Tuliptour.
By Motormeisje on April 23, 2006 at 20:35

The weatherforcast.
On fridaymorning I surf the Internet, to see what is awaiting me this weekend. According to the site of "teleweer" there is a chance for 60 percent of rain and thunder. According to the German site of "Wetteronline" we will be having sunshine and certainly in the province of Noord-Holland. It is a gamble. Roel has to lead the group of bikers for the FMC, so rain or shine, he has to go. Unless it is raining cats and dogs, he can decide to cancel the tour entirely. When things look good, we leave at 9 sharp from Leeuwarden into the direction of Wieringerwerf. While the tulipfields were still covered in fleece during the MIOS-tour, I sure hope I will see more of them now and smell them as well.

Sundaymorning.
The forcast looks good, only late in the afternoon a depression is coming our way. So rain-overall in the panier. Because Roel is leading today, we decide to leave home early. When you are host, you need to be there for your guests. At Quatrebras it is 5 degrees. On arrival in Leeuwarden at 08.15, there are already 2 bikes. Well that may promise something! And it does. Over 40 bikes will be participating. The chair-lady of the FMC agrees that we should split the group into two. Ritske volunteers to lead the second group and so we leave as group "one" into the direction of the Afsluitdijk.

Wieringerwerf.
Around ten we have arrived in Wieringerwerf, to be registred and a cup of coffee. Then we leave for the tour. After about 60 km we stop at a servicestation, because the bikes with the smallest fueltanks need some juice. Then we move on and enjoy the curliest dike-roads and villages of the province of Noord-Holland. When we arrive at the restaurant that is mentioned in the itinerary, it is crowded. The GPS gives the solution, there is a restaurant about 3 km back. So we can again take that nice road all the way back. It is nearly 3 PM when we have finished our lunch. Leaving the restaurant, it is drizzling.

Tulips in the rain.
We start our last part of the tour. Between Heiloo and Egmond Binnen we see the first field with red tulips. If there would have been sunshine all day, they would be in bloom, but now they look as if they want to sleep over it another night. Between Egmond Binnen and Bergen, there are serveral fields with yellow tulips, but it is raining too much in order to stop and make a picture. Pity, this spring has been too cold. But the tour was fabulous. On arrival at the finish in Wieringerwerf, we find out that we are the largest participating bikerclub. Rain keeps us company. We talk over the event at a servicestation in Leeuwarden. Those times that I've driven the Tuliptour, I have enjoyed the B-roads that Noord-Holland has. For who thinks that this province had only highways and A-roads, that is not true. Next year the tour will be a week later, the sathurday before "Queens-day".

Betty Smit.
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