French Friends

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The first time we saw Alois and Romane we passed them on Highway 89, between Page, Arizona and Kanab, Utah.  The sight of their bicycles buried in camping gear, as they peddled alongside the highway, captured our attention.  A few days later we thought we spotted the same over-packed bicycles parked at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, while we waited for our scheduled tour to begin.  A quick scan of the crowd proved we were right!  After sharing a short conversation with them we learned, Alois and, Romane are from France and have been traveling in the U.S. since arriving at O'Hare Airport in August.  After utilyzing various methods of travel, including bus, they purchased the bicycles in Flagstaff, AZ.  Having been to Flagstaff ourselves and knowing the mountainous terrain they had traversed from there to Kanab, we were in awe.  The tour of the sanctuary was just one of many things to do in Kanab and after about one week we left for Kanaraville, Utah.  While enjoying one of many sunny Utah days on a drive to Cedarbreaks National Park from our campsite in Kanaraville, we spotted two bicyclists coming down the mountain highway.  We remarked how fun it would be if they were the 'kids' from France.  They were!  We stopped, talked for a bit and I took this picture.

They explained that they were headed to Cedar City, which is just a few miles from Kanaraville, to work for one month at Dust Devil Ranch Horse Rescue, where Romane will be breaking (which we learned is referred to in France by a word that means 'taking the fire out of') and training horses.  They accepted our invitation to join us for pizza last Thursday and we thoroughly enjoyed learning more about them and a little bit about France, as well.  They are investigating the possibility of continuing their travels on horse-back when they leave Cedar City, agreeing that it would be a whole lot less exhausting than bicycling.  Happy Trails, Alois and Romane, it was such a pleasure to meet you!