Hee. This blog still exists?

Funny. I had forgotten the existence of this blog completely. That's obvious since I didn't use this blog two years after the last contribution. I have not used this blog for over 13 years. Don't think I will be using it frequently either.

OtP 2016 is on its way. Annette has arrived in the US. Meanwhile GCE Rally is coming closer and closer. A Rolling Rally this year. We'll see how it goes. I for one can hardly wait until the moment of departure. I'll be riding down an easy pace and take to up to three days to get in Livigno. From there I will just see how the Rally will develop. 

Back home again and that is where I'll stay for now :(

Yes, you've read it right. Below you'll find my posting to the list, which I wrote from the hospital two days ago. The day after I was completely unexpected released from the hospital, but with a warning from the doctors to take things one step at a time very slowly!!! And this is against my natural way of doing things

OVER THE POND, but not for me:((

What is that, you might think when you read the subjectline. Is that why I
voted for him?

Simple answer, NO that is not why you voted for me and it is not what I
want, but what the docters say is best to me.

A little bit longer:
Turned in the hospital last wednesday, went to the O.R. on thursday where
the doctors kept me for over 4 hours for a three step operation. After that
I was supposed to stay flat for 5 days in succesion. I'll tell you one
thing: it is not something I would like to do again and I take my hat off
for Bernd Neumann who had to stay flat last year much longer.
Anyhow, the doctors came to my bed yesterday morning and we were talking
about biking and going to the National. The were convinced that it should be
possible to go riding again, but......!!!!

1 The doctors told me that this operation was a last chance operation for
me. When I screw it up, I will end up in a wheel chair.

2 After coming home I am NOT allowed to ride for 7-8 weeks. After that I
will have to take time to "learn riding" again, meaning the 3 weeks after
those 7-8 untill the National are to short.

You can understand that I had to think long time about this decision, but
after thorough consideration and talking it over yesterday evening with my
wife, we decided that it was obviously that I had to think about my health
first. With pain in the heart we came to the conclusion that it was better
for me NOT to go this time. I hope you all will understand.

I have asked my wife to send Daan a message telling him that I will not be
able to go. She doesn't trust herself enough to write this to Hans-Ove, Ted
and Spencer. I don't have their mailadresses at hand here in the hospital,
so I decided to tell it open to the list hoping the OtP committy will read
it and also will understand that I would rather have mailed with them first,
but .......

I don't know how often I will be able to read the list over here in the
Hospital, but all messages come in at home as well. So it might take some
time before you receive an answer, but be sure that I will answer all
messages regarding this subject.

I also hope Daan will find a worthy replacement for me. It is completely up
to him who he chooses and though I have a hunch who it will be, I'll keep my
mouth shut for the moment.

Marc & GerTRude
GTR 1989
hospital Zwolle, Netherlands
ex-OVER THE POND TRAVELLER #2, 2003 :(

Since then I learned several things:

1. My wife wasn't able to send Daan a note, because of mailserver errors.


2. Daan did find a worthy replacement in the person of Hans Dresler, Rally-meister for the GCE Rally 2003


3. The COG-dom is a great bunch to hang out with, the have already nominated me for OVER THE POND IV in 2005, meaning there will be an OVER THE POND III next year as well! BTW I gladly except the nomination for 2005

On line I have read some reactions on the original message and though I will try to get back to each and everyone of you personally, I want to say THANKS this way as well!

marc

Getting close to being hospitalized

The next few days while bring exictement over the floor. Last november I was told I needed another surgery. For long time I didn't hear a thing from the hospital, until today. They phoned me and told me I am supposed to be there this wednesday. I son't know yet whether they will operate the same day or will wait 'till thursday and earn an extra day that way.

If all goes well, and why shouldn't all go well this time, I should have less pain afterwards and more control over my legs. If it doesn't go well all the way I will end somewhere between what I just sketched and a wheelchair. But hey, did you know you can organise great events with wheelchairs?

