May 9, 2026

Saturday. Left at ten. Blacksmith. Cloudless skies, gradually becoming partly cloudy. Mild, with moderate easterly winds. Marsdijk, Achterdijk, Werkhoven. Perennial ryegrass and little else, other than giant farm vehicles everywhere. Hollendewagenweg to Caspergouw. Scooter the last bit to Dwarsdijk. Kapellenweg, across a quiet ARK. Lekdijk fairly quiet, although the motorcycles are definitely back. River calm and beautiful. Few if any boats. Sluispad to Jutphaas (another scooter), and back into the city to Møs. Pictures later of the Russian president at the victory parade. He does, indeed, look old and frail now, worn down. How could he not be. It doesn't make him less dangerous to the outside world, or his own people, although to some in his orbit (nobody thinks things are going well) he may look more vulnerable.