Zeveneiken Busreis en Boottocht de Vecht

Vrijdag, 5-september-2025 Veghel/ Maarssen - Om 08.45 uur ging de bus met 60 reizigers richting Schimmel 1885 in Woudenberg. Daar was de koffie. Daarna, volgde een rondleiding van de Utrechtse Heuvelrug en de Gelderse Vallei. Er was veel te zien, en onze gids kon het allemaal vertellen. Dan terug naar Schimmel 1885 voor lunch. Meteen pech voor een vrouw aan onze tafel. Ze was gevallen op haar gezicht met uitstappen van de bus. Ze werd met en vriendin door de hotelmanager naar een huisarts in de buurt gebracht. Daar kreeg ze een paar hechtingen. Helaas kon de bus niet wachten in verband met de brugtijden op de Vecht. Dan was het richting Maarssen. Daar stond onze boot de River Cloud op ons te wachten. Er was ook heel veel te zien vanaf het water. Onze kapitein was ook onze gids met feiten en achtergronden. Na een prachtige boottocht van twee uur, reden we weer richting Schimmel 1885 om de twee achterblijvers op te halen. Van daar reden we richting Nistelrode. We kwamen aan bij Eeterij Nisseroi. Na lekker friet en stoofvlees, gingen we met een volle buik terug naar Veghel. Daar zette Roel onze chauffeur ons netjes af.

foto's (284)

huwelijks harmonie (42 sec)

oeverbescherming (37 sec)

onder de Evert Stokbrug (2 min 39 sec)

aanmeren (2 min 05 sec)

Amelith Euchre Tournament

Saturday, 2- August- 2025 - Veghel - In 1963, when I was 14 and my brother Virg was 11, we entered the Amelith Euchre Tournament. It was a weekly competition that was held during the winter months. The organizers were surprised when we showed up. We were the first children to ever take part, but after a short talk among themselves, they allow us to sign up. There was no age limit specified in the bylaws. We could see the looks on the other players faces. Like what are they doing here? They’re just kids. They don’t know how to play. But Virg and I knew that we could play well. We said to ourselves, “Let’s just play like we always do.” Our first partners saw that we were serious about euchre, and that we could play well. The word got out; and after a couple of weeks, we were treated as equals. Halfway through the evening sessions, there was a coffee break with cookies. When we asked for milk instead of coffee, the ladies serving weren’t sure they had any, “We never had any children here before.” But it was the school auditorium and kitchen. There was always milk in the fridge. Well I’m not sure if we won that year, but we were both definitely in the top five.

My First Roll of Kodak Film

31-July-2025 - Veghel - For the past week, I've been busy with recycling my analog camera gear. This led me to watching the 2017 Netflix film Kodachrome (TV-MA) a couple of evenings ago. Yesterday, I watched the 30-min documentary National Geographic: The Last Roll of Kodachrome, chronicling how Steve McCurry shot the last ever roll of Kodachrome. These movies brought back memories of my first roll of Kodak film.

In 1972, I was stationed in Turkey, serving with the US Air Force. It was a time when Turkey was under martial law. After emptying  out my checking account to buy a Minolta SR-T 101 with a 58 mm f1.4 lens, I somehow still had enough money to buy a roll of film. I started off with Kodak color negative film. These are the first pictures I shot with my new camera. This photo shows a woman with a heavy load--I felt that time had stood still for 80 years.

PA005_first_roll_of_kodak_film_ankara_1972-03 (12)

1.     Rushing Into the Future. The sign reads, “Ne mutlu Türküm diyene – Atatürk”. Happy is the one who says, “I am a Turk”.

2.      Heavy Load

3.      On Duty

4.      Water Tower Warning

5.      Patrolling the Streets

6.      Early Takeoff from Esenboğa

7.      Anatolian Sunrise

8.      Dormitory Art

9.      Lunchtime Football Match

10.   Old Reliable

11.   Waiting for the Bar to Open

12.   Essentials Only

My Setup for Digitizing 35mm Film

Monday, 28-July-2025 - Veghel - I needed a way  to digitize our family images shot on negative and transparency film. I found may ways to do this on this internet. This is my homemade setup for digitizing 35mm film inspired by photographers Peter Forsgård and Alexander Matragos and Peter Krogh.  It's  custom made for using my Olympus TG-4. This is my alternative to using a scanner. The components and materials are listed below.

