The Stakeout

Chris Lecce: Don't worry. I'll go to the supermarket. What do you want?
Bill Reimers: Truth and justice.
Chris Lecce: Anything else?
Bill Reimers: Doughnuts.
Chris Lecce: Why not? We are cops.
The Stakeout, 1987.

We sat on camp chairs at the edge of the bike racks, two off-duty cyclists dressed in shorts. Alicia wore a Crossfit sweatshirt, hair pulled into a pony tail. I had a several-day unshaven look, an earring, glasses instead of contacts and would soon fetch the jacket I should have brought in the first place. Early afternoon at the Loveland Pass rest area, Triple Bypass day two.

We were twenty-four hours removed from our ride, a day beginning at oh-dark thirty and ending early evening. She'd made it from Bergen Park to Avon in the company of a mutual friend, while I noodled along a few miles behind and stopped in Vail. We had committed to "sagging" for Wil and Jeromy on their leg - from Avon back to Bergen Park. Cycle sagging does not entail jeans worn around thighs, but does include a truck full of food, dry clothing and an emotional boost to tired riders.

So we found ourselves at meeting place three, the ski area parking lot. Riders came and went among the dozens of bikes sitting unattended in neat rows. Chatting idly, enjoying a restful interlude, two athletes with little to do beside await our friends' arrival and gobble ibuprofen to offset the previous day's efforts. A squat man in a gaudy lime-green volunteer's shirt ambled over.

Him: "You gonna be here a while?"
Me:   "Uh huh."
Him:  "Okay. We had some issues yesterday with somebody stealing bike computers. Could you keep an eye out?"
Me:    "Sure."
Him:  "There's a State Trooper over there (gesturing) if you see anything."
Me:    "Okay."

Like we needed backup. Alicia is an especially talented police officer, a bike cop who rides solo in our toughest part of town. I'm.... Probably I'd be adequate cover and could fetch handcuffs from the CSP folks directing traffic. We look at each other.

Me: "You don't think...."
Her: "Nah."

Before long and without incident Wil and Jeromy arrived, refueled and departed. We concluded our stakeout and headed for Beau Jo's.