WELCOME TO THE «ENJOY THE RIDE» WEBSITE. PLEASE FORGIVE US IN ADVANCE IF YOU FIND ENGLISH MISTAKES. WE DID THE TRANSLATION ON OUR OWN TRYING THE BEST WE COULD, BUT WE ARE CONSCIOUS IT IS NOT PERFECT. 

«Enjoy the ride» is a website that tempts to travel. Whether it is a day trip or a trip of several days, discovering our world is a passion for us.
We  are Dom and J.R. (nicknames), two people from the Arcachon Basin, France. There began our taste for travel and photography, and our desire to live our lives to the full!!!
In the beginning, we contended ourselves with very nice rides in our region, where we lived for long years before we leave the nest each one on his side. Then, we broadened having one day trips to neighboring departments. Finally, we decided to travel abroad, and it has never let us go.
As we are willing to share our experiences, memories and little anecdotes with you, we are going to evoke our travels through pictures, articles, and various other sections.
Of course, you may ask us various questions or advice, give us your impressions and share your experiences, or even give us some good tips as well. To do it, use the «Contacts & exchanges» section. You can also leave comments on the visitors’ book, or directly on the section you are visiting. IMPORTANT: as you give your name, first name or nickname, make sure you only use alphanumeric characters with no accent, dieresis, punctuation etc.
Finally, a funny section is hidden in this website; it will surely delight old and young alike!!!
 

Naturally, most of this website is devoted to photos. For better readability, we advise you to use the «full-screen» mode. Though «Enjoy the ride» is about our trips abroad, we could not resist showing you some pictures of our region (click here).
A large part is dedicated to articles as well, which mix information about visited places and our personal experiences.
We loved most of the cities we visited, but some of them made a bigger impression on us than the others. The «Our favorite cities» section presents them. It has more details than the part of the «Our articles» section dedicated to them.
A whole chapter is dedicated to our logo and our by-products. You will find further details in the following paragraph.
«Our travel view» deals with the way we look at that real passion, and our way to live it. That is favorable to exchanges, for each one of us has his own mind about it, and yours can be different to ours. Yet, that is just what makes it fulfilling. So, feel free to come forward!
And what would trips be without anecdotes? Either they are real moments of happiness, unforgettable encounters, bursts of laughter, or on the contrary trouble, they are whole part of the adventure, and make a lasting impression on us. That is the reason why they are worth a whole section. Besides, just to add a little touch of exoticism, we devoted a subsection to my trip alone to Madagascar (click here), even though «Enjoy the ride» is about our trips together.
Finally, we had the joy and the privilege to be requested by professional websites on the theme of travel as part of editorial partnerships. They proposed us to exchange unpublished articles, as well as an interview. You will find the links here.

The groovy small logo above is our creation. We filed the patent and got many by-products supporting it manufactured (stickers, business cards, postcards, mugs, pens, magnets, key rings, mouse-pads, streamers, beach bags, t-shirts…). We sometimes give some of them to people with whom we sympathize during a furtive encounter, provided they accept to be photographed with to promote our website (click here). We also ask them to write a little note on our streamer with a permanent marker, with the date, the place and their signature. That promotes our website as well, and allows us to create links and to keep memories of those brief but always meaningful encounters.
According  to stickers, we stick them during our rides or trips in spots that make a big impression on us one way or another, as well in France as abroad, with photos in support (see the ««Enjoy the ride» Logos» section). Sometimes, we also give some of them to people we meet, asking them to stick it to the place they like the most, hoping to come across it someday even if chances are few.
This logo and the three little words around it are a philosophy of life: the planet, full of treasures and surprises, tempts us to explore it and enjoy every moment of that exciting adventure. We travelers, small or big, are all connected. So, if you see a small map of the world winking at you during one of your trips in the middle of a square, in a corner of a street or on a beach, you will think of us!

The origin of this symbol is quite simple: before being a website, «Enjoy the ride» was a novel. I am an amateur writer in my spare time, and this artwork is inspired by the diary that we keep during our trips. I added some fiction, and a little touch of fantasy and dreamlike. Some of the characters are fictitious, others are real: indeed, we met them during our rides or our trips; and even though it was brief, they made a lasting impression on us one way or another. So, we felt that the best way to explain the meaning of this logo was simply to show the excerpt of the novel where it appears for the first time:

 (...) Then, Tom noticed a sticker representing the planet Earth schematized with blue oceans and green continents on the violin case lying on the floor. It was joined with a smiley-face sending a wink. Around was written «Enjoy the ride».
«I love this stuff! he said. What does it mean exactly?
- Oh, many things, answered Lori: you must enjoy every trip, whether it’s a short ride or a long journey. Life is movement. Living is exploring, meeting, discovering. It’s a tireless search for happiness. You and your friends are concerned: make the best out of your journey that begins. Make it unforgettable and share that joy with other people. Besides, life itself is a journey, so enjoy every moment of your life.
- «Life is a journey», repeated Chaz. I love it!          
- As for me, I love everything you just said, added Tom. You are both a violinist and a philosopher. I’m impressed.
- Thanks. You know, «ride» has many meanings, hence the choice of this word.
- It’s true, approved Irina. It can also mean a ride by motorcycle or on horseback. Even in surfing and bodyboarding: (...) the ride is the time you spend on the wave. And every time, you tell yourself to enjoy it, because it’s a huge moment, a unique sensation. It lasts a few seconds. It’s both long and short. It’s a philosophy, as a matter of fact: you share the life of a wave. You start your ride when it’s formed, and you end it when it dies. A symbol!» (...)
 
Dom


NB - PATENTS FOR THE NOVEL «ENJOY THE RIDE» AND FOR THE LOGO HAVE BEEN FILED. ANY REPRODUCTION, EVEN PARTIAL, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED AND LIABLE TO PROSECUTION.

Published on December, 1st 2012

Modified on April 23th 2020