We've all heard people tell their "lucky" stories: they were in the right spot at the right time, and got some unbelievable deal on a used car, or met some gorgeous girl who had broken up recently, or got hired to some really cool job. In general, such stories are disgusting; they never happen to you or me.
The other day I reached the top of our highest "XYZ Foothills" type subdivision, on my bicycle. Many times I've felt lust and frustration for a connection between the high-altitude dead-end of that subdivision and nearby dirt roads over mountains in the national forest. But I never found access.
Lust? Well yes, lust, covetousness, growling-desire. A mountain biker must not be the only savant who experiences these feelings over topography: horsemen must, as well; perhaps even jeepers and ATVers do,
although it pains me to admit it. It's possible that cavalry officers in olden times had a feel for the land, routes, and maps that was similar. (Imagine their disgust at modern travelers with their GPS gadgets.)
Anyway, just as I was doing my little victory-spin at the top of the subdivision and wallowing in the usual frustrating fantasies, two mountain bikers walked down the driveway from the highest McMansion, leading their poodle. Soon we had a nice conversation about mountain biking around our area and the glory of poodles. They extolled the dirt trail that cuts through their back yard and how it connects with the mountains of the national forest. Without any prompting or tugging from my end they generously offered me use of that trail. I was ecstatic.
To put it banally this shows that 'all good things come to he who waits.' But let's put it differently: the pleasures of frustration (yearning, pining) are highly under-rated. But if you've ever heard Bernard Hermann's soundtrack to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, you already know the bliss of unfulfilled longing.
There is one thing that I might be able to do to repay their generosity, if they are newbies in town who don't yet know of the Net of Doom that I showed to Glenn of tosimplify.net recently. It took me two years to find that sucker. My last post showed Glenn carrying on with the Net. I will make sure the generous couple knows of the Net and sees the photos, below, of some guy mountain biking across it.
The other day I reached the top of our highest "XYZ Foothills" type subdivision, on my bicycle. Many times I've felt lust and frustration for a connection between the high-altitude dead-end of that subdivision and nearby dirt roads over mountains in the national forest. But I never found access.
Lust? Well yes, lust, covetousness, growling-desire. A mountain biker must not be the only savant who experiences these feelings over topography: horsemen must, as well; perhaps even jeepers and ATVers do,
although it pains me to admit it. It's possible that cavalry officers in olden times had a feel for the land, routes, and maps that was similar. (Imagine their disgust at modern travelers with their GPS gadgets.)
Anyway, just as I was doing my little victory-spin at the top of the subdivision and wallowing in the usual frustrating fantasies, two mountain bikers walked down the driveway from the highest McMansion, leading their poodle. Soon we had a nice conversation about mountain biking around our area and the glory of poodles. They extolled the dirt trail that cuts through their back yard and how it connects with the mountains of the national forest. Without any prompting or tugging from my end they generously offered me use of that trail. I was ecstatic.
To put it banally this shows that 'all good things come to he who waits.' But let's put it differently: the pleasures of frustration (yearning, pining) are highly under-rated. But if you've ever heard Bernard Hermann's soundtrack to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, you already know the bliss of unfulfilled longing.
There is one thing that I might be able to do to repay their generosity, if they are newbies in town who don't yet know of the Net of Doom that I showed to Glenn of tosimplify.net recently. It took me two years to find that sucker. My last post showed Glenn carrying on with the Net. I will make sure the generous couple knows of the Net and sees the photos, below, of some guy mountain biking across it.
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