Kibbeling Overload: A King’s Day Ride Through Orange-Clad Towns
The morning in Delft was alive—King’s Day in full swing. Orange everywhere. Locals were already flooding the streets, decked out in festive garb and smiles, making their way to town squares and canal markets. We had breakfast at The Good Egg, a cozy spot run by a kind couple who shared how they ended up in Delft, raising their child and building a life here. They made it sound so right—safe, beautiful, easy to navigate, a real community feel. Delft is good for families, and today it was glowing.
Kibbeling and Koningsdag—what could be more Dutch? April 26 was a day served hot and crispy: part national holiday, part personal victory, part scenic ride across world-famous waterworks. From the orange-packed streets of Delft to the serene canals of Zierikzee, we cycled long miles through towns full of music and celebration, over wind-swept dams, and into a glowing evening harbor. Along the way: kindness from strangers, a memorable pole incident, and more fried fish than anyone reasonably needs in one day.
Planned Route
Actual Route
Gemeenlandshuis van Delfland – One of the oldest still-operating water authority buildings in the world, serving the Delfland Water Board, founded in 1289
King’s Day (Koningsdag) Festivities
All day long, we rolled in and out of King’s Day celebrations—each town with its own flair, often centered around a church or village square. Delft had been packed with a sea of orange-clad celebrants in the morning, and the festive energy never really let up. In some towns, we arrived just as a local band struck up a brass fanfare—our timing uncanny. Often, we had to dismount and walk alongside the crowds before emerging out the other side to ride on. In the photo above, Grace is riding along a canal just after being handed some fresh baked goods by a smiling woman from town—a celebratory gift and a warm welcome rolled into one. Moments like that summed up the day: joyful, generous, and full of community spirit. Here’s to the King of Orange.
猿も木から落ちる (Saru mo ki kara ochiru) — Even monkeys fall from trees.
Today I was the monkey. I was multitasking while riding, adjusting the route mid-pedal, and—bam—found out firsthand that those big green-and-white poles in the road are actually flexible plastic. They bend. I did too. Thankfully, no harm done to the bike or body—just a bruised ego and a valuable reminder: stop if you need to do something on your phone. Everyone else thought it was hilarious. Fair enough. For the rest of the day, anytime we got remotely close to a pole, Grace would shout out a warning and laugh.
Cycling across ingenuity—Dutch mastery of water, everywhere you look.
Here we are, perched atop one of the great Dutch defenses against the sea—riding across Brouwersdam, part of the massive Delta Works system. This stretch connects the islands of Goeree-Overflakkee and Schouwen-Duiveland and offers sweeping views of both the North Sea and the inland Grevelingenmeer. Behind us: the ocean. Beneath us: decades of engineering designed to keep the Netherlands dry. It’s rare to bike over something so monumental without even realizing at first that you’re riding a masterpiece of civil engineering. A good tailwind helped, until it became a headwind…
48 miles, big grins, and the start of something great.
The last five miles into Zierikzee were all headwind—one final test. But arriving in the golden light, with the harbor still and the Nobelpoort rising above the canal, made it all worthwhile.
We’re especially proud of our friends Dave and Lori. This is their first bike tour, and today they hit a huge milestone: their longest ride ever—just over 48 miles. It wasn’t easy at first, but they stuck with it. Bodies adapt, minds shift, and suddenly it feels normal to change into bike clothes, load your panniers, and ride off into the world to see what adventures the day will bring. Today, they did just that—with strength, humor, and big smiles at the finish.
48 miles, big grins, and the start of something great.
