The First Challenge

As you found out last week, we made it to the C-train. We took the train to the Chinook Station, which took about 15 minutes. We kept working on the clues while traveling. My sister Mellisa Abrey (who is going to be competing against us this year), was our phone support and was working the computer hard at home to help us with the clues. (Yes this is allowed, one of the few things in City Chase that is lol)

As we got off the train, the rain started coming down hard again. From where we were, it was going to be about 3 blocks to Long and McQuade. We started into the downpour. We started across the street and noticed a bunch of chasers standing outside one of the small strip malls.

Snap decision time!!!!

We proceeded to get in line behind the 4 chasers in line outside the building, which housed the store "Fairs Fair". Talking to those in the line, we found out that we would need to find a book by title alone in this cramped and packed book store. We waited another 5 minutes in the rain and decided this was taking too much time. Off to Long and Mcquade we go!!!

We ran/jogged/ walked down Center Street on our way to the music store, surrounded by a multitude of other chasers. Halfway down the block, we discovered a parkour facility that was one of the challenges.

For those who don't know, parkour is the ultimate in urban gymnastics. So two big, out of shape guys were going to do gymnastics as our first challenge.......great.
This challenge involved completing a number of mini challenges, each counting for a certain number of points for which we needed 15 before they would punch our race card.

1) We had to 2 foot hop across 18" square platforms spaced about 3 feet apart. We had to go around 3 times without falling off. (Yes this was as awkward as it sounds, but gave us 3 points)
2) Crawling among a set of jungle gym pipes to touch a piece of colored tape, without touching the ground. (we rocked at this one. I surprised a few people with my agility, and Steve followed suit. 7 points here)
3) Rope Climb, sounds easy right. My feet barely left the ground as I struggled to haul my fat butt up the rope. I gave up after a few seconds and looked to Steve to see if he wanted to try. He chuckled, turned and walked away. (no points here)
4) Tumbling....this was easy. I got 3 points for falling gracefully.
5) Steve needed 2 points, so he decided to crawl along a narrow wall. 4 points for all the way across, 2 for halfway. Do you think Steve went all the way across......not even close! The moment he hit the halfway mark, we were getting our stamp and shoes and bailing out the back door.

Off to Long and McQuade!!!!

(I know, I know.....I keep saying that, but we really are going there next!)

(I promise)