Tuesday 31 March 2015

My super duper Italwin Cruiser electric bike!

Last summer I had rather a big birthday! For my present my lovely husband bought me an Italwin Cruiser electric bike so that I could get to work in style! I just want to say I LOVE IT!!

It was a bit of a lifestyle choice: dragging my bum up the steep hill at Arabona (just outside Sulmona) every night on the way home from work didn't seem to be getting any easier despite the number of times I had done it and some days when I really didn't feel like I could face the hill, I sometimes found myself taking the easy option of taking the car instead, even though it went against my ideals of sustainable travel...funny how quickly ideals can get replaced by comfort.

So, the cruiser arrived and my mother in law bought me the ultimate girlie accessory in the Basil Purple Blossom bike panniers, so I no longer have to squash all my teaching material into a rucksack.

Basil - BLOSSOM

No petrol and no tax, this is our family's eco friendly, cost effective alternative to a second car. I absolutely love getting on it and whizzing to work - so much so I'm sure I look like a grinning maniac as I pass people in town. They always looked petrified as I zoom up behind them and they haven't heard me which gives me an extra chuckle! Now I just have to get my PV solar panels in place to recharge the battery and this will be the ultimate stylish eco commuting-machine. And here it is at the comune...




Sunday 1 March 2015

Windmills in the Sun

For eight years we sat at the bottom of our mountains looking up at the wind turbines and promising every summer to go up and have a closer look. Well, it may have taken 8 years, but we finally made it up there last autumn and what a pile of fun we had! At the top of the mountains, by the pine forest we had a great time climbing, exploring and playing hide and seek.

Some people love 'em, some people hate 'em but whatever you're opinion, up close they are huge imposing feats of super, sleek engineering and I suppose, I just like the way they look. Plus they are creating sustainable energy...what more does a green girl need?! ...Well, the restaurant lunch and glass of wine on the way down didn't go amiss I suppose...hope you like the phots!