Right of way in Holland

I chuckled a bit when I read the article about biking in Holland [“Taking Holland for a Spin,” May 28]. The reporter, Rosemary McClure, enjoyed the cadence and mesmerizing cycling. My story is a little different.

I went to Holland on a bike and barge trip the last two weeks of April. The second day of the trip was Easter. We were on a narrow road with metal plates covering holes on either side of the middle path.

An oncoming Hollander didn’t move over for me, so instead of stopping, I tried to go right over the metal plate. I lost my balance, fell and went over the handlebars of the bike headfirst into a canal.

What a shock. The biker and his friend never stopped. I was lucky I wasn’t killed. I think the canal saved me. Our tour guide said I was his first adult to land in a canal. I kept on biking, but I didn’t like being around lots of traffic after that.

COLLEEN GARDNER

Long Beach

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COMPLIMENTS are in order for photographer Gail Fisher, whose beautiful photographs accompanied the interesting article by McClure. Her pictured reflections of trees in the canal waters were outstanding. When I was considerably younger and could travel a bit, I yearned for scenes such as these to preserve in family photo albums. But I could never find them.

I hope to see more of Fisher’s artwork in the days ahead.

VIRGINIA H. MYERS

La Habra