The Beginnings

This June 3 I have my sixtieth birthday. Thirty years ago Jenny and I sat at our kitchen table in Brooklyn on a winter's eve discussing where we would like to travel. We both were of a mind to change our work environments, so why not take a break? One of us mentioned France...we still don't know who started this conversation. But what followed became a life event.

Each of us had traveled through Europe during our separate student abroad days, but neither of us had spent much time in France. Robbie only a little as he hitch-hiked from Copenhagen to Barcelona. That turned out not to be a very good idea...but as occurs when you are open to unplanned events, becoming open to the moment...grand experiences open before you. More on this later.

"How long to stay?"
"Doesn't seem worthwhile for less than six months."
"We can't afford to rent a car or even travel by train for six months. How do we get around to see more of the country?"
"Let's take a bike!"

Yeah. right! We each had second, or third, or fourth hand (very) old Raleigh three-speed bicycles that we pulled out once a year to ride to a spring picnic somewhere. What did we know about traveling by bike?

Nada!

But the one thing that pulled this off? Tell your friends the next day and week that this is what you are going to do. Then you have to follow through.

Two years ago I mentioned to Jenny I had an idea to ride cross country.

Robbie and Jenny, France, 1983

 

Robbie and Jenny, New York State, 2012

“Yeah, sure. You just do that honey." Good rule number one...give your spouse plenty of lead time, then remind them occasionally that you're serious until it begins to sink in that you're serious.

Will this work?

 

By the way...we haven't changed at all...except for the bike helmets.

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