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Tuesday, April 21, 2009
How do you get out of Salt Lake?
Posted By Tom Barberi on April 21, 2009, 11:15 AM
I have never felt so trapped. I thought I was in some cheesy movie that usually stars a couple of teenagers who run out of gas in some hick town that turns out to be the retirement community for zombies.
It turned out to be the Salt Lake Marathon. Now I should have know better because I was the race announcer. That meant being on the Olympic bridge at the University of Utah at 5 AM to preside over the festivities, introduce dignitaries and finally do the countdown and signal the military to fire off their Howitzer to start the race. So how did I get trapped in Salt Lake? I looked at the race route before hand but didn't give it much thought until I jumped in my car and tried to leave town. I was reminded of the race route at every turn because every practically intersection from the U of U down to 6200 South was barricaded with police and Sheriff's officers. I couldn't get to the freeway because I drove south on 7th East and wondered why there was little or no traffic. I found out when I tried to cross Van Winkle.....NO. After several attempts to get to State Street I exasperatedly asked a cop how the hell do I get out of Salt Lake? He said I should go back north and keep driving until I get to Pocatello then take a left until I hear the surf and head south!
I had to do a show in Orem at 10 AM and figured I had plenty of time but wound up doing my 26 miles, 385 yards in my car before I found an escape route to the freeway. It was maddening.
I thought I hope nobody has to go to the hospital to have a baby, have a heart attack, have their house catch fire, have a gas main break in their neighborhood, get robbed, shot at, catch a plane or get out of town fast because they just robbed any of the 10,000 Check Cashing stores in town.
I admire those who run marathons and I'm sure they all feel great satisfaction upon finishing but doing it in your car can make you nuts when you wind up going around in circles making an ever growing carbon footprint going nowhere!!!
It turned out to be the Salt Lake Marathon. Now I should have know better because I was the race announcer. That meant being on the Olympic bridge at the University of Utah at 5 AM to preside over the festivities, introduce dignitaries and finally do the countdown and signal the military to fire off their Howitzer to start the race. So how did I get trapped in Salt Lake? I looked at the race route before hand but didn't give it much thought until I jumped in my car and tried to leave town. I was reminded of the race route at every turn because every practically intersection from the U of U down to 6200 South was barricaded with police and Sheriff's officers. I couldn't get to the freeway because I drove south on 7th East and wondered why there was little or no traffic. I found out when I tried to cross Van Winkle.....NO. After several attempts to get to State Street I exasperatedly asked a cop how the hell do I get out of Salt Lake? He said I should go back north and keep driving until I get to Pocatello then take a left until I hear the surf and head south!
I had to do a show in Orem at 10 AM and figured I had plenty of time but wound up doing my 26 miles, 385 yards in my car before I found an escape route to the freeway. It was maddening.
I thought I hope nobody has to go to the hospital to have a baby, have a heart attack, have their house catch fire, have a gas main break in their neighborhood, get robbed, shot at, catch a plane or get out of town fast because they just robbed any of the 10,000 Check Cashing stores in town.
I admire those who run marathons and I'm sure they all feel great satisfaction upon finishing but doing it in your car can make you nuts when you wind up going around in circles making an ever growing carbon footprint going nowhere!!!
More by Tom Barberi
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"It's A Dog Eat Cat World"
- Jan 8, 2010
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It's official....THE TERRORISTS HAVE WON!
- Jan 7, 2010
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GOD Speaks Tuber
- Jan 6, 2010
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