Summer fun (4)

dad and daughter on the scooter

Corrie & Rick on the road (crossing I-80/35)



Our birthdays came and went. Although we are now almost old, yet we still have lots of fun enjoying life, and this summer. For Corrie’s birthday our kids surprised us with a great motor cycle ride and dinner at a close friend’s house.









The summer has been absolutely great; we had little rain and many warm sunny days. Not too much heat and humidity, just great. We have gone on many trail rides on our bicycles and enjoyed seeing the local wild life. Cotton tail rabbits galore, and the ubiquitous ground squirrels of course, but we have also feasted our eyes on deer.






One morning we saw an adult doe with five fawn. They still had their spots. The were not afraid of us at all. Three crossed the trail ahead of us but two decided to give us a closer look. The reason I don’t have a picture is that I did not want to disturb this beautiful moment.

I am still “practicing” for my motor cycle licence, but plan to stop practicing in the near future - should be able to pass the test. Summer is winding down and we look forward to the planned mission trips coming up at the end of September.

Biking everywhere

In Holland biking on a nice day in 2007, with brother Gert and Margreet.
Tineke and I at Saylorville-lake. (Near Des Moines, IA)

Over and above the traffic on the express-way.

When my sister was visiting from the Netherlands we went for some local bike trips as well. She likes to go to quite places by bicycle. Back home she has access to many trails and beautiful areas on the sea-bottom of the now dry and enclosed Lauwers zee. It is a beautiful nature reserve with many birds and small game. The picture is with my brother and his wife near the old sea-dike.
Tineke, my sister, is seen here on the bridge over I-35/80 and also at Saylorville lake.
She will ride in the Netherlands with some of her siblings and friends in “Ride for the Roses” a Lance Armstrong initiative in the Netherlands to help fight cancer. This is particularly significant, because Eddy, Tineke’s husband died from this awful disease in January 2007. Eddy was an avid biker, even though he had lost his leg to cancer in 1989 and was using a prosthesis to get around. He wanted to ride RAGBRAI in 2007, but did not get to fulfil that dream. Tineke saw RAGBRAI riders come in to Ames this year. It was a very emotional experience. (See also Rick Elgersma’s blog of July 29 (08) and some of my old blogs for more information, if you wish.)