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Remembering: Memorial Day, 2002
In the spring of 2001, I sat down with Raymond to hear the details of a story that he and I had discussed briefly some years earlier. With his memory as crisp as always, Raymond, Marie and I sat around their large oval dining room table, covered by dozens of photos. One in particular, circa 1968, has Raymond with a small group containing some familiar faces, grinning in the bright sun in front of the La Grange restaurant. Many details and stories from those early years filled the room. I was overwhelmed by the richness of Raymond's memory. I wrote most of this account then. When news of Debra's death swept over us, I delayed finishing this until now. Unless you were riding with Raymond in 1975 or so, you probably never heard of or met Robert Van Hove. In 1969, Robert and our founding father Raymond Fouquet, along with three other friends became the nucleus of the club we are today. Robert Van Hove was born in Belgium, moving to France with his family when he was very young. In 1961, he met Raymond, a fellow expatriate, in Los Angeles. The two became fast friends (Quelle surprise!), but riding together would wait until 1969. In 1967 they both took jobs as waiters at Mateo's restaurant on Westwood Boulevard. However it didn't take long for Raymond to grow weary of working for an 'Italian'. Perhaps in an attempt to somehow avenge the dual win of the Italian Fausto Coppi in 1952, (can you say Giro and Le Tour?) on June 5th 1968, he opened his FRENCH restaurant just down the street from the Italian, Mateos' It was just one door from the corner of Westwood Boulevard and La Grange Avenue. You only get one guess as to the name of the new place. Robert soon followed, keeping their French connection strong. After a year in the new La Grange, Raymond and Robert were feeling the effects of the heavy work load that comes with starting up a new restaurant, not to mention the added inches on their waistlines from all that fine, ah shall we say rich, French Cuisine! The next order of business was the procurement of a couple of new French steeds and they were off! Riding often, exploring much of Los Angeles and the surrounding hills. Our Sunday favorite, Nichols Canyon, grew out of those early adventures. Raymond's eyes lit up as he reminisced on how their friendship grew. They would spend the next 8 years working and riding together. On mother's day in 1976, Robert had planned a morning ride with friends. He decided to switch to his fixed gear. Realizing he couldn't keep pace with the others, he decided to go solo, heading north on PCH. He and his wife were meeting friends for a picnic in Malibu around noon, so he figured that he'd ride to meet them. Have some food, and then drive back. As he neared Big Rock, A sleepless driver returning from an early morning fishing trip suddenly nodded off, crossing the double yellow line on PCH, the impact killing him instantly.
The threads that link us can be as slender as one strand, or a tapestry. In my case, it was Kellie Wilson who brought me to the club. It was on the Sunday ride that I met Andy Sak, and then only a couple of year's back, Debra Goldsmith. It's this cloak that warms, comforts, and finally, connects us all to Robert Van Hove. For those of you new to LaGrange, for some 29 years, the restaurant was also the unofficial LaGrange 'Clubhouse'. In addition to serving some very fine French cuisine, at least once weekly, Sunday mornings at about 8:00am to be precise, Raymond (Rudy Valee would take over in 1981 when Raymond decided to retire) would push through the huddled bodies seeking shelter from the occasional LA trade winds like a flock of multicolored pigeons on 5th Avenue in January, to unlock the door. A frenzy of clacking cleats, and deal making ensued as the line formed for the bathroom. Raymond would eventually shoo everyone out, and the Sunday ride was on. Post ride, -no damn Starbucks in those years- the refueling spot of choice was the restaurant. The wall over the bar area, next to the front door, was filled with photos, and a few assorted trophies. The club's first group photo was most prominent. All four of them smiling like little kids. Jonathan Rho
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