Remembering When Kennedy Was Shot

Friday, 22-November-1963 - Bay City – It was shortly after 13:30 PM in 5th-hour biology class with Mr McKinney.  I was a 13-year-old freshman (photo) at T.L. Handy High School in Bay City, Michigan.  I was an A-student, the oldest of six children.  I was a county boy and enjoyed farm work.  We had unexpectedly lost our healthy mother two years earlier, two weeks after routine surgery.  This made me grow up in a hurry.  I was working hard to become the starting catcher on my baseball team; and at school, I was on my way to becoming an engineer.  My future was bright, despite threat of nuclear war.  We had a president who successfully stood up to Soviet aggressors. Our school principal Mr Noell came on the public address system with an announcement:  "President Kennedy has just been shot in Dallas."  We were all in shock.  Mr Mckinney dropped his jaw and held his cheek with one hand, immobilized.  We then listened in disbelief and denial to the live radio broadcast.  He was buried three days later, on my birthday.

Note:  I wrote this after reading in the newspaper this morning that the Brabants Dagblad is looking for readers who will share their memories.

Skate Bearing Cleaning, Again

Friday, 26-July-2013 - Ronald had a tightened wheel he couldn't get loose, so I took it home to see what I could do.  We skated on some wet pavement last night, so I also needed at least to clean off the sand on the outside.  The wheels weren't peeping last night, so I didn't pull the bearings out right away.  This morning when I saw all the sand on the wheels (photo), and after hearing some rumbles, I wanted to see how the bearings looked inside.  pics (52)
spin test--pre-clean (2:04)
removing and installing bearings in wheel (2:36)
installing wheels in skate frame and spin test--post-clean and lube (6:38)
left skate spin test--post-clean and lube (2:27)

Toren Skaters Go Herperduin

Thursday, 25-July-2013 - Nistelrode - On my way to Dinther, I saw some isolated rain clouds. Ronald was putting on his gear as I pulled in to park.. We carpooled to Nistelrode, the starting point of this evenings skate tour.  We headed for the Herperduin Nature Area. The pavement was wet so we took it easy.  We took a coffeebreak at the Heische Tip. The way back took us throught the Maashorst Nature Reserve (photo).  It was 25 Deg C when we got back to the Toren. 11 skaters--good for 30 km. pics (81)  gps-tracked-route part 2
de toren skaters (0:23)
heische tip music evening (0:20)

New Life for "Non-serviceable" Type Skate Bearings

Wednesday, 24-July-2013 - Veghel - I wasn't satisfied with my bearing cleaning job yesterday--a lot of grit was still trapped in the bearings.  After some research, I came up with a method to get my "non-serviceable" bearings (see note) clean using a 10 percent-solution of the  limonene-based degreaser Dasty in water.  This is a temporary method until I have my own supply of environment-friendly home-made citrus cleaner.  I first had to remove the second bearing shield. I then installed serviceable bearing shields from another set of bearings on one side of my cleaned bearings. Before I got started on the bearings, I finished cutting the grass (I had started yesterday evening after skating--I was expecting rain today).  The mower blade had loosened up a bit, causing a distressing knocking sound, like the piston getting ready to break through the engine head. I then cleaned the dried sand from my skates and gave my wheels a bath.  Later in the afternoon, I stopped by 't Vincentje Re-cycling Thrift Shop and De-Wit Sporting Goods, before installing my freshly-cleaned bearings. pics (58)

Note 1:  Many bearings have metallic shields, which are not made to be removed.
New Life for Non-serviceable Type Skate Bearings (1:21)
serviceable type bearing shield removal  (1:33)
non-serviceable type bearing shield removal (2:45)
bearing shield and seal removal_ratvision (2:09)
bearing cleaning_ratvision (7:36)
home-made citrus cleaner 

Tuesday Evening Inline Skating with Sam

Tuesday, 23-July-2013 - Boekel - Sam, marathon ice skater with STG Hoorn,  joined us this evening.  He's on vacation with his grandparents.  Our tour got cut short due to unexpected rain. Had to clean my bearings when I got home. Seven skaters--good for 20 km pics (48)
gps-tracked route part 2

Uden Kermis is Tops

Monday, 22-July-2013 - Uden -Joke picked us up at 2000 and we headed to the Uden Kermis (fun fair). We walked around enjoying the activity, music, and lights, and the people having fun.  We sat down at a terrace next to wonderful salsa music dancing and thrilling rides.  As it got darker, the lights reminded me of Las Vegas (photo). pics (124)
salsa dancing (0:23)
riding the booster (7:14)
riding the transformer (3:00)
flying jump (3:45)
spinning coaster (0:15)
mouse village (0:26)

Toren Skaters Return to Dunes

Thursday, 18-July-2013 - We once again headed for the Rustende Jager to start our evening tour through the dunes. The route took us through Kaatsheuvel (photo). Nice warm weather.  Eight skaters--good for 30 km. pics (76)
gps-tracked route

Fun-on-Wheels Bienenstich

Sunday, 14-July-2013 - Grathem - Brigitte and Maurice were our hosts and guides today's Fun-on-Wheels tour.  We stopped for our coffee break in Thorn.  It was my first time for bienenstich (photo) (literally translated: bee sting) vlaai (Limburg pie). 19 skaters and one solex rider--good for 37 km. pics (201) gps-tracked route

De Toren Inline Skating

Thursday, 11-July-2013 - Den Bosch - After meeting in Dinther, we carpooled to Den Bosch near the Provinciehuis (provincial goverment heaquarters).  We headed for Esch (photo). Nine skaters--good for 37 km. pics (78)
gps-tracked route

Zeven Eiken Eifel Tour

Wednesday, 10-July-2013 - Veghel/Monschau - Marij and I were the last ones to get on the Ghielen tour bus at 0630.  We and 30 other members Zeven Eiken Community Center were on our way to the Eifel. To get to Monchau, we crossed the Rursee (Ruhr Lake) (photo) and met the bus on the other side.  What a great day!  pics (440)
monchau glass craftsman (10 sec)

Tuesday Evening Boekel Inline Skating

Tuesday, 9-July-2013 - Boekel - We headed for Elsendorp.  10 skaters--good for 32 km. pics (94)
gps-tracked route part 2

Eten en Skaten

Saturday, 6-July-2013 - Oirschot - It's a yearly tradition:  Eten en Skaten (eating and inline skating, pronunced 8-ten 'n skate-ten) with host and guide Pieter.  It was warm and sunny--perfect skating weather.  Alice, Ashwin, Bart, Bob, Coby, Conny, Frans, Helen, Henriëtte, Jenny, Karin, Manuela, Marcella, Peter,  Pieter, Ria, Toon, Wil, and me--18 skaters and one solex rider--we were good for 57 km. pics (316)
gps-tracked route part 1
vendelen to Brabant by Guus Meeuwis (4:13)

4th of July

Thursday, 4-July-2013 - Veghel - It's Independence Day in the United States. Here in the Netherlands, it's time for the Weiss Family 4th of July Backyard Barbecue.  Marij joined us after working at the weekly market in Berghem.  pics (35)

Tuesday Evening Skating and Newborn Calves

Tuesday, 2-July-2013 - Boekel - We took our coffee break at the inn de Brabantse Kluis. There, we saw newborn calves (photo taken by Bart van der Heiden) at the adjacent dairy farm.  10 skaters--good for 30 km. pics (54)

Canada Day

Monday- 1-July-2013 - Veghel/Amherst - It's Canada Day--thinking of our Canadian family and friends.