These are things that don’t necessarily fall into the flow of my recaps specifically with Team Challenge, so I just thought I would do a separate little post about them.
Traveling with the Boot
In Las Vegas, security was really nice. I walked through, they called for a “Female Assist!” Two female TSA agents came over, asked me what I had done to my foot and joked about being a gimp. They wiped down my boot and my hands with the paper that checks for explosive trace and sent me on my way.
In San Francisco, they made me take off my boot. Then they gestured at my cast and asked, “Does that come off?” They sent me into the full-body scan while they sent my boot off through the x-ray machine. Then they gave my hands the explosive trace wipe down. One of my team members picked up my boot (since it was backing up others bags) and the TSA told her she couldn’t bring it to me until I was done with my bomber check. Finally I got to put my boot on.
It’s interesting… for an organization that is supposed to be standardized, they sure don’t seem to be consistent. If you look at the TSA website, it even states that you will not have to take off your cast. My husband encouraged me to print that page out and take it with me. However, I just couldn’t see making that effort… they’d probably arrest me or haul me off to some super-secret room and interrogate me.
I’m just assuming that blonde, gimpy girls must be a problem at SFO.
Shoe Twin
At the expo and at the Team Challenge pasta party I ran into my footwear twinner:
Her super cute dress provides a lot more concealment of the boot!
I also ran into one other gal at the expo sporting this same foot covering.
Spotted
Yeah, I saw Aka Alice on the course. Actually… she spotted me! I was so intent on picking out my runners in the orange shirts, I somehow nearly missed her trademark day-glo green shirt! Fortunately she called out to me on her way past! Sadly I didn’t get to see her any more than a passing shout and wave. Some day it will be more than that. I love getting to meet other bloggers IRL!
Next time you’re in Vegas, let me know!
Reading is Important
Everyone needs to read… every word…
This sign got a lot of people excited and then disappointed.
Related articles
- Team Challenge – 2011 Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon (jillwillrun.com)
Jill Will Run 
This was a great post. I enjoyed reading about your TSA stories – I have a few of my own – and that Beer sign was hilarious. It got quite the chuckle around the office. Thanks!
-Sarah
fitango.com
hahaha. that’s a tricky sign!
i have experienced my own tsa adventures… one let me through with individual packs of applesauce, but most times i get pulled aside for the special search… do i look that creepy?
I think TSA’s consistent policy is to be inconsistent. That said, SFO doesn’t have TSA but a private screening contractor that dresses in TSA-like uniforms. They’re supposed to implement the same security policy as TSA but from your experience, it sounds as if they’re inconsistent (i.e. they’re following policy).