Nice Bikes

Those two words started our friendship with Ali & Rob. 

Two years ago we were walking our bikes through the crowded sidewalk of La Roque when I passed two red Trek Domane bikes (identical to ours) when I remarked "nice bikes". A couple on the other side of wall immediately responded with their appreciative English responses. We conversed for a few moments until Kim caught up and we started exchanging favorite Dordogne riding routes. In a few more moments we were seated at their table pointing to the paper map we used to carry. 

One subject turned to another and our contact information was exchanged. They told us they have a house in Domme so we scheduled a day to meet in their neighborhood for an informal Charcuterie lunch just around the corner from their place. Since then we have connected on several occasions including Pasta Bolognaise at our place. 

They are avid cyclists and until today we have never ridden together. We met at the bottom of our hill and took a leisurely climb to Saint Laurent on a very cool cloud covered morning.

Coffee was on the return leg at a Tabac in Saint Pompont with locally provided pastries.

They are brits who call Bristol home, but alternate every two weeks between the UK and Domme. Not a bad combination unlike our frenetic movement between Vail, Sonoma, Arizona, and France. Europe so compressed you can travel through a number of countries in a distance less than Vail to San Francisco. 

We managed to clock in at about 28 miles but meager climbing and no killer grades. Getting together with them is always a pleasure even with the occasional deep dive down the political rabbit hole. It has been said that when the US sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold. Even small home grown conflicts have more significant consequences an ocean away.

Today was also a first. Even though we have done rides with American friends this was the first time we have ever ridden with locally discovered cyclists. 

Kim and Ali are already planning our next get together which will be either dinner out or in, and one or more rides while they are in residence. 

To paraphrase a decades old Honda motorcycle commercial... you meet the nicest people on a "Trek". 

A final thought: although we have not computed the collective count on our combined fingers and toes... but think we have more friends closer in age to our kids then those in our generation. Our ultimate goal is for our friend group to be closer in age to our grandkids' ages.