Chris' Big Trip

One of the great perks of my job as the Special Projects Cooridinator at our college is traveling to France each fall to interview new students entering our spring Poli Sci program. Back in 2003, I figured out that I could take my bike with me and meet a whole new group of people and explore France by bike in between assignments.

One of the clubs I've ridden with over the years is the Houilles club. I met Jean-Manuel several years ago while waiting in the forest near St. Germain for another training group I'd met the year before. Standing in the rain, disappointed that I'd missed them, a group of blue and yellow jerseys came by. I tagged on to the back of the group, the ugly duckling in my orange and red Free Flight jersey and did my best to slaughter the French language. Soon one of the club's English speakers rotated next to me and my friendship with Jean-Manuel was born.

This year I'm lucky enough to be able to plan my visit to allow three organized rides with the club. The first will be a new one for me, Versailles-Chambord, a 216k randonnee south to the beautiful hunting castle of Francois the 1st in Chambord.

Also on the docket is the 150k De Selle en Selle randonnee from Maisons-Laffitte to Chantilly and back, the two premier equestrian centers of France (the first built by Louis XIV's ill-fated minister of the treasury and the second the home of Chantilly whipped cream).

Stay tuned.