You know that saying, "Rules are made to be broken"?  Well, it's true.  Not only are they broken but they are modified as time passes.  This is only too true for adventure racing.  What I've learned is that as time passes special tests will be modified to conform to what is going on in the race.  So the instructions you hear may change from minute to minute. 

      At our first stop, The North Face, one team member had to stand on the block w/ their hands in the air while the other tried to throw a hoop/soft Frisbee around them.  So a couple of teams got lucky and were able to get this on the first try.  Out of nowhere the race official starts telling us, "you've got to be standing on one leg."  What?  That's not what the other people did.  "Are you serious?” was my reply.  The race official made it clear to me that he indeed meant business.  Ahh well, what can you do.  After a couple of tries we switched and I was able to land the hoop around Lauri.  Good, where's that stupid blue card! Ok, punch, we're outta here.  

     Chipotle was the next stop with the summersaults followed by the bear hug roll.  This was to be accomplished while holding a burrito shaped balloon.  All went well here except when Lauri accidentally flipped onto the camera in her jersey pocket.  I know she was in a lot of pain by the look on her face.  She took a second to focus, and then like the soldier she is pushed forward!  Ohh yeah, while we were in the middle of the test some guy stops his vehicle on the adjacent street to ask us a question about what we're doing.  Hmmm..... well.....perhaps WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A RACE!!!  Must remain calm...........

      We finish the bear hug roll and upright ourselves, and there goes the balloon.  "Well, there goes the balloon" I said as it floated away.  No problem, were done, right?  "Save your balloon.  You will need it to finish the race."  These horrid words came from a race official right after the balloon floated away.  Luckily Lauri thought the balloon popped and told the officials that we needed another one because of the untimely demise of our first one.  No problem, here, have another.  Good. Punch that pesky card and we’re gone.  Five minutes later Lauri is lancing the balloon like a ripe blister!  To Subaru!!!!!  

     What can I say about this checkpoint?  Hmmm...it was annoying, but they did have watermelon.  Like Lauri said, the fog of racing didn't help sort out the 19 letters to, "Driven by what’s inside".  Well, we got it and got the hell out of Dodge. 

On to Stubb’s!!