# French Fall Flanerie



## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

<i> Flanerie </i> : <i>n.</i> from fr. v. <i>"flaner" </i> -- <i>se promener sans hâte, au hasard, en s'abandonnant a l'impression du moment </I>(to travel without haste, with no destination, while giving oneself over to the impression of the current moment).

All this to say that I have a few pictures from one of the rides that I did early last fall at the end of the road season and before the cyclo-cross season ramped up. This was a ride where I joined up with some of my team-mates and rivals for an easy morning spin with some of the older recreational riders in the area. The pace was easy, the conversation was flowing and I spent most of the time talking to Pierrick -- one of the region's better racers and my sometimes race nemesis (and I'd like to think that I am his as well!) about the past season. I tried to always bring back the conversation to the time I podiumed by dropping his sorry ass on the penultimate climb w/ a viscious 52x14 attack, he, on the otherhand, kept trying to remind me of the times (3!) he royally handed my assz to me! Great fun!

The first picture is of Bernard (red and a good recreational rider) and Pierrick, the second is of Pierrick's new pride and joy (his bike, not his legs!) and the remainder are random pictures taken during the ride that covered about 70kms west of Paris.

The final two relate to what I did that afternoon w/ the family. Mushroom hunting! My favorite autumn activity -- I like it even more than cyclo-cross! Here is a nice collection of cèpes (porcini) that we were able to rustle out from underneath the chestnut groves.

Happy New Year!

A+

Philippe


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## mrrun2fast (Apr 14, 2003)

The 3rd to last picture is my favorite. I can't even imagine how beautiful it would be to ride in France. 

Someday.


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## cbass94 (May 19, 2004)

Yes, very nice pics Philippec. you're making us jealous!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

cbass94 said:


> Yes, very nice pics Philippec. you're making us jealous!


I knew those Porcini shots were going to make some of you envious!!!!

A plus tard

Philippe


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

*would love to hunt for mushrooms*

As a woman who admires nice legs I must first say that there was a wonderful collection of legs in those pics. 
As a woman who loves food (too much) I must say that those mushrooms were killin me. I've always wanted to do that but I have no experience and I know it can be dangerous, I don't even know if we have any edible wild mushrooms in Maryland USA. I have been invited to go pick wild asparagus in the spring, looking forward to that.

Cheers, and thanks for the great pics.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

*You don't have to go to France . .*



zeytin said:


> As a woman who admires nice legs I must first say that there was a wonderful collection of legs in those pics.
> As a woman who loves food (too much) I must say that those mushrooms were killin me. I've always wanted to do that but I have no experience and I know it can be dangerous, I don't even know if we have any edible wild mushrooms in Maryland USA. I have been invited to go pick wild asparagus in the spring, looking forward to that.
> 
> Cheers, and thanks for the great pics.



I am offended (and I'm sure Arby is too). You didn't say anything about our legs when Arby posted the pics of the Christmas ride that all of did. I let that pass for now. But, you don't have to go to France to see good looking legs or to hunt for wild mushrooms. I never have had the confidence to eat wild mushrooms. But, my mother-in-law, a lifelong Marylander, picks wild mushrooms around here and claims to know which ones are safe and which ones are not. She must know what she is doing -- she has been eating Maryland-grown wild mushrooms all of her life, is 77years old and is still going strong.


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## paint (Jul 25, 2005)

zeytin said:


> As a woman who admires nice legs I must first say that there was a wonderful collection of legs in those pics.


Definitely agree with this.

Also, the view is beautiful. I'd love to see more pictures. La France est très belle.


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

MarkS said:


> I am offended (and I'm sure Arby is too). You didn't say anything about our legs when Arby posted the pics of the Christmas ride that all of did. I let that pass for now. But, you don't have to go to France to see good looking legs or to hunt for wild mushrooms. I never have had the confidence to eat wild mushrooms. But, my mother-in-law, a lifelong Marylander, picks wild mushrooms around here and claims to know which ones are safe and which ones are not. She must know what she is doing -- she has been eating Maryland-grown wild mushrooms all of her life, is 77years old and is still going strong.


Mark I must remind you that both of you had long pants on that night  
I know I don't have enough knowledge to take the chance of eating mushrooms, it's good to know about the wild mushrooms in MD.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Gig 'em said:


> Definitely agree with this.
> 
> Also, the view is beautiful. I'd love to see more pictures. La France est très belle.


en effet, la France est tres belle! If it's pictures you are interested in, check out the sticky post at the top of the commuting/touring forum, I and others have posted tons of pictures of our travels around France (where I live now) and other great riding spots in the world. 

oh, and 1 of those leg pics belong to me so consider me blushed!

A+
Philippe


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

zeytin said:


> As a woman who admires nice legs I must first say that there was a wonderful collection of legs in those pics.
> As a woman who loves food (too much) I must say that those mushrooms were killin me. I've always wanted to do that but I have no experience and I know it can be dangerous, I don't even know if we have any edible wild mushrooms in Maryland USA. I have been invited to go pick wild asparagus in the spring, looking forward to that.
> 
> Cheers, and thanks for the great pics.


Well, seeing as how one set of those legs belong to me, I am now blushing!

re. mushrooms, if you stick to the Boletus genus (cèpes/porcini mushrooms) which is unmistakeable with any other because of the porous tube-like structure on the underside of the caps (as opposed to the blades/gills that most other mushrooms have) and steer clear of the red ones (some of these can cause some, ahem, gastric inconvenience), then you are good to go. IMHO the boletus genus regroups the best tasting mushrooms around -- along with truffles, morels and girolles/chanterelles -- but, unlike the latter two, the boletus family is a good mushroom for beginers since there are no deadly look-alikes!

see here for some US info on the Boletus: http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Boletus_edulis.html
and
http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/genera/Boletus.html

Myself, everything I learned about mushrooms and wild plants, I learned from accompanying my Grandfather on long walks through the Breton hedgerows and forests... you could not find a better teacher!

Have fun looking for wild asparagus -- my favorite preparation for these is to braise them in olive oil and garlic and sprinkle some balsamic vinegar, a few parmesan shavings and some coarse black pepper on them when they cool down slightly!

A+

Philippe


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

*Just yanking your chain*



zeytin said:


> Mark I must remind you that both of you had long pants on that night
> .



I remember that we wearing long pants. I was just yanking your chain. Maybe I'll wear shorts for the Greenmount Cemetery ride -- even if it is freezing.


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