VSRR III -- Ruth on the Road – Day 1 (1488)

July 1, 2007

After months of planning, hoo-fa-rarring and mounting excitement, the race actually began before 7 a.m. with a genial “Mornin’ racers!” from Dan, and the news that all clues will be coming by way of attachments – this followed by a casual note that the tournament has officially begun. No clangs – no whistles – no flags, no paper boys yelling “Hear Ye!” Boy, does he know how to unnerve the racers! Everyone kept looking under rocks for a hidden trumpet or at least a firecracker to start us off!

First the Secret Stash (SS), a hateful collection of puzzle pieces impossible to decipher. Sly was there in a flash fussing about lack of telescopes and Holli recommended she borrow Dale’s glasses. By jove, she did something, because she popped the answer in less than 5 minutes. Dan announced, “according to the HPP - (Hollidan's Precise Plan) – you should receive the first of 6 clues to the e-mail address you provided.” – and there they were, Clues I through VI, a collection of puzzles! Pfoomfa!! Thinking he was pulling a sneaky, I named the right thing but had the wrong city -- costing me 20 hard earned HD’s, (Hollidan Dollars). You’d think a fellow could be trusted to be sneaky!! Racers were off in a mad rush to their first adventurous destination.

Next, everyone began tackling the Secret Stash – an abomination that took hours of groaning – except for Sly. In and out in a twinkling. After first searching for Dan’s missing telescope, then, at Holli’s (Da Udder Judge) suggestion -- borrowing Dale’s glasses, Sly whipped into gear and found the SS. Dale said, “Stop letting people use my glasses- I've got to have them to cut out all these tiny pieces.” Sly had dittied, “My eyes aa-aa-are dim, I cannot see - I have no-oot got Dales specs with meeeee!!” to which Dale fussed, “Where the H-----------did you leave them. I need them.” All the other racers were milling around saying Huh? except NPS who was out shopping with Donna (TM1) and loaded up on fresh fruits and vegetables – this, after assurances that ROAD FOOD was open continuously. Kinda put a burr under Ruth’s blanket who reminded everyone that they were always open – even offering a free show called ‘Catching Piped Sunlight.’ Helen asked, “Now that I have the whole family trying to find programs for puzzles, are we all going to print and cut the old fashioned way?” Dale, totally frustrated replied, “Is there another Way????????? Help!!! . . . Allyn sizzled, “Forget that -- unless you have a tiny mouse with tiny paws doing your cutting and pasting. . . and she signed it, “Allyn (going blind over SS.)”

Mid-afternoon the SS seemed safe from anyone else discovering what it was so Dan dropped a few hints. “. . . since I'm feline so bad about making the first one so tough I will give very one a clue,” he wrote. You could almost hear Mike scream! “And this is supposed to help? HOW?” Dan’s next hint,” I pawsed for a moment and redid the clue,” was only a little better, but by now Rita solved the SS and threw herself into planning a location for tonight’s party at the end of the first day’s race. Dan reported --”Kay finds secret stash - moves into a 2 point lead and first place for the day! -- Way to go Kay - you were almost purfect! Signed, HRS (Holidan Racing Service.” Rita called out, “Hey, the party has started.  Where is everybody? Bar's open,” and Dan asked, “Café or cabaret?” Rita added, “We are in a cabaret on a boat traveling the Seine.  We will keep making stops along the way until everyone is here.” Esme spoke up, “Rita's got the laundry duty!” “Gee, thanks,” said Rita, What did I do to deserve laundry duty? Dale, are you getting me in trouble??” and Dale replied, “No way could I get you into trouble, I'm still sitting here with this DARN CAT trying to get a cat nap!” Checking the scoreboard Dan announced, “Proving once again - she'll be challenging for the top spot all the way - NPS move into first as the days first leg of the VSRR III begins to wrap up - Way to go NPS!” Dan had “a very nice dinner at a local sidewalk café - have found Ruth's ROAD FOOD for an after glass of wine and I see the boat coming so I'm headed to a relaxing spot on the deck on the river. I'll probably turn in early as the scorer's table can be hectic in the morning.” Karen, displaying concern over the care of her two valiant steeds commented, “I don't want Lighting & Speed to get tired at the very beginning,” to which Dale replied, “ Karen -- You know Lighting only lasts a SEC, but if you are on Speed, how do you even know you are in a race?” (Funny man!) When Rita tried to help Dale solve the SS by saying, “Click on the link under the Subject line -- It is suppose to allow you to bring up bigger pix,” Dale answered, “All that does is give you a larger headache!” . . . Holli called out the three Bingo names for today 1) lawn chair, 2) Capt Bligh, 3) Suba mom which brought a torrent of questions from Kay ending with “Grumble, Grumble, Grumble…….Grumble.” Dale inquired…” and does it help?”

Before signing off at the end of the party Dan said, “…let's make him (trivia guest, Richard) the wild card tomorrow - no pressure on him – he just plays and has fun.-- Racers' - in order to get your points double in trivia FOR DAY 2 – you need to end up on either side of traveler (Richard) above or below.” Helen said, “The views are wonderful, the company pleasant, the wine exceptional, but need to limit myself since I'm still looking for the purrfect answer to the mysterious feline...Thought I'd get a hint here by the Louvre, but the lights went out...Think it's time to take a nap in preparation for tomorrow's adventure...BTW, Sunfrog is my daughter. who's teaching Summer School in Atlanta.” But Slygranny quickly replied, “No naps allowed, except for felines - the stay is too short, and we have some French pastries to taste - all diet restrictions off until end of race!!” Dale mournfully replied, “Here everyone is at a party and I have to stay and feed the darn Cat.” Holli nearly fell out of her chair laughing!! Rita, trying to keep all racers in the loop said, “Right now we are docked on the Left Bank.  Just listen for the noise and you will find us.” Holli ventured, “This is really beautiful!!!! More wine please!!!!!! Keep it flowing!! A little later Holli reflected again, “I was just pondering... I have no idea how many emails that I opened today.. I am exhausted! More wnei please . . . ad Uddor Jugde!” Dale, keeping up with Holli replied, “Yes, Pondering will do that to you.”

Since today was Canada Day, everyone congratulated Slygranny, who said, “I can hear the fireworks - they must be
celebrating the fact that, when trivia points are posted for today, I will be in lead position for the first time ever (and probably forever)!!”

Somehow, early on, when there were problems trying to find the Secret Stash, someone suddenly landed on a porn site. Not clear yet. Dan wrote to Suepa, “my objective has succeeded then - I was trying to – at least in part to take the internet out of the equation - although several racers did find the complete photo - one of them even found the photo in shall we say an adult location - but that's a story for another time.” Mike immediately pounced, “Was Vera surfing porn again? I have warned her, but she just never listens!” Vera answered, “Shhhh....that can get me fired!!! Yep...put in the ideas and up "they came"......Wii had nothing on that site!” PattiK immediately asked, “Are you telling me I have to surf porn sites to find this feline?????..... to which Dale relied, “PattiK, send me the links!” . . .Sly laughed, “I don't know why you Las Vegas trippers are going to spend all that money on entertainment - seems to me you are taking it with you for free!” . . . Allyn still working the puzzle threw up her hands, “I'm stumped...couldn't even fathom how we got to the adult sites from a
jigsaw puzzle. I think my brain is numb from the drive with Frank and Wrong Way Billy squabbling over the front seat. I'll tackle it again tomorrow!” PattiK replied, “I guessed at it but I'm probably wrong. Won't know until later this morning. I hate puzzles!!”