UKATANI

Couple a degrees above 0° c, layered up x 3. Very unusual design and engineered, so that riders feet can be flat on ground sitting on seat. 36 volt x 250 watt front wheel drive motor, 9 AH battery, 7 speed hub gears, enclosed chain, 24 inch wheels, fat comfort tires.  Bought it... Marjo's first ebike...first any bike...gets more confidence every ride It is a specially designed, 'balance' bike and rider can put both feet on ground while sitting on seat.  The pedals are located a little further forward than a normal bike. 24" wheels. It is very comfortable and easy to ride. We can't catch her when she turns on 'boost' power and heads for home.  Rigging to ride to town  Just making sure we are not lost....aside...all bike roads, trails etc extremely well marked. Some of the gear, necessary, for me 3 layers ...need a helper to dress\ undress

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/fietsen-en-brommers/fietsen-dames-damesfietsen/m1345228757-gazelle-balance-innergy.html?c=8c285449651fa109c354bbabe740c1b&previousPage=lr Found the perfect bike for Marjo, on Marktplaats, right here, in Varsseveld,  3.5 k from UKATANI . 24 inch wheels allow her to put feet flat on ground while sitting on large seat, 36v battery, 310 WH, 250 volt motor, Front wheel drive, 7 internal hub gears, rim brakes,  Actually a better bike, for her than the van Raam.  It is made by Gazelle, another long time Dutch bike manufacturer. Low, easy Rider chopper style, but perfect for Marjo.  Have rented it for a week for a trial.  She is faster on Boost than Maarten or I,  we can not catch her. It's 'huge ' that she now is comfortable and confident on 2 wheels. It's about 3°, bloody cold for us. Locals whizzing by with no hats, no gloves . ..we are layered up wearing 3 of everything.  It is a new world. Marjo loves the 2nd hand e bike

We visited Van Raam bicycle factory in Varsseveld, just 3km from Ukatani.  After seeing some custom unusual bikes, trikes, quads, etc for seniors and handicapped.  We discovered that they gave private appointments and factory tours.  We made an appointment and we're surprised to get VIP treatment and an English speaking guide. Marjolein did not grow up on bike, like most Dutch kids and was very insecure.  Any bike she rode was too big. Van Raam specializes in custom senior bikes, trikes, quads, side by side tandems, any combination. She was fitted for a van Raam bike called 'Balance'.  This bike'shop geometry is factored for seniors, handicapped, etc. and she got a presentation, a demo ride, a factory tour ( with free cup of really good coffee ) and a massive quote of €4500 + six weeks wait for a bike. Customer frame for side by side tandem, restrictions on width, due to width of Dutch bicycle roads   The manufacturing is pretty much autom

https://www.geldersepost.nl/nieuws/algemeen/232106/geen-water-voor-ijsbaan-varsseveld-door-droge-zomer-

The beam over front door

He lived onsite, build took him 2/1/2 years Basement is bigger than house, lots of steel Framed up and recycled brick Polish brickies Before recycled barn tile installed One xmas The basement underneath is bigger than the house, ha 2.5 metres ceiling height and was commercial workshop for the builders wood building business Dismantling and salvaging old house

It is late fall, leaf raking, cleaning valleys and gutters and pruning time Estate manager, Maarten  (M's brother) is doing all de work, i just doing de squire stuff, like supervising,

Ripped out the old halogen existing cooktop and installed an Induction cooktop. Really nice, Ukitani is wired for 380 volts, single phase, as the previous owner had his business workshop in the basement with a lot of big old woodworking machines, all pro stuff. This cooktop has 4 burners, two which can be boosted to 2100 watts (for de Wok). Smooth as as a gravy sandwich.

Of course, first thing the Contessa fired up was the sewing machine and started making rope baskets.

There is a tribe of 'hobbits' that live next door, amongst the trees (see the aerial) , have met a few. One of them, John, is a Pommie that has been in Holland for many years.  His hobby is astronomy. We were looking at the moon and stars....showed me the 'sea of tranquility' and the spot where Armstrong landed. His gear is fantastic.  The scope is motorized and connected to an app on his iPhone and Apple laptop. It tracks the object sighted. Holland is cloudy a lot and there is a less light pollution in our sparsely  (for Holland) populated area. Of course we had a few of the local brews (€10 a case) and I saw objects that may not have been in the heavens.

The new gentry.... Us country squires have modernized and traded in our shooting-breaks and Land Rovers fot E-bikes and fleece lined crocs. Must get me a pair of green rubber Wellingtons,  what ?

The neighbours behind us are digging out an existing pond and returning the land to 'nature' Removing the exotic birds, pea fowl,  swans, fancy ducks...pond will be stocked. There are squirrels, deer, hares, pheasants and lots of birds. There is a moratorium on building in this village, so no structures can be built here. The pond will be stocked with native fish.

The adventure begins 01 November, 2018

Now, let me see if I can post this by myself.......mmmm