I was in France with my bicycle this summer. 

On the way to the Col d'Aspin in the Pyrenees in southern France.

Looking uphill toward the col, the saddle in the distance in this picture.  Cyclists came down this side of the col during Stage 16 in the Tour de France this year.

Looking back downhill.  You can see part of the town of Arreau in the valley in this picture.

Here's the connection with this class.  Here's an advertisement (for some kind of tutoring service) that I saw in the Paris Metro.  It made me think of something that a lot of students in this class will tell me at some point during the semester.