Delft '26 Day 13: The Big Bike Ride

A group of students standing next to bicycles wave to the camera outside a store
May 29, 2026
Tyler Clayton, Civil Engineering

This story is one of a series written by students in the Gonzaga in Delft program, a course from the Civil Engineering department exploring sustainable practices of the Netherlands.

A group of five students and a teacher ride down a road next to a waterway
Today, we visited the Maeslant Barrier and the Sandmotor. In the process, we had our longest bike ride yet (30+ miles).The Maeslant Barrier is a massive gate designed to hold back floods by closing its arms, each one as big as the Eiffel Tower. Over there, we learned about the history of the barrier and how it works through interactive exhibits, a guided tour, and a short film.

In the distance across a large waterway, a low white barrier sits next to a modern windmill

Many students stand around a mosaic on the floor creating a map of the region with a stripe representing water in blue light

Large white metal poles criscross in a triangular shape

We then biked to the coastal town of Monster where we got lunch. After lunch, we biked the rest of the way to the coast to check out the Sandmotor, a large, artificial sand peninsula made to strengthen the coast and protect the Netherlands from storm surges. While there, we had fun at the beach. On our bike ride back to Delft, a heavy thunderstorm suddenly set in, making for an exciting end to our last full week.

More student experiences from Gonzaga in Delft
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