June 18: Treasured Time
There’s truly nothing more priceless than time with loved ones, especially when they live across an ocean from you. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to spend time with my 105-year-old grandmother in Morges as well as with some Swiss friends of the family before riding south through France today.
My grandmother and I have always been very close. At age five I traveled alone from the Bay Area to London to spend several weeks with Grannie – exploring local parks, riding horses, skipping down the sidewalk together, and playing Chutes and Ladders on the oriental rugs in her Lowndes Square apartment with her and my grandfather.
Since then, throughout my teen and adult years Grannie always made me feel welcome at both her London and Swiss homes on a regular basis, whether it was inviting me to go skiing in the alps, shopping at Harrods, or hiking through the countryside.
As she aged, Grannie continued to keep a sharp mind well into her late nineties, often imparting words of wisdom to me that I use in my life today. Her tip to “start as you mean to continue” is one I employ in my role as a teacher, setting the ground rules for productivity and respect with my students from day one, making it possible for us to maintain a positive learning environment.
Grannie and I were separated for several years recently due to some concerns her caregivers had and were just reunited this last Christmas, making the time with her this week that much more meaningful.
Both last night and this morning, I was so grateful to be able to encourage and comfort her – giving her some of her favorite foods and drinks, massaging her arms, gently clasping her hands in mine the way we always did, and telling her how much I loved her. When she smiled with contentment, told me “Thank you” multiple times, and said she felt fantastic, it was such a balm to my soul.
This morning, I was doubly blessed to be able to also spend time with two dear friends of Grannie, whom I first met when I was six years old. Willy, who used to ride a motorcycle himself, was enthusiastic about posing with Adventure Baby before I made my push towards the ferry taking me to Africa. I’m glad I will be able to spend more time with them and Grannie when I return for several days after exploring Morocco.
The ride south today gave me the perfect opportunity to test some of the options I have for managing heat in the days ahead as the temperature increased rather dramatically as I got closer to Spain. I’m super thrilled with how much cooler I felt wearing bike shorts instead of jeans under my gear, unzipping ten different vents in my jacket and pants, and hydrating regularly with the two-liter water bladder I set up on the right side of my luggage.
Although time constraints made it necessary to travel over 400 miles on mostly interstate, I’m happy to say that the views were stunning, nonetheless. Dozens and dozens of vineyards lined a variety of fields and foothills, their bright green vines neatly wrapped around posts with the sun beaming down on them. As I neared my destination in Ille Sur Tet, France I was treated to a stunning view of the Balearic Sea on my left, it stunning silver blue waters glistening in the heat.
The town itself is just the kind of place I like to stop for the night – small enough to be free of heavy traffic and large hotels but big enough to have a gas station and grocery store. The little hotel I’m staying at is connected to a Vietnamese restaurant managed by the same person. As advised by the owner, I’m leaving Adventure Baby parked across the street at the police station. With a great day of riding behind me and a stomach full of delicious Vietnamese food from La Table de Mai Ly, I know I’ll get a great night’s sleep.
