BAD RIDE

My bike group does a ride every Tuesday morning from 6:30-8:00. I am on a "Summer Hours" schedule and have to be at work by 8, so I haven't been going on the rides recently. Today I decided it would be better for me to get out and do 45 minutes than nothing at all, so I went to the ride. The original plan was that I would join the group and do intervals with them until 7:15 or so and then head out.

The Tuesday rides are in Griffith Park, which is adjacent to Forest Lawn Cemetery. And if you have been following the news at all, you know that's where the King of Pop is being buried today. Griffith Park was in a virtual lockdown; our usual parking lot was closed to prevent looky-loos from heading over to the cemetery. We found some parking spaces in a smaller lot and prepared for the ride.

I admit, I started getting curious about the funeral. We were only 3 miles from the cemetery, and I just wanted to see the madhouse that was forming there. I saw the satellite trucks lining up outside several days ago on another ride, and could only imagine how much bigger things were now. So I decided to split from the group and ride over to Forest Lawn. I knew all of the roads were closed to vehicular traffic, but I figured they'd let a harmless triathlete through. Not a chance. I got within a mile of the place and there was an army of police turning away everyone who came by. I didn't get to see a thing.

The good news is that my car commute to work took to me very close to the cemetery again, but the freeway was wide open. Hopefully it will stay that way for the ride home.