Every disadvantage has its advantage.

I could tell quite a story about the climate-change. Lots of rain and a storm now and then, but also sunny days and the past winters we had hardly any snow. And that's what I use to my advantage.
Also on this saturdayafternoon (February 17, 2007) I drive to the pier. Allright it was fresh. But if only you could see the blue sky and that sunshine. You simply couldn't resist, could you. No need to go far, but just hear the sound of the wind around the helmet again. Dressing up properly is required, because hypothermia is the biggest enemy of every biker. It makes you slow-witted and that is dangerous. On a bike you always need to be alert.

Early this morning it was not that sunny and so I decided to wash my hair. I often pospone it to the late afternoon. So now my hair had to be dry first, before I could go for a ride. Otherwise it will be extremely cold in my neck. I often have problems with my neck, that's why. Better safe than sorry. First the laundry and the dishes done and right after one o'clock I read the last contributions of the bikerforum. They keep coming in, in the mail, but at least I've read them so far.

Haven't been to the pier for ages. It will always be one of my favourite places, although I don't expect any bikers there today. But you never know. So I walk out, with helmet, gloves and shoulderbag. At the bottom of the staircase I shout that I'm leaving. There is some sort of yell coming back, no idea what is said, but they've heard me and they know I'm out for a while. They've seen me running around in my leather pants.
Carefully I put my helmet and gloves on the grey container and open the garage-door. Because I used the bike last thursday to take Johnny for his diploma at the Friesland College, the alarm will turn off nicely. When she's been on the alarm for a longer period, it gives problems. When I sneekingly will remove the disc-lock then, then she sure knows someone is tinkering with her. The little gadget is not of the best quality and often fails. The alarm never does.

Like I said, I took the bike-alarm off, take the old sheet away and remove the disc-lock. Then I put the shoulderbag with the camera in the pannier. I take a wrong guess and open the pannier with my rain-overall and spare gloves. Up to the other side. When done, I put the key into the ignition to get the bike from the steering-lock. Then I push the bike out and put her into the direction I want to ride away. Now it is time for the ear-plugs and the helmet. Before I put on my gloves, I turn the key to make contact, disable the starter-interruption, open the choke and start the engine. She starts right away. Put on my gloves and mount the bike. Then I kick the jiffy up, put her into first gear and drive towards the road. There I stop to take my time to have a good look at the traffic.

At the first roundabout I realise that the tyres are not too warm yet, but she steers like a treat. She often has the habit to throw her behind aside. In the beginning it frightened me a bit, but as long as I look where I want to go, it'll be allright. Just before the first roundabout of Dokkum, I see two bikers coming from the direction of Leeuwarden. I have to wait in line to give way to them and the men are too busy gearing up and steering around the roundabout, so we don't greet oneanother.

Right after the Ee-bridge, I turn left on the roundabout into the direction of Holwerd. It really feels good today. Then I leave town. On my righthand side I see a sign from the website www.bob.nl (A Bob is a person who will not drink and will drive the car on an evening out). Probably adjusted, to be a Valentine-message for a girl called Betsy, who must have passed here that day.

On arrival on the pier, there are 3 cars and the ferry is in. The moment I park the bike, the ferry starts moving. Quickly I get my camera out and make a few pictures with the ferry on the background. At home I will find the best one. Then I light a cigarette while staring at the ferry. The cars all leave one by one and I'm left all alone with my bike. The wind is chilly. Not pleasant to stay here for half an hour and so I move on again. That "bob"-sign keeps me busy. My plan to drive to Ferwerd and take B-roads from there, I leave for what it is. I need to make a picture of that sign. Just outside Holwerd there are two bikes oncoming, the same I saw near Dokkum. This time we greet each other. Just before Dokkum I stop to make those pictures of the sign. Then I begin my homeward journey. There is lots of traffic. Overtaking is dangerous and so I go with the flow.

Between the last roundabout of Dokkum and Damwoude it is forbidden to overtake, but the cars move on nicely. I even see 80 km/h on my counter. On the first roundabout in Damwoude I'm almost hit by a car. After the second roundabout I end up behind a tractor and there is so much oncoming traffic that I can't overtake. Just outside the village there is a chance and together with the VW Golf before me we overtake the tractor together. In de Valom I see a white truck approaching with a white trailer. Just pay attention if that is a truck of Laurus. The truck flashes the lights. Indeed it is Roel. We wave to one another and then we have passed already. One more roundabout to go and I'm nearly home. It is almost a quarter passed two when I stop in front of the garage. I put the bike in the shed and cover her up again. Got a nice breath of fresh air, wonderful.