It turns out that the airport security lines broken down by expertise are now in place.
It worked well for me today. The shot is from checkpoint 1 at MSP.
One challenge: This relies on people reading signs. Many people seemed to be choosing lines based on length rather than speed based on conversations I overheard.
One thing that was cool to see: the people who selected the “Expert” line were of all ages, including a world traveling couple in their 80’s.
Greg was all fired up over on Metblogs the other day about a plan to bring “Expert Traveler Lines” to MSP. As he explained via the PiPress, the plan is to provide separate lines for experienced travelers vs people who may take longer to navigate airport security.
I recently had a chance to see this plan in action in Denver. After navigating a Disney-line maze, you’re presented with signs where you self-select which line is most appropriate for you based on how fast you navigate security. They’re given skiing style black diamond and green circle treatment in Denver, but I don’t don’t know if that’s just local flavor.
It’s tough to read in my blurry Treo photo, but the bullets suggest that the “Expert” line is for those familiar with TSA procedures and are traveling light:
The Green line (Families and Special Assistance) suggests that it’s appropriate for people traveling with small children, strollers, groups, or are new to flying and need assistance.
Guess which line I chose?
Green! Why? Because there was no line.
The “Expert” line’s bullet points are a bit off. Personally, I don’t know of a business traveler who’s truly traveling light since they tend to have a laptop and possibly a change of close, toiletries, etc. with their in order to avoid checking luggage. However, they are familiar with procedures and are less likely to bring a line to a halt by forgetting to remove their cell phone before walking through a metal detector.
While I have my doubts about whether this moves people through security faster on average, I could see it reducing the aggravation of regular travelers who are dumbfounded by novice traveler’s inability to understand what’s metal.
“Touch the Tundra” is the motto of the Green Bay Marathon. Crossing Lambeau Field sounds like a cool way to end a marathon, but that’s not exactly how things go. More on that later.
The Course
Yesterday’s Green Bay Marathon started outside Lambeau Field on Lombardi Drive (near Holmgren Way - seriously). It wound through neighborhoods to the North and West of the stadium for the first 13 miles, then broke south for DePere where it crosses the Fox River. From DePere, the course follows a paved rail to trail downstream along the Fox River for around 5 miles before cutting back across the river to wind through some more neighborhoods. The last mile includes a trip down the tunnel and onto Lambeau Field where runners make a clockwise lap around the field then back through the tunnel to the finish line outside Lambeau were fresh brats and beer are served.
As you can imagine, the crowd watching the race is largely green and gold. Since it was in the 50’s and windy, Packer coats were on display wherever locals where cheering.
Compared to Twin Cities, the marathon race is quite a bit smaller. However, they run a 1/2 marathon concurrently on a shared course through 11 miles (Carly did the 1/2) so the first almost 1/2 is comparable in terms of crowds. After that, it thins out quite a bit, which is probably good since there are a few narrow sections such as bridge sidewalks and bike paths.
The biggest bummer is how much of the course is concrete. I figure that at least half of the course was concrete, which really beats up runners in longer distance events like this.
On the plus side, the registration, bib pick-up, race start, feed stations, volunteers, and finish crew were all fantastically organized. Well done.
My Race
I started out with the idea that I may have a 3:45 marathon in me based on the fact that I ran a 4:13 at the Marine Corps Marathon this past October on relatively minimal training. This spring, I actually did some running and lost some weight in a fitness challenge. Put those two things together and I figured I wouldn’t blow up and have to walk at 23 like I did in DC. Apparently, training helps.
Here’s how it went based on the times logged by the chip on my shoe (The discrepancy between “gun time” and chip time is the time it takes between when the gun is fired and when I actually cross the start line with a chip on my shoe. Middle of the pack runners like myself focus on the chip time which measures our time on course.):
Surprisingly consistent. I found a pace that felt comfortable and stuck with it.
