Last week while running home from work I dropped one of my shoes along the way. I discovered the loss about three miles into my five mile commute. As it was late in the evening, I decided to continue home. Fortunately, I found the shoe later on Creighton's campus:
I've lost stuff before: a pair of glasses during a Ponca Hills repeat (found unharmed in the middle of the street upon the next loop); a pair of really nice gloves during a commute by bus (#3: Did you Drop Anything?).
But I've become better about not losing things. I've learned the hard way that if there's a chance something wiggling loose, it probably will. So I've become more careful about closing zippers and such. I also do a backpack check at the first stop light and then at least one more quick check along the 25 minute commute.
Still, I occasionally drop an item. In the case of the shoe, my errors were twofold: 1) I didn't cinch the external mesh drawstring tight enough to hold my shoes securely. I should've known better. 2) I failed hearing the shoe hit the ground because the iPod volume was too loud. Note to self: turn the music down for safety as well as keeping track of possessions.
Of course, there are times when you find something else, some booty, on the street that a clod like me has dropped. By booty I strictly mean as a "thing" (as opposed to person) of value. Anyhow, I once came upon some booty in north Omaha. It was during the Run With A Heart 10K race. The irony was that this was one of the rare times that I was actually winning a race. As I followed the police motorcycle, my eyes were suddenly drawn to a wad of cash along the curb. It was tempting. Like the 70's game show, Let's Make a Deal, it was as if I was being offered cold cash in exchange for the unknown behind the curtain. 
A shrewd man would have stepped off the course and collected the cash prize. Me? I passed on the buyout, won the race and collected the gold-painted medal. There's always at least one ass in Let's Make a Deal.
Have you ever lost something of value while out on the road? What have you found?
Goldilocks and the 3 Bears
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Let's pick up the story in roughly the middle of the action.
... Goldilocks first sampled Papa Bear's porridge, "Holy shit, that's hot,"
she cried, toss...
2 years ago
Ahh....grasshopper so very wise. That wad of cash? Probably a fake. Did I ever tell you about playing "PURSE" with Pat Wrob & pals when we were in high school?
ReplyDeleteWe'd put a purse with a $5 or $10 sticking out on Ballas Road across from St. Gerards. Pat attached some fishing line to the purse and we'd hide in the bushes at the Convent, maybe 20 yards away.
When someone would stop, just before picking it up, Pat would tug the line and the purse would jump and the person freaked. This was the late 70's btw. One guy tried to find us and we hightailed it up Tree Top Lane in the old Apple Tree Subdivision.
Someone was probably waiting to do that to you. You were wise to run rather than grab, sending the poor joke player into a few more minutes of purgatory.
Booty found:
ReplyDeleteModified AA sized triple LED flashlight next to remnants of broken velcro strap.
Box full of USB and network cables scattered all over the road. Took me about 5 minutes to pick them all up and stuff them in my bag.
Discarded socks, shoes, waterbottles, etc. I leave those alone.
It's interesting that you're making booty jokes, given that your shoe was dropped at what used to be known as the Burnt District, an area that was infamous in the late 1800s for rampant prostitution and all forms of immoral debauchery. (Is there any other kind of dabauchery?)
ReplyDeleteI have found some useful items: a double edged boot knife, a vise grip style C clamp, vise grips, plastic pipe that I used for building a rack mount for my seat post mounted light, a plastic knife (the kind that can go through airport security, so I've been told), a dead hawk (which I gave a respectful burial, and a medical book on skin afflictions (ewww!)
Off the road, but in other public places, I've found a battery powered lantern and a nice Thermos.
Man, I'm either really unlucky or really blind. The best thing I've found along the side of the road/trail was this. I have lost a Pearl Izumi wind vest though. So my loss to gain ratio is not so good.
ReplyDeleteJohn: I'm certain that there was no fishing line attached to the wad of cash. It was a miserable day, cold and raining and the cash was in a puddle. Likely between $20 - ? as there were lots of bills. Anyway, I'm surprised Brendan hasn't chimed in yet about similar stunts he used to pull in the street with friends, fishing line and stuffed animals.
ReplyDeleteMunson: LOL. You need to ride with Bob & Scott as apparently those guys have the eye to spot some good booty. Hang in there & happy hunting.
I forgot to mention that I've also found on separate occasions a Columbia fleece vest (kept!) and two wallets. Anonymously, I sent the wallets back (exactly as found) to the listed address noting the intersection where discovered. Pass it on!
I just read it now, so my apologies for the delay on reporting on 'Stuffed Animal Tricks'.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't quite as elegant as 'PURSE', and instead of people slowing down to stop like they might for the purse, you'd hear downshifting and see cars speeding up to run over the poor, unsuspecting, stuffed animal being dragged across the street in front of the oncoming car.
As for found booty on the street, I think the best find for me was one of those fancy-shmancy insulated water bottles when I was fixing a flat.
Apparently you guys don't run or ride fast enough. I never see this stuff because everything goes by in a blur.
And, on top of that, when I drop something it's usually gone gone gone. Burns up in the atmosphere I'm going so fast. I need to start painting my accessories with ablative paint like the X-15.
Ha!
I have no idea how my speed would compare to Brendan's, but I'll use his excuse for not finding anything on the road. Although, it's more likely my sunglasses with vision corrected inserts only allows me to see a very narrow path. I have no peripheral vision.
ReplyDeleteSpeed may have something to do with it. I recall that I found the vest and wallets while running. Of course, Brendan's running speed would still prevent him from scoring some bounty.
ReplyDeleteI've seen you run, Munson. Yes, at your foot speed, you'd find all sorts of treasures.
Booty? I win. I always win. Found the September 1982 copy of a certain Chicago based magazine with the feature "Girls of the Big 8" alongside the road between Carrolton and Jerseyville along Illinios 267 on the last leg of my second bike tour From St. Louis to Wisconsin and back. The issue also had an interview with Cheech and Chong and 20Q with Tom Petty. Great articles in that mag. It was fitting because I was starting my Sophomore Year at MU in 1982.
ReplyDeleteFor obvious reasons, I have decided to NOT hyperlink that reference.
I saw Brendan's road rash from his June 2008 crash so it's obvious he's not only NOT looking for booty, he ain't watching the road.
Shame on you!!
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly, I found all the cool tools and knives while walking.
ReplyDeleteI see all types of booty when I'm out riding. Sometimes I pick it up.
ReplyDeleteI never see any stuff, though.
ZING
easy -- giant box of porn. Toward the end of a workout in high school, myself and several other members of the track team happened upon a cardboard box in the ditch. A porn-filled cardboard box in the ditch. We nodded silently, finished the workout and promptly ran straight to our cars.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of skin, Sean forgot to mention that he's lost a lot of his own flesh and blood along the road.
ReplyDeleteSean's not averse to spreading the wealth, either. One crash near Odell, Nebraska. Another in Norfolk. Another in downtown Omaha. And another somewhere between Omaha and Arlington. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteOK, here is mine;
ReplyDeleteI once found a dead guy hanging by a rope from a tree. I wouldn't exactly call it boody, but I did find him on a ride.