From Lazy Pedals to Canal Chaos

In Boone, bike rides were leisurely affairs. The roads stretched quiet, the traffic was sparse, and the only real obstacle was the occasional squirrel deciding to test its reflexes against your spokes. Sure, the hills could turn your thighs into jelly, but once you coasted down the other side, life felt simple and sweet.

Amsterdam? That’s a whole other story.

Here, bikes are not just transportation — they’re an ecosystem. Thousands of wheels spin in synchronized chaos, bells ding like a chorus, and tourists dart across bike lanes with the oblivious courage of someone who doesn’t know how quickly a Dutch cyclist can appear out of nowhere.

The pace is relentless. In Boone, if you slowed to admire the autumn leaves or let your mind drift, nothing much happened. In Amsterdam, slow down at the wrong moment and you might cause a chain reaction of sighs, bells, and expertly swerving locals who manage to miss you by centimeters. It’s not rude; it’s efficiency in motion.

I used to ride through Boone with a helmet strapped snugly, pedaling at my own rhythm. Now I’m preparing myself for Amsterdam’s bike ballet — a choreography of speed, timing, and confidence. It’s intimidating, but also thrilling.

Because once you merge into the flow, the city opens up in a way no car or tram can match. And when you finally learn to ride at Amsterdam pace, it’s like being part of a river — swift, sure, and alive.