When I worked in downtown Denver, I took a walk most days at lunch. For years, I turned right out of my building and headed north on the 16th Street Mall. Each day, I saw the same buildings, the same traffic light patterns, and the same sidewalks. Then, one day, as I was walking out of the lobby, it hit me that there was another option.
Instead of turning right, I could turn left. So I did. And it opened up an entirely new world. Instead of the 16th Street Mall sights, I found less traffic, fewer people, and new buildings to admire.
At home, I have a couple of loops I routinely ride. Left on Monarch, down the hill, and then up the trail. But what if I started on a different road, turned right out of my neighborhood, or rode the trails in a different direction? How would the tight twisty turns feel in the other direction? Would the rock drop-offs in one direction be rideable in the other? Would the challenge of riding up the rocks be worth it.
There is only one way to find out. I need to take different turns.
UPDATE: This past weekend, I took a different turn. Rode my loop backwards. The ups became down, and downs became up. The normally calm gentle turns on the climb to the gate became a fun, flowy downhill section. And to top it off, I ran into two friends. Had I take my normal route, I would have missed them. So, those different turns really are more fun than expected.
