Dronten southeast.

Smooth as a snooker table's top stretches the concrete pathway right in front of me to the horizon. Behind which the polder village of Dronten should be situated. My first stopover at this trial lap I make crossing the Flevoland's former sea bottom. There's another skater coming towards me at the opposite bikeway. We stand upright for a short greeting at the meetingpoint. Then both of us continue our way, bowed as deep as possible again....

It's the most sophisticated area to try a pair of brandnew Bauer speedskates. Dronten houses one of the brancheshops of equipment supplier Stouwdam, the place from where my wheeled boots come..
About the half of the Flevoland province seems to be provided with such superb smooth pathways. That's one of my reasons to decide for a camping stayover here with my whole family and our caravan. We pitched down at campingsite "De Ruimte" (the space), in the Abbert forest, a strip of loaf trees between the Dronten Lake and the extended farms around the village with the same name. A former National Forest Management's camping site, renovated by an enthousiast couple, to a vacation resort for people with and without a handicap. With adaptions for disabled ànd skating persons.
However, for the latter there are some inconveniences to overcome, to reach those legendary smooth Flevo pathways. I had to choose from either skate-walking between the stinging nettles, or charging my skates, articulations and molar fillings on kilometers of pock-marked farm road surfaces. But after reaching the skate heaven, you'll forget all suffering.

Two of these polished concrete bikepaths are there along the Elburgseweg. Smooth, and specially designed for that ten contently whirring wheels underneath me. Just a slight crossing over a canal, no other interruption of that constantly going skeeler cadans is there. Finally, it brings me at the Dronten crossing.
At my left hand, there's the same kind of path in the direction of Biddinghuizen, another polder village. I decide to skate where the wind blows. To that tiny village. Meant to evoluate to a real life's settlement by the former Rijksdienst voor de IJsselmeerpolders (National Yssel-Lake Polder Board). It's still an artificial settlement today. In stead of polder workers the village houses commuters that escaped from the crowded cities on the "old land".
There are festivities on the market square, as I arrive there. Because of the next month Euro2000 European soccer championships, to be held in Holland and Belgium. It's all to the accompaniment of André "We-are-the-champions!" Hazes. I stay here in Orange Football City only to fill up my bottle at the cola-tap. Then I escape towards the Veluwe Lake, back under the burning sun again. And the snookertable-like concrete path..

Kilometers and kilometers of whisking along. Skeelering as it's meant to be. Even the winds decided, to go on blowing me in my desired direction. But finally, the Flevo concrete ends at the Veluwelake dike.
Two choices again: A superb coastal one towards the old fisherman's village of Harderwijk, on the opposite shore on the "old land". However, the bikepath's asphalt quality is inversely proportional to that of the path surface I just left. In other terms: The skate Hell! Without caterpillars you'll have no chance at all!
The other direction's asphalt quality isn't conform my extremely forced up standards as well, but still quite good to skate. At least, if you forget all the busy vacation traffic noises from the two-lane road beside.
About a kilometer on you can turn right, and carefully cross over the busy road. Now the route slopes up to the Veluwe Lakeshore again. Back in the sunshine, back on superb skeeler concrete... Only not towards the Harderwijk fish gate, but the opposite direction. Back to Elburg and Dronten. Alongside the beach and the woods. Between suntanned bathing girls and reed-hidden anglers I skate. With all those many sails at the background lake..

Suddenly screaming disturbs te silence, the sound of people in death agony.
"What's going on here!" I ask by myself. Surveying the peaceful surroundings doesn't make me any wiser. No crowds, no flashing lights, nothing at all.
Another death sceaming I hear from behind the trees. What-is-this?!?
Above the ttree tops I perceive a white, spiderlike, steel construction. A row of carriages with screaming people finds its way along it.
"Six Flags" leisure park! (Today: "Walibi Flevo".)
The Flevo amusement park that more often changes it's name than a cameleon changes colours. The mistery is solved. Those people choosed voluntarily for their torture, no, they even payed for it!!

There the clap bridge to the old shore's town of Elburg is back again. As a wheeler I've more problems with the moon surface-like gravel asphalt under the bridge, than with the (of course) opened bascule clap. The last part of my route I follow after some German motor cruisers, that just passed the bridge. Back to the Abbert forest campingsite of "De Ruimte".
Over a concrete pathway that's smooth as a snooker table's top.

Route map...

Route description and info...

The route description:

1. Start at a parking lot at N 306 (Drontermeerdijk) along the Dronter Lake, near the Elburg clap bridge,
2. direction bridge, then skate the concrete bikepath along Elburgerweg (N 309) to Dronten,
3. at the end to the left, the Biddingringweg (N 305) to Biddinghuizen,
4. to the left over the bridge to Biddinghuizen speed skate over the Swifterweg (follow:"Walibi"),
5. left at roundabout, later on right over the Baan.
6. At the T-crossing turn right, skate to "Walibi" again, straight on after the roundabout,
7. over Bremerbergweg straight on to "Walibi" and "Veluwemeer",
8. at the end turn left to the Spijkweg (N 306), take care for the traffic!
9. As soon as possible, turn right into the Bijsselseweg, direction of the Veluwelake, mind the traffic!!!,
   (as an alternative you go straight on along the Spijkweg (N 306) till you reach the Elburg bridge again)
10. slope up to the dike, and take the concrete pathway left along the shore,
11. roller skate straight on, till the Elburgerweg (N 309) and bridge routes merge again,
12. roller skate here to the right, right again and the bad route under the bridge to the left.
13. you arrive at the other side of the Elburgerweg (N 309), from where you follow the path along the Drontermeerdijk (N 306) and the shore, back to the place where you started.