{"id":45405,"date":"2025-06-19T20:58:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T18:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/?p=45405"},"modified":"2025-06-19T21:06:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T19:06:46","slug":"family-from-north-america-cycles-the-eleven-cities-tour-with-friesland-holland-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/news\/family-from-north-america-cycles-the-eleven-cities-tour-with-friesland-holland-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Family from North America cycles the Eleven Cities Tour with Friesland Holland Travel"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of 28 family members from the United States and Canada is taking part in a very special cycling tour through Friesland this week: their own version of the famous Elfstedentocht<\/em> (Eleven Cities Tour). The journey is not only about exploring the historic Frisian cities, but also about connecting with their family roots. Over the course of seven days, they are visiting not just the eleven cities, but also villages where their ancestors once lived.<\/p>\n

The idea for the trip came from Folkert Miedema, who organized the tour together with one of his daughters. \u201cI emigrated to Canada about fifty years ago,\u201d he says with a smile and a distinct North American accent. \u201cI married an American woman whose parents are both of Frisian descent. Her father grew up on a farm in Gytsjerk, and her mother was from Tzum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their family story inspired them to plan a journey that combines cycling with discovering family history.<\/p>\n

Visiting relatives on the farm<\/h3>\n

One of the meaningful stops on the tour is a farm in Eesterga, which is still run by a cousin of the family. This location holds special significance for Frances Miedema-Hofstee, Folkert\u2019s wife. She and her sisters grew up there. \u201cI\u2019ve been here before,\u201d Frances says emotionally. \u201cBut to be here now with our children makes it truly special. The fact that relatives still live here and we can experience this together is incredibly meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Warm welcome in Gytsjerk<\/h3>\n

In Gytsjerk, the cyclists are welcomed with coffee and lunch by Hinkie Bangma, who greets them with open arms. \u201cIt\u2019s not an official family reunion, but the fact that they came all this way by bike to see their grandfather\u2019s old farm really touches me,\u201d she says while pouring coffee.<\/p>\n

For many family members, this is their first time in Friesland \u2014 and for some, their first time ever riding a bike. \u201cIn Canada and the U.S., cycling isn\u2019t as common as it is here. The narrow paths and peaceful countryside are a whole new experience for them,\u201d explains Folkert.<\/p>\n

Sore muscles and a sense of pride<\/h3>\n

Luckily, the bikes are electric, which makes the tour a bit easier for those less experienced. Still, it\u2019s an adjustment. \u201cIn the evening, they\u2019re tired but happy when we arrive back at the hotel,\u201d laughs Folkert. One family member jokes, \u201cIt\u2019s great, but my butt hurts!\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the physical effort, the journey is filled with joy and connection. Anna, daughter of Folkert and Frances, is visiting Friesland for the third time \u2014 but this trip feels different. \u201cNow that I\u2019m older, I appreciate our family\u2019s history so much more. It\u2019s really special to feel connected to my roots like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

She clearly enjoys the Frisian countryside. \u201cThe peace, the windmills, the biking \u2014 I absolutely love it. You experience the country in such a real way on a bike. Although, yes, I do have some sore muscles today,\u201d she says with a laugh.<\/p>\n

On to Leeuwarden<\/h3>\n

After taking family photos and walking around the farm, everyone gets back on their bikes. Later this week, the group will visit more relatives in Tzum. On Saturday, they hope to finish their journey in Leeuwarden with a festive conclusion.<\/p>\n

Source:<\/strong> Omrop Frysl\u00e2n, June 19, 2025
www.omropfryslan.nl<\/a><\/p>\n

Friesland Holland Travel<\/strong>
This journey is part of the all-inclusive cycling holiday packages by Friesland Holland Travel, the specialist in Eleven Cities bike tours.
Want to learn more or plan your own trip?<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf10\u00a0www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl<\/a>
\u2709\ufe0f\u00a0info@frieslandhollandtravel.com<\/a><\/p>\n

For the latest news from Friesland, visit: Fries Nieuws<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A group of 28 family members from the United States and Canada is taking part in a very special cycling tour through Friesland this week: their own version of the famous Elfstedentocht (Eleven Cities Tour). The journey is not only about exploring the historic Frisian cities, but also about connecting with their family roots. Over… Lees meer Family from North America cycles the Eleven Cities Tour with Friesland Holland Travel<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":45395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45405"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45405\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frieslandhollandtravel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}