Why

Because our youngest son often adressed me as "motormeisje.nl", freely translated as bikergirl.nl, I claimed the domain-name. The subject for the website was easily found.

The 2 youngest boys study ICT, so the books are also available to mum. When I really got stuck, the boys have helped me on the way again, for the rest I've built the site myself. Now I add, adjust or delete paragraphs and pictures. It was only, when Hendrik went as an intern to Wilhelmhaven (Germany), in the summer of 2002, that I started using the computer for a chat with him on MSN.

The webmaster and her website

The website is built with XHTML and CSS, for those who are interested. It is built with frames. The site is adjusted on a weekly basis. Because I was curious to know if people visited my website, I installed a counter. You too can see, how many page-vieuws there are, by clicking on the tiny block on the righthand bottom of the indexpage.

Near Eilean Donan Castle.

My site has been visited by people from all over the world by now. On November 29, 2004, I have the 2500th visitor on my website. Almost a quarter of my visitors comes from abroad.
Besides I've made it easier to leave a message by installing a guestbook. The link is in the navigation on the left of this page. Be a good sport and leave me a message. (Man darf auch im Deutsch schreiben.) As you can see, I try and make a little response on every message in the guestbook. By the end of January 2005, the site contains 70 pages. On April 26, 2005 my Nedstat-counter tells me, that I've had 8650 vieuwers in the first year. On may 24, 2005, I have the 10.000th visitor on my website. The counter is standing for 13 months in another 2 days. I miss my 15.000th visitor, because I'm on vacation in Scotland. My 16.000th visitor is on my website on november 4th.

Coat, helmet and gloves.

In 1996, a new law was going to be launched, telling, that you had to get your "theory-certificat" first in order to be able to pass an exam. But for those, who had a car-drivers licence, you could do the biker-exam if it was requested before June 1st. Roel succeeded and I failed. Tough. But I was not the only one. The first chance of doing the theory-exam was in the end of April the next year. In the mean time, I was not alowed to take any bike-lessons. So in May I could start all over again. By the end of August 1997, I succeeded as well.

Checking the oil.

Making the city unsafe.

Summer 2003.

Since 2001 I ride a bike. A HONDA SHADOW VT 600 C, short VLX. Imported with a Canadian buddyseat and sissybar. Built in 1992 and given the romantic color "Bright Candy Glory Red". Roelof rides a Kawasaki Vulcan 750.

Behind on the sissybar I placed a little bear, who was given the name Tarquin. Further saddlebags with the word "shadow" embroidered in them and a windshield were added, so my arms won't stretch too much on longer distances. There has also been placed a mechanical cruise-control. I'm happy with it, but if it is too tight, the throttle won't go back, I really have to push it. When it is less tight, it won't hold the throttle for long and reduces speed. The bike is a beauty to see and drives even better. During the first season, we drive together, to get used to biking. In the second year we ride a lot of tours with bikerclubs. I drove in 2 years 12,000 Miles. Once a month she is taken for a ride now, to get the oil through the engine.

The third "bikeyear"

In 2003 I took the offer to testdrive a black HONDA DEAUVILLE NT 650 V (RC 47) up to 10,000 km. It is a tourbike to drive longer distances. I also took it on a vacation to Germany with a group of 10 bikerfriends. My first drive in the mountains. This is where I really fell in love with this bike.

I drove in 11 weeks time 7550 kilometers, so the rest of the year on a chain and on the SHADOW again. Later I took this bike on a long weekend in the Belgian Ardennes with the local bikerclub.

On the 18th of august 2003, the grandmother, whom I'm named after becomes 100 year. Grandmother lives in a home for the elderly "Talmahûs" in Veenwouden. Living alone was not an option anymore.

Roelof now drives a HONDA PAN EUROPEAN ST 1100 (SC26)

Roelof and Betty during a nicotine-break. Summer of 2003.

Every day life and future plans

Here she is, the new 2004-bike, with the new buddyseat in front of a porch at Waaxens north of Dokkum in our province of Friesland. Underneath this porch it was, where my friend and I sheltered from the rain, when we were on our push-bikes to go to the island of Ameland for a holiday in the late sixties. Her parents would follow in the car with the luggage.

With the new buddyseat at Waaxens.

On April 10 I came through the VRO 1 test. (improved bikertraining) All day practicing using the breaks, evasive manoeuvres and how to take curves. By the end of the day behind the instructor driving over the circuit where during the week the police is training. I had a wonderful day. On April 14 we have the annual meeting with the locals in the street. The topic becomes "internet" and I offer to make a website for the community, it is only in Dutch. The link is: http://www.motormeisje.be/bvb/

In the summer of 2004 we go on vacation to Scotland with 12 friends on 10 bikes. We're all 40+ of age. The first week we stay in Newtonmore, after 1 week 5 leave for home and the other 7 move on to Crianlarich. Pictures are on the Scotlandpage, together with a report.

In the springtime of 2005, we're doing the VRO-2 test(improved bikertraining). In the summer of 2006, Roelof goes with a friend all the way up in Norway to the "Noordkaap". His report is to be found on www.roelof.eu

28th of May 2005 Pier of Holwerd.

Just a ride usually means driving up to the pier near Holwerd, where the ferries go to the island of Ameland. Every time I go there, it is different. High or low tide. Wether the ferry is arriving or going. Bikers meet each other here. Maybe even just for the nice curve over the seadike. Take the helmet off, wind in my hair, smoke a cigarette and go home again.