The Amazing Race (Part Two)

I don't know where to begin- this was the neatest thing we have ever taken part in.  It was very smartly put together, even containing time penalties, physical activities, brain activities, and thank goodness for our ability to use a Thomas Guide.  No cameras were allowed, although I don't think I would've thought to stop to take pictures until we were being "held" for five minutes at one of the locations.  Here are just a few of our clues.  There were many more, and we had so much fun!

Here is a clue we received at Snohomish Library- we were perplexed for a while.  It was my favorite one. Finally- after the stress of seeing most of our competitors arriving and thumbing through the other copies of the book we posessed- we figured it out.  477=page number, 13= line, 7= word.  The clue read "Park in memory of Sir it a."  (Sirita)   We just happened to know where that it! Lundeen Park in Lake Stevens.

Here is the clue that my body is remembering the most this morning.  My thighs said "OUCH!" this morning when I rolled out of bed.  Needless to say- I need to become more active.  The bucket we had to use to fill the large tub had HOLES drilled into it.  We had to tag team filling it in the lake, and running it to our tub.  We hit our mark, and received the next clue.  I am stressed out just typing this as if the others are still on our tail. 

I am not a regular Pho eater, but I must say that it was delicious.  "Warmly comfort one another"?  Adam, "Hurry up!  Eat, woman!!"  My mouth full reply, "Stop spilling it everywhere!  We might have to lick it off of the table!"  The whole bowl had to be empty.  The chocolate dessert?  Bugs. I had a chocolate covered larva, Adam braved the locusts.   Everyone was STILL on our trail.   We were on our way again. 

This one was the hardest for us both.  We arrived at Starbucks for a taste test.  Correctly identify  the cups of coffee labeled A, B,C,and D.  This was HARD!  We couldn't tell by tasting.  I tried my hardest.  At least I was getting some caffeine that would prove helpful throughout the race.  What is ridiculous is that my regular coffee blend "Guatemala Antigua"  that I brew every morning at home, was one of them.  I couldn't pick it out of a line up!!  While I feverishly tried to tell the difference, Adam was speed writing all of the possibilities using the process of elimination.  Phew- after FOREVER, and all of our competition there doing the same thing, we were off!
Eventually we were given the clue to drive to the finish line, and the address was located on the back of our first clue. At the address, we were given one final challenge-

We forgot that we were told in the beginning to "Be observant."  We were in such a hurry that we didn't notice the name tags that the volunteers wore at the different locations had one of these characters on them.  We were too busy going as fast as we could!  It was another guessing game for us, just like the coffee.  FINALLY- we guessed it correctly.  The odds were really against us with the guessing game.  But we WON!

Here is our first place prize!  This race has us so excited that we are already planning one to put on again, so the leaders that organized this race for us can take part in the next one.  They said it was as much fun planning it as it must have been for us to participate in.  I believe them, because we are already excited!