After 11,000 miles on a bike, a new impression of Americans

The Boston Globe ^ | 8/20/2007 | Andrew Ryan

[BronzePencil]

Chris Aandewiel is a Dutch man with a well-worn mountain bike who slept this past weekend at the YMCA on Huntington Avenue. He has pedaled some 11,000 miles in the last year searching for the truth about Americans.

Growing up in Rotterdam, Aandewiel had an impression of this country shared by many in the Netherlands, an image formed by Hollywood movies and the media.

"We really think of Americans as how we perceive the United States government, and that's a little arrogant and stubborn," Aandewiel said by telephone.

Or at least that was the impression the 29-year-old consumer researcher had before he embarked on a yearlong bicycle tour around the perimeter of the United States. Since September, he has passed through 35 states, spent the night in the homes of 72 strangers, and met hundreds of people in gas stations and on highways who have nudged him along on his trip.

[saganite]

Maybe this will soften your impression of him. From the article:

“After being here, I really think that [Americans] aren’t that different than the Dutch,” Aandewiel said. “In fact, I really think they are friendlier — and really more helpful than Dutch people.”

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The dirty, dirty Dutch,
They don’t amount to much.
But they’re a damn sight better than the Irish.

There’s Amsterdam Dutch and Rotterdam Dutch
And the Potsdamn Dutch
And all the other damn Dutch.

[U S Army EOD]

They make special toe clips for bicycles in Holland that will fit a wooden shoe. Don’t believe me? Check out one of their bicycle web-sites.

[Bigg Red]

Now, reflecting on his trip from the YMCA, he says he has some 300 miles left to go.

&&&
This writer really needs to spend a little time rereading his work before submitting it.

[enough_idiocy]

“After being here, I really think that [Americans] aren’t that different than the Dutch,” Aandewiel said. “In fact, I really think they are friendlier — and really more helpful than Dutch people.”

Yeah, try forming opinions of people based on first hand experience next time and not what you see portrayed by hollyweird or the foreign press.

I think a lot of Euros think they’re generous b/c they permit 50%+ of their checks to be taken from them for social welfare programs while we whine about taxes. The difference is we like to give out of our own pockets as we sit fit and don’t require nanny gov’t telling us who, when, where, and why to give.

I hope he writes a book and spreads the word. The anti Americanism has to cease. I recently visited Europe and had no problems, but I did notice that we were the only ones who tipped and were polite. (i.e. saying excuse me, moving over so people could get by, please and thank you, etc.).

[U S Army EOD]

I bet the first thing he noticed at the start of his 11,000 miles on a bicycle, is that most of the United States is not flat.

[JenBrower]

>>"We really think of Americans as how we perceive the United States government, and that's a little arrogant and stubborn," Aandewiel said by telephone. LOL And us Dutch folks aren't arrogant & stubborn??? His family must not have been like mine!

[hershey]

People in the Middle West and South, also the West are a lot friendlier than those in the Northeast for some weird reason.

[subterfuge]

No mention of how and or why the biker and all his countrymen bought the media’s slant on America and what he plans on doing with his 15 minutes.

[tumblindice]

rollin’ rollin’ rollin’,
Mein butt chur es swollen,
Keep dat Dutchman rollin’/Rawheide

[uxbridge]

We really think of Americans as how we perceive the United States government, and that's a little arrogant and stubborn," Aandewiel said by telephone

I also think the American government is arrogant and stubborn...also very corrupt, incompetent and inefficient

Now, get back to work...hundreds of thousands of government bureaucrats are depending on you

[libs_kma]

"How can he ride a bike with wooden shoes; I’m sure he misses his windmill. Still its a good thing to get past sterotypes."

Post of the day, hands down! Thanks for the laugh!

[Cap Huff]

I often see a few old men in the local village (south of Rotterdam) riding bicycles with wooden shoes on their feet. No joke!

[Old Professer]

First it was Alexis de Toqueville, then Jack Kerouac and the memorable Malcolm Merriweather; now we have Chris Aandewiel reminding us that all is not wrong with the world as we know it. :>)

[deport]

After 11,000 miles or so it’s about time to change the bearings in the crank and maybe the wheels.

[Othniel]

My in-laws are Dutch and live in a small rural village. As I'm a teacher, I was curious about the school there, so I asked their neighbor (also a teacher) if she could arrange a visit. She could. The kids found out I was coming, and wrote a couple of hundred questions about America. A lot of them were about weapons, violence, and the like, the same kinds of things they see on TV. I pointed out to them that the US is a lot bigger than the Netherlands, and that, as such, we have more people and more "hot spots" than they do. Also, our media is more invasive, and is more apt to rely on the sensational. Most of them understood this, and the myth of shootouts in the street and everyone driving fast cars was, I hope, dispelled. They applauded at the end.

[KarlInOhio]

So a Dutchman bicycled back and forth across America. I bet hundreds of Americans have bicycled across the Netherlands, but do they get noticed? Noooo... < /sarc>

(I checked a map and it looks like it would take 2 weeks to circle the Netherlands at his 30 miles/day pace).

[vladimir998]

Quote from the Dutch cyclist:

“After being here, I really think that [Americans] aren’t that different than the Dutch,” Aandewiel said. “In fact, I really think they are friendlier — and really more helpful than Dutch people.”

Duh! Make sure you tell every European you meet!

[Fzob]

Along the way, he saw coyotes, bald eagles, blue whales, black bears, a condor, and a moose.

Dang, Blue whales on a bike. But kudos to the guy for taking this adventure. I'm glad to know that Americans did not disappoint him.

[em2vn]

Aw the Dutch. A whole lot stupid and soft now are being over run by Muslims.
Alex, I’ll take stubborn and arrogant for a thousand.