Rained Out in Boekel

Tuesday, 31-May-2022 - Boekel - Rain was headed our way. Tonnie skated back home. Maarten had already headed out to see how far he could get. I drove after him, in case he got caught in the rain. pics (12)

Vat-oe-fiets 2022

Thursday, 26-May-2022 - Veghel - It's Ascension Day and time to vat-oe-fiets (grab your bike). It's a tradition. Each year the route takes me along paths I've seen for the first time like this one (photo). I stopped to take this picture, I heard birds and frogs close by (listen to video clip). The route also took us by the Spijkerkapel (nail chapel). I spent a while there praying for my family, and for the Ukraine.  I saw familiar faces and old friends Netty and Peter, and made some new ones, including Jan, Mia, and Harrie. Thanks to all the volunteers who made this possible. I was good for 46 km. pics (164) gps-tracked route birds and frogs (1:04)

Boekel Inline Skating

Tuesday, 24-May-2022 - Boekel - The weather forecast said rain around 8:00 PM. Most of the other skaters cancelled. I was getting ready to head back home, when I saw Maarten (photo) getting ready to go skating. He thought he could skate the planned route and make it back before the rain. I said I'd take a shorter route, but changed my mind a couple of times before I eventually headed out about 20 min later. It stayed dry. Maarten got back 10 min before I did. We were both glad we decided to skate.  Maarten was good for 25 km--for me it was 14 km. pics (28) gps-tracked route.

Wtih Fun on Wheels in Boxtel

Sunday, 22-May-2022 - Boxtel - Pieter was our guide for today. It was mostly super-smooth pavement. We had four train crossings like this (photo). I was on my bike. I'm getting stronger, but not yet ready for 20 km per hour. Nine skaters and me. We were good for 33.7 km. pics (56) gps-tracked route

De Toren Skating in Den Bosch

Thursday, 19- May-2022 - Den Bosch - We got 15 mm of pouring rain this afternoon--the water barrels were full again, but the sun came out and dried up most of the pavement. We met at De Toren and drove to the Majorca Bar, our starting point for this evening. Wim our guide took us first along the Maxima Canal, and then into the beautiful city of Den Bosch. It took me a while to get up steam. There were also leaves and twigs on the pavement to watchout for. At the halfway point, we stopped at the Verkade Fabriek for coffee and apple crumble. It was so busy inside the restaurant that Magda brought the order herself (photo). The second half seemed to go easier for me--I think it was the extra energy from the apple crumble. Six staters good for 24 km. pics (44) gps-tracked route

Boekel Inline Skating

Tuesday, 17-May-2022 - Boekel - This evening we headed to Beek en Donk. We had some rough pavement at the beginning and at the end, but the middle was well worth it. It's been so dry for the last several weeks that the farmers resorted to irrigation (photo). Six skaters were good for 24 km. pics (49) gps-tracked route

With Fun-on-Wheels in Den Bosch

Sunday, 15-may-2022 - 's-Hertogenbosch - With Marcella as our guide today, we navigated around the beautiful city of Den Bosch. This scene (photo) reminds me of Rembrandt's Nachtwacht--during the day, and on skates. Nine skaters and me on bike. I was glad I chose to bicycle, because we often traveled at 20 km/hr. I needed more conditioning to keep up that pace. We were good for 33 km. pics (66) gps-tracked route

Boekel Inline Skating

Tuesday, 10-May-2022 - Boekel - The sky was dark on my way to Boekel. Five skaters and one bicyclist this evening. We headed for Koks and then to Erp. The faster group also went to Boerdonk. 17 km for the not so fast group, and 21.4 km for the faster group. pics (17) gps-tracked route

Aaron's Birthday

Tuesday, 10-May-2022 - Veghel/Amherst - It's my son-in-law Aaron's birthday today! I raised the Canadian flag in his honor. It was windy so the flag was a bit unruly. pics (18)

Sunday Fun on Wheels

Sunday, 9-May-2022 - Oirschot - It's Mother's Day. I first had to fix a hole in my fanny pack before heading out for Oirschot, our starting point for today. The sun came out as I was putting my skates on, so I didn't have to wear a jacket. It turned out to be a glorious day. The countryside was beautiful! I seemed to be getting stronger every time I'd go skating--22 km on Tuesday on 12 km on Thursday. I thought I could manage 30 km today with a coffee break in the middle. Boy was I wrong. I just couldn't get my speed up--I didn't have enough power. My heart medicine lowers my pulse, so I'm not pumping enough blood to go faster. I hope this will get better over time. I was slowing down the group. At the 11 km mark, I heard that the coffee break was still nine kilometers away in Boskant. That was too far for me. Pieter, our guide, suggested Henriette accompany me back to Oirschot via a shortcut. That turned out to be great idea for everyone. We made it back about 20 min before the others showed up. 11 skaters: Frans, Johan, Karin, Manuela, Marcella, Maurice, Pieter, Ria, Tonnie, Yvonne, and me, moped rider Toon, and bicyclist Henriette. Most were good for 30 km. Henriette and I: 19 km. Thanks to everyone for a great day! pics (41)  my gps-tracked route

Big Hickory Tree

Saturday, 7-May-2022 - Veghel - I was born in 1949.  We lived by a big hickory tree, near a creek on a corner of my grandpa's farm in Amelith, a church community five miles from the edge Bay City, Michigan, USA. This is a photo of me and the big hickory tree in 1956. I often wondered if this tree was standing when my ancestors Christina Barbara Feinauer and Johann Georg Weiss arrived here from Bavaria one hundred years earlier.  Chippewa Land  Bay County Historical Records Amelith, a church community  Weiss Roots Found in Germany

De Toren Skating

Thursday, 5-May-2022 - Heeswijk-Dinther -  Piet van de Pas joined us this evening. I was on time, but this is as far as I got when I tried to put on my skates (photo). I used my axle for a tryout configuration on a friends skate, but I forgot to put it back in--what a blunder! I told the others I'd go home, fix my skate, and skate a shorter route alone. As it turned out, I skated to de Toren, and I got a ride home from Martin. Henk, Martin and Piet were good for 38 km! I was good for 12 km. pics (41) my gps-tracked route

Boekel Inline Skating

Tuesday, 3-May-2022 - Boekel - Four skaters including Maarten (photo) and Tonnie in the fast group, and Ria and I in the not as fast group. I had a hard time getting started, but it got better when we turned the corner had had the wind from the side, instead of straight on. Everyone kept and eye on me and made sure I could skate the route as planned. I felt that I was getting stronger. We were good for 22 km. pics (16) gps-tracked route