My Amazing friends - Ken and Martin, designed, created, coordinated, implemented and hosted a smaller scale version of THE AMAZING RACE around Brooklyn. And, Brian and I decided to run it as "Team Chopper," but we quickly became "Team Vegas." If you've never seen the show, I recommend you google it or look at CBS's website for more information. Basically, teams of 2 follow clues around leading them on a race around the world - completing challenges along the way. I've been a huge fan since CBS started their search for teams before the show even premiered. I've always wanted to run the actual Race, but my fear of flying prevents me from even applying. However, I have no fears of subways or NYC buses, so I was READY to race around Brooklyn.Before the Race, we chatted with Tom, another racer about strategy and possible checkpoints and locations. Tom mentioned that he feels that donuts are the perfect breakfast for the race, so you don't get weighed down too much. You don't say?
During the 6 hours we were racing, I only ate 2 things. You will see them. But I want the focus of this post to be the Race, because it was an absolutely amazing experience and I have to thank Ken, Martin, and their crew of assistants for making it so wonderful.
The Starting Line: The Brooklyn Promenade. Right where I used to work. Phew. At least I'm semi-familiar with the area. There are large parts of Brooklyn that I've never been to, that are mere legend to me, that I'd need 2 maps to locate. So, I feel okay. We get to see Ken in full teacher mode as he introduces the teams and gives us the rules.
You have $8 for this leg of the race.The first clue... I'm so nervous! We need to go to the Fulton Mall and locate Beat Records, a record store that *used* to be there. Relief. I know where the Mall is-it's really rows and rows of stores, outside. (Not a suburban NJ mall.) They have kiosks that can show you where stores are. And the clue says it's still listed on the signs. Bam. We're off. Speedwalking down Montague Street, past Borough Hall. I see teams looking at buses that take you in the wrong direction. We sprint to the Mall, consult the kiosk, and hop a bus down Fulton to save some time and energy. We grab our clue from Martin. Looking adorably overwhelmed with his yellow flag in front of the store. When another team "laughs" at us for taking a bus- Martin says, "you're saving energy!" So, we feel supported. The clue is a Detour. A choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons.
I speed read the clue. It mentions Lafayette Ave. I know Lafayette Street in Manhattan, sort of, but umm... no idea where Lafayette Ave is in Brooklyn. Skip it. We're already on Fulton - Let's go! We scurry down the street, frantically searching for addresses. I see one of the restaurants on the list. We hurry over, get the info, and then we're working like a well-oiled machine. We've got our eyes peeled for more. We notice a restaurant is closed and you can't see a menu. I've got Brian texting Ken for info on how to proceed, as I'm running around asking locals for info to help locate one last restaurant. Finally, a confused mailman and a man on his route give us the correct info. It's right by the closed Scopello's so I was too distracted by that to notice that restaurant right near it. But we have it. We're good to go, and we're waiting for the G train to Greenpoint to find the sidewalk clock.We don't know it, but we're neck-and-neck with my nemesis team for the lead.
We find the clock and head to a Polish Candy Shop for one of these candies. The clue says to buy one, but we buy two so we can eat one. Here's a rare picture of me taking a picture for the blog!
We're back on the train, heading for Junior's - a New York diner legendary for its cheesecake. We wonder if a Roadblock is up ahead, and if it involves eating cheesecake. We're wrong. Hurrying to Junior's we meet up with the rest of the teams. Next clue is a Detour again. What?! Russian. No freaking way. We're totally going to Ken's school. Right?
Wrong. All the teams catch up waiting for the train. The same route will take you to either location, but one is closer. The other in Brighton Beach will take longer to get to, and maybe longer to do (seriously, Russian?!) but it will be closer to Coney Island, which we think maybe is where the Race is headed. We debate, we debate, we debate. Brian thinks it over. I stick my head out at the High School stop to see how many teams get off. Lots. I think maybe all of them. So, it's settled. We travel longer and take our chances with the Russian. The high school involves some sort of puzzle, so maybe we'll get lucky.
If nothing else, we are now separated away from the teams, which is thrilling and terrifying. You don't know where you stand. You could be dead last. But, we rock this detour. We must have keen eyes. We feel like we find all the addresses in record time. We get our next clue... we're going to Nathan's Hot Dog Stand in Coney Island. Hooray! We guessed right and we're only a few stops away from Coney Island so we feel like we're way ahead of the game.
Wow, we get to Nathan's and it's chaos. I see at least 4 teams that went to the High School. Damn. I'm agitated. The clue- thanks, Martin- is a Roadblock- a task that only one team member can perform. You get a hint, and you need to pick who's going to do it, and you can't switch mid-task without getting a HUGE penalty. "Who's ready to get to the meat of this task?" Oh, Lord. It has to be Brian. I would eat a hot dog, but.... no, it HAS to be Brian. I'm not risking it. Here's the task.
I love my husband. Right away he goes for the frog legs thinking they've gotta be like chicken wings. (Um, not quite apparently.) Nathan's is jam packed and we need to order before he can eat. 
I'm waiting in one line (that's borderline cheating since you're supposed to do the task by yourself....), and he gets up to the seafood counter finally and orders. Another team was waiting for their legs, but somehow Brian gets served first. The other team was SO angry at us. We kind of felt bad, but it was the server's fault. He got his legs just a minute behind Brian. We're all standing by the table watching the teams jam food down! 