Lagging 3:40 Pace Group
At around 14, I went through a switchback after crossing the Fox River and realized I was slightly ahead of the 3:40 pace group. It’s pretty common for marathons to have runners who commit to running a certain pace while carrying a sign or balloons in order to help runners reach their goal times. Based on the 8:30’s I was knocking off, I couldn’t figure out why the 3:40 guys were behind me.
They ended up finishing around 100 yards ahead of me, so were nowhere close to hitting 3:40. That explained to me why there was such a small group around them. Had someone, such as a woman under 35, banked on qualifying for Boston based on sticking with those guys, they would have been sorely disappointed by the finish clock. Instead, they must have abandoned those guys.
The final stretch. The clock looks like is says 3:13, which would have been nice, but it’s actually 3:43.
I’d like to point out that the heavy walkers in this picture were NOT marathon runners, but either 1/2 marathon or 5K participants who took the same time I did to finish their races.
Touch the Tundra?
Apparently, there is an ongoing debate in Green Bay about whether the Green Bay Marathon - who’s motto is, “Touch the Tundra” - should actually allow runners to “Touch the Tundra.” The answer this year was, “No.” We did get to run in through the tunnel, around the field on what was kind of like a warning track, and back out to finish in Lambeau Field’s parking lot.
I heard two theories on why this is done rather than ending the race in the stadium.
1. Lambeau is very protective of their turf. This could be, but as I understand it, the game of football is also played on it, which is surely much more damaging than a few thousand runners. Don’t they replace the field throughout the season? It seems like something that could be handled.
2. Corporate Sponsorship Conflict. Cellcom is the title sponsor of the marathon, but Verizon is a big sponsor inside Lambeau Field. Perhaps Cellcom doesn’t want memorable marathon photos having Verizon ads in the background?
Either way, the city of Green Bay should figure out a way to solve this since the marathon would be a bigger draw if people could truly “Touch the Tundra.”
Marathon Tunes
I love roadside music during marathons. I heard the typical Chariots of Fire and Rocky Theme Songs, which are cool. And you can usually count on hearing “Celebrate Good Times” blasting from a boom box. And the live stuff is great, including a church choir at around mile 13.
But I think the person who fired me up with the most with his music choice was a 12-ish year old kid at around mile 3 who - at 7:30am - had set up some huge speakers and was throwing down some Kid Rock for the runners and his neighbors. That kid knows how to get into my head in a good way:
Would you take a fist to the face to protect the daily deposit?
1900 Marshall St NE: Employee walking to car on way to bank to deposit company money; 2 suspects wearing ski masks pulled up to victim’s car, punched victim in face, but did succeed in taking cash; suspects fled in vehicle
CID investigating
26th/Penn; Broadway/2nd St; Broadway/James; 22nd; Lyndale: Broadway Beat, Middle Watch Officers conducted detail at bar; recovered 69 rocks crack cocaine, 8 g cocaine, 3 bottles PCP/WET, 24 bags marijuana; made several arrests; 9 Arrested/
NARCOTICS; 3 Arrested/Loiter with Intent to Sell Narcotics; 1 Loiter with Intent to Buy Narcotics; 1 Trespass; 1 misdemeanor warrant, 2 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, 1 Loud Music in Motor Vehicle; 1 Driving after Revocation, no Insurance;
CID investigating
Conflicting stories from victims? This is one of the challenges of being involved in crime. If you get ripped off or shot, you can’t exactly go to the cops.
4700 blk Cedar Av S: Officers responded to shooting at gas station; 2 victims shot while inside their car; conflicting stories from victims; 1 had bullet near his heart but was talking, stable; 2 guns involved; 2nd victim had minor wounds
CID investigating
If these guys were smart, they would have made their getaways on bikes rather than the bus. It’s faster, and a greener way to commit crimes.
4th Av S/Lake St E: Officers responded to Person with Weapon call; caller reported suspects robbing people, then fleeing on bus; officers stopped 3 juveniles, 1 with gun, others with knives all transported to Juvenile Center: 1 Arrested/WEAPON
CID investigating
A citizen’s arrest of a drive-by panty-hoser!
