How To Be Popular

Some people have natural talents or style that make them popular. I have to compensate with gimmicks.

1. Know Good Rides

When the Bike Peddler group was doing a ride in my backyard Wednesday, it was a good opportunity to make friends and influence people due to my insider knowledge of the trails. We rode up from Timpanogos Park through the race course then up to The Altar then 051 over to Dry Canyon and back on the BST. There's no getting around the elevation gain required, but I think they appreciated the route as the least painful way up. And I promised the descent down Dry would be worth it, and most agreed it was.

See, no talent or style involved - I gained favor only because I knew where to go.




2. Bring Treats

The small cost of the treats pays off huge in peer appreciation, as I demonstrated at the Friday morning Alpine Loop ride. Since I was passing by Daylight Donuts, I picked up a dozen raspberry fritters on the way.

(Hint: pay attention to things people like. In this case I learned about the fritters from dug.)

Most riders enjoyed the fritters.

Again, no savoir-faire, just goodies - kind of a social bribe.




3. Do Stuff They Like

Friday I took my boy to Fathers And Sons, even though it was at Five Mile Pass (ugly, dusty, boring) and I wasn't excited about it. But he was. And he had fun playing in the dirt, finding shell casings and airsoft pellets, chasing lizards, discovering cow bones, and roasting marshmallows over the fire.



He was also excited to sleep in the van. How do I know he was excited? Because he kept asking to go to sleep before it was even dark.



We hiked up the little hill east of camp. He liked how small the camp looked from up there.



He insisted on bring back a souvenir - a Bud Light bottle. His mother was thrilled.

We had a good breakfast the next morning then packed up and went home.

At noon he had his 2nd coach-pitch game. He did OK and had fun.



OK, this isn't the best example because Kade is my son and he likes to do things with Dad. But I still think the principal is sound.

Well, that's all I got. Which explains why I'm not beloved by all. I need more gimmicks.