As some of you know, I have been bicycling for a long time. My first car was a Schwinn when I was 12. I think I paid $169 for it then, and I still remember it. Well since we have lived here, we are back into the sport big time, but that's easy because everyone here has at least some kind of bicycle.
Last Sunday, I rode about 40 miles with SMUS, the local bike club on an organized ride through the french countryside. You never know who you are going to ride with, and there are a variety of routes each Sunday morning for all kinds of riders. I try to stay safe and choose the shorter routes, knowing that the big boy racers will tackle something much more ambitious. Me, I am just out to see the swans, the chateaux, and the sheep grazing in the forest. A real highlight was a beautiful black squirrel a few weeks ago, and a black swan.
Now I am not the fastest, or the strongest, but I like the outing if I can get in the right group. When I showed up last Sunday, there were two choices for me 60km or 40 km. Since I had ridden 10k there and had 10k to ride back, I was leaning towards the 40k anyway, but when I went to sign up I saw Jean, a woman in her 80s signing up and wondering who else would do the short loop. She seemed delighted that I was there, and I was happy not to have to figure out the route on my own! Jean had no trouble with 40 km, and rode up the steepest part of the ride on her granny gear, while many others walked (not me). She knew every turn and every hill we climbed and said she had ridden this route for years. It was a great ride, and a nice experience for this young rider.
I hope I can stay that strong and that vibrant.
Happy trails.
