I Didn't Want to Be a Course Marshal

I got put on course marshal duty today. Slingshot and I had two stations to cover: the Sundance turnoff and a super busy intersection in Draper.

We managed to get a few pictures at the Sundance turn.

Here I am feeling pretty goofy in my bright orange vest and slow/stop sign. Luckily at this turn-off station we had awesome support from the Utah Highway Patrol, and we didn't have to stop traffic ourselves - just get the bikes turned at the right spot.


I took a quick shot of the race leaders, but didn't have time to zoom in since I was supposed to be directing them not taking their pictures.


After the leaders went by, I handed off the camera to Slingshot so I could direct the racers. He got a couple of shots of the guys coming to the corner.



After the peloton went past, the UHP left and road was reopened to traffic. It was obvious that it was time for us to move onto our next station.

We drove to Draper, arriving about an hour before the race came through. As we stood around waiting, a Draper animal control officer came over and said he was controlling the intersection with another police officer and told us to keep traffic from coming out of the gas station on the corner. He also told us that the race was at the top of Suncrest and that there was only one leader and the peloton. I trusted that he had good information.

As the race drew nearer, the officers came and took control of the intersection, and Slingshot went out to help them. My job was to stop the cars leaving the gas station. I stood there, left hand holding the stop sign to the gas station, right hand pointing over my head to show the riders to turn right. The leader went through. The next group went through.

Then a bunch of traffic came though. The cops on the corner told Slingshot he was done and to get out of the road. They left. I walked back toward Sling, and some spectators commented on how exciting it all was. We thought it was over.

Then I looked back up the road. Crap! A huge group was coming fast. I grabbed my stop sign, ran and secured the gas station entrance, and pointed the way to go. The cops were gone, traffic was coming, and here comes the main peloton! I thought it was a little weird when some of the guys started to ask me if they should turn when I was standing there pointing the way to go. I confirmed they should turn and thought they all did. Little did I realize that the guy who was leading out hadn't seen me and had missed the turn and gone straight through the unsecured intersection. He soon found his way back on course, but he was pissed. I don't blame him. It was a terrible intersection, we didn't have enough help, the cops had left, and there was no other sign to turn besides me standing there. I think the guy had determined ahead of time that he was going straight and was so focused on getting around the traffic that he wasn't paying attention to the course marshals. Slingshot was doing his best to control the intersection, but without the cops there it was a nightmare! We needed at least four course marshals here, a sign letting riders know a turn was coming, and cops who are willing to hang out for more than 30 seconds.

After we left this station, we headed back home. I would have liked to go up to the finish at Snowbird, but we wouldn't have been able to make it in time for the finish.

I liked working in hospitality so much better!