Back in 1993 Valerie and I went to England for a vacation, and we took our tandem bike with us. We planned to tour the country during our stay, but wound up taking a side trip to Blackpool without the bike (there were a few roller coasters that needed to be ridden there).
During this trip we enjoyed the hospitality of many people who members of the [British] Tandem Club. We were perhaps a little rough around the edges for some of these folks, as we still smoked at the time (which doesn't really seem compatible with the "healthy" cycling lifestyle). There was one couple who befriended us that we've kept in touch with ever since... it pains me that the commute is so big as they're the kind of people you'd love to have over for dinner at least monthly.
After my last post ("It was Twenty Years Ago Today"), Graham sent the following e-mail... which is so priceless that I've got to share it!
We always love your blog! I've never really been a beer drinker and when you were about to visit us for the first time in England those many years ago (in fact half an hour before you and Valerie arrived) I rushed to the store and bought a box of 24 Budweiser - the only "American" beer I could name. And I hate the stuff! Imagine my shock/horror/gloom when I offered you a beer and you said "no thanks, we're reformed alcoholics"! I think that we still have some of the cans!
I don't think I ever told you this before, did I?
No... you didn't! But thank you for sharing it now -- it just shows an even deeper side to your kindness and hospitality!
As I seem to recall, this is the same guy who borrowed a friend's lorry and then went looking for us along a cycle path that ran between Bath and Bristol just in case we were tired and couldn't quite make it all the way to his home. He arrived just as we pedalled by, and tried to run after us calling, "Rich! Rich!" The wind was in our ears, and we thought we heard some lunatic yelling, "Bridge! Bridge!" I brought the bike to a stop just in case this person knew something about the trail ahead that I needed to find out about... like a bridge that out. Instead it was just Graham, making sure that we were okay and giving us his first welcome to the area!
Between Graham and his amazing wife "Ros", there couldn't be two nicer people on the planet. If more people were like them, this world would be far better off. My thanks to both of you for some marvelous memories!
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