The HIVE Tour - Episode 60 - Hiking @ Obersulm Germany brings more fruits than expected

They say "Carpe Diem" right? I have no reasons at all to not apply it here in the German West so I'm out to see what is what on a nice day but with a challenging sky photography wise:

The HIVE Tour - Episode 59 - Goodbye Netherlands, hello (again) Germany

Last day here in the Dutch South and in some sort of irony the weather feels like summer for the first time but I'm not gonna be here long enough to enjoy it as I have my bike loaded ready to leave. My dear diabetic companion ill stay home of course and as far as I can tell he doesn't bother that much about my departure, despite the great times we shared:

The HIVE - Tour - Episode 58 - Dutch time is running out

As my days are coming closer to an end here in the Netherlands I'm thinking how different the weather is this year compared to the last one when I was here exactly at the same time. I mean, I didn't expect a Mediterranean summer either time but at least last year there was some sort of summer, despite the breaks of winter. This year is just a random mix of all seasons. Literally, as long as Dutch winter is excluded. As I'm typing these words it's 10:00 am but there's absolutely no sun at all and I am wearing my brand new leather pants indoors, not only without sweating but feeling like that's proper stuff for this weather.

The HIVE Tour - Episode 57 - Dutching my days away

How many times have I commented on the weather? One too many already right? Apologies from a spoiled Mediterranean, your truly. However, it's impressive to see how the mood of all beings on earth is dictated at a certain degree from the weather.

See my friends here:

The HIVE Tour - Episode 56 - Riding from Heeze to Tilburg got me to the scene of an accident

Nice days oblige you to "Carpe Diem" here at the European North since weather is far from friendly and predictable. So, on this promising morning I decide to ride from Heeze to Tilburg here in Netherlands aiming to visit Oisterwijk Park first and then the mega store of Louis in Tilburg to do some motorcycle related shopping.

As I am enjoying riding on a nice day through some lovely neighbourhoods, after some km on the highway I meet a heavy jam. Not sure how policed (or punished) is filtering the traffic on a bike I use all my patience and just wait behind the cars hoping it's not gonna last that long. However, it seems to last forever and I'm often just sitting idle. No bikers around me at all to see how locals behave in such conditions and I don't want to be the ass acting out of local habits. Despite me being much more travelled than the vast majority of bikers I still act this way and no regrets so far. It's as simple as respecting a house that hosts you. Two bikers appear later and as soon as they start filtering the insane traffic I follow them and at some point I overtake them as the situation feels like it would eat up my whole day. Wondering how come and what is this craziness all about I get my answer as I witness this scene:

The HIVE Tour - Episode 55 - Ways to spend time during shitty and not so shitty summer (?) weather

I don't like complaining so I (hope I) won't focus on the meteorological side of things here in South Netherlands, if you follow my posts you're aware of that. Funny things happen when weather is OK enough to be outside though. Like this:

The HIVE Tour - Episode 54 - Taking care of chickens

Just like the same time last year at this place South of Eindhoven in Netherlands, I am taking care of 3 sweet ladies which generously provide me their fresher than fresh eggs on a daily basis. Ladies and gents, put your hands together please for Tina, Truitje and Roosje:

This picture is a little rough cause it's hard to find them all together. Usually it's the two younger brown ones together,

The HIVE Tour - Episode 53 - Silence is priceless (Dutch version)

Mainly cause it gives you the chance to live the way you audibly want while if you live in noise that's it - you have no choice. Democratic as I am, I love peaceful neighbourhoods cause they give you choices contrary to the fascistic noisy ones. Now go explain this to the wanker with a loud bike...

Here at Heeze in Netherlands peace 'n quiet is far from rare so imagine how a Sunday morning feels like. Do you want me to walk you around these empty streets?

Come follow me:

 

The HIVE Tour - Episode 52 - My longest trip ever brought me to my most Northern place I've been on a bike

And that place is Heeze, South of Eindhoven. Those who follow me might remember that I was here last year same time, looking after the house of my (now good) friends and here I am for the same reason again (here's a link in case you're interested).

