Road Trip: October 3, 2011

Dear Husband,

We woke up later than normal this morning.  You made me coffee, and the next thing I knew, we had our faces smashed up against the front door watching the train leave right behind our apartment.  You promised we could watch it leave tomorrow morning, because you know how much I love that.  That’s my dad’s fault.  

Our first stop today was your favorite spot in Durango: Bread.

Bread is a bakery/ coffee shop where you spent your days off when you were a camp counselor here.  Naturally, bikes are scattered everywhere, and there's a niche that they have that I can't quite put my finger on.  It's a small space with a long counter up front leaving the rest of the bakery for everyone to see.  Hundreds of loaves of bread.  It. smelled. so. good.  We got 2 muffins and 2 coffees and sat at a picnic-style table next to the front door.  It was raining and cold, and we loved every second of it because back home in Houston, it was still hitting 100 degrees.


We drove around Durango and you showed me all of the best places in town before we parked on the main street and strolled up and down visiting each shop.  Every store had a store dog that greeted us at the door.

I promised you we could visit all of the bike shops in town today.


We walked in the first shop, and you immediately recognized someone.  About an hour later, Bob Roll had convinced us to sell everything we own, commit to poverty in exchange for happiness, and move our butts to Durango.  I'm still okay with this...what are you waiting for?

We visited a few other shops - one guy sells vintage bikes, one only mountain bikes, and you saved the best for last.  Durango Cyclery is a small house on a hill with lots of character.  I was so intrigued by the bikes with the fat tires...something like this I think.  I'm going to need one of those when we move.  Anthony was the guy inside and I have never seen someone wear a maroon mohawk better than him.  After chatting with him, we found out he was from Houston and couldn't stand the cycling, so he up and moved.


Sounds like someone I know.


He showed us around, told us his story, told me how he makes his mohawk stick up so high, and that's when you brought your bike inside.  We do not travel without bicycles.  It's a rule.  I think it's in our prenup.

You needed a custom bottle cage made, and Anthony knew just the place.  He called the King of bottle cages and said he would have one ready for you tomorrow.  


You were in love.  With Anthony.  And King Cages.  And Durango.  Basically everything but me at that point.  

We literally spent ALL. DAY. looking at bike shops...with a few book shops...and a reading by this author.  

You tried to buy this for me.

 

You have figured out that if you feed me what I like, I will do what you like x 100.  This proved true, somehow, when we met up with Chad a few days later, and did not work out in my favor.

We walked in the rain to the only theater in town and saw The Help- not as good as the book, the use, and on the way home we popped into some Irish bar for a beer.

Or 3.

And then there was this.