It’s time!  I’m going to start sharing with you the challenges, the clues, and all the fun that was the first Apple-Azing Race!

All photo’s on this blog post were taken by Michelle Cross Photography.  Michelle did a fantastic job shooting each event so I’ll be able ‘illustrate’ each challenge for you!  If you want to order any photo’s from the race follow these instructions:

1. go to www.michellecrossphotography.blogspot.com
2. Click ‘clients’
3. Click ‘Apple-Azing Race Gallery’

Each challenge was named after a book to follow along with the fact that we were raising money for the Poynette Area Public Library. I’m going to blog about each challenge – the clue to find the challenge, the challenge itself and exactly what each team had to do at each challenge.

Once the team completes their challenge – the timers give them the clue to the next challenge.  Here – Team ‘2 Bad Apples’ are reading their next clue.

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell Challenge Clue

Take your car to go and get a taste of the best family medicine.

In the folder that I gave each team the morning before the race started was a flyer for the new ‘Creek Bed Country Farmacy’ whose logo is ‘Where Family Fun is the best Medicine.’ (cute, right?).  I hoped the teams would figure out that the clue was sending them to the Farmacy although a couple of teams were seen poking around the goats and chicken pen :)  Eventually the teams all found their way to the maze. 

Once teams arrived at the Farmacy, they found our lovely volunteers from the library.  Thy handed them a clue that read:

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell Challenge

Follow the clues given throughout your experience at the NEW Creek Bed Country Farmacy. There are multiple tasks to complete at this location before you are finished. If you ever can’t find the next clue, run back to where you started and the volunteers will give you a hint to help you on your way. For each hint a penalty will be issued.

Once the teams read this the timers were started and they got a clue for their first task:

Challenge #1:

“The Boxcar Children – The Clue to the Corn Maze” by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Try to survive the Titanic. Remember, women and children first. If you get frustrated, don’t blow your stack. Decide on 2 team members that will participate in this challenge.

This was the clue that got quite a few teams in trouble.  First – remember that the maze this year is in the shape of the ‘Titanic’.  Well – the Kiddy Maze is one of the smoke stacks so the  teams needed to realize from the ‘children’ and ‘stack’ part of the clue that was where they needed to head.  Some teams didn’t really think about this and had fun getting lost in the maze instead of finding the next clue – all part of the fun! Team ‘Zeke’s Crew’ is trying to find the clue! Here the next clue is in a box (aka Boxcar children).Team ‘Galloping Gimps’ is reading the next clue:

“The Candy Corn Contest” by Patricia Reilly Giff & Blanche Sims Challenge Clue:

We really dig our corn here at the Country Farmacy, and now you will too!

Teams were given a map of the activities the farm offered and where they were located.  This clue sent Team ‘The Apples’ running to the Corn Sensory Tables.

Once there they had to: 

“The Candy Corn Contest” by Patricia Reilly Giff & Blanche Sims Challenge:

One of your team members can participate in this challenge.

Find one lucky ducky in the piles of corn that will lead you to your next clue.

Here is Josie from Team ‘Girls Next Door’ digging through yellow corn to try to find a yellow duck.  Yup – we’re awesome :)   To make it a bit more challenging – there are TWO corn sensory tables and only one had ducks in it!

Once the team member found the duck they read their next clue on the bottom:

Tunnel your way down to the Stagecoach road for your ticket to the next stop.

Teams had to head to the 40 Stag Coach Trail Tunnel to complete their final task:

“Nancy Drew - The Clue in the Old Stagecoach” by Carolyn Keene Challenge:

Two of your team members can participate in this challenge.

Slide down and then climb back up the stagecoach tunnel, tag the next team member to do the same.

Once this was complete – teams ran back to the volunteer’s table where their time was stopped and they were given their next challenge clue.  Team ‘The Girls Next Door’ had fun in the maze!

I’m going to share with you the top 10 teams through this challenge:

Tied for First:  Team ‘Poodle Puppies’ & Team ‘Beauties and the Beasts’

Second: Can U Dig It?

Third: 2 Chicks & A Compass

Fourth: The Baby Boomers

Fifth: Zeke’s Crew

Sixth: Howard’s Place Ladies

Seventh: The Pink Ladies

Eighth: Princess and the Frog

Ninth: Agora Healing

Tenth: The Girls Next Door

Thanks to Creek Bed Country Farmacy for sponsoring and participating in this fun event!  I heard from many people that came back from your place that they thought it looked great and they couldn’t wait to bring their families back to visit!

All photo’s on this blog post were taken by Michelle Cross Photography.