The Amazing Race: Vancouver!

On Saturday, May 12th, 2007, Shane, Kyle, Mark, and I embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. In conjunction with 5 other churches, we participated in the Amazing Race: Vancouver.


The day started off with us at FUMC. We were already late and lost getting there. That would be foreshadowing for the rest of the day. Our first task was to put together 3 maps that had been cut up. The maps were Google satellite images marking our point of origin (FUMC) and our destination (where we'd find the next clue). We only put together enough of the map so that we knew what streets to take. After speedily taping together this flimsy map we bolted down the road towards our next clue. After running for 2 blocks (or was it 3) we walked, and then realized, we should have probably been counting the blocks so that we could see where we were on the map. I thought I knew where we were so we wandered around, and then wandered back, and then wandered a couple blocks east, and then west, and then everyone started getting pissed off!


As I looked at the map, something dawned on me...we had taped the destination piece (and by we I mean me) onto the wrong part of the map!!! We were about 2 blocks south of where we should be. SO quickly we rushed over and found our clue. Over to Steveston village we headed.


At the nearest bus stop we ran into another team. This was good because we thought we were really far behind. As the bus went down the road we saw another team up ahead. Oh no! More teams are catching up...but then unexpectantly, the bus driver keeps on driving, leaving that team standing there with mouths dropped and arms waving!!! We burst out laughing! AND then later down the road we saw another team walking. Things were looking up.


We had to change buses in Richmond, good thing we had Kyle with us to be our guide. When we got off the bus, the other team with us jumped off and ran around the corner. "Kyle, where is that team going???" I exclaim, as I see another team running too. "I don't know, this is where you catch the next bus right here." So, in our heads we figure they are just waiting for the same bus as us just around the corner. Our bus comes and as it turns the corner, the other two teams are gone!!!! Kyle can't figure it out. Later we discover there was another bus they could catch, and they did catch it, leaving us behind.

Mistakes so far: Dan - 1 Kyle - 1

We rush down to the pier and figure out the different fish you can buy. By this point there are a number of teams all in one bunch. We've caught up to the teams that caught the earlier bus, and we're doing fairly well. Now it's time to find the museum. After following other teams and keeping our eyes peeled, everyone finds the next checkpoint, where Jesse is waiting with our next task. Answer two questions. Mark takes the paper...into the museum he goes. Then he runs out with a bunch of other teams, we chase after him. He needs some date. We run to a sign and he searches, and then writes down the answer. At this point the other teams are ahead of us. We get back to Jesse. The second answer we put is wrong!!!! Now we're so tired, no one wants to run back to the sign. Mark and I decide to do it. We haul back, I scan the sign...Mark wrote down the date the picture was taken, not the right date!!!! We rush back, Jesse sends us to Richmond Centre. Jesse also tells us we could have gotten both answers from the same museum, thanks Mark!!! On the bus there we ride with 2 other teams.

Mistakes so far: Dan - 1 Kyle - 1 Mark - 2 (wrong date AND running when we didn't need to)

Off the bus we rush through Richmond Centre. We find the next contact in the food court and have to stop for a mandatory 30 min rest period. At this point there are 13 teams. We are team number 8!


After a delicious meal at A&W we rush off with 3 teams hot on our trail. Our next destination is UBC. At the bus stop one girl from the other team says she knows which bus to take. I am suspicious. The bus comes and the other teams hop on. In my head I begin to wonder (what if this is the wrong bus and that team is going to jump off leaving us hooped?!?). Shane asks the bus driver, "Can we take this bus to UBC?" "No," the driver says. So I make the decision, "We're taking a risk, off the bus!"

As we stand on the curb the other teams point and laugh as they drive off. Wait a minute, what was I thinking, we could have still caught that bus, that was stupid!!! We catch the next bus. It's only about 5 mins behind, but boy oh boy, that bus took so long to get into Vancouver. Once over the bridge, we had to change buses. That took forever. And then.....we had to get off that bus and wait for another one!!!! And that bus took even longer to show up!!!! As we waited, another bus dropped off another team; the team that we had seen walking before that was in 12th place!!! So many teams were ahead of us now!

