Cycle route The Story of Joe Mann
Best, Liempde, Son en Breugel
Joe Mann was an American soldier in World War II. During airborne landings on 17 September 1944 during Operation Market Garden, he landed near Best. He had been ordered to occupy the bridge over the Wilheminakanaal canal near Best. In the woods between Best and Son the German troops were stronger than expected. The various American platoons on their way to the bridge could no longer contact each other. The mission was therefore impossible to carry out and they withdrew, except for one group including Joe Mann. The next morning, the Americans saw the men blow up the bridge against a surplus of German troops. Joe Mann and Sergeant Hoyle put two German guns out of action with a bazooka. Mann was badly wounded in his shoulders and arms in the process. During this morning, Joe Mann and six others were in a foxhole. The Germans unexpectedly encountered them through the dense fog of that morning and in the ensuing fight a shell fell next to Joe. Because he had been wounded earlier on his arm, he could not throw the grenade back. He threw himself onto the grenade with his back. With this, he saved the others, but unfortunately died himself from the blast. Joe's story did not become known until some time later. Several tributes have been paid to this, including the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor. During this route, you can visit the place where he died and a museum about this period. Also worth a visit is the pavilion named after him, where the staff can tell you all about Joe. Joe Mann's story is exceptional, but there are more stories to discover in this region. The cycle route will take you to more places that will make you pause and reflect on the battle fought by the Allies.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Sonseweg , 5681 BH Best | 41.3 KM | |
|
From
17
to
41
|
2689 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head east on Sonseweg | 2.7 KM | ||
| You are now at section 41 | 0 M | ||
|
From
41
to
42
|
1271 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head east on Bestseweg | 197 M | ||
| Turn right | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 42 | 0 M | ||
|
From
42
to
43
|
2072 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head east on Kanaaldijk Noord | 19 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 87 M | ||
| Continue onto Kanaaldijk Noord | 130 M | ||
| Turn left | 790 M | ||
| Turn right | 49 M | ||
| Turn left onto de Bontstraat | 210 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zandstraat | 451 M | ||
| Continue slightly right onto Taylorstraat | 122 M | ||
| Turn left onto Airbornestraat | 111 M | ||
| Turn right onto Heistraat | 103 M | ||
| You are now at section 43 | 0 M | ||
|
From
43
to
40
|
1770 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head southeast on Markt | 67 M | ||
| Continue onto Dommelstraat | 287 M | ||
| Turn left onto Wilhelminalaan | 106 M | ||
| Turn right onto Oranjestraat | 228 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Oranjestraat | 21 M | ||
| Turn right onto Leeuweriklaan | 213 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Dommelpas | 304 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 410 M | ||
| Continue straight | 134 M | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
51
|
1693 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head west on Thermaelaan | 752 M | ||
| Turn right | 36 M | ||
| Turn left | 9 M | ||
| Turn right onto Rooijseweg | 896 M | ||
| You are now at section 51 | 0 M | ||
|
From
51
to
30
|
1304 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head north on Rooijseweg | 53 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bijenlaan | 5 M | ||
| Continue onto Bijenlaan | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 30 | 0 M | ||
|
From
30
to
69
|
3016 M | 3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Ockhuizenweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Hoogstraat | 57 M | ||
| Turn left onto Sloef | 705 M | ||
| You are now at section 69 | 0 M | ||
|
From
69
to
35
|
4088 M | 4.1 KM | |
| Head west on Vogelenzang | 195 M | ||
| Turn left onto Broekdijk | 483 M | ||
| Turn left onto Schoorse Hoefstraat | 681 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kalvereeuwsel | 640 M | ||
| Turn right onto Vernhout | 713 M | ||
| Turn left onto Goeiendonk | 996 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Ritaplein | 66 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Ritaplein | 314 M | ||
| You are now at section 35 | 0 M | ||
|
From
35
to
34
|
1358 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head northeast on Kremselen | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Liempdseweg | 276 M | ||
| You are now at section 34 | 0 M | ||
|
From
34
to
55
|
2877 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head northwest on Liempdseweg | 279 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hulst | 2.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 55 | 0 M | ||
|
From
55
to
54
|
370 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head west on Hezelaarsestraat | 370 M | ||
| You are now at section 54 | 0 M | ||
|
From
54
to
53
|
530 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head west on Hezelaarsestraat | 530 M | ||
| You are now at section 53 | 0 M | ||
|
From
53
to
56
|
210 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head west on Vendelstraat | 210 M | ||
| You are now at section 56 | 0 M | ||
|
From
56
to
57
|
984 M | 1 KM | |
| Head southwest on Dorpsstraat | 504 M | ||
| Turn right onto Barrierweg | 185 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Roderweg | 295 M | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
|
From
57
to
38
|
371 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head south on Hamsestraat | 371 M | ||
| You are now at section 38 | 0 M | ||
|
From
38
to
15
|
5226 M | 5.2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Dazingstraat | 380 M | ||
| Turn left onto Dazingstraat | 699 M | ||
| Turn left onto Barrierweg | 266 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hollands Diep | 81 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bestseweg | 1.8 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Monnikenweg | 2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
|
From
15
to
14
|
574 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head south on Liempdsedijk | 51 M | ||
| Turn left onto Lieringsedijk | 523 M | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
|
From
14
to
29
|
2402 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head south on Lieringsedijk | 2.3 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Aarleseweg | 141 M | ||
| You are now at section 29 | 0 M | ||
|
From
29
to
73
|
948 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Kapelweg | 708 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Zessprong | 240 M | ||
| You are now at section 73 | 0 M | ||
|
From
73
to
70
|
901 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Ringweg | 87 M | ||
| Turn right | 94 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Oirschotseweg | 460 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Oirschotseweg | 42 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Oirschotseweg | 218 M | ||
| You are now at section 70 | 0 M | ||
|
From
70
to
12
|
2143 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head south on Spoorstraat | 525 M | ||
| Turn right onto Koningin Emmalaan | 112 M | ||
| Turn left | 9 M | ||
| Continue onto Michiel de Ruijterstraat | 374 M | ||
| Turn right | 18 M | ||
| Turn left | 32 M | ||
| Turn left onto Willem de Zwijgerweg | 4 M | ||
| Continue right onto Koningin Julianaweg | 156 M | ||
| Turn left onto Koningin Julianaweg | 5 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Koningin Julianaweg | 448 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Koningin Julianaweg | 38 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Wilhelminaplein | 412 M | ||
| Turn left onto Dijkpad | 10 M | ||
| You are now at section 12 | 0 M | ||
|
From
12
to
11
|
1814 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head northwest on Kanaaldijk | 1.4 KM | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Kanaaldijk | 386 M | ||
| You are now at section 11 | 0 M | ||
|
From
11
to
17
|
2653 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on N.C.B.-weg | 29 M | ||
| Turn left onto Boslaan-Zuid | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Hogekampenweg | 435 M | ||
| Turn right onto Oude Sonsedijk | 200 M | ||
| Turn left onto Achterste Kampweg | 327 M | ||
| Turn right onto Sonseweg | 477 M | ||
| You are now at section 17 | 0 M | ||
|
From
17
to
17
|
34 M | 0 KM | |
| Head east on Sonseweg | 34 M | ||
| You are now at section 17 | 0 M |