of the first things I will do is go cycle there.
How is your trip planning going? When do you leave?
Hi Andrew.
Indeed, Holland is a great place to cycle. There are cycle paths everywhere, and you mostly don’t have to cycle with cars or other traffic.
The planning is going well. Still a lot to do, though.. I’m leaving on September 13.
All the best from Eindhoven (in Brabant)..
Matthew