Irving Av S/Mount Curve: Officers dispatched to indecent exposure call; suspect exposing himself while in car; caller provided description, plate; officers located car; suspect, wearing only pantyhose, identified by caller; citizen’s arrest signed; suspect resides in 2800 blk Irving Av S: Arrested/ INDECENT EXPOSURE
CID investigating
It must be tough to find good locations for gang conventions. I imagine the Minneapolis Conventions and Visitors Bureau isn’t much help:
18th/Morgan Avs N: CRT officer received info from Confidential Informant regarding meeting between gang members at North Commons Park, 1 person carrying gun; responded with Gang Strike Force officers; recovered loaded 9mm handgun reported stolen in St. Paul: Arrested/ WEAPON (14-yr-old with extensive arrest record)
CID investigating
Do K9’s with strong religious convictions bite harder when they catch church burglars?
3000 blk 13th Av SK9: Team responded to burglary in progress in 3000 blk 13th Av S, suspect fled from church as officers arrived, was apprehended by K9
I don’t think MSP has one of these yet. The official name for it is the Smiths Detection Ionscan Sentinal II, but I prefer calling it the “Poof Poof Machine.”
In addition to the typical metal detector, travelers step into this contraption then stand still for a few seconds while jets of air go “poof poof” on you from every angle. Apparently, this is designed to dislodge trace levels of narcotics and explosives which are then sucked up by a fan and measured. Heathrow has had them since 2003, but they’re still relatively new on the scene in the US of A. They cost around $150,000 each, and, assuming they’re necessary, you’d need at least one at every airport screening gate.
I tried to find a case study where this machine has actually detected and stopped someone from boarding a plane somewhere in the world and couldn’t find one. As far as I can tell, no one has ever been arrested based on this machine detecting explosives. Or Smiths Detection is being very quiet about success stories, which doesn’t seem likely at all.
The Minneapolis Mirror has an incredible first-person recollection of a robbery last Saturday in the parking lot of the Cub Foods on E Lake St. Here’s a sample:
As she spoke Spanish through sobs, I noticed that we were surrounding a heavy-duty pocketknife lying on the ground watching raindrops bouncing off the shiny metal as it lay there. Through her sobs, she revealed that it belonged to the attacker. Like CSI’s Detective Bonasera, I secured the crime scene and told everyone not to touch it.
As we all stood in the rain, the gentleman who had called the police, interpreted for her. She explained how two Latino males had pulled up in a vehicle and the passenger had jumped out and pulled a gun on her, demanding her purse. He threaten to kill her if she didn’t surrender the purse as her young son must have watched and listened in horror. She confessed that she didn’t want to give it up so easily; all the money she had earned was in that purse. Money for her children and her car keys were in that bag. She motioned that he put the gun to her neck as he yanked the purse from her. Then he jumped back in the vehicle and sped out of the parking lot. My son confirmed her recollection.
This is a single family home just one block South of Minnehaha Creek and within blocks of the restaurants on S Chicago Ave. That’s a pretty sweet combination. Lake Nokomis is also easily walkable/joggable from this location.
Downtown commuting can be as easy as taking the 1-ways on Portland and Park rather than hopping on the mess that is 35W. Or head South to the Crosstown for easy access to the airport.
About that airport. This is definitely in the flight path that plagues the most Southern of South Minneapolis. Backyard grilling on a busy flight night with planes arriving from the West involves sign language.
3 bed, 1 bath, and 1335 sq feet, a dog-ready fenced in yard, and a 1 car garage in a quiet neighborhood (outside of the planes) for $215,000.
The Deets is the personal blog of Ed Kohler. Views represented here are his own. Views of comments on The Deets are their own and Ed does not necessarily endorse the views of commenters. Ed's wishlist can be found here.
