nijmegen

A tour in the Betuwe

It is a beautifull day, and I want to know if it's possible to accompany my son Roelof, when he will take his moped-scooter to Nijmegen. Therefore the CX is started. Not the first time this week. Not only now, but also the daily ride to Doorwerth are done with the CX. That was not the intention when I bought te Honda. But is is Fun!

To Nijmegen I go, but not on the main roads. With the help of the recently updated foto's at Google Earth I've looked at te route to take. Besides that, I have a good old-fashion roadmap in the bag. First to Wageningen, en there at Lexkesveer to the other side of the Neder-Rijn. The ferry is at the other side, and that gives me the opportunity to take some foto's. The CX is not the only bike, there are another Honda and a Suzuki waiting, and some cars.

When the ferry is at 'our' side I drive the CX with caution down, and then up again to the ferry. It's not possible to park behind the last car, therefore I park on the left-most lane, just behind some bicycles. It is just 1 euro to the other side. Before the ferry reaches the other side I'm 'back in the saddle again'. Just in time . The ferry's arrival is a little bumpy, and the Honda slides almost away from the jiffy. The other motorrider have a little problem, starting their modern engines. I hold my breathy, and press the start button. Without any hesitation the engine gives a loud and satisfying Vroom!. I have to grin, modern technic....

And now I want to go to the villlage called Zetten. Up the dike, slithly to the left. Gemtly I leauve the ferry, over the Veerweg, where you can find a very nice cafe, with a river-side terras. De other two motorcycles are out of sight. but i'm not in a hurry. At a speed of 60, 70 Km/h it's an easy ride. In the mirror I spot a smal moped-scooter behind me, and I suspect that it has upgraded somehow.
The raod to zetten is half under5 constructionj, and there's a speed limit of 60km/h. I brake a liitle and then I see in the mirror that same stupid moped, almost on my rear mud-guard ! What the h...! With an attitude like "I'm better then you" the moped pull's away. Good, some people I have rather in front of me, not in the back. On the dusty road I keep the visor down, despite the heat x-road

A sharp 'tok' on the helmet reminds me that there a second reason to keep the visor down, fly's and other insects don't move aside, not even for a Honda CX. It is harvest time in the Betuwe, At the side of the road I see appeltree's, appel pickers and big crates with appels. I'm nearing Hervelt, And now I have to watch out. The road has, accordingly to the Google Earth foto, a distingtivge "X" shape, and it has to be about.... There it is, and I turn right, now what ? I gamble and turn right again, and I'm rewarded with a pretty view at the church of Herveld, just like a postcard. A woman in farmers-costume on a bicycle goes by, and the total picture let me think about a dutch song, from Wim Sonneveld. It's hard to believe that the A50, one of the busyist highways in Gelderland is only 2 or 3 Km away.

My target is the brigde across the river Waal, but at the crossroads I get confused. Going left ? I think that's the wrong way...right than ? That is wat I want, but that forbidden, only allowed for mopeds, bicycles and permit holders. Strait forward is the only option. Under the viaduct, and again a road junction. Left still feels not good, right is forbidden, so again strait ahead. This road leads up the Waal-dike, with a good view at the river, and the bridge that carries the A50. Again, right-turn, and I go under the bridge, and then sharp right. This leads me back to Andelst, and I was there earlyer... If at first you don't succeed, try again. Right turn, at the "X" right turn, and this time not right, but strait on, behind the same church. At the end of the road is a junction. Left ? Right ? What to do ? Right it is, and there I go. But very soon the surroundings are getting very "Deja-Vu" like, and only one minute later I find myself standng at the same crossroads as before. Time to study the map. It seems that it is not possible for a car or motor to cross the river, unless you use the highway, the A50. I'm not happy with the results, but cannot change it. To bad.

Time to go back. First a little rest. A bench is placed at the top of the dike, with view across the river and the river forelands. There are plenty of nice little places in the Netherlands, you only need to leave the highways behind you...

country road and highway

I mount the bike, push the startbutton and ...the CX won't co-operate. Is it the heat? Do I something wrong ? I Have no idea, but after a longer push at the startbutton I hear some thud's and then I hear the familiar VroomVroom. A sigh, a short movement of the left foot, and away I am. I know that the road at Zetten is blocked by construction work, so I take an alternative route home. I remind myself to take a foto of an appel-orchard for the motor-log. And now I go to Dodewaard over the dike. Past the nuclear plant I go left, and leave dthe dike. Here is the very small village Wely. I'Ve never heart of it. But here I take the opportunity to fotograph a orchard with pears, instead of appels. I find no appel orchards rest of the road.

The road goes up the dike again, and following the dike I reach Dodewaard. Through dodewaard I follow the signs 'Opheusden', go over the A15, ride through two very wide curves, and find myself already in Opheusden. And there is another dike, I turn right, in the direction Wageningen

In spite of my intensions to drive in a civil manner I notice that it is almost impossible to stay on the 'right'side of the road with a motor, when riding on a winding road on top of a dike. curves are taken more and more utilyzing the total wide of the asphalt. Surprisingly it feels saver than riding just on my own haolf of the road. I suspose it has to do with the manner in how a mototcyclist experience the road. Braking and accelerating before a narrow turn is far more unrestfull than easy riding on the wrong side of the road. That is, if there is an empty road ahead, otherwide it is very dangerous....

Two large tractors are so kind to take the far-most side of the road, so it is easy for me to pass them. A third moves asiode aswell, but it is not neccesary. I turn left, to Lexkesveer. The ferry waits for me, and before I have the engine stopped, the ferry departs. A cyclist informs if there is watercooling on the motor, and is suprised to hear that the CX, with watercooling, is more than 25 years old. He estamated the bike's age to be 15 years at most. When the ferry arrives I am olmost home. The last kilometre's disappear under the tires, and about half past four I park the CX on his place, and turn the engine off. Nice ride, to bad about that one little raod....

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