April 1, 2026

Wednesday. Left around 9:15. Nikor. Cool, clouds in all kinds of shapes at various altitudes. Some blue and some sun. Light winds out of the south. Straatweg to Maarssen, then ARK. Almost the whole way up to Amsterdam light raindrops, never enough to wet the pavement or anything else. But they were there, as were, at the same time, shadows. Quiet on the levee, crews on the boats busy with hoses and other tools. Spires of Nederhorst den Berg to the right after Loenersloot.A barge coming through at Driemond. Company until the Uylanderbrug. Coffee at the Javaplein. In the paper the good news that Ukraine is hitting Russia's oil port and refinery on the Gulf of Finland hard, interrupting exports. Unnamed allies have asked Kiyv not to do this now, since less Russian oil reaching world markets means even higher prices. Tough. Ukraine is fighting for survival, and there are indications that life in Russia is getting ever harder because of the war. The more disruption the better, and whatever disruption our part of the world has to deal with as a by-product pales in comparison to what Ukrainians have had to deal with the past couple of years. On to the Bushuis. The city is getting awfully busy already. Return trip in milder weather, at least toward the end, when the sun came out more. Magere Brug, Omval (nothing left), Weesperzijde, Duivendrecht, and Abcouderpad. School kids and others on fat bikes. Past Abcoude to the Indijkweg along the tracks. Baambrugge and the magnificent bend. Loenersloot to Loenen. Lambs everywhere, but no baby waterfowl. Rapeseed abundant  now. Vecht with its reinforced shoreline, all the way into the city, headwind the whole way.