Here is my DIY copy stand for digitizing photos also inspired  by photographers Peter Krogh and Alexander Matragos. 

photos (34) 

components and materials

bilora super biloret tripod

JJC LED Film Scan Adapter

Topiky Rail Glider Base Plate

UTEBIT50mm Quick Insert Clamps (2)

homemade plywood spacer

1/4-20bolt custom made to fit

In 1971 This Song Came on the Radio

Monday, 28-July-2025 – Veghel - It was July 1971, and I was on my way from Bay City, MI to Loring AFB, ME, my next assignment for the US Air Force. I had just bought a “brand new” 1970 Chevy Nova with my Grandpa Ulbricht’s inheritance money (I left my worn out 1961 Chevy Impala behind on the lot). It was dark green and had a six-cylinder engine and a three-in-the-tree stick-shift manual transmission. I planned for three days to get there so I could enjoy the scenery along the way. I was so excited while driving on the ON-401 highway to my next adventure. I had beautiful sunny weather all the way. I was somewhere between Kingston and Montreal when this song came on the radio--in August, it would be the number 1 hit in Canada for four weeks. (I never knew who sang it, until today). I thought, Life doesn’t get any better than this.

Roblox

Monday, 21-April-2025 Veghel - It's almost Jakob's birthday, and he likes coding. so I tried coding a simple game in Roblox. I first asked ChatGPT for help.

 

ps. Don't tell Jakob. It's a surprise.

request

code

roblox game (requires free roblox account and free player to run)

4th of July Babysitting

Thursday, 4-Jul-2024 - Veghel - I couldn't figure out how to organize our 4th of July barbecue for this year, so it was 4th of July babysitting instead. It was good.

Memorial Day

Monday, 27-May-2024 - Veghel - I raised the flag late today--I forgot it's Memorial Day. In the United States, and all around the world--Americans remember and honor all Americans who died while in military service to their country, our country. 

Liberation Day

Sunday, 5-May-2024 - Veghel - Flying the flag at full mast, the Netherlands celebrates the liberation of of the Netherlands from Nazi German ccupation during World War II.

Remembrance Day

Saturday, 4- May-2024 - Veghel - It's Remembrance Day in the Netherlands. At 8pm, the entire country is silent for two minutes.

My DIY Photo Copy Stand

Sunday, 28-April-2024 - Veghel - This is my homemade copy stand, made using a simple idea and high-quality components. I use it with my small Olympus TG-4, but it can support  cameras and attached lenses up to 5 kg! This is my alternative to using a scanner to digitize our family photos. 

I was inspired by photographers Peter Krogh and Alexander Matragos. I have another setup for digitizing 35mm film inspired by photographer Peter Forsgård. Thanks to Wim van Schaijk for finding and sawing the plywood for this project. 

video (35 sec)

photos (40)

materials used

item
one 1-inch pipe flange
one 1-inch pipe 70 cm long
one 1-inch pipe cap
18-mm thick water-resistant plywood
- one board measuring 48 x 48 cm
- five blocks measuring 9 x12 cm
four 6.0 x 40 mm Screws
20 4.0 x 30 mm Screws
one Manfrotto 035 Super Clamp
one Manfrotto 037 Joining Stud
one Artcise Tripod ballhead with Arca Swiss Quick-Release Plate
one K&F Concept Camera Tripod Boom Arm
one Impact Dual LED Panel Light Kit
one cutting matt 30 x45 cm
one plate sheetmetal 30 x 45 cm x 0.75 mm

King's Day

Saturday, 27- April-2024 - Veghel - It's King's Day today.

Thanksgiving Conversations

Friday, 1- December-2023 - Veghel - during the past few days I was able to talk to my brothers Clyde, Jared, and Wayne (photo by Nick published with permission), as well as my sister Jane. My other brother Virgil passed away 12 years ago; he lives on in my memory. I also talked with Piet van den Tillaart (1948) when I dug out this year's Christmas tree. The golden rule, finding good in others, and Santa Claus speaking Dutch in the Miracle on 34th Street (1947) came up in these conversations. Well, I think there's a striking resemblance, and that there's a miracle on Washington Avenue in Saginaw, Michigan going on.

Forging a Knife

Friday, 20-October-2023 - Veghel - Last night, I made some repairs to my best pair of work jeans.  I was getting ready for an early birthday present from Marij: a forging a knife workshop from Phoenix Cultuur at the Noordkade in Veghel. It was cool and raining outside--perfect weather for working in a blacksmith shop. Niek Eikelenboom was our instructor. He was so energetic and passionate for this ancient trade. This was something I wanted to do for a long time. I felt so much fulfillment and pride as I was working (photo Lucas van Engelen). In the washroom, I saw a familiar painting of the young and talented blacksmith, Jouke Ruigrok.