Mistakes so far: Dan - 2 Kyle - 1 Mark - 2


By this point, we were so frustrated and angry. We began snapping at each other and making snide comments. Mark even started yelling at another team! Well, finally we made it to UBC and had to the find the 99chairs. Good thing someone told us on the bus where it was. We beat the other team there and chose to do a pop quiz. Kyle and I read a page about the Olympics and answered 10 multiple choice questions. Kyle got one wrong so we had to wait a minute. Then it was off to Jericho Beach.

Mistakes so far: Dan - 2 Kyle - 2 Mark - 2


We ran to the bus loop and jumped on the nearest bus. We didn't see the one we needed so we just jumped on one that was leaving. It was going down the wrong street, but it would still take us in the general direction. We jumped off and ran downhill forever. By the time we got to the beach we saw a bunch of teams running away to the next station. Here we had to make a sandcastle 2 ft x 2ft x 1.5 ft. Luckily there were already half demolished sand castles from the other teams!!! So we reconstructed one very quickly and zipped off. Next stop, Harbour Centre. One of the teams was taking a break so we ran past them. At this point we were about 10th.

We made it to the nearest bus stop and waited. A bus came by but it drove right past us!!! That sucked...another bus was coming, we had been waiting probably 10-15 mins. Just then we see two other teams running to catch it too. We got on the bus and hoped he would take off, but he let them on! Now we were tied with 11 and 12.

At a random bus stop, all of a sudden one team jumps out. We were stunned, what were they doing??? The bus we were on takes us right to Harbour Centre. As it looped around we saw the team run to the bus stop. I laughed cause I thought they were just going to get on the bus with us again. BUT, unbelievably, they caught a bus right before us. And of course, with our luck, their bus hardly stopped and we stopped a lot, meaning they gained a lot of ground on us.


When we got to Harbour Centre I decided we should jump out early, cause the bus was taking so long, especially with the lights. We jumped out and raced, but couldn't see our next contact person. We ran around the building and eventually the other team caught up with us. We went inside the building and eventually we found them. Sheesh, we were actually so close to them before but we ran around. Anyways, this was a roadblock and the team made me do it.

I went to the lookout and had to find these clues. I couldn't find them, but then a guy who worked there told me where to look, haha. I was waiting for the elevator to go down and this girl was there too. She said, "I'll show you my answer if you show me yours." "No way!" I said at first...but then thought, what harm does it do to check. So I said "Sure." She looked at my paper and said, "That's wrong!" I looked at her paper and got the right answer! SUCKER!!!!! She regretted that mistake the whole ride down. Poor girl.

We got the next clue, saying to go to the end of Hornby. We started running down with that other girl following us. At that point I realized we should catch a bus. We ran to another street, hopped on, and away we went. Unfortunately that other team followed us and caught the same bus.


At the end of Hornby we were sent on the Aquabus to Granville Island. By this point another team caught up with us too. Remarkably, we were making up a lot of ground! We had to identify a bunch of weird fruits by their picture and decipher the code, buy another fruit and bring it to this place. We were so quick in figuring it out and buying it and finding the contact. Shane had to eat the Rambuton (he said it was pretty good) and that was it...we were on our way to the final destination; back to FUMC!!!!


As we ran for the bus stop we saw another team arguing at another bus stop. Thankfully they didn't follow us, cause obviously they didn't know where to go. We got the to stop, hopped on and away we went. About 3 stops later, remarkably, out of the blue, came this one team running up!!! We couldn't believe it, we were at least 2 teams ahead of them at the fruit challenge, but they somehow managed to run and catch up to us. It would be the two of us in a race for the finish mat!!!

The bus stopped and we all shot out. They had a head start cause they were in a better position on the bus. It was a grueling foot race...we caught up to the other team, but Kyle had to beat this girl from the other team. He was so sore he could hardly run, but he managed to just inch past her...and we were the team that made it to the red carpet first!!!!! Upon arrival we discovered we came in FIFTH!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!! We had come back from the very back of the pack! We were doing so miserably and we managed to come in 5th!


So overall, Kyle, Mark and I made the same number of mistakes...its hard to determine who was the weakest link, because even though we made mistakes we also did things to redeem ourselves. Mark was a much faster runner than all of us and had more stamina. Kyle knew the buses and did really good on the quiz, despite the one question. I managed to swipe that other girls answer! Remarkably, Shane made no mistakes, but that's probably cause he took no responsibility and made no decisions.

But regardless, as a team, I am very proud of Cedar Park Church. I can't wait until next year.