The ideal combination.

All week there is an itch with this beautiful weather, but I haven't succeeded yet. Now that my sister-in-law is again in hospital, I have once again taken the care of their two children upon me in the past week. That means I have to take them to two seperate schools every day and get them home again. I don't want to take the risk, that I am not back on time, so my bike will stay in the shed. But then the weekend is there and it still is beautiful weather, the ideal combination...

Saturday...
Because my brother is going to see his wife in hospital on fridaynight, I take the kids to bed in time. On saturdaymorning he comes to pick them up and that leaves me with the freedom to go for a ride. I don't need to go very far, just a few nice curves and then by B-roads I end up on the pier. It is not very busy over there. Besides that it is much cooler then at home, as we are talking tropical this day. In the southern parts of the Netherlands they had real bad weather, but until now we haven't had any of it. I get company from a Harly-rider. Have met him here before and we get talking. I really love that yellow Harley from 1949. We smoke another fag and then I move homeward. Only 60 kms, but it does me a world of good after such a busy week.

Sunday...
On sundaymorning Roel and I rise early and we immediatly make us a pot of coffee. We both are curious of what the day will bring and so we check the website of buienradar. Outside it is quite cold still. But around noon the sun comes through the clouds. Around one I leave southward. Near Garijperhoek I turn right to drive by the Fonejacht-bridge to Wartena. There I turn left into the Grouster Leechlân. In Grou I follow the signs for ongoing traffic and at the roundabout I take the second exit. After that I take the first right in front of the sport-facility in order to take the road next to the highway, to pass underneath the aquaduct. Coming up again I take the first left, the Leppadyk that leads me along the water of the aquaduct and further to the village of Akkrum. Passing through the residential area I end up on the main road. Here I choose for the direction of Jirnsum. At the last bridge I need to wait and then I pass Oude Schouw and end up in Jirnsum. Here I choose to take the ring around the village, but at "De 2 Gemeenten" I turn right again and I end up near Grou again. Here I choose for the drive to the A32, direction Leeuwarden.

There you stand still...
I use the entire drive to pick up speed and move myself along the traffic on the highway. Not long after there is a biker waving his hand to tell to slow down. Further down the highway there is a Vorkswagen Golf on its belly in the middle of the road amongst clumps of grass. The front wheel lies horizontal, the rear tyre is flat. Later I hear what has happened. While overtaking they had a burst tyre, went into the verge, against the crash barrier and the car made a roll, while a child had flung out. Injuries were minor, but the child was very upset. The ambulance took them to hospital, just to be on the safe side. Marcel, a known biker from the FMC had seen it happen. Later we get company by two Triumph-riders from the island of Ameland. They had been to a biker-meeting. We wait with the group of bikers together for half an hour. A trace-investigation will follow, but if we ride through the gutter, we can pass by with our bikes. The rest of the trafiic is ordered to turn their cars and go by the drive for a detour. Together with the Triumph-riders I drive to Holwerd to the pier. They take the turn to go by ferry, I move on to the end.

Enjoying...
And I won't regret that. Again the yellow Harley is present, but along there are a white one and a red one with a sidecar. The white one from 1943 I've seen there before, but the red one is an old skating rink liberator from 1950. Of course I need to make some pictures of that. Naturally the eye is caught by the extra cogged wheel that was used to make the broom turn in order to clean the skating rink. Lots of people come and have a look and it is quite comfortable to sit there. Over the dry Wadden you can see the vapour of the rising water, there is a haze coming up and indeed it is getting colder. So the decision is made that to all good things there is an end and it is near four-thirty that I am back on base again. I really enjoyed today and I can handle things again for a while. Tonight the kids will be back, so my brother has the freedom to work during the day and visit his wife in the evening. For the ones who are curious: she is recovering, slowly though, it takes time. I have to take it easy, but I do it with pleasure.

Betty Smit, Motormeisje.nl

Return to the index of the weblog.