Every week you will find a column by John Vanderaart on pcactive.nl. This time it is about the visit to a meeting of HCC!kennemerland, or rather the route back. Read last week’s column here.
Last weekend I had the privilege of attending a meeting of HCC!kennemerland. Better said: “Had to!” Editor-in-chief Rob Coenraads needed something of a lightning rod because of the carnival festivities in Breda; called the Kielegat for – I think – three days. Yes, you get the Brabant from Brabant, but not Brabant from the Brabander (red: Rob is the first non-Brabander in the family in more than 300 years). Always fun, a meeting like this with all HCC members, but that’s besides the point… I was on my bike, because I live in Haarlem. I decided to do something crazy and take myself slightly off the beaten track. On the way there, go as far as possible along the Spaarne and then criss-cross between the apartment buildings towards the district building. You’ll just be a postman on Englandlaan… That turned out just right and you couldn’t possibly have been faster by car. On the way back I went via Heemstede through the Haarlemmerhout, which consists of two parts. The passage through the first part went as expected. The second part would quite surprise me, because – after quite a bit of pedaling – I did not end up on the desired Wagenweg but somewhere back on the Dreef at what used to be the Dreefzicht restaurant. I experienced complete disorientation at that moment! When I got home I grabbed Google Maps, because was it me or that second part of Haarlemmerhout? Well, the reason is the leafy nature of the forest. You meander along the trees and gradually lose all sense of direction. And where you ultimately return to civilization can be a surprise every time. All in all an exciting end to a beautiful afternoon. I’m going to do that second part of the Haarlemmerhout more often…
Image 1: As can be seen, it is a surprise where you ultimately exchange Haarlemerhout for civilization.