December 17: Mystery Heist Solved!

As I’ve said before, Paradise really knows how to party! Sunset HOG put on a great Christmas event this weekend at the Monarch Hotel, complete with a prime rib buffet and a mystery dinner. Our fearless team, led by Valerie McCarty, cracked the caper, and was officially designated as “Detectives of the Night.”

With ice on the roads and temperatures hovering in the low to high 30’s there haven’t been many opportunities for safe riding recently, making it a perfect time to spend time sharing good food and conversation with other riders.

The Monarch Hotel did a great job with the buffet, offering unlimited prime rib with creamy horseradish and au jus as well as turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce. The squash and zucchini vegetables were buttery and flavorful and cooked to perfection. I went back several times for “seconds” and took a picture of what was left of the meat after I was done eating!

I had never been part of a mystery dinner before and was impressed with the Diamond Heist Mystery Event. One person at each table grouping was picked as a potential suspect to the diamond heist and given instructions on what to say and how to answer questions. Each suspect was given a name to match their role such as “Billy Goat,” “Rockin’ Robin,” “Darry Sweets,” and “Jordan Michael.”

Clues were revealed throughout the night, and we were encouraged to ask each of the suspects a variety of questions designed to ascertain whether they had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the crime. Ultimately the criminal was no match for the mental prowess and strong investigative skills of my tablemates. We were the only team to correctly finger the villain and were crowned “Detectives of the Night.”

I’m so glad to have some time off over the holidays to connect with friends and family, take in the beauty of the world around me, and reflect on the reason for the season. Of course, I’m also hoping to get a good ride in soon!