I run on dirt roads in farm country. I found a $70 clevis for towing which I stashed for later pickup. I always pick up nails, screws or anything that will punture a tire. Stupidest thing I tried to pick up was a half buried tarp strap bungee, it stretched 2X its normal length then snapped free whacking me with a metal S hook.

I will come out of lurking for this one. We on a coutry road in the middle of somewhat crowded NJ I am alwaya finding wonderful things on the road. Once while running with my wife we picked up a little kitten which very contently hung out in my jacket for the run home. I have found dvd players ( the kids still use that one in the car), more tools than I can write about. a 4 foot beach ball, That was fun gettin back. a 3 foot serving platter (Which may come in handy next time we have 60 or 70 people over ) an injured squirell ( went back for the car for that one.) Someones pet rabbit ( with floppy ears, (he did not want to come home with us.) a wooly lamb which jumped the fence. I alway stop to pick up nails and srews and my mechanic will attest to the fact that those I miss aong the way I pick up with my tires quite often ( the building boom is till alive and well here reguardless of the sub prime mess ) many bungie cords, which always makes me wonder what happened to what they held? I could go on and this is only on a 2 mile there and back!

Interesting thread, Vista. I was actually thinking of this the other day when I found 26 cents during one run. I've probably picked up $1.00 over the past year. I keep looking for that elusive $20 bill, but it's causing bad form so I should probably give it up. PJ

About the only thing I am stopping to pick-up is a single running goddess!

Hey.....that was going to be my line If there where a race to the "single running goddess" you would beat me to her with your speedy legs Tim

I picked up a 10 inch rainbow trout on a trail run when I came around a corner and scared away a bald eagle just starting in on it for breakfast. I was kind of sorry to scare it into lumbering down the trail between tall trees like a B-49 take-off so made sure the rbt was put to good use on my breakfast table instead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Didn't fare so well when I inadvertently experimented with running a marathon only on watera couple of years ago until badly bonking at mile 14 and trying for the next two miles to hitchhike back to the start until a passing angel runner took pity on my pain and gave me some glucose tablets that had me recovered and running the last ten miles as if nothing had happened.

This is a fun read! The strangest thing I saw on the side of the road is a dead fish. Looked pretty fresh and it was no where near the water. Not sure if a rather large bird dropped it there or what - but i did not pick it up. I found a bowling ball laying in the woods. Told my daughter about it and she went back to get it. Carried it around in her trunk for a long time. When the kids are bored and waiting for someone they bowl in parking lots . . . . don't know where the pins came from and I didn't ask. I also saw a single crutch propped up against a tree in the woods. I remember thinking that I hope I don't need to use it some day. Not sure that I have ever actually picked up anything though. ~Mary

......eeeewwwwww........