Whew!

Most thrilling freewayblog yet...

As I headed home from work yesterday, I looked in the back of my car and noticed the pile of signs laying back there. They were practically begging to be hung up on the freeway. I figured since I'd had a great day at the end of a great week, what could be better than to hang a sign for all the folks stuck in traffic on US 101?

I headed over a few blocks from where I work to hang a sign on one of my favorite pedestrian bridges. Locals will recognize it as the blue bridge by the Vermont Street off-ramp. I parked, got out of the car, opened the rear hatch and selected the lucky winner to be hung today. No need for duct tape or bungee cords for this freewayblog. This bridge has the added convenience of having a double fence (with the inner fence at waist height), which allows us freewaybloggers to simply slide the sign between the two layers of fencing and head off on our merry way.

The traffic was really moving at a crawl today. While proudly nestling the sign into position, I heard a car horn honking below. I stood up and waved in the general direction of the familiar sound. I often get honks while hanging signs on this bridge as you are really exposed while educating the public here.

I turned and started to walk back towards the car, comforted by the thought of how many people would read that sign today when I heard a voice coming over a loud-speaker. The only word I picked out clearly was, "sign". I looked down at the traffic and, to my horror, spotted a CHP cruiser sweeping under the bridge like a shark hunting for hapless fishermen under a tiny boat. My heart skipped a beat as I saw the patrolman tear down the off-ramp, obviously intent on catching me in the act. I sprinted for the car, jumped in, started the engine, and floored it up the street, my eyes glued to the rear-view mirror. That off-ramp is so close to the bridge, I knew for certain he'd catch up to me. As I made a left and then a right, I headed toward a narrow winding street that I knew I'd lose him on.

As I came off the twisting residential road, I calmed down enough to decide that I'd loop back around onto the freeway and drive back to see if he'd taken my sign down. He may have seen me, but I was sure he hadn't spotted the car.

As I approached the bridge, I realized he hadn't taken the sign down yet. So I snapped a photo of it....



The only thing I can figure is he must have been driving around looking for me in that area.

Now you'd think that after an experience like that, I'd be too nervous to do any more freewayblogging. And you'd be wrong. I drove a few miles down the highway towards home and hung another sign in Daly City. This one right here, to be exact....

Man, this stuff is way too much fun. I think my freewayblogging addiction level just went up a few notches.