16/08/2026
I see a lot of different types of clients throughout the year and as you may know from my winter posts, I am observing the lot of you. I love the summer season as our work is more varied and we meet such a wide range of holidaymakers; families, couples, multigeneration groups, thrill seekers, sporty, less sporty, sun lounger lizards, groups of school kids and those of you who are simply fed up of frying on Costa del Scorchio with the masses.
Everyone has a great time on an Alpine holiday however I can categorically say that the happiest by far are the Dads MTB trips. You are in your 40’s or 50’s and are way past the lads trips to Malia, not necessarily fans of winter sports and are quite simply like a bunch of kids let loose in a sweet shop with no budget and no adult supervision. You are grinning your way into arrivals with your bike packed away in that Evoc bag you got for Christmas and very little else. The conversation in the minibus on the way to resort revolves around the Pink Bike fantasy league, comparing Strava segments and how last year you all shat yourselves pretending to be Danny Hart down the Champery black. Half way up the mountain Mark (not his real name obviously), regrets putting his wife’s call on speaker when she announces “If you come back with a broken arm I swear that I will break the other one”. Apparently she isn’t too keen on solo parenting while you are throwing yourself down Pleney….
I often see you out and about in resort during your holiday with those perma grins on your faces. I see you pushing your bikes in the morning up the Rue du Bourg with a smile, the body armour is on, covering those Dad bods and making you feel like invincible 20 year old Ninja warriors. I see you at lunchtime grinning like Cheshire cats with that much deserved pint and a tartiflette (despite it being 30°c). The fact that you have obviously forgotten to pop the factor 50 in the Evoc bag doesn’t seem to be an issue (for now). In the evening you look like the happiest men on earth with that distinct middle aged man glow of 80%sunshine, 20% Mutzig and zero regret. The Dad bods are free of the armour and the pints and burgers are in abundance.
(To be continued)
