A measuring obstacle first

Here's another obstacle, a temporary one, from MN #60, July 1993

It wasn't the 6 o'clock news that I missed but "Robo Cop II." While measuring early one morning in downtown Houston I stumbled on the movie film crew winding up a night's work. All traffic was stopped. I could have gotten through, since Security thought I was a stunt man dressed in helmet,gloves and vest.

Ah Jim, you entice me to draw out my Top 5 Obstructions:
1. Toward the end of a hot day measuring the Detroit Free Press Marathon, was stopped by some police who wouldn't let me beyond a barricade. When I asked why, the cop called for his superior who came flying up and asked for my ID. He wrote down a bunch of stuff about me, handed back my ID and told me I couldn't go in the direction I wanted for a while. I asked him, 'Why?' He said, 'I can't tell you.' Nice. I asked why he took down my ID info & he replied, 'Because you might be a terrorist.' I am not making this up.

I wandered over to a small park where I saw a local TV truck. I leaned in and asked a tv reporter I recognized what was up w/all the black vehicles, an ambulance and the motorcycles. He nodded his head toward a church across the street and said, 'Al Gore's in there'. Ah, that was it. Gore was campaigning and making a swing of the 'black' churches that morn.

I was able to resume about 15 minutes later when Gore left. Weird.

2. While validating a course, a gate right at the end was locked...that was supposed to be open. We looked around and found a spot where we could squeeze the bikes under the fence. We picked up from there. However, if we hadn't found that tiny space to squeeze through, I'm not optimistic how the rest of the day would've gone.

3. While measuring the Detroit Marathon in the late 80s, encountered a missing bridge in Windsor, ONT. This was unanticipated and I had to come back another day w/alternate route. Every time the DM is measured, you have to make arrangements w/the border officials to use their crossing. In the late 80s, it was just the Detroit/Windsor tunnel. Since '00, both tunnel and river-crossing Bridge have been involved. You have to be extra careful on the expansion joints crossing the Brige.

4. Again measuring the Detroit Marathon and in Windsor, ran into a door swung open from a parked car. Did a spin through the air, landed on the top of my 'brain bucket' and rolled onto the ground. Sat there a while gathering myself, assessing damage...and seething w/anger. My front wheel was intact so I resumed measuring from a point prior to impact.

5. Measuring the 8 miles around Mackinac Island. Trying to ride the SPR, I was forced to wait for my 'line' to clear of darn tourists all too frequently. I thought I'd taken care to get over there early in the day too...but not early enough. What should've taken about 45 minutes took 2 hours for ride 1. Ride 2 was worse. But at least I was on Mackinac, a prime destination.

Let me get this straight: You're complaining about spending more time on Mackinac that you had originally planned?

My friend, you make a decent point, however, spending 4+ hours measuring w/what seemed like hundreds of interruptions isn't my idea of a good way to enjoy the Island. You know the Island...people would stop along the path edge, taking in the sights, posing for pics, etc and then there's the wayward once-every-5-years folks on rented bikes wandering into my straight-n-narrow path. We don't want to forget the walkers/hikers either...plus the tourist and horse-drawn cart traffic in the 2 mile stretch of town. I had obstacles.

I didn't enjoy myself until done.

Sounds like Central Park. The best time there is in the evening, when Dave Katz & I did the Olympic Trials and NYC 1/2 Marathon courses. But in January or February I want to take full advantage of the sun's warmth, so it's usually midday. Of course the warmer weather brings out all the joggers, walker, skaters, etc. that you have to contend with. In spite of wearing my IAAF Measurer vest, I still get a good share of "wrong way" comments, etc.