Report from team "NVRMETB4" (Team Never met Before)

When I first heard about the Urban Max, I knew I had to be a part of it. First hurdle was to find a partner. I barely got a luke-warm reception from friends, so with the help of the orgainisers, I was placed on the "Find a Partner" section of he website and within a day I had a response from Michelle and team "NVRMETB4" was born. I was much happier to do the race with someone who really wanted to do it rather than dragging a friend along under protest.

Race day; met up with Michelle and laid our team plans which involved pushing of rivals into Albert Park Lake (but the 3 hour penalty for that act would have made it very hard to win). With map in hand the start was a mad rush for the clue sheet and frantic calls to friends on the internet to help with the clues. After what seemed to be hours we had all but one of the clues, we were off - first stop La Trobes cottage and then off to AFL World and what I figured would be an easy challenge - how wrong I was. Finding the handball booth was easy, getting the ball on target another thing. I grabbed the ball and figured 2 or 3 shots and the task would be done. 10 unsuccessful goes later and still going we were told both of us had to complete the task. Michelle grabbed a footy and bang - 3rd try goes in and showed her patience while I spent another few minutes to finally nail my 512th attempt. Pride severely dented (I’m only just getting over it now) we shot off to a tourist info booth to try and get out last (except for the Big Issue) clue. It was the South Side clue which we sought. No luck - even after calls to rockclimbing places, so we head off wondering how to get that clue. We jogged up Bourke St toward St Patrick's cathedral to locate our next checkpoint which was the bronze statue of Melbourne's first archbishop. We found the clipper in no time at all and once again we were off and running towards Fitzroy Gardens. Our chance to make some headway with the South Side clue came at the next checkpoint (Cooks Cottage) where a clue trade was negotiated with another team. My prediction of someone heading to the MCG proved correct. The clue trade proved to be somewhat of a "Mexican Standoff" with both of us saying "you go first" and once we assured each other there were no Shenanigans the trade was made. We now knew where the South Side was.

After a quick team meeting we decided to head off towards the "Immigration Museum". to search for immigrants who arrived in Australia on a ship name Mellish. It was then a quick search on the Immigration Museum's database and keen eyes from both of us where we picked out George and Mildred (forgotten their names already) among the names of thousands then onto the Rap jump which was awesome fun (We decided that Evan was the best person for the challenge because Michelle would have freaked out on the rooftop) via the Trade Centre. Next stop was the Sth Melbourne Market. After a few head scratches and questions to bewildered people we found our target and was faced with a puzzle (not my forte - but fortunately, as well as being a public transport guru, Michelle also knew her way around a puzzle) and a few minutes later we were on our way towards Flinders Street to hunt down a copy of the Big Issue. But first a mad dash to the front of the Arts Centre, as I’d heard another team talking about a cow, which I could have sworn that there was a ceramic tiled cow out the front at some stage - Wrong again - but we did find out from one of the Arts Centre staff the EXACT spot where a cow could be found (up a tree - OK whatever)

Big Issue in hand we then realised the closing of Fitzroy Pool was looming so once again the Public Transport Queen displayed her skills again with a perfect match up of a train and a tram.

The tram ride gave us the opportunity to spread the word about the race but also try and find out the where-abouts of some crazy circular - space age sculpture (no one knew of it but after a flick thru some of the tourist info brochures I had it appeared with a caption locating it near the Cow Tree).

After a quick dip in the pool it was off to try our hand at lawn bowls where I discovered a sport I can take up in my senior years. It took me about 30 goes to get a footy into a hole from 3 metres and only one to get a bowl close to the jack from 20 odd metres. PS - I did it for the sandwiches. Michelle would like to add: "This time it was me that had about 300 attempts at getting a bowl close to the jack. I had poor Evan running up and down collecting all the bowls that I'd missed and patiently encouraging me and even at one point suggesting that I used him as a target! Believe it or not, it worked!"

Homeward bound we found the last two checkpoints at the Docklands and made our way back to Albert Park for the last challenge. Shoes off - check; Get on Kayak without falling in - check; Row to other side of Lake - Check; Punch Control Card ........... Have you got the card Michelle? I thought you had it Evan? Oh no! You might have heard our tale over the PA but we were the team who had to do the Kayak leg twice even after an attempt of using my finger as the control card. We had several teams behind us and one team was kind enough to offer to let us clip their control card and vouch for us. Back at the landing we would have to get our own control card clipped regardless.

Well after our 2nd Kayak leg we passed the finish line after having a great day.

Thanks to my partner Michelle, the volunteers, our internet helpers and to the orgainsers who gave the opportunity for two people to compete thanks to the "Find a partner" section of the website.

All in all, a great day.

Evan Stampe