How sustainable transportation helped one Stanford employee find her soulmate

You know how when you watch a rom-com there’s always a formula? Take two people. Find a way to pair them up — maybe they’re each on a cross-country trip, maybe they work together as baristas, maybe they’re rivals in the same industry. Now throw in some obstacles, from geography to class issues to vengeful exes or brand new beaus.

In this story, it wasn’t a vengeful ex or new beau who almost thwarted our couple’s union. Turns out a conductor threw a wrench into this couple’s kismet. But let’s start at the beginning.

When Janine Bohnert joined Stanford School of Medicine seven years ago, she wasn’t a biking enthusiast. But, after noticing the campus’ bike-friendly culture and talking with colleagues who cycled to work, she warmed up to the idea. “Also, Stanford Transportation promoted Caltrain and I happened to live close to a station so it all worked out nicely,” said Janine.

She began biking from her home to the Santa Clara Caltrain station, then taking the train to Palo Alto. “I loved it right away,” she said. Back in 2017, a fellow commuter suggested the less crowded express train to Menlo Park. Sure, her stop was a bit further north but once Janine tried it, she enjoyed riding through the neighborhoods on her way to main campus.

Most mornings, she shared the platform with one other rider who was also waiting for the early train. This was Ralph Bohnert, an IT support specialist working in Menlo Park and avid mountain biker and cyclist since growing up in Germany.

Janine caught Ralph’s attention. As they loaded their bikes onto the train, he tried unsuccessfully to make eye contact. Once inside the train, he was foiled by an unlikely competitor: the Caltrain conductor. To Ralph’s disappointment, Janine had a friendly rapport with the conductor and the two casually chatted during the ride, making it impossible for Ralph to find an in.

This went on for several weeks until finally one morning Ralph made his move. As Janine loaded her bicycle, he asked about her unique white bike rims. “Nice rims, baby!” isn’t the greatest pick up line on record but it worked. “I thought he was definitely cute and he looked friendly,” recalled Janine. Consider the ice broken.

After that, Janine and Ralph began to talk on the train every day. “I didn’t think a romantic relationship would develop which helped me feel like I could be myself,” Ralph said.

Things were going great. Then, several months later, Janine mentioned she was moving to Redwood City, which meant they wouldn’t see each other anymore.

Ralph’s hopes deflated faster than a flat tire. But he knew Janine was a tea aficionado so he asked if she might like to meet at Peet’s. All it took was a few dates over English Breakfast and he started to fall for her.

“From the beginning, I noticed her calmness and how she focused on whomever she was talking to,” said Ralph. “She never got distracted and was genuinely interested in what I had to say.” The pair found they had many common interests. Along with biking, they both love the outdoors, including hiking and camping. Their shared Christian faith was another connecting point.

“And from our first date we talked about the German word gemütlich, which translates to comfortable and cozy,” said Ralph. Both noted they liked such settings. The more they became acquainted, the more they realized the word also described how they felt in each other’s company.

You probably know where this story is headed. Janine told a friend, “If he asked me to marry him tomorrow, I would.” Ralph did pop the question and they were married in June of ‘21. These days Janine and Ralph still ride the train, bikes in tow, from their home in Santa Clara. On weekends they get off in Mountain View and ride back along the Bay. Some days they bring a picnic; others they stop for food and drinks at a local cafe. But they’re always on the hunt for somewhere gemütlich.

Janine and Ralph Bohnert at the Santa Clara Depot. Note the white rims on bike in background that caught Ralph’s attention.

“I like to say we met the old fashioned way. Perfect strangers who got to know each other as acquaintances and then realized there was a love connection,” said Janine.

And, in keeping with the best happily-ever-after stories, the meddling train conductor is nowhere to be found.