The legs are smoking hot, so Team Red dunks his in lemonade, and another team dumps Coke on theirs to cool them off. Brian eats like a pro.
We get our clue, and we're off. (Side note- only one team ate the hotdog. A woman. Apparently she was amazing because she was gone before we even got there.)Now, if this were a real Amazing Race televised episode, this is the part where the picture would go to slow motion because this is where I made the mistake that sent us to the back of the pack. The clue said (paraphrase): "Walk down the Boardwalk and find the palm tree on the beach, across from the Wonderwheel. Write down it's country of origin and show it to Martin." (Something like that.) Anyways, I read that and for some reason I think we need to find the Wonderwheel's country of origin.
BUT WE NEED TO FIND THE PALM TREE. 
So we're running around seeing signs for the Wonderwheel like old-time carnival side show signs! It's a modern marvel! It's 160 feet tall! It weighs 400,000 pounds! I'm circling the wheel over and over. Why doesn't it say where it's from? I'm thinking... well, it was made in America. Could that be the answer? The guy's name sounds Italian, should we say Italy? God, it's hot out. I ask Brian what we should do. My honey he says, read the clue again. Exasperated, I read, "Go to the Boardwalk. Find the Palm Tree." Oh, crap. The tree. I'm running to the beach to find that the "Palm Tree" is an outdoor shower. And it's turned on. So I have to walk out onto the beach and get wet by going under the tree. Plain as day on the trunk- Made In Canada. Ugh, Canada. Now, we're heading back to Martin, tired and discouraged. He says, "Are you okay?" Yeah, we are, but we're sure it's all lost. We've fallen to next to last.We hurry hurry to the subway, exhausted. We find our nemesis team there. They think we should be relieved to see a team, but I'm so tired of being on their heels all day.
Our next clue sends us closer to Ken's house and search for an object in a Hong Kong Asian Supermarket. We have to walk several avenue blocks to get to the store. We're so tired, but we get ahead of Team Nemesis, and catch up with Team Red and the Team Brian Made Angry with the Frog Legs. We feel better- maybe we're not dead last. We think there are 2 teams behind us. Okay, we feel better.
We rocket into the supermarket and find a nice woman who leads us right to the Steam Powder we need. (Huh?) After texting the price to Ken, we're out of the Market and headed for Sunset Park. Several avenue blocks and about 20 street blocks away. We need a bus. We're too tired to walk all that way, and it's hot. We wait at a stop, no bus. We walk 3 blocks down the street. No bus. 3 more blocks, no freaking bus. Finally, we catch a crosstown, and another downtown bus to get to the park, the whole time I'm asking Brian if he wants to quit and go back to Ken's. No, he wants to finish. We're going to finish. There is still one more Roadblock, and maybe we'll get lucky.
We get to the Park. Teams we haven't seen all day are there. What are they waiting around for? Team Nemesis remarks they we're "worried about us." To which I curtly and rudely reply, "Whatever." (Hey, I'm hot and tired!) I run up to Chris. It's a Roadblock, and I have to do it. (Each team member had to do one.)
No problem. Mental pressure? I can do that- I did the Bar Exam. I tell Chris I'm ready, and I find out- we have to wait. There are only 4 game boards. Well, that explains why so many people are waiting. Finally, I get to go. Wow, I feel strained. Brian is down the hill and isn't allowed to watch me. (In case he helps.) I'm doing the best I can. I cry out, "I'm pathetic!" Chris reassures me that I only feel pathetic. I'm not actually pathetic. Thanks. My little paper letters are blowing away, but well, I do it. Here's a picture of the game. 
All the teams are gone. The next clue is our last. Go back to Ken's. Brian and I knew that was the finish line- we'd been helping Ken and Martin make food for the party. I'm so tired. I can barely walk. Brian and I take the long, leisurely stroll down 4th Avenue. On the way, I stop for Italian Ice. I feel I've earned it.
Brian speculated that maybe if we had gotten to the Park a little sooner, we would have been way ahead. He thinks I did the actual puzzle in less time than other teams- waiting in line set us back. It doesn't really matter. We figure we're finishing 7th of 9 teams. That's not bad.
We get to Ken's expecting a party, but the house is quiet. We walk towards the back of the house and hear the Amazing Race Theme playing. Ken is out in his yard in full cowboy gear with all the teams lined up applauding us, just like the ending of the show.
I take my cue to run out back, like I'm still racing. I get to the yard, bow, and look back for Brian so we can step on the finish mat together. He comes running out of the house, throws his backpack, and tackles me as he rolls onto the mat, in a mockery of Jonathan and Victoria. (Look them up. Reality Show Evil.) 
It causes a big laugh. We're team number 8 by less than a minute. Wow, we had fun. It's all about the love. 
Here I am looking at the stats. 
You can get all the details about the race at www.xanga.com/thebrooklynrace. Lots of pictures and info from other teams. And, you can see exactly how we all finished at each of the checkpoints. Who won? Tom and Kate! I guess those donuts were the right choice. (You can see Tom and Kate in the left of the picture of Ken with the flag, above.) Kate was a last minute substitute and was the reason for their victory. She went to the school Ken teaches at. The puzzle involved answering questions from the student handbook, so they were able to break ahead at that detour.And now, the barbecue. Chips, fake hot dogs, cheese, cake, brownies, salads. Yum. A real success. I'm starving!
So, Brian and I are thinking of doing a Vegas race, involving the Strip. Details will follow if we get it up off the ground. Feel free to email me ideas!
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