Hi. I'm the OP.

Well, we depart in 9 days. We will do a circle through Friesland and then take the train to Brugge (in NW Belgium) and ride from there back to Amsterdam. We are planning short days with lots of time for other activities.

I've made reservations for 14 nights along our route using the Vriendens network. Ordering the listings book was straightforward, and it came in a timely manner. The book and membership card were actually sent BEFORE we sent the membership payment. 1-4 weeks before departure seems to be the best time window, even in a busy time like Summer. Earlier than that, the hosts' summer plans are sometimes not settled and they are not sure if they will be home.

Reservations were easy to make, even in English. Probably 90% of the people who answered the phone spoke English. It did require a bit of persistence to book 14 separate locations because (unlike a hotel) people were often not home. Also, if you follow the rules there are only set time windows when you are supposed to call. 6-8 PM Holland time corresponded to 12-2 PM EST. I made all of the calls during short breaks at lunch hour at work, using a calling card. When I did reach someone, they had room well over 50% of the time. Availability might be different if you call only 1-2 days early. The people on the phone were friendly and helpful, suggesting other hosts in the few occasions when they were booked.

I'll make a post about our experiences when we get back.

See you on the road.

Jim