Grandpa Wim bids farewell to cycling to Efteling after seven accidents in three years

Wim cannot say how many years he has been a fanatical visitor to Efteling. “It will be somewhere around thirty,” he says. “I have my own walker at the entrance. I visited the Pagoda and Carnival Festival on Monday, but I mainly came for the chat with the staff.” Almost all of them know ‘Grandpa Wim’, he visited almost every day.

The last time Efteling passed without too much fanfare. “I haven’t given it much publicity either. It makes me very emotional just talking about it,” he says, looking for a tissue for his tears. Wim lives alone and lives too close to qualify for special transport.

Grandpa Wim cycled about 20 kilometers on his electric bicycle every day. That was not only his ride from Dongen to Kaatsheuvel and back, but also through the area. You have to do something to keep fit,” he jokes.

After corona, Grandpa Wim was very happy to be able to cycle to his beloved amusement park again. Unfortunately, that bike ride did not always go smoothly. Three times he cycled into a swinging car door. Twice he collided with another cyclist. One time he hit a car, which gave him a broken shoulder.”

“Actually, it’s not too bad,” says Grandpa Wim. “But after the last collision I lost confidence in myself. Especially because I couldn’t get up myself.”

Another Efteling fan and acquaintance of Grandpa Wim, Conny Ots, heard about Wim’s painful decision. “I think it’s dramatic. The Efteling is his passion and keeps him alive. I have shared his farewell to the Efteling in a closed Efteling Facebook group. Initiatives arose there to start a club to take Grandpa Wim to the Efteling in turn. I hope this really gets off the ground.”

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