Tour of CA #2 - There are Always Exceptions to the Rule

So about 1.5 hours into the race, I am fully engrossed in all the happenings in the start house. I get a tap on the shoulder. I turn to find one of the Tour of CA heavy's. He asks "Are you my security for this area?" I look around an see that the 10 cops that were standing around are gone. "It sure looks like it." I tell him.

He points out the issue...... with the upcoming arrival of Lance Armstrong to this area, the crowd is growing rapidly. There is a spot where the barrier is not pulled all the way up against a tent and lower forms of life (those w/o the proper credentials to be in this area) were trying to sneak in. The barrier section is about 10 feet long and several guys are leaning on it. Task one, get the gap closed. I ask everyone to stand up, and then pull the barrier to where it sits snugly against the tent. Problem solve, right? Wrong. 10 seconds later, a guy with the proper media credentals walks up and wants to be let in. But to move the barrier, I would have to yell over the announcer to get everyone's attention so that I could get them to stop leaning on the barrier and move it. Instead, I tell him that everyone needs to go through the entrance by the start house. It is only 20 feet away so he heads off. For the next half hour, I stand by this spot telling all the media filing in so that they can get a picture of Lance that they need to go through the correct entrance over by the start house. No exceptions! Again, since it is only 20 feet away, no issues. Then the 10 cops show back up and want back in. I try my "you gotta go around" gambit and they are having none of it. Basically, no nit-wit in an orange T-shirt and a green vest is going to tell Sacramento's finest what they will be doing. So I shout out to the guys leaning on the barrier that it needs to be moved. I give it a yank so that it only moves about 6 inches and invite the boys in figuring that if anyone has been hitting the dounuts too hard as of late, they are going to have problems. A few were challenged, but they all made it. Then, the two guys leaning on the barrier right next to me ask out loud the very same question I was thinking....."Dude, did I just smell alcohol on their breath?"

With the cops back in, I figure that I am free to continue my front row geek-out of the start house. Just as I am about to head out, a lady walks up a demands that she must get in immediately. I am about to politely explain that there are no exceptions and they must go through the normal enterance. I look over her shoulder and see that she is being followed by to 5'2" piles of big hair and makeup. Yup, you guessed it, podium girls. Exception #2, coming up! I am about to ask the guys to stand up again so that I can move the barrier. However, everyone of them have turned around and are staring at the girls. I single handedly move the barrier and give them my best "Right this way ladies" and allow them in.

By know, I figure I am missing too much of the race. I learned a long time ago that an action delegated is and action complete so I slide the barrier up tight against the tent and tell all the guys standing there not to let anyone in unless they a cop or a podium girl. It is time to get back to the race!