Never Retire: Settling Into Life In Spain, Slowly But Surely
Friki de Bici goes live Wednesday, and a small moment at Oli Bar shows why settling in is about more than just being new.
I have two things I am excited to share today.
In a minute, I will explain the significance of this image and discuss part of the process of settling into life in Spain, alongside a few cool shots from recent days in Valencia.
But first—
Friki de Bici launches Wednesday. In the initial Substack post, I will detail how I plan to connect all the project elements—Substack, YouTube channel, and website.
I will also discuss how I approach Friki de Bici practically and psychologically. It’s a new endeavor that triggers some insecurities, so I have to launch it and allow it to develop slowly, surely, and naturally.
That happens—officially—Wednesday.
Today, Never Retire newsletter subscribers get a sneak peek.
You have already seen the test YouTube videos—also a work in progress. Now, you can see the initial iteration of the Friki de Bici website, which includes a featured bikes section (that I hope you will contribute to) and a store where you can buy Friki de Bici merch. We’re starting sort of, but not really that small and looking to go big.
In May and June, we’ll take Friki de Bici on the road to San Francisco, Barcelona, Paris, and Amsterdam. The goal is to take the project globally, so I’d love to feature your bike—which also features your city—and for you to wear Friki de Bici merch in your town.
In this town—Valencia—you find cool bikes everywhere, tons of cycling infrastructure, and lots of people walking around wearing shirts with bicis on them. I aim for Friki de Bici to contribute to bici culture (and fashion!) worldwide.
As the project ramps up, I plan to find ways to support and get local bike shops on board. I am taking a show me, don't tell me approach with them, so I want to have things rolling before I attempt to forge connections.
Anyhow, thanks for your support and checking out Friki de Bici—
If I had a strong conversational handle on Spanish, I would say we’re 100% settled into life in Spain. The terrace garden is quickly taking shape, we know how to get around well almost without thinking, and we have established routines in our daily lives. A handful of people in the neighborhood recognize us, which—for me—is a big part of settling in.
The image at the beginning of today’s article illustrates this.