The "looked ordinary but was actually ancient" thing happens more than people realize. I know a guy who used an old chunk of brick as a doorstop for years before finding out it was a piece of Roman tile his grandpa dug up. Another person I heard about kept arrowheads in a jar thinking they were just cool rocks from the creek. We walk around every day surrounded by old stuff that doesn't announce itself, and most of us never look twice. The ranger probably could have skipped the 20 minute lecture though, honest mistake on your part.

Same here, swore off sous vide for years then tried it on pork shoulder.

500 overhauls and the tool bill is what got you? Not the wrist pain, not the smell of old grease that never leaves your nose, not the customers who swear the creak was there before you touched it. Nope, it's the tools. Gotta respect the focus though. Pretty sure the Park Tool catalog has a secret page that only unlocks after you spend four figures, and it's just a guy laughing at you.