Yesterday I was with my father. For the last week his health is not going well and he has a lot of complaints about muscle and joint pains. Friday he turned out to have a bladder infection and he has the often cold. Because his older (and only living) sister would come along with my niece and her husband, I went over to my father to help with the business. My brother could not, but he had done it for sure. This time I had already reserved for this. It was very cozy and I saw me father (81) brighten the attention again. At 6: 15 am everyone went away again and I went home. Yet it was time to say goodbye to my dad. My father didn't really seem to be aware of the fact that I will be away for almost 4 months. For me it was a moment when I realized that it could be that the last time I will see him. He is, after all, a man at age. My father took airy goodbye like I will stand on the sidewalk again tomorrow. Travel is also quite exciting for what you leave behind….

Today I have to get a few more things I need for my trip. A spare inner tube and a few good tyre levers. Those plastic things are bending and for my grove bands not an option. Also, I have a pair of insoles for my race shoes. Despite all protection is the bottom that gets very cold if you are cycling for longer than 1.5 hours in freezing conditions. On the internet there are pads of sheep wool but I would rather go for a piece of advice to my shoe maker.

Friday, April 3.

Bad weather outsite...

The stature of Henk Visch!

Today my bike will get a control before I go to Canada. I want to be sure of a good start and I have now been driven a 1500 km on the Poppink cylce. Ellen (my wife) decided to come along today, and after more than 1.5 hours drive we arrive at Elias, the builder of Poppink cycles. The Rohloff hub does not need to be taken care of. The factory said that the early oil change is not necessary and that I be able to drive the 8000 km extra on it. I do believe that because it runs so beautiful and perfectly now. Elias runs down my bike and start with the wheels. He took them out to make sure that the spokes are drawn. There is no battle in the wheels but Elias takes even the smallest bumps out. In the meantime, I am meritorious by cleaning my chain. Yes the bike didn't look good. The last time I was driving it, ti was raining and dredging.

Dutch radio impressed by the spirit of Michael

Although at first I thought that Puck (my niece) would made a trip for on Saturday, she was going to do that Sunday and made her one action for supporting Strength of Hope 2015. I was very happy!! Because now I could join her with it. Of course, I asked Puck if that was okay with her and if at least she would like that. And so it happened. We were going to make a Sunday bike ride from gate to gate. Yes by the Amsterdam gate in Haarlem to the Haarlem-gate in Amsterdam and back again. The weather was beautiful with a cold breeze. First headwind and later a nice breeze in the back. When I left with Puck I didn't know what she had done. Puck had her own action for Strength of Hope 2015 set up. She had a sponsor money box made by herself with all kinds of texts on it and was already gone to sponsor lookup.

How to...

The past few days I have cycled to work in Zaandam. That is always better in the sense that I bike faster and I also can recover faster. Testing my GPS Tracker is not yet successful. Read the operating instructions carefully is what I should do anyhow. I’m running out of time with going to work, train, all the mail and to update websites, etc. Yet we insist and go through.

X-rayed today and then with the lung specialist for assessment. A thick 8! The Sarcoidosis is almost out of my lungs now. The difference in the lung photos from May October last year and now were also visible for me. After a little conversation I issued a poster of my bike ride which hangs as it is right now in the Hospital Westfries gasthuis in Hoorn at the lung medicine. I have fine under treatment at Dr. de Fraiture and have spoken with her equally oven my trip.

Within and few weeks I will come over to Canada!

16 April 2014