Belgian Border Inline Skating

Sunday, 6-August-2017 - Oirschot - It was the tenth year that Pieter organized the 100 km vacation (Postel) skating tour--the eighth year for me. The weather and the company couldn't have been better.   We had a lunch break at the 40 km mark, at the Kapellerhof garden restaurant near the Dutch-Belgian border.  After just seven kilometers in Belgium, along the Bocholt-Herentals Canal we stopped at border marker 191--the highest point (44 m) in the North Brabant province (photo).  This year I shared a bike with Pieter.  I lost five weeks of skating while recovering from a fall in June, so I didn't  want to push myself over the limit.  There was some rough pavement during the first legs of the tour.  Helene, Louis, and Johan helped me stay with the group when I fell back.  It was the right decision, but pedaling the bike was harder than skating--I couldn't keep up on bike either.  I took some two aspirin (paracetamol) for my hurting left knee.  At out last rest stop at Café in d'n olie-fant
in Veldhoven, we saw the first minutes of the European Womens Championship game Ned-Den.  We went crazy when Vivianne Miedema scored to make it 1-1, and again when Lieke Martens made it 2-1.  It was 2-2 when we left.  Luckily, we had smooth asphalt for the last 20 km.  Hylco stayed with me until we made it back to Oirschot.  There was cheering with arms int the air just before we got back to Pieter's home--the Netherlands beat Denmark 4-2!  There was a full refrigerator and a deluxe garden hose shower waiting for us when we got back.  A barbecue topped off this perfect day.  Thanks to all tour participants, and especially my helpers and our host and guide Pieter for making this day to remember.  Eleven skaters--good for 100 km. pics (172) route