September 2, 2026

Wednesday. Left around 11:15. Nikor. Nederhorst den Berg, after a lake swim. Lake quiet and cooler, Ankeveensepad a little greener than last time, which was still before the rain. Same for the fields and roadsides on the way to Amsterdam. Mostly cloudy skies, but with lots of variety, including some very dark gray clouds. Blue patches also, and the sun did interesting things with it all. Moderate winds out of the southwest. Pleasure boat season seems well past its peak. Quiet in Muiden, but still some vacation groups on the trail to Overdiemen. Coffee and the paper at Javaplein. The German government is calling out Russia for its drone provocation at Leipzig earlier this summer. There are some countermeasures also, and Moscow has said it would retailate. Whether all this is a big theme in the upcoming state election in Saxony-Anhalt is not so clear, but a victory there for the extreme-right, pro-Russia populists would still indicate that at least in that part of the country people either don't care about Europe's involvement in the war with Russia, or actually believe we should just work things out with Moscow, Ukrainians be damned.  In the war, the slugfest continues, but it can't do so forever. The Ukrainian president faces all kinds of internal challenges; it's not clear if the same goes for his colleague in Moscow. Ukraine is doing pretty well with its strategically aimed strikes at Russia, but how can it hold out in the face of Moscow's escalating drone and missile strikes? European leaders continue to pledge support, whatever it takes for as long as it takes; they may soon realize that more is required. How they sell that to their still mostly disinterested populations is anybody's guess. Perhaps that the growing Russian provocations against NATO countries will help make the case, but just as likely these will strengthen the opportunists arguing these are all problems of our own making. The city full of locals and tourists. Bushuis, and back out. A brief see-through to the water at the Diemerdammersluis, but what you see now is the new part of IJburg. Then the trail runs below the dike, although there's a brief rise, with another limited view, just before the start of its latest addition. Zuidpolderweg and Keverdijk. Heintjesrak- en Broekerpolder majestic from the bike path after Uitermeer. Back in Nederhorst den Berg, everything the way it always is.