On the Ranch

We’ve been on the road for over a week now, retracing routes to make sure all is perfect for our guests, and finding new ones. Our favorite part of the day is when we find a back road or alley that makes our riding particularly unique. We discovered a new favorite road yesterday — practically an alleyway — on the edge of a steep mountainside, meandering its way through hanging villages overlooking a beautiful emerald river, starting to gush a gorgeous glacial silt green from the spring melt. Andy coined it “Kimmie’s Secret Stash.” It is. We’ll save this one for our last day, so you can say good-bye to the Alps properly.



We’re also in search of unique dining experiences. If you’ve never had Raclette you must try it. Did I really eat half a wheel of cheese? Well, met my cheese quotient for the year! Andy says that it’s a good source of calcium. Hmmm…

I can think of so many moments on our test-ride over Col d’Aravis yesterday where I just wanted to scream with excitement. I get so tickled inside at the thought of being able to share this with you all. Of learning a new back road that we just have to add into the itinerary, or a new little climb that affords you an entire hour of the soft clanging song of cowbells, and the views at every turn of a small village far below and dramatic white peaks far above. Make sure you are riding at home! Because we want to throw in a few of our favorite “extras”, meaning added loops here and there. Yeah, that means a few extra kilometers, but you’ll devour each and every one. We know you will…

Van Rats — We live and work out of our van.





We live off of sandwiches of cheese and ham.





We ride. And we find an office to work in whenever we can.

Ah, so good to be home… I called Pierre, our friend who helped us last year before our inaugural Dude Girl Adventure in the Alps (read more about Pierre and his family in my blog post from May 15th 2004) from Lyon to tell him we were on our way and his usual calm even at my last-minute notices, he said he would meet with me at MacDoe (McDonalds). And as usual, the entire family showed — Pierre, Colette, Johan, Marina. It’s like getting 4-for-1!



Pierre and Colette invited us for dinner and to stay the night. We accepted, and the smell of good things in the oven made us curious. We stood in the kitchen and watched Colette shave chocolate pieces into a cake batter and then load it in the oven as she pulled a local specialty breakfast pastry out of the oven. Dinner tasted so good with familiar and missed faces around me. Not that Andy isn’t a familiar and missed face! The food was great too: Home-made zucchini soup followed by a traditional sausage and potato dish.




It was the best night’s sleep so far this trip, and the next day Pierre took us on one of his local loops to get our legs warmed up for Alps riding ahead. A little lunch launched us for our next stop, a small village high in the Alps called Hauteluce. We bid farewell, but I assured Pierre we would call him for his assistance should we run into problems / challenges. He is our Master Problem Solver. At least he was last year. Hope the Ludi’s don’t get tired of us; we love them!

A practically bursting-at-the-seams Peugot 206 speeds us into the back alleys of the old section of Lyon. Cobbled streets separate two major rivers, the Rhone and the Saone, from the grandiose palace of white overlooking the city and monitoring our fun. We tuck into La Cour des Loges, once an old abbey built in the 13th century. Transported to another time.


Then awakened by our own hunger, we amble our cobbled path to Notre Maison (our house) and seat ourselves to a simply country dinner, typically Lyonnais, of Pig’s Feet, Salad with Chicken Liver, Sausage stewed in red wine with Lentils, a carafe of wine of the region, decadent desserts of chocolate and pralines, and finally a bottle of Rum plunked down on the table not because we asked for it, but simply because the waiter noticed we were having a good time and encouraged us to stay and extend our evening enjoyment. Despite our instincts on some of the menu items, it was all delicious.


Laurent and Bruno, the proprietor, joined us at the table to confide and share as if we were old friends dropping by. We felt happy in this place. Happy enough to avoid returning to our hotel. It was midnight in Lyon. The nearby river beckoned us to stroll and to wander a few more narrow passageways, where we stumbled upon a lone musician singing to the rock walls and his dog, Venus. Another man, closing his restaurant, invited us in for a drink. Suddenly it’s 2 AM in Lyon. Tonight was one of those perfect French evenings that I often have here – simple and yet so pleasant. Favorite Moments:

• Every restaurant named ‘bouchon lyonnaise’
• After dinner drinks with Bruno and Laurent
• Discovering Cour de Loges — so excited to share it with you!

I hope our guests will spend a day wandering Lyon before the trip begins. Today we literally ran into the Farmers Market on our circuitous river crossing run — back and forth across the Saone was lots of fun on foot and beautiful!



To finish our run we tracked back through the market and loaded up on Strawbabies — veritable sugar bombs. Andy laughed at how overcome I was by their sweetness! Two Brioches au chocolate to wash down with plus forte French coffee. At French Farmers’ Markets I always wish I was going home to cook for friends and family so I could load up on fresh artisanal cheeses and glistening produce and confiture (jams) and meats, local fish, and fresh cut flowers.



Alas, we left it all behind for a hike to the Basilica overlooking the City. Impressive sight from on high as well as from below. Back at the hotel, we settled into our afternoon work while sipping champagne and nibbling on canapes — one of my favorite parts of the day in France. Our concierge, Gerard, helped us find the perfect restaurant for our mood this evening — a book store bistro with wonderful food and wine list. Noix St. Jacques — scallops crusted with peanuts and served with rhubarb sauce — was my choice. Andy had baked Turbot fillet (fish) with jumbo white asparagus. We shared a dessert that was a magic concoction of Strawberry Rhubarb, layered shades of pink and red and cream — enough talk about food. I’m hungry again!

• Running through the Farmers’ Market
• Lunch at Cafe Epicerie — simply spiced terrines and salad
• Climbing the stairs through the Rose Garden to the imposing Basilica
• Champagne and Canapes while Blogging
• Dinner at a Book Store? YES! Le Caro

We’ve spent months preparing for this. Finally here in France making the final preparations before our guests arrive. It’s so exciting. We’re feeling it! Met a food critic and writer on the flight over two days ago. Usually I try to show up in France ready to hammer–meaning I sleep on the flight over. I blame it on Henri for keeping me awake for 8 hours from DC to Paris. We chatted the whole way. But if I blame him I also have to thank him. Andy and I invited Henri to dinner with us one eve and now it feels like he is our personal Paris consultant — commenting on hotels that we know and haven’t yet discovered, on restaurants, tea houses, the best shopping, salons — yes, Henri is tres chic. I feel like a collector of Paris secrets, wandering the cobbled alleys with a sack on my back and Henri just keeps loading it with stuff until it’s bulging and heavy. So glad to have a new friend… We can’t wait to share all of this with our July guests! Now on the train to Lyon, our gateway to my favorite region in France, the majestic Alps! Can’t wait to see my French Family, the Ludi’s who were so generous with Dude Girl last year and who are hosting our first day’s ride and lunch this year! We’ll update you on our wanderings from the Alps very soon! GiddyUp! Favorite Moments in Paris:

• Dinner with Henri at Cafe Marly with view of the Louvre.
• Lunch at Musee Jacquesmart Andree. Beautiful salads, surrounded by colorful tapestries and sculptures with Andy and Henri.
• Despite Henri’s recommendation away from it, we had one of our best meals in Paris at a new all-night hotspot called Music Hall.
• French men dance around tables of women.

Memories of our 2004 Trip — group at top of l’Alpe d’Huez