The most intelligent conversation in the history of instant messenger

[16:57] BusyBoy2001: 30-10
[16:57] Pundit966: wow
[16:57] Pundit966: wow
[16:57] BusyBoy2001: wow
[16:57] Pundit966: um yeah

Doubts…

For some reason, probably stress, sleep deprivation, and some recent disappointments regarding my ability to do grad stuff well, I’ve been having some doubts about what I want to do in the future. No worries, I’m not in any danger of dropping out of school, and I still want to teach when I’m done… but sometimes I wonder if I wouldn’t be happier just working as a plain ol’ engineer.

Austin Found: An Epic in One Post

So last Sunday, Laura, Jeff, Rachel, and I wake up at 6 in the morning to participate in the second citywide treasure hunt. Coming fresh off of an hour’s sleep (boo insomnia) and a power breakfast of bacon and my first attempt at oeufs miroir aux tomates provençales (using a recipe from the French textbook) we met at ECJ to head to Saltillo Plaza in East Austin.

The way it worked, each team had to find twelve different Austin landmarks in turn by solving clues. Once a team solved a clue and reached a checkpoint, they were given the next, and so on. By the way, the clues ain’t easy… you can try your hand at them here. The catch is that you’re only allowed to move about on foot or using the bus, although you can call others for help (yay Eric). There were some hardcore teams that ran everywhere they went. In fact, a group of professional adventure racing teams swept last year’s event. We were not one of these. After halfheartedly running to one or two wrong destinations we decided to just walk.

After wandering from East Austin to downtown to campus and back, and making a few wrong moves, we ended up back at Saltillo Plaza short of the last two clues, but in fourth place at the time, first in the college division. This is good, since there were about 50 teams playing. This is also due to Jeff being freakishly good at solving clues. Now if a team gets stumped, after 45 minutes you can skip ahead to the next clue by going to a “stump station,” which we did to skip the 11th clue. After solving the 12th puzzle (FIRST DATE FOR FIRST LADY was the answer) we were convinced that Peter Pan’s was the place to go, since George and Laura Bush’s first date was miniature golfing. However that was way far and we had already walked nine miles getting the rest of the clues, so we figured we’d just wait the 45 minutes to skip this one too, and be done with it.

That’s when they told us that there was no skipping the last clue, teams HAD to get it.

So, there’s no choice but for me to run to Peter Pan, get the stamp, and come back. OK, I’m tired, but whatever. I get to Peter Pan, AND THERE ARE NO SCAVENGER HUNT PEOPLE THERE. In fact, I think the lady at the counter was extremely confused. Hey, it’s not every day you see a guy in a bright orange shirt (team color) and racing number, drenched in sweat, and asking where the scavenger hunt is. Anyway, I call my teammates back and we all start phoning everybody in the world who might know. No luck at first, but then both Laura and LP tell me to go to the Driskill. LP’s phone message actually tells me why, but I didn’t listen to it at first because Laura just called me and screamed “Go to the Driskill!” .

So I run to the Driskill and find the scavenger hunt people, and they ask me to explain how I knew to come here. This is standard procedure, to make sure that teams don’t just follow each other around. I tell them that the solution to the puzzle was FIRST DATE FOR FIRST LADY. They ask me “Which first lady?” Without missing a beat, I say “Laura Bush.”

Eyebrows raise. Heads shake. This is not what I was prepared for. Going off of a conversation with LP, I offer “Anita Perry?” No dice. “Barbara Bush?” Wrongo bucko. They quip at me: “Well, there’s only about 40 left.” I look sad. They take pity and give me a hint. “Think very TEXAN.” “Lady Bird Johnson?” Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.

I stuff the timecard in my pocket and race back to Saltillo Plaza, hoping that our lead was still intact and that no other college teams had come in while we were going in circles trying to figure things out. Now, I should also point out that this round trip made for about five miles of running, and the last time I ran that far was three-and-a-half years and fifteen pounds ago. I think I was in a somewhat delirious state by the time I got back, since Laura, Rachel, and Jeff were yelling at me to go around the side because a train was blocking the tracks, but I didn’t really understand them and just ran in the direction they were pointing. My delirium also gave me a random urge to kick over some bottles I saw on the ground on the way back, but I resisted. I was in the zone. I was Forrest Gump, I was Steve Prefontaine, I was Roger Bannister, and I was going to make that 4-minute mile. Well, in my condition I would have been lucky if my pace was twice that. But no matter! We were going to win, and I raise my timecard triumphantly as I kick through the finish chute.

It turns out that we were still fifth overall, and first among the college teams which made for a nice prize and a picture with somebody important whom I don’t remember. More importantly (swell violins), it was great fun and great teamwork (everybody played a key role, including Eric on the ground), and I learned a bit about Austin too. Definitely a keeper for next year, although we’ve learned a few lessons, not the least of which is that “Trans Peeps” is probably not the best name if people don’t already know you’re transportation students.

I was bored that afternoon and made a map of where the hunt took us, although looking at it now I realize it may not be very readable. But for the brave, start by following the red line north from the point marked START and track us along our way!