DAY 13
FRIDAY MAY 13 2005
I woke at 4 am again, so I got dressed and went down to the lobby with my bike. All was quiet. The lobby was shut down. I wanted to ride my bike without the gear and see how it handled. When I got to the exit I realized I would be locked out and would have to buzz someone awake to get back in. So I went back to my room and cried for a little while. Then I started repacking, but first a test ride.
I rode my unloaded bike to the train station and back successfully. The brakes seemed a little sloppy, but otherwise everything is in good working order. My resounding thought was thank God I didn't die.
I went back to my Hotel room, which is colder than it is outside no matter what I do with the heater, and lay under the covers being scarred and thinking I will die on this trip.
I don't feel like I have good control of the bike and my response time is too slow.
Who is going to help me get over the hump? I have no support system here but myself. Everything and everyone familiar is gone.
Finally at noon I started repacking my bike. As I was getting ready to leave the hotel room I thought to myself 'Madness, mayhem, and disorder! That's probably the way my day will go. Cats and dogs living together!' (Ghostbusters) and promptly sat on my glasses.
(Sigh) Oh Darlitia. I pushed them back into shape as best I could and put them on. Mmm... these fit better now than before. :-) (Looking back at the moment, it set the tone for the day, even if I didn't know it at the time).
I left the hotel room with almost all my gear. I left the camping stuff in the Hotel. What a difference repacking makes. I now had under me a responsive and smooth riding machine. The machine I know and remember from Anchorage. I could move this load and easily. So I took off for Keukenhof. The hotel desk clerk said it would take me about 20 minutes by bike.
Leaving Hillegom city limits. What is with the Batman sign?
I did it! I did it! I did it! Success! Success! Success! :-)
Almost two hours later I arrived. My original route was ripped apart with construction and I had to find my way around it. I got lost a couple of times and landed in the middle of this field, backed out of that and eventually found my way. At no time did the bike give me any trouble, except one of the breaks isn't working properly. That's all right, I made do. I could control the "monstrosity" and with that knowledge a margin of my safety is back in my hands.
The ride was lovely, the sun was shining, the wind was with me, and I could move my bike easily. The more I rode, the more my confidence increased. A 100 percent turn around from yesterday.
My view during my bike ride.
Keukenhof, if you are a flower lover than this you will love. I am not a flower buff of any kind and even I walked around impressed, amazed, and happy. Humph, quite a turn around from yesterday, heh?
Jeff says I panic and he is right. Good thing I never had children. Today made me realize why I am doing this alone. I can do nothing at everyone's pace, but can do anything at my pace. I just had to give myself time. Time to work through it all. It didn't help that my period started, either.
Nevertheless, I took over 80 pictures. That's the most pictures I have ever taken in one day. You, dear desktop readers, only get to see a few. The web page would take forever to download if I did them all. Here they are for your viewing pleasure! :-)
For Karen.
For Dad.
Origami
This lovely lady took my picture for me and as a gift took out a piece of paper and folded into a dove of peace. What a turn around from yesterday! Thank you who ever you are! That gesture meant a lot to me! Especially after yesterday.
Do you see the swans?
For Jeff.
There was a HUGE green house with nothing but lilies of all kinds, types, and colors. The most marvelous smell!
After a few hours of walking I unlocked my bike and went to my hotel which was near the church. It only took me 20 minutes to reach the city limits (I took a different route back). I had a headwind and slight upgrade all the way. It took me and another 20 to find my hotel as I came out at the other end of town. I was heading to the church steeple thinking 'thank God they were easy to see' when I realized there were three church steeples for entirely different churches. Fortunately right when I didn't know what to do there was a huge sign saying Hotel Flora this way. Wow. What a day!
I'll say it again. Wow. What a day! After I reached town and called Jeff to tell him the good news. I went for dinner. I hobbled back to the hotel on a heavily used and sorely bruised foot, happy and contented with the successes of today.
Least favorite moment of the Day: Being paralyzed by worry and fear for a time.
Favorite Moment of the Day: The dove of peace, a lovely and successful ride, and good fortune,
Adieu.