The Lek dike and the art of riding into a headwind
The forecast said a light breeze from the south-west. The forecast was written by someone who has never cycled east to west along the Lek.
Outbound
From Vianen the dike road is quiet in the early morning. The first forty kilometres flew by with the wind at my back, which is always the trap: you feel strong, you skip the coffee stop, you keep going.
The ferry
The small ferry across the river runs on a timetable that is more of a suggestion. I arrived just as it pushed off and spent twenty minutes watching herons instead. Not the worst delay.
Return
Coming back, the average speed dropped by a third. Tuck in, shift down, accept it. The apple pie in Schoonhoven helped more than any aero position.