Cycling Brings Two Soomom Ambassadors Together
Words & Pictures: Ronald VD Boon
Social media can help you find people who share the same passion and connect with them. Today was the day when Ronald met up with Jeroen — two Soomom ambassadors, finally face to face.
We have followed and responded to each other on Instagram for some time, and we discovered we don't live that much apart. We even ride the same routes sometimes without knowing. But that all changed after we both came on board with Soomom as ambassadors, and we took this opportunity to finally meet in person.
A Scenic Day on the Saddle
The alarm clock was set early and it was still dark while it was ringing. I got out of bed and made a good oatmeal breakfast. Everything was packed the night before. We planned to meet up at a place I don't come to all that often, the National Park of South Kennemerland, a delightful corner of the Netherlands. It's a beautiful dune and woodland area with long stretches of roads flowing through pristine nature.
Meeting an Old Friend for the First Time
Jeroen pulled up in his car a couple of minutes later. Jeroen, with his attractive red Canyon endurance road bike, while I got my special Cannondale gravel bike ready. These early fall mornings are chilly in the Netherlands, so you need to layer up. We both made the most of our Soomom gear — the Pro Classic thermal jersey and a Lightweight Windproof jacket.
Lots to Catch Up On
After a quick break to shoot some photos of the sunrise we head out on a more gravel path. Since Jeroen and I met online through Instagram we really don't know all that much about each other. We talk about our families, our backgrounds and also what drives us as people. Jeroen told me about his experience in the army — a soldier in the special forces for many years.
Soomom Family
Continuing through the woods and open dune field the sun shone its glorious yellow orange glow. Talking about the technical side of the Soomom clothing together we agreed all the little details, like the off-center zippers, were of good use. We have ridden with many clothing brands and Soomom is a brand we both feel connected to — not only the fabrics, but all the technical features and the Soomom culture built by the Ambassadors.
Riding with a trained machine like Jeroen made me dig a little deeper on the way up.
Climbing High
We arrived to a place that is a little unique in this area, a short but steep climb called "Kopje of Bloemendaal". This iconic climb is a must to ride but it can leave you out of breath very quickly. You have to pace yourself, especially in the beginning, because that's the rough part. Riding this section of 10% elevation on a cobbled road is tough.
Family and Cycling
Later on we talked about family. I'm a real family man and nothing is more important to me than my wife and 3 kids. We have been through hard times these past years, with a complete low when my daughter was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. That really was a tough time, but luckily and happily she is alright now. What helped though was keeping focused on our faith and the things that matter most in life. Riding outside in nature made me feel at rest again.
Until We Ride Again
We ended our ride by cooling down and heading to the parking lot. It was a great experience meeting up for both of us. We promised each other we would do this more often.
