Ready for 'Amazing Race'? Try Fox Valley version first
Batavia firefighter Cale Loebbaka is always up for a challenge.
So last year when a friend heard about Fox Valley Park District's Amazing Race program, Loebbaka was quick to accept.
“We just kind of decided to do it because it sounded like fun,” he said. “We had such a good time we decided to do it again this year.”
Though the group of four did not win the race, Loebbaka says their first attempt was lots of fun.
“We felt like we did pretty good last year considering it was our first year,” he said of the group's “middle of the pack” finish.
Though when they once again take on Fox Valley Park District's Amazing Race on Saturday, Aug. 6, Loebbaka says they will make sure their information packets include a map.
“We didn't even know we were supposed to have one,” Loebbaka said of last year's missing item.
Regardless the team finished all 14 stations and is gearing up for another challenging afternoon.
The team's 2010 theme was “Which Hughes Would You Choose?” and each dressed as a different John Hughes character. Loebbaka went as Clark W. Griswald from “National Lampoon's Vacation” series. The group of friends is still deciding how to dress this year.
“It's a lot of fun,” said Jordan Real, recreation supervisor at the Fox Valley Park District. “We've had a lot of great feedback and we have a lot of returning teams.”
Registration for the third annual event costs $68 per four-person team. Participants must be at least 21 years old and registration ends Friday, July 29.
Though Real could not reveal much about the competition's specifics, she said challenges could include “anything from brain teasers, mental or physical challenges.”
“Probably the unknown was what kept us going,” Loebbaka said. “You have to figure out where you're going. Then you get there and you don't know what you're going to do.”
So far 36 teams have registered to take on the Amazing Race, though the park district hopes to beat last year's 55-team attendance.
Team check-in will open at 12:30 p.m. the day of, while the race will begin at 1 p.m.
Changes have been made to the locations of the challenges and the distance teams will be required to travel.
“The course is going to be very different this year than it has in years past,” Real said.
During previous competitions, challenges were more centralized whereas this year's course will begin on the west side of town at the Vaughan Athletic Center, 2121 W. Indian Trail Road in Aurora, and end on the east side of the city.
The winning team will receive more than glory. While Real says the prizes have not yet been decided, past Amazing Race champions have received gift cards to restaurants or golf packages.
“We want to give them something to talk about for the next few months,” Real said.
If you go
What: Fox Valley Park District's Amazing Race
When: Check-in begins at 12:30 p.m., race begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6
Where: From Vaughan Athletic Center, 2121 W. Indian Trail, Aurora
Cost: $68 per team of four; registration ends Friday, July 29
Info: (630) 907-9600 or foxvalleyparkdistrict.org