If the latter is the case, I will not be going to the National. For now I will bet my money on the first. All goes well and I will be going to the National, unless the doctors tell me it would be wise to wait some time. Anyway, I hope to let you all know asap.

marc

Over The Pond

still confused

Been a good week since I started this weblog. Not much has been done since in connection to going to the National. I have been out of town for a while on a little holiday with the family while I'm still able to do this. For those that have questionmarks in their eyes by now, here's a little explaination: I will have to go into the hospital for a second operation on my back, afterwards there is time needed for revalidation, so the date of the operation is important for me to know whether I'll be able to go the National. Also the outcome of the operation is important. There is a very little chance that I will loose control from my belly down, so it is yet still uncertain whether I will make it to the National or not. Yesterday I have phoned with the surgeon's secretary. Though she was very polite she could not tell me when I am to be operated on. She could only tell me there is one other patient before me, but if..... or.......and that is why....... In the end she said that I could almost be certain that it would be in the month of March. A fast calculation on my part learned me that if it goes to far to the end of March I will not be able to make it. In which case I hope I will be nominated another year ;-)) and that Daan will have a great time on his own or with another fellow nominee.

Today I have invited Daan to participate in this weblog, so if all goes well, you should be able to read something of his hand on this log real soon.

For now this comes to an end, my daughters have to be tugged in for the night.

CU L8R

Over The Pond Ye Old Colonies.

An introduction

This is the way that it was announced. What does it mean though? Well last year Over The Pond, where COG/GCE made it possible for Guy Young to travel to Europe, was a succes. So Hans-Ove, Ted and Spencer stuck their minds together once more and under guidance of hans-Ove started this years OTP, with the goal to send a GCE member to the COG National 2003 in Asheville North-Carolina.

Last year I happily contributed to the OTP, because I thought and still think it is great that virtual friends make someones dream come through this way. Because of some circumstances I missed Guy while he was overhere, but never the less it felt good to know that I had contributed my bit. When this years OTP was announced I immediately contributed. It was only later that I started thinking who I would nominate, only to learn that someone else, maybe several others, had nominated me. Well I was honoured to be nominated and it didn't take me long to say: Aye.

Well to make a long story short, I was elected to be this years Pondtraveller and decided to start keeping a weblog on the subject, so others and myself can read back how things started to develop, how it all went, etc., etc. and so on.

First thoughts on being selected.

At first nomination alone was honour enough to me. I had some very worthy opponents and like I read on the list where COGgers said they would be more happy if all 5 Nominees could be send over, I felt the same way. Then the elections came. The nominees had to campaign for votes, in other words they had to introduce them to the COGlective (COG/GCE), because not every one knows every thing about the others. So we all started campaigning and as I read what the other nominees wrote I felt they deserved being elected as much or maybe even more than I did. I thought it was a shame that only one could go.

There was a post from Hans-Ove before the voting ended to the nominees, asking their opinion on an idea he had. All five nominees said it was a great idea and said they would cooperate. Just by saying I would cooperate with this I already felt better, because it gave all of us double chances on going to the National, but also it would mean that 2 other nominees could go over that deserved it well, while I was to stay at home. I had and have no problem on staying behind. There is more to live than going to the National, though it is a dream coming through.

The idea of Hans-Ove was quite simple. The winner of the elections would invite the runner up to team up with him, so there would be two Pondtravellers this year.

Well the outcome of the voting came and to my big surprise I was elected winner with 48% of the votes. I felt even more honoured now and I was more eager to go than before. The runnerup was/is Daan Zeydner, a fellow Dutchman. My first reaction was to send him an email saying nothing more than: "WE ARE GOING", which in dutch only takes two words :) Daan accepted the invitation as well so now we are going together to the National.

Meanwhile I have asked the COGlective whether there are sites that I *must* see while I am overthere. Never once did I say that Daan was coming as well, because the honour of telling the COGlective this goes to Hans-Ove. I had several tips and even got an email with an offer of a place to stay. Imagine that.... someone who has never met you invites you to his/her home offering you a bed, an internetconnection and all that. Isn't that great! I am more and more impressed by the powers of the COGlective. As Hans-Ove wrote several times: "YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN!", well you made it happen and gave me a real warm and welcome feeling.