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.

[AnnaZ]

Yes......a co-worker of my husband’s was on assignment somewhere in S. America......people there asked him...”Where’s your gun?” They were serious....they thought every American carried a gun around with them all the time.

I just spent a week in Canada for my sister's wedding, first time up since I moved to Austin from L.A., and saw a ton of family. A majority asked me to tell them how many guns I must have now. LOL.

[SC Swamp Fox]

I travel to Germany several times a year, the only English language channel available in the hotel I stay at is CNN International. They hate us....really. It's anti-US 100% of the time.

I really don't expect them to be our cheerleaders, but couldn't they occasionally, put on the opposing point of view, or at least acknowledge that they are stating their perception and/or opinion.

[longtermmemmory]

CNNinternational is SCREAMING anit-america. There was this loud british buffoon who went balistic over potential tax cuts and how societ could pay for them.

[abigailsmybaby]

Or LA to become a victim of a drive-by.

[abigailsmybaby]

LOL! I didn’t notice the double meaning the first time. Good one!

[gilor]

If the article stated that he hated Americans they would have done 8-10 pages.

[Hacklehead]

“...my nephew had his wallet stolen by gypsies who litterally tossed a baby at him then picked his pocket while he caught the baby.”

That’s a very good deal. In some places you can trade a baby for a new corvette.

[this is my name not yours]

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


Wasn't the Northeast settled by the dutch :)

[FreedomPoster]

Ping. I think you probably already knew most of this, and didn’t need to fly over and bicycle 11,000 miles to figure it out.

[the OlLine Rebel]

The really bad thing is, it’s TUESDAY this year. :-(

[AppyPappy]

My brother’s friend moved to London to get away from crime and got his head bashed in on the subway there.

You can’t go to a football match over there without worrying about a bashing.

[FreedomPoster]

>>Yes......a co-worker of my husband’s was on assignment somewhere in S. America......people there asked him...”Where’s your gun?” They were serious....they thought every American carried a gun around with them all the time.

< *looks around*>

You don’t?

[the OlLine Rebel]

“basically, friendly people, he wasn’t paying attention but after his last stop in New York City the word ‘friendly’ will dropped from his vocabulary”

LOL I think you’re being unfair. Some of the nicest people I met were from NYC (some smart-aleck said to me, “yes, and see how they are no longer IN NYC?”). I also know many IN NYC are quite nice. You just have to get off the street!

[FreedomPoster]

You should check out parts 2 and 3 of this the article in this thread:

The day reality hit home
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1883385/posts

Go to the source article, then to the bottom for the two additional parts.

It’s extremely eye-opening regarding crime in the UK, and societal attitudes toward street violence. They have, what Lefties here are trying to build. We must not let it come to pass.

[the OlLine Rebel]

The Dutch types were mainly New York (New Amsterdam) and New Jersey. Definitely not New England. I’ll say no more. ;-)

[kabar]

"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.

First, the gratuitous slam at the Reps and George Bush.

[-=SoylentSquirrel=-]

"...who else would ride a bicycle for 11000 miles to find the truth about something?..."

I rode 11,000 cumulative miles only to find out my knees hurt every day. And that's the truth!

[-=SoylentSquirrel=-]

"...Aw the Dutch. A whole lot stupid and soft now are being over run by Muslims..."

True, but their mara-juh-wanna is hands the best this FReeper has ever had. Know the old wives' tale that pot makes you paranoid? Well, while walking down the street in Amsterdam, I had the strong sensation that I was gonna be stabbed AT ANY SECOND. It was a unique feeling that I have never had before or since.

That said, I'll take low-end pot in the greatest country on earth any day.

[Joe 6-pack]

"How can he ride a bike with wooden shoes (?)"

Apparently he couldn't afford a ticket on the...

[Bryan24]

Sounds like this book....

A Walk Across America

http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Across-America-Peter-Jenkins/dp/006095955X/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product/103-3748313-4192665