UNILAB Healthcare on the Road Naga City Adventure Challenge (9.14.11)

Nong2, Jec and I composed TEAM BONGKARAS. The other team was TEAM LGU CANAMAN composed of my other mates.

We were missing some required gears until we left home.

Saw Mhentz and Ole along the highway while we were en route to Plaza Quezon.

Club buddies, a lot of familiar faces.

START. Totally clueless with the puzzle. Was thinking of a name of a place. Half of the teams were gone still we could not get it. Called the attention of TEAM LGU CANAMAN for some clue but our marshal was there observing. Hopeless and desperate to move on, I glimpsed at the teams crowded at the START/FINISH arch getting their next clue. What??? D.I.A.T.A.B.S.!!! Went to get our passport. There was no line. Suddenly the marshal told us to form a line. One team managed to get ahead of me.

CIVIC CENTER. From Plaza Quezon, we took Panganiban Ave. We should have turned left to Mayon Ave. Jec was driving. She took Isarog Ave! Thought it was okay. We took M. Castro, Mayon, Taal streets. TEAM CRC (Jhun, Jing, Nep) was already there. We caught up, neck-and-neck until one of the rubbers of the skates-thingy snapped. Changed the equipment. We lost the momentum.

CATHEDRAL. Unfamiliar with streets in Dayangdang, we thought of taking Magsaysay Ave. then Peñafrancia. Stupid. Laughs. We passed Dayangdang and Colgante. (I PRINTED THE STREET MAP OF NAGA. IT WAS IN OUR BACKPACK. WE FORGOT TO USE IT.) I was responsible of navigating the padyak. Caught up again with TEAM CRC again! Next task was picture puzzle of the procession. Done. We were just on their tail.

TABUCO BRIDGE. "Let's take Elias Angeles St. all the way to Tabuco bridge," I commanded. Damn, the traffic. Barlin St. then Gen. Luna St. was the best option. Going on top of the bridge, we knew the marker was not there. "Could be down below at the Danlugan." We were right. Haha. TEAM CRC was struggling. But since we were THE unlucky team, we had to wait. The task should be done one team at a time! (ALL Checkpoints, except this, could be done by at least 2 teams at a time) Here, teams had to shoot one bottled water in a "salbabida" and spell INA using our body. We cheered and helped the other team on the letter A so they could move on faster. Our, turn. Yay! Nong2 could not shoot the bottle after many tries. Spelt I. N. A. easily and went off.


BASILICA MINORE. The team captain (read: I) commanded, "Panganiban Ave., then Magsaysay!" As we approach Delfin Rosales Bridge, I regained my sanity. NO! Laughs. Yes, we took Blumentritt and Dayangdang instead. At Brentwood school we saw TEAM LGU CANAMAN. Knowing we had to return to Cathedral for the next Checkpoint, we left our padyak outside Basilica. There, we had to sell candles for P30. Suddenly, a "miracle" happened here. We were done in just few seconds. We were off for our next task.

PORTA MARIAE. Here, I started to get tired and exhausted. The challenge was though. A lot different from running. Taking Dayangdang Ave., I pedaled. It was so hard. A team was catching up. I tried to block the way. My teammate told me to let them pass through. We decided to leave out padyak before Colgante Bridge since we needed to go back to City Hall afterward. Caught up again with TEAM CRC. WE HAD SO MANY CHANCES OF BEATING THIS TEAM. Other teams were also there, meaning they have caught us up, too! TEAM CRC UNDERTAKER was just two stations away from finishing the race. The task was a history quiz: arranging events related to Peñafrancia. We switched two events, got penalized for the wrong answers. I almost lost our camera here. Haha.

CITY HALL. Mad dash back to our padyak in Dayangdang. Many teams have overtaken us. We didn't know the short cut. Followed TEAM CRC UNDERTAKER. We lost them. Kagawad Alteza's other teammate must have been a professional padyak driver! We thought. We took right to Dons St., right to Ilang-Ilang St. (must have taken left!), M. Castro St., Apo St. et cetera. We realized we were at the back of City Hall. We left our padyak near the water district office. Foot race to the City Hall. Teams must unlock the chains using FIVE number combination! (Based on TEAM CRC's time in their passport, they were successful here. THIS was their break!) Later, we have known that the correct combination was the TWO digit code 14. One and Four. TWO numbers. We never saw them again. The rest of us were unfortunate in THIS particular task. WE needed to wait for our time penalty to expire before we could proceed. This was TEAM CRC UNDERTAKER'S final task.

Colgante bridge, Barangay Dayangdang

AVENUE SQUARE. Took Magsaysay Ave. Parked outside Avenue Plaza. Mad dash to the back of the hotel. "You are the last team to arrive," I told my team. Task was to get the letters of the word PEÑAFRANCIA. NO hassle, except that I was struggling in getting on my feet after collecting the letters (pasted on 1-peso coins). Finally, last stop! Peñafrancia Shrine!


Magsaysay Bridge

PEÑAFRANCIA SHRINE. Quiz again. Seemed to easy. We checked the book cover of Barrameda's The Lady of Peñafrancia to consult how many stars are there in Ina's crown. Twelve. Who introduced Divino Rostro in the procession? This or that. Done. Missed two out of five. Jec was right about Divino Rostro question. I wrote C instead of B. for 2010, the year when Portae Mariae was completed. While waiting until our time penalty expires, I told Jec to chat (flirt) with our marshal. We know we have a lot of penalties (according to the marshall). He kept telling us not to leave our padyak for it is a violation. WTF. I explained (read: argued) that it was not a penalty. Realizing arguing with the MAN was not wise, I told her to a conversation with him, ask him where he is from et cetera, so he might reconsider our "penalties." AND IT WORKED. He opined, we were quick yet we lack knowledge of the right direction.

FINISH. Everyone was there. Last task was a quiz. Still, we did not get it perfect. Haha. "We are still waiting for the last 6 teams." The host announced while we were completing the last task. Done.























Our padyak's GPS results

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PARTICIPANTS SPECIALLY TO THE WINNERS (Team CRC, CRC-Undertaker, LGU-Canaman all placed in the Top 10), TO THE MARSHALS, ORGANIZERS (Don Primero for the slots), UNILAB, AND MY TEAMMATES. Thanks TEAM LGU-CANAMAN for the treats!!!






15th Place out of 25 Teams