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Author Topic: EP7 WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW  (Read 950 times)

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Offline gingerman28

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« on: April 12, 2006, 03:23:36 PM »
There is probably a lot more we don't know than there is what we know.  So in places I will give you several options and you can take the one you like best (or in many cases supply your own solutions)

So we begin at the pit stop at the Grand Hotel Ortigia Siracusa:

After spending a mandatory 12 or 36 hour rest stop  in Siracusa, Italy, teams leave the pitstop at Fonte Aretusa between the hours of 12:34AM and 4:32AM.

They must drive to Catania and find the airport and then fly to Rome, Italy.  When they arrive in Rome at Fiumicino (Leonardo Da Vinci) Airport they must make their way to the fountain made famous in the 1954 movie, and do what the title of the movie tells them to do.  When they have done it correctly, they will receive their next clue, but not from Dorothy McGuire nor Clifton Webb. They have $120 for this leg of the race.

The teams, if they do not get lost on the way from Siracusa (all they have to do is retrace their drive on S114), should be able to catch the first Altalia flight No. 1734 leaving at 6:25AM and arriving at Fiumicino Airport outside Rome at 7:45AM.  Sunrise is at 6:39AM and all of the teams should get on this flight.  BUNCH POINT NUMBER ONE. HOWEVER, we have a clue that "some teams get lost on the way" so even though it is not a hard drive, some teams may get lost and miss the early flights to Rome. After 6:25 there are flights at 7:10, 9:00 and 10:55.

In Rome, first, of course, they must proceed to find Fontana di Trevi (made famous in 1954 by the film "Three Coins in the Fountain.")

The easiest and quickest way fromn Fiumicino Airport into the center of Rome (especially in the morning rush hour traffic) is to take the dedicated train which goes directly to the Central Train Station, Stazione Termini (