So when I left that afternoon Olivier said "we will see you for the ride tomorrow." It wasn't a question. I'd told him about my ride earlier and about my injury. Neither of these were relevant facts in Olivier's world. "you have to ride" was his answer.
So, early the next day in late September I was pedaling back to the AS shop. I met a lovely group of cyclists that morning. most of whom seemed older than I at 52. There were two young guys, and everyone was welcoming and friendly despite my poor language skills. Some were on Singers, some on vintage Peugeot and Colnago road bikes and a few newer fancy machines. My Slate was the oddball with its fat 650b tires and lefty fork. Combined with my lousy state of fitness I definitely felt some trepidation. Olivier led out with a brisk warmup along the Seine, heading out of town towards Versailles. I realized as soon as we hit some hills that I was without a doubt the weakest link of this chain. I was OK to keep up in the group, shielded from the wind and chatting away in my broken French, but once the road went upwards I was quickly spit off the back.
They were all nice enough to wait at the top, and there was no ribbing or eyerolls one gets in the "serious" road groups I've ridden with. This continued for the ride all the way to the halfway point near Rambouillet (the PBP start last time BTW) where we stopped for a pause of coffee and food. Many had heavy Belgian beers...in the middle of a brisk 100k ride...OK then. The conversation flowed, much of which I wasn't getting. My French really suffered during COVID with staying home so much, and I never did have a lot of the slang and shorthand versions of things. It was, nonetheless, a very enjoyable, if short, break.
On the way back I was definitely unable to keep pace. Olivier would drift back and encourage me to "pedale plus forte!" He was encouraging but I had the impression he wanted to judge my level of commitment as a rider. It was clear to me this was a part of the process when you order a bike from him. At one point the guy in front of me dropped his chain and I stopped to catch my breath and hold his bike up as he remounted it. We lost thr group and ended up riding all the way back together, he waiting for me at every hillcrest. I kept telling him to go ahead, as I knew the area well and could find my own way, but he claimed to not know the way. He's lived in Paris for decades mind you. Nice guy.
We got back and parted ways as we neared where I live. I needed to get home and ice my knee, as much as a few drinks with the group sounded attractive. It took a week to recover, again, but it showed me that I can still push and improve. I was glad I went to find that out, but all the more so to meet some of the wonderful folks in this circle.
The next week Olivier asked me to swing by the shop to discuss some build details...handlebar choices and such. I came by in the early afternoon, and while we did discuss some details (and he convinced me to change some choices), it ended up being an intro to a few of the group that hangs around. I met Thomas and Christian, a couple of French guys my age who both ride Singers and had their bikes with them to prep for the ride the next day. We drank a few friendly libations... and then a few more, all while talking bikes, the group there, and rides we'd all done. It was like an ad hoc welcome into a circle of friends, the crowd of cycling enthusiasts who orbit the sun of Olivier's shop.
We went downstairs and worked on their bikes (I watched and took pics), as they tuned and cleaned their Singers for the next day. Thomas's bike is close to exactly what I've ordered, a true randonneur in chrome and leather. We're also the same height, but I demurred when he offered to let me take it for a ride. Just didn't seem right. Christian had a lovely blue single speed fixie, but the frame is built so that he can run a derailleur for "when he gets older and weaker" as he put it.
Then Christian went and grabbed a few beers and brought them back, and we had one last drink before going our separate ways. Nice folks, warm and welcoming, even to a weird American who speaks lousy French. Oliver showed some photos from their group rides and their annual group journey down south to the Dordogne region. We all went our separate ways, although I will not join the group ride again until my strength and fitness improve. I now have good reasons to set up the trainer this winter and interval hell my way through the dark days of December and January.
I grabbed some pics while there:
Thomas and his gorgeous randonneur
Rack detail
Christian and Olivier (in the dark sweatshirt) discussing his brakes
Scads of hanging classics
Bike about to be shipped to a customer in France
This frame caught my eye, one of dozens hanging in the shop
Christian's fixie