On May 9, 2012, I embarked on my first extended journey in the Smart car, covering a distance of 920 miles. My destination was Golden, Colorado, where my son had recently graduated from the Colorado School of Mines. Graduations are a unique occasion, as family members gather to celebrate the graduate’s achievements. However, the graduate also cherishes the opportunity to reflect individually. I was fully prepared to accommodate his preferences and desires to the best of my ability, as the journey was primarily about him, not about me or others in his life.
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This would be my first extended vacation in over 10 years, after taking five consecutive days off for work, aside from participating in tennis events. After almost 20 years of officiating sports, I was initially depressed and lost with extra time. Looking back, I realized I needed a vacation, so I planned an 11-day trip to Colorado. I spent some time alone while my son stayed with his mother, but mostly with him.
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| Proud parents |
On Friday at 9:00 AM, the graduation ceremony was held despite the forecasted rain. Instead, we experienced occasional snowflakes. Throughout the ceremony, my son texted, “I’m bored.” With approximately 600 graduates, the ceremony was long, but he managed to endure it. We took pictures and then left. An hour after graduation, the rain started falling. We were lucky!
While Jordan spent Saturday with his mother, I took a day trip to Boulder. I’ve always liked Boulder. A few years ago, I could’ve moved there, but I declined a nice offer because it was the best decision at the time. Do you often wonder about such decisions?
While in Colorado, I went on daily excursions. My GPS watch logged over 15 miles of hiking, 7,000 feet of climbing, and 28 miles on the bike with over 5,000 feet of climbing. One highlight was hiking to the Royal Arch Chautauqua outside Boulder. It was a 3-mile hike with a 1,500-foot elevation gain to the top, where I saw the arch (pictured below).
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I also bikee up Lookout Mountain, which took me 57 minutes for 5.1 miles and 2,000 feet of climb. I posted a YouTube video of the ride (driven in my car and then sped up by 800%). It was a killer, but I’m glad I accomplished the thigh-burning uphill ride. I only made it 4.2 miles on Wednesday, the 16th, so I was determined and completed the attempt on Thursday. Victory was sweet! I also visited numerous sites and cities, taking many pictures.
While in Boulder, we test-rode the Optibike, the ultimate electric bike! It could go from 0 to 20 in 5 seconds, fly over speed bumps at 20 MPH, and not even know we hit one. What a great urban bike! However, at 60 pounds, I would hate to run out of juice and have to pedal home. Unlike my Bionx, it can’t charge while riding.
The trip home was an adventure. My son and I drove back to Minnesota in a Smart Car with a 30 MPH side wind. We were not alone in struggling with the wind. Despite the challenges, we made it, though my forearms cramped. We were fortunate to achieve a top 38 MPG.
Interestingly, my fuel efficiency improved when I was in the Denver area, reaching nearly 50 MPG, but returned to the usual 40-43 MPG once I left. It was puzzling.
The trip was enjoyable, and I got several high-intensity hikes and bike rides. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to achieve such heart rates, as my last dose of Levaquin and Prednisone was only a few months ago, after two years of regular medication. I believe I’ve resolved the issues and can resume regular workouts. I hope so, even though my son teased me about panting like a dog in heat. Despite the teasing, I slept well and felt great.
Thanks for reading.
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