Season 5. Episode 1. Charlie comes to Paris!

Season 5. Episode 1. Charlie comes to Paris!

August 12, 2025

Upon arrival at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport, our first order of business was getting our bikes reassembled and second was getting into the city. 

Actually the first order upon landing and having a cell signal was checking my AirTags and seeing our bikes were indeed in Paris. To my relief, both of our bikes were with us. (BTW if you ever check bags, AirTags are a must. Airlines will now accept your location info to faster retrieve your stray luggage.)

For the first time on our self-supported trips, I was going to try to put our bikes back together right in the airport. (In previous self-supported trips, we either shipped the bikes prior to a bike store for them to assemble and have waiting for our arrival, or we landed and rented a vehicle and took the boxes right to a bike store for them to put together.)

Our plan was to then take the train from CDG to Paris and ride if the bikes were roadworthy (if I did my job well) or walk the 1 mile to a bike store that we’d been in touch with and recommended to us by our friend Seth W. 

This is what the bike looks like to fit in a bike box - pedals, seat and front tire removed, handlebars lifted off and turned sideways so packs narrow. Styrofoam added for protection.

One hour later, two bikes were assembled and ready to roll. Roll, but one not to ride. Heather’s handlebars were turning loosely off center and not safe I told her. She would need to walk to the store.

Actually the most physical part of the job was ripping up the boxes for disposal. We didn’t think of that and was not planning to do so but airport security politely approached us and explained if they saw two empty boxes abandoned they would evacuate the Terminal. Wow that would have been quite the blog headline. And headache for us as our names and contact info were on the boxes.

As an aside, while looking out on our approach upon landing, I was struck by how the quilt of farms that went on for a minute all of a sudden ended in urban development. When driving, it’s easy to think our concrete sprawl is natural but only from the sky was I reminded that arable land and forests are the natural state and the concrete jungles or ribbons of paved roads are the unnatural state and an invasion.

At last aboard the RER train to Paris.

Going through the airport with large boxes and then assembled bikes to the train platform required using elevators twice. In one case the elevator was out of order and we needed to cross the terminal to one that worked. It had us thinking about accessibility for our friends who use wheelchairs and the enormous challenges they face traveling and otherwise. We usually can breeze through airports and not even think about it. 

Yes that blue cylinder is Heather packed a most unusual item. She has never taken this before nor have we ever seen another cyclist with one and we have seen a cyclist traveling with a trumpet in a case on the back of his bike. She is traveling with her foam roller due to pain experienced in her knee 6 weeks ago while riding that was diagnosed as tightness, and she needs to stretch & roll daily. Heather was kind of proud that the PT said her leg muscles were some of the tightest she had ever seen in her career. Heather is determined to stay healthy and so the roller came with!

We emerged from the train (after our 3rd elevator). 

And on the train I realized why Heather’s handlebars were loose. I forgot to tighten 2 screws mounting the stem to the headset on her bike. I made this adjustment and told her it was now safe to ride to the store. She didn’t trust me fully. But either she trusted me a little or didn’t want to walk so she rode with me to the store. She was quite slow so I asked when she caught up if all was ok. She said you told me my bike wasn’t safe so I went slowly. I guess she trusted but hedged. 

Gepetto et Velos bike store.

I’d never seen bikes hung from the ceiling with ropes to work on them. The store owner Annemarie was wonderful. She asked me what the name of my bike was. I shared it had none. She said it’s common to name a bike and implied it will be good luck. My bike is a Trek Checkpoint. (Upgraded this spring from the hybrid Trek FXS4 previously used). So she suggested the name Charlie as in Checkpoint Charlie the famous border crossing that divided Berlin. I’d been through that checkpoint in 1985 just a few years before the wall came down. I loved the name Charlie and so my bike has been named. And for those who’ve known my nonsense on naming daughters, it fits my criteria of being 2 syllables, ends in the e sound and can be either a boy or girl’s name. (As in our daughters Sydney and Jamie). 

And we were off on our bike check and warm up ride.

It was a bit odd to ride a route I’ve walked several times in Paris and normally takes my whole day to cover 10 miles by foot but was now an hour by bike. Paris is fantastic for cycling. We felt safe. There are clear dedicated lanes and although there are many high speed e-bikes, they are far more orderly than the menaces in Manhattan. 

I love the old world buildings that come right to the street with big closed doors. The doors seem very uninviting and you have no clue what lurks behind the facade.

And to our surprise the hotel doors open to a welcoming garden courtyard.

I think some people are like that. Unwelcoming facades. But warm and inviting interiors. It often just takes the right question to see behind the door. 

Paris definitely sets tables the right way! Both of us facing out taking in the street scene and people watching.

A successful first day and my personal growth as a bike mechanic! 

P.S. A postscript on my packing notes from Blog 1. 

When I posted a photo of my detailed packing list, I was curious if anybody would actually click in to read it. I was happy to see yes by the questions that ensued. Namely “Concerned that you declined to pack anti diarrhea pills - well, it's already an adventure, why not throw caution to the wind? I would ask why you include 2 red lights but only 1 white light in your pack list?”

Those pills were added only to our recent India trip and we’ve never taken them on other trips. I actually wondered if anybody would see that. The red lights are for rear (white is front) and far more important. Because I don’t always use front light, like on trails I turn off my white light (it blinds oncoming riders) it lasts longer. The red is always on and if it burns out and we need to ride in the dark I must have a backup. 

Heather packs additional items: bras (sports and non), laundry detergent and as mentioned lots of snacks as her nut and sesame allergies make it challenging. 

Lots of extra weight and takes space.

© Copyright Mark Segal 2025.