Here is his story. At the end of day, all five of us, Bert, Erik, John, Lucas, and me, had each made a great knife. (pics 158)

Zeveneiken Betuwe Express Boottocht

Vrijdag, 25-aug-2023 - Veghel/Arnhem - Onweer en veel regen was voorspeld. Dat hielden we in de gaten. Vandaag was Fred onze zeer vriendelijke Betuwe Express chauffeur en gids. Onderweg kwamen we van alles te weten. We gingen rechtstreeks naar Arnhem waar onze boot Germania klaar lag. De hele dag plezier. Het was alleen maar zitten, rond kijken, veel eten, kletsen, en lol hebben. Alles was prima verzorgd. Voor 52 Zeveneiken leden was het een dag om niet te vergeten (deze foto door Fred genomen). foto's (147)

Dag 3--Rotterdam Skateweekend

 Zondag, 4-juni-2023 - Ottoland/Rotterdam/Thuis - Onze laatste dag bracht ons in hartje Rotterdam naar het Hotel New York (foto). Er was zo veel te zien en horen. Ik wou het allemaal opzuigen. We moesten ook voor het verkeer opletten--druk, druk, druk. Gelukkig waren er meer mensen met een camera op zak om het allemaal vast te leggen. Heel spannend (eng) vond ik de roltrap naar de tunnels voor fietsers en voetgangers onder de Maas. Ik snapte niet hoe andere mensen zo ontspannen konden blijven. 11 skaters, zes fietsers, en één solex rijder waren goed voor 35 km. Een weekend om niet te vergeten! pics (209)

foto's annet (36)

gps-tracked route

Dag 2--Rotterdam Skateweekend

Zaterdag, 3-juni-2023 - Ottoland/Kinderdijk - Rond half twee was het stil in de Zwarte Schuur. Toch heb ik goed kunnen geslapen. Een heerlijk ontbijt met z'n allen. Frans zorgde voor de lekkere sterke koffie, Annie de rest. Eigen brood smeeren voor onderweg--klaar voor vertrek. Lidie was onze gids voor vandaag. Er waren heel veel hoogtepunten. Dit was er eentje van (foto). Vandaag deden Inge, Bart, John, en Pieter mee. In de polder was er van alles te zien: laag vliegende zwanen, boeren    bedrijvigheid, en overal gele lis. Kinderdijk was voor mee net als de eerste keer 45 jaar geleden met mijn ouders. Ik keek mijn ogen uit. 13 skaters, zes fietsers, en één solex rijder waren goed voor 55 km. Bij terugkomst stond Adriaan op ons te wachten. Dan was het zoeken voor de kortste route naar de Asian Delight--vijf man gingen wandelend naar toe.  fotos (177) gps-tracked route

Dag 1--Rotterdam Skateweekend

Vrijdag, 2-jun-2023 - Zijtaart/Zevenhuizen/Ottoland - Ine was onderweg de navigator en fotograaf. Met onze gids Marcel van Schaatsvereniging Rotterdam gingen we opzoek naar de oorsprong van de Rotte (foto). 12 skaters, vier fietsers (waaronder ik zelf), en één solex rijder waren goed voor 32,5 km. Negen van ons hebben een extra rondje (6 km) om de Zevenhuizerplas gemaakt. Dan op weg naar ons verblijf de Zwarte Schuur. Daar was Tonnie de grill meester. Wat een geweldige dag! foto's (186)  

bergop skating video clip (46 sec) 

gps-tracked route

Vat-oe-fiets 2023

Thursday, 18-May-2023 - Veghel - It's Ascension Day and time to vat-oe-fiets (grab your bike). It's a tradition. This year Chris and I passed it on to the next generation, my grandson Seth (photo). We were just on our way when Seth said "I want to do this again."  At the second check point we enjoyed a performance by members of the Circus Caps (see video). We saw familiar faces and old friends Netty and Willy. When we got back, Chris and Seth agreed to do this every year. Thanks to all the volunteers who made this possible. We were good for 28 km--Seth's longest ride ever! pics (99) gps-tracked route circus caps video clip (3:02)

Boekel Inline Skating

Tuesday, 25-April-2023 - Boekel - It was cold, but it was dry. As we were getting ready, we were greeted by the Gilde Sint Agatha (photo). Seven skaters were good for 22 km. pics (37) gps-tracked route