The star of the place is what I call "the mischievous King of Heeze" AKA Arie, the diabetic old cat:

The HIVE Tour - Episode 51 - 3 countries in 1 day for the 3rd time in this trip!

I'm about to leave Le Mans behind after 3 weeks that flew by like the wind. This city marks a turning point in my trip. When I arrive here early July I was exactly 2 months on the road after 5500ish km, on a trip that is bound to last 4 months. Anything after it belongs to the second part of this journey. I totally luck out on the weather as the rain that was bound to fall today occurred last night so now it all looks much better than it could be. I "au revoir" my smiley hosts and their cat, and I hit the road on much better conditions than I expected:

The HIVE Tour - Episode 50 - Visiting the Acropolis (?) of racing @ Le Mans

Much less people around the globe would know Le Mans if it wasn't for its worldwide famous 24h circuit and I couldn't leave the city without visiting the place where the heart of racing beats:

The HIVE Tour - Episode 49 - Enjoying the sweetness of rural France

I've cycled you around Le Mans, I walked you around its center, how about riding with me some km North of the city? Let's go:

The HIVE Tour - Episode 48 - Cycling up to Arche de la Nature park SE of Le Mans

I have a nice day waiting for me, I am at South end of Le Mans and I am given the choice between 4 bicycles to ride around the city. I consider myself a lucky guy and I pick the following one:

Bridge view here from the avenue Jean Jaures is sweet:

The local circus Marcel Marceau is decorated with this nice graffiti:

I cycle further into the river's park where the scenery changes drastically:

in the next picture you see the ruins of Vendéens bridge right next to this river lock:

My birthplace Athens used to have 3 rivers in the past and today you can barely see small parts of them hence rivers attract me a lot and I observe with curiosity these houses as "living by the river" is not exactly a case in Athens:

Moving on East next to the river:

And rivers as you know tent to have bridges. That's a pedestrian one:

Sweet park, empty in the early morning:

With its trees nicely decorated by the Green majesty:

Which is not so Green when there's no life any more:

One more pedestrian/cycle bridge, Passerelle Newton:

Longest one so far. Meanwhile it's such a beautiful day:

Combined with the calm waters of the river it makes a very serene environment:

As green as it gets:

At this moment you should know that I am not superstitious so I'm here under the bridge of D314 or as locals know it Boulevard Nicolas Cugnot:

Riverside houses attract my attention once again:

No info about this following piece of art a few meters east of the previous bridge (I put it on Google Maps as no one else has done so) so in case you know more about this fisherman please let me and the rest of us know:

More cycling, more park:

And more riverside huts:

Do you dream of having a boat at Le Mans? Well, if you ever manage this you'll be able to slide it in the water here:

Fishing is also an option:

It's a marvellous day that finally allows me to enjoy summer after so many bad ones:

Not that the temperatures are necessarily related to summer standards but I've dropped mine a lot lately. Besides, its better than a heatwave in any case.

I've just arrived at the local Kayak club:

Consider the members as lucky guys to be able to go sporting at this location:

Not that the footballers are less lucky to be able to do their thing a few meters away:

Huisne river snakes around creating these eye candies:

As for me, I'm more than happy to cycle around here after bathing my eyes in the above beauty so I follow this track:

Which leads me to this tiny bridge:

And later to even more eye soothing beauties:

At this point Le Mans comes to an end:

Not my cycling though so I continue SE on the Epau bridge:

Which offers a pretty nice view I must admit:

And here's where Arch de la Nature park begins:

It's a large recreational area that goes way beyond this football field which is actually just a tiny part of the whole thing. So I follow this path to explore the rest:

One path leads to another:

One open field leads to another:

Peace and serenity generously offered by the element of water:

It feels to me like I'd spend a significant amount of my time here if I would ever reside at Le Mans:

On my way back West to my place in the city I make a stop at this river lock:

And later this next one:

It's just regular stuff here but in the absence of rivers due to my Athenian background I find them interesting to watch the change of the water flow.

Here's is a video with clips of my whole cycling day:

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

See you on the next one!