Following the tradition established in August 2020 to commemorate the arrival of the first Mennonites in Manitoba, in 2023 I took the opportunity while visiting my wife’s family in the Netherlands to run to the birthplace of Menno Simons himself. Fortunately my in-laws live only a half-marathon distance from Witmarsum, so the mission could be accomplished without disturbing our family vacationing plans.
Here is a zine chronicling the adventure. See below for some photos taken along the way.
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_9262-scaled.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_9263-scaled.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_9264-scaled.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_9265-scaled.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_9266-scaled.jpg)
Here are some photos taken along the way. (Check out the 2022 installation to note the sub-tradition I’ve started of wearing my trusty yellow shirt on these adventures.)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_4681-769x1024.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_4684-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_4690-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_4694-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_4699-768x1024.jpeg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_4691-1024x768.jpeg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_4703-768x1024.jpeg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_4705-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_4718-768x1024.jpeg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_4723-768x1024.jpeg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_4710-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_4726-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://brentmanke.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_4730-768x1024.jpeg)
Thanks for coming along for this adventure!