Unexpected Opportunity

Most distance athletes probably already know this, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded every now and then:

"Don't schedule any appointments for immediately after you anticipate finishing your outdoor workout."

That's one of those rules that goes along with "Take enough food and fluids" and "Don't even think about doing a bike ride when it's 20 freakin' degrees outside." You never know when you'll have a flat tire (or other equipment problems), get a blister on your toe, or have a close encounter with wildlife or something.

I suppose if you're in Oklahoma or Georgia, you also have to prepare for Deliverance sodomites or inbred constabulary...but the last thing I was expecting on Saturday's ride was to be ordered to ride an extra 10 miles by the Jeffco Sheriff.

The ride started out pleasantly enough. I left well after the sun was up and was dressed warmly, anticipating that I'd shed layers as the day heated up. None of the Foothills Cyclists wanted to accompany me, so I rode from home down to the Deer Creek/Wadsworth Park 'n Ride on the off chance there might be a group of riders I could tag along with. Alas, I was destined to ride solo for the day.

It wasn't one of my faster rides. I'm not sure why, but I just wasn't that peppy. Guys would pass me, and I couldn't latch on...not even for a moment. I proceeded up the hills at grandma pace, a bit upset at my own wimpiness, but determined to enjoy the beautiful day and beautiful scenery regardless.

And it was a gorgeous morning. Cool enough that I didn't suffer from the long pants and long sleeves, but warm enough that my fingers and toes were quite happy. There were breezes, but nothing problematic, and the automobile traffic was minimal. Other than my own lack of power, I had no complaints whatsoever. It was fun!

I only rested at the schoolhouse long enough for a pit stop and a couple of rapidly-snarfed oatmeal-raisin cookies. The CityView loop was also slower than I expect from myself, but also pleasant and pretty. But when I hit the top of the last climb in their neighborhood, I found myself really looking forward to the downhill. I knew I had the one other short climb from the firehouse back up the first section of Deer Creek, and the South Valley Park hill...but I was mentally prepared for those, and knew that I had just enough remaining energy to get myself home. I was tired, for sure...but I'd make it.

Or not.

About a half mile from the firehouse, there was a roadblock. A sheriff's deputy had his SUV sitting in the middle of the road and was turning folks around. I rode up and chatted with the officer for a bit, and he explained that there was a housefire down the road and they were keeping people out of the area for safety. The fire was contained, he said, and they expected to have it extinguished soon...but he wasn't sure when they'd reopen the road.

Hmm. "Anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple of hours," he said. So my options were to wait there for an indefinite period, or to ride back up the hill I had just descended, loop up onto Hwy 285, and ride down the freeway back to TinyTown. That route would add about 10 miles onto my ride (bringing the total to around 50 miles), and would mean that I'd get home an hour or so later than I had originally planned.

Well, heck, the whole point of being on the bike was to get some exercise, right? I was already tired, and didn't want to do any more climbing...but I didn't want to just sit there, either. I turned around and went back up the hill.

I did make it home in time to get cleaned up before the Veterans Interview I had scheduled for the afternoon. But I was whupped.

Somewhere along the way, though, I found myself thinking about these folks:



My question for you is this: What makes these TV shows classics?

I mean, you can watch Star Trek (or Beeve, etc) over and over again, and they're still enjoyable. But most programs grow stale after one or two viewings. Why is that? And specifically, why is Star Trek TNG (ie, Picard's series) tougher to get through on multiple viewings? I loved the show when it was first on, but I probably will not watch each episode seventy bazillion times like I've done with Kirk and his pals. Why?

Let me know what you think, and I'll share my opinions in a future post. And while we're at it, what other shows do you think we'll still be watching 50 years from now? Seinfeld? Scarecrow and Mrs. King? Tenspeed and Brownshoe? What?

I look forward to that discussion. In the meantime, have a great day!