No Jogging Bicycle Riding Rollerblading

This picture is taken less than two feet away from the sign.

This picture was taken about ten feet away from the sign.

Seriously, they think I can read that?  A faded brown rectangle, an after thought, positioned beneath the 25 mile speed limit sign that draws the eye?  These two signs are also on the right side of the road which means it is on the wrong side of the road for me.  Joggers run on the left, facing traffic. That's me.

I was on the last mile of a ten mile run when I was coming through this stretch of road, the area of no jogging, bicycling or rollerblading.  A car stopped alongside me and the driver, on the surface, polite, but underneath was sarcasm, informed me that there was a sign "back there" that said, no jogging, biking or rollerblading on this section of the road.  Thanks, I replied.  I didn't see it.  And this is the only way back to my start point.

I didn't bother to tell him I was on the last mile of a ten mile run and was not about to about-face and retrace even one foot.  I envisioned my environment and quickly realized where the sign must have been and the detours I would have had to take to avoid this section of the road that was supposed to be no jogging, bicycling or rollerblading. The only way around, to get back to where I needed to be, would have added (whining now, whaaaa), another mile.  I know.  Only a mile.  But that's a lot when you think you are on the last of a ten mile run.  And I am an old horse.  When I'm runing home, I take the bit in my teeth, put my head down, and go.

To continue with my whine, did I say it was windy?  Really windy?  With that crisp, spring air?

Did I say I was on Joint Base Andrews (AKA, Andrews AFB)?  Ooooh, maybe an MP will drive by and chastise me like the driver who informed me I was in the wrong.  So scared. I was breaking the rules!

The MP would have offered to give me a ride.

And do you know why there is supposed to be no jogging, bicycling or rollerblading on that section of the road?  A freaking golf course is on both sides, and there are signs that I did see that said, Warning, Errant Balls.  It's a golf course, for Christ's sake.  Of course there would be errant balls.  And like winning the lottery, I was not particularly expecting I would be the one that won.  I guess cars can go through there and drivers take their chances on not getting dented or cracked by an errant golf ball. And let's hope they have their windows up.  And if motorcycles go through there they would be wearing helmets because it's Maryland and it's a military installation. We care about you not being an organ donor, at least in this circumstance.

But wait. Can you imagine being clocked in the side of your helmet with a golf ball, or an "errant ball" whizzing in your open car window and bloodying your nose or replacing your eye?  The keepers of the signage apparently aren't concerned about that.  And neither was I.

To be totally truthful, there is one more reason why the sign might have said no jogging, bicycling or rollerblading. There wasn't much shoulder on that section of the road.  In my opinion, it wasn't much of a problem, really, since there were no ditches to speak of and as I pointed out, there's a golf course on both sides.  You know, flat and open so you can step off when a car approaches.  The traffic isn't heavy through there and the speed limit is 25.  Drivers know to yield to runners or formations on military installations. So why not on this particular section of the road?

I promise not to run through there again.  But seriously, let's lighten up you rule makers and those who get excited if someone is breaking one. 

Damn, I'm sore today.  That ten miles kicked my ass.