May 2, 2025

 Left around 9:45. Blacksmith and sun screen. Summer again, though mostly cloudy with various shapes and shades of gray, almost pre-thunderstorm skies. Only light easterly breezes. Easy weather, and thankfully many people still away on their spring vacation. Zandweg (baby grebes), Harmelen, Montfoort, to Snelrewaard and Oudewater. Koot chicks, baby goats, and some beautiful meadows between the road and the river. New road: Hoenkoopse Buurtweg. Hekendorp (wait at the little bridge for one silly pleasure boat) to Hogebrug and, new road, Ruige Weide. Papekop, Diemerbroek, to Woerden. Some waterlilies with yellow buds. Lots of cut grass, and before Woerden the smell of new-mowed hay. In and around Woerden back in the struggling and striving world, starting with views of bunched-up, slow-moving traffic on the freeway, then all kinds of traffic nonsense. Back to peace at Gerverskop. Past the tourists at Kasteel de Haar to Vleuten/Leidse Rijn. The no-traffic crossing at the Thomas a Kempisweg remains a miracle. No food, one bottle, but do-able. Line at Mos, so straight home.