- December 25, 2024
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I have always wanted to be a contestant on the "Amazing Race." Not only is it a competitive game of intelligence and adventure, but you also get to see the world. My kinda reality show.
So when I found out that local residents Ron and Rebecca Long were creating their own Flagler County version of the adventure race I couldn't resist participating. Even before I could mention it I got a message from my friend Cara saying she was putting a team together. Within a week we had our five-person team and this wasn't the first time we were teammates. All five of us had been on a mission trip team to Guatemala together last summer.
After a pretty long and hilarious group text message, we came up with our team name, Guat-a-locos. Of course, the name was in honor of our Guatemala connection coupled with the notion that this race might get a little crazy.
The six-hour long challenge started with a minute-to-win-it style Oreo game. Each team member had to place an Oreo on their forehead and wiggle it down to their mouth using no hands. Jen and I rocked this challenge scoring points for out team and allowing them us our first clue. Off we went.
We were on a mission; a mission to win!
While the race wasn't about time, there were options to earn points at each of the 10 stops through challenges and finding anything with the race logo attached to it (those were called "Easter eggs.") Once the challenge, or "pit stop" as Amazing Race fans call it, was completed, we earned our next clue.
Since all of the stops ended up being a restaurant or bar, food ended up being a recurring part of the challenges.
Thank goodness for Robert. He was our designated food person for everything the rest of the team didn't feel up for; eating a ghost pepper hot wing at Say Cheese, in Bunnell, and attempting to eat three hot dogs in one minute at Sweet Waters, in Flagler Beach. I, of course, took on the ice cream challenge; tasting five different ice cream's at Sally's and guessing the flavor. I was pretty proud of my tasting ability, picking three of the five correctly.
Other challenges included stacking cups, bowling, corn hole, dancing in front of Finn's holding a sign and wearing a shark head hat, dancing and singing around the fire at Fuego del Mar, shooting pool or throwing darts, and of course deciphering the clues was a challenge in itself.
We drove around Flagler County, every window of Cara's SUV painted with funny sayings and our team name. On one window, we even drew the Great Flagler Race logo. We drove back and forth from The European Village to The Hammock, to Palm Coast, to Bunnell, to Flagler Beach; making our debut at Finn's wearing colorful, light-up mohawks. We drove back to Bunnell and to Flagler Beach one last time and finally made our way back to The European Village for the final check in.
As we stood there, waiting for the final results, we had no doubt about the win. We killed it. Guat-a-locos; We are the champions!
