I've measured numerous courses that include sections on crushed limestone paths and a couple that include dirt or grass trail sections but I haven't had that happen yet.
My question is if we don't measure and certify these courses, who will? Even given the shortcomings of the calibrated bicycle method on other than hard surfaces, I'm convinced that method is as accurate as any other with the exception of the steel tape. If we require a steel tape to measure any course that isn't entirely on a hard surface, and require that it be measured twice, very few of these courses will be measured.
Furthermore, these courses will be checked:
- using the same method that was used to originally measure them
only if a record is set
I think I'm comfortable with that.