{"id":3099,"date":"2011-07-13T21:32:11","date_gmt":"2011-07-13T19:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=3099"},"modified":"2011-10-22T23:19:54","modified_gmt":"2011-10-22T21:19:54","slug":"day-55-wednesday-july-13-papenburg-to-zwolle-netherlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=3099","title":{"rendered":"Day 55, Wednesday, July 13 – Emmen to Zwolle, Netherlands"},"content":{"rendered":"

A very light sprinkle, 57 degrees and a northwest wind between 20 and 30 mph, \"\"<\/a>when we left this morning.\u00a0 Sorry we cannot split the difference on temperatures between here and the 100 degree temperatures in Virginia. <\/em> Luckily, we were heading south west, so we only suffered the winds when our course turned directly west.\u00a0 The morning was not bad, the sprinkling was so faint you didn’t notice the moisture, but it was enough to keep the camera under wraps.\u00a0 Unfortunately, by 11:00 it decided to rain, wet rain<\/em> (yes Justin, like dirty, dirt!). \u00a0The rain left a slight mist on the blades of grass, as if they had been touched by a first frost.<\/p>\n

It was a beautiful ride, not<\/em><\/strong> to be confused with a beautiful day.\u00a0 The homes we passed were meticulous, gardens were abundant with flowers and the village streets, pristine.\u00a0 We passed numerous pastures loaded with mares and there young.\u00a0\u00a0 As we passed each field, the animals would raise there heads and stare at us as if we were crazy, or something!<\/p>\n

Our caption here:\u00a0 Seriously, in this<\/strong> weather?!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nWith the wind blowing the rain sideways, we didn’t dare stop to eat for fear of chill, so we pulled our sandwiches out of our bags and ate as we biked. \u00a0We were determined to make mileage until we became chilled.\u00a0 Just outside our destination city, we stopped to check the internet for a hotel and warm up with some (delicious) hot chocolate.\u00a0 Though the stop did give us the opportunity to find a hotel, it also allowed our soaked clothers to chill us to the bone.\u00a0 Less than three miles to the hotel, we knew we could make it.\u00a0 All that was needed was a big bowl of comfort food, which came in the form of a most wonderful bowl of mushroom soup and an embarrassing large basket of bread…….can’t wait for dinner.<\/p>\n

At dinnertime, we braved the elements, crossed the waterways\"\"<\/a> and walked to the city square;\"\"<\/a>we had to provide some <\/em>pictures from the day.<\/p>\n

It did pay off, however, with a beautiful salad,\"\"<\/a> large calzone and a pizza……did we mention we were hungry?!\u00a0 Sixty miles in five hours, it’s time to rest.\n\t\t