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The Netherlands may be known for its windmills, meandering canals, tulips, clogs and remarkable artwork. But for those with cycling interests, the country features an elaborately intertwined transportation system of waterways and bicycle paths.

As many residents choose to view as daily commuters, touring the country on two wheels can be reduced to simple statistics: 16 million people, 15 million bicycles, 0 hills.

Business people in metropolitan cities and in small villages bicycle to work. Mothers often pedal two or more small children to school on one bike. Friends give each other lifts across town and with passengers often sitting sideways on the front or rear of the bike.

Few cyclists in The Netherlands wear helmets. It's not that the citizenry doesn't understand safety. Rather, cyclists in Holland are offered thousands of miles of special paths as well as preferred commuting rights. Likewise, the country's cyclists are not viewed as adversaries to cars or pedestrians.

Therefore, as a nation of cyclists and of vast waterways, it was logical that 25 years ago tourism companies began offering unique vacations - combining cycling with traveling on the country's web of canals and waterways

The idea: As an alternative to hotel accommodations, visitors pedal through the countryside during the day and then stay on a boat that progresses each day along the waterways to a designated city. The program began in France in 1981, then in Holland in 1988.

For durations of several days to several weeks, cyclists sleep in private bunks (with bath/shower). Breakfast and dinner are served communally, and participants pack a sack lunch on the boat after breakfast to eat along the day's journey.

On this journey, a group of 20 were the guests on the 38-meter boat Liza Marleen. It's refurbished motorized barge that's part of expanding fleet of Cycletours, the largest of the cycle-boat entrepreneurial outfits.

During our three-plus day journey, we bicycled about 35 miles per day at a casual pace. The accommodations, meals, snacks, bicycles and a guide are all included the price. The bikes, stored on the boat each night, are clean, 24-gear Gazelle Medeo hybrids. They're equipped with hand brakes, two "panniers," (sidebags), a water bottle, lock and a repair kit.

Our group included travelers from six countries an Iranian physician and his family from Stockton, Calif., two couples from Australia, three French-Canadian women traveling together, and a retired couple from Germany. A solo traveler

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