Easy riders

Wyckerpoort

In a rickshaw

They use rickshaws: special bikes with seats at the front. The rides are free. You can choose the route and duration yourself, or decide together with the driver. We join them for a ride on a Monday afternoon in August.

Jan Hover (pictured right) is 74 and lives at the Koepelhof care home. He takes a seat on the rickshaw’s bench. Bert Timmers is sitting next to him; he’s an activities coordinator at the care home. Jos Huisman, chair of Fietsen Alle Jaren Maastricht, sits at the handlebars. Today’s destination? Kasteel Vaeshartelt.

The second time

It’s not Jan’s first time in the rickshaw – it’s his second. He’s clearly caught the bug. “It’s nice to get out for a bit,” he says. His first ride was through the city, including Wyck. “I’m from Wyck. We stopped for a drink at Lure, and cycled past my old family home on Sint Antoniuslaan.”

For the road

As the men come out of the Koepelstraat, they attract plenty of attention. People wave from their balconies, and the trio cheerfully wave back. It’s a windy day, but warm enough that no one needs a coat. Jan’s cup and special fork come along for the ride, though. “In case we eat or drink something along the way,” he explains. “I had a stroke 9 years ago. Eating and walking are difficult for me now.”

A bit of training

Jos steers the rickshaw onto the Groene Loper with ease. That wasn’t the case on his first try. “That was in Nijmegen, during training,” he recalls. “You have to pay attention to a lot of things: traffic, the width of the bike, the poles along the road. And your view is limited by the cover above the seat.”

Connection

Bert often rides the rickshaw too. “The great thing is that you open up someone’s world,” he says. “On Fridays I sometimes take residents from Koepelhof to the market. Not to buy anything, but just to wander around, like in the old days.” Jos nods: “You hear so many stories along the way: about the past, about Maastricht, about life. There’s a real connection: with me, but also with the surroundings.”

On the terrace of Kasteel Vaeshartelt, the 3 of them are chatting away: about the care home, Jan’s working life, and of course about Wyck. Even the couple at the next table join in. “That social part is so important,” Jos says. “You can see people truly enjoying themselves. And I enjoy it too.”