Bob Christman profile

For me the sophistication and elegance of Paris is long way from the dusty, little Canadian farm community of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, the place of my birth more the six decades ago. I have visited France and Paris three time during the past decade. The first being a 1000 mile bike tour of France. Most recent was a month long tour last summer.Upon leaving Saskatchewan, which I referred to as "the happiest day of my life", I moved to a small town in the interior of British Columbia with my parents and six siblings. It is there that I fell in love with the otherworldly a lot of hockey and shaping my skiing skills. Tired of snow and cold, my parents, during my freshman year in high school, took the big step, packed up their three youngest--of which I was one--and moved to California where I resided for many years.I earned a degree in photojournalism from San Jose State University and soon became involved in the operation of weekly newspapers. It was this pursuit that brought me to Portland, Oregon, one of America's most liveable cities. It is the place I refer to as "my little corner of the world." In my travels I found the only other city that come close to Portland is Montpellier in the Languedoc region of France.It is in Portland and the surrounding area that my wife, Joyce, and I are able to pursue our two passions--cycling and skiing. With more than 200 miles of bike paths, Portland is the most bike-friendly city in the United States. And as for skiing, Mount Hood, with its three ski resorts, is a 90-minute drive. Less than two hours away is the magnificent Oregon coast. In the time that's left, I also enjoy tennis- as a player and spectator. My wife and I have four wonderful grandchildren.Our solo 1000-mile bike tour of France in 1996 was a defining moment of our lives. It made us fall in love with France. Over the years Joyce has studied French and, as I learned this past summer, speaks like one of the natives. Retired for more than a year now, I fill my spare time with writing, palpitating with my grandchildren, volunteer at the Portland Art Museum, tennis, skiing and bike riding among other things. French history has become one of my passions.