Solo

Gotta say, really enjoying being alone right now. After a few weeks (4 actually) of living with others, being back by myself is great. It is so much more relaxing and easier to keep everything clean and functioning. No more of the game, where did this or that go? you just know. But for every good thing in life, there has to be something out there keeping it in balance right? Well, let me highlight my train ride back to France the other day.

Get to train station at 2 o clock to get ticket-okey dokey no problems, get TGV ticket from Lille to Paris, women at counter makes note of "long travel day with suitcase and bike huh" (remember this comment she makes). Ticket is for a departure time of 3. Sweet.

2:45 comes and I get on said train, slight problem, there is no bike rack so I sit in the cargo area with my bike. One of the train conductors said no problem.

2:55 Huh, more important train conductor sees said person sitting in cargo area with bike and kicks him off the train. "This is not acceptable, you cannot sit here, you must wait for a later train with bike racks" important man says. Erik then gets to watch the 2 conductors argue over it and eventually the boss wins the argument and the American (me) really loses out, even though there was ample space for me. And remember, the ticket women knew I had a bike and still put me on this train too.

Thankfully, the first conductor takes me to back office and pulls some strings to get me onto the next train an hour later there is a specific bike room, but only catch is that I have 20 minutes to make my connection train in Paris. That is from Paris Nord to Paris St Lazare. He thinks it is possible, but cannot promise anything. I am set to get into Paris at 5:30 with next train leaving at 5:50

4 o clock and I am leaving Lille heading for Paris, schweet.

5:30 comes and goes and I am still on the train trying to get to Paris. We do not eventually get in until 5:45, and my conductor flat out says I will not make my connection and gives me a sheet basically saying "accidents happen, put ticket holder on another train"

What I did not think about though was trying to get from one train station to the other at rush hour in downtown Paris on a Monday night with luggage and a bike. Time from entering Subway to finally exiting-1 hour 15 minutes.

I am now time wise at the time that had I followed my original schedule, would be sitting at home relaxing with a cold beer, but no, I am stuck in a line trying to get a new ticket.

7 o clock and I finally get a ticket to Vernon on a commuter train with a cargo room. I get to stay there with my bike and finally I get into Vernon at 8 o clock, original arrival time-5:40. AWESOME!!

But, alas, all is not done. I still have 6.7 kilometers to go from train station to home. Remember, this is France and July or August are holiday months too. My director is on holiday in southern France, many teammates are gone and unavailable. Where does this leave Erik. Well, he has a suitcase with wheels, a bike, only 1 backpack, and a decent road to get home. Off he goes rolling down the road on his bike with said suitcase rolling next to him. It is not fast, nor is it efficient, but it gets the job done and gives passing motorists something to laugh at. All I am thinking is that there has to be a market for ceramic bearings in suitcase wheels and I need a pair.

But, getting home felt so nice and now I am getting to house sit for my director for 2 weeks. And guess what, that cold beer tasted even better given the circumstances.