“S**t! This is not a good day!“, I thought, as Komoot announced that I had arrived – and I realized this does NOT look like the place that Gerrit had described.
Just an hour ago pedestrians in a busy Roeselare street swung around startled as one of my bike luggage bags broke loose and came down crashing and screeching on the cobblestone street. It took me a few pedal strokes to realize what was happening as the bag was being dragged along by a remaining thread of luggage strap… toothbrush, underpants and some leftover salami pieces falling out as we went…
So I had to do some streetside repairs with cable ties I had with me on the bicycle (bless my father’s soul for this advice years ago: always carry cable ties for emergency repair of anything!).
For my ego: no repairs were available.
But now – a while later – standing in the icy wind and fidgeting with Komoot – it transpired there are TWO Schardauw streets: one in Izegem and one in Ledegem… So I was at the right address in the wrong town!
On top of that I was just beginning to recover from an indecent bout of flu/bronchitis a week earlier.
Not a good day… what should have been a shortish, leisurely trip to my new AirBnB spot, took about three hours to complete.
But eventually my fully laden bike rolled onto the lawn in front of Gerrit’s house, and he waved me closer. Before I had even disembarked, we were friends! Him in Flemish, me in Afrikaans.
What followed that afternoon and the following days were sessions with delicious Omer beers, snacks and hours of interesting chats and discussions in Gerrit’s man-cave. One of his late-night messages on my phone says “Goeste in een biertje Fred?” How lovely: not just the marvelous Flemish word (“goeste“), but the invitation and sentiment itself.
Yes – there in Ledegem – at De Wolvenhoeve – is where Gerrit and Evelyn live – with their four children – some of them early teenagers, some of them with specific life challenges.
This is where “the wolves” welcome guests in the lovely apartment, where they keep chickens, build tree houses, play games, work on their dreams, build a future, and spend much time with the four kids.
Thank you, Gerrit, for sharing what you have, for being there immediately when a guest needs a ride to Izegem, for your time, the wonderful beers, the “varkenswangetjes” and the deep discussions about work-life balance, health, sport, and how young people should be growing up.
Some friends have asked me: “WHY LEDEGEM? It’s in the middle of nowhere. You always go to stay in such random places. Why not Ieper or Brugge?“
Maybe THIS is why.
Sometimes the deepest mines produce the goldest nuggets.
