Biking to Friendship

We met Mike and Jean when we were on a biking trip across the Netherlands and Belgium. I had not been on a bike in 30 years.

“Don’t worry” Art cajoled. “You’ll be fine. Just think of biking along roads lined with swaying tulips.”

He got me padded underpants, padded seat covers and we were on our way. Granted, he did everything he could think of to get me ready, but I am not in as good a shape as he is and this trip could have caused a divorce.

The roads of the Netherlands were not lined with tulips, but we did see the most magnificent tulips in the world at Keukenhof Tulip Garden. That and meeting Jean and Mike are probably what saved our marriage.

Throughout our Netherlands trip, Jean was truly the wind beneath my wings, keeping me upright on my bike even when I thought my legs could not pump another mile. She wasn’t a seasoned biker either, but she is a teacher with unflagging spirit and put me to shame. Mike and Art were with the faster bikers so I became Jean’s “student” to watch over. She probably stopped me from pushing Art into one of the canals or hanging him off a windmill for putting me on the bike in the first place.

We’ve been on a couple of other tours and met people we really enjoyed getting to know. We thought we would keep in contact, but the relationships did not last more than a year after the trips.

Jean and Mike were different. We became real friends. When we drove cross country to drop off our van at the coast, Jean came to pick us up and take us to our hotel even though the area was far and not familiar to her. Mike couldn’t come because he’s a pilot and was flying.

We loved getting to see Jean and Mike again last week, along with Jean’s mother in California. I wish they lived closer, but at least we get to see them whenever we go to visit Art’s sister and brother-in-law.

I’m so glad that some friendships can stand the test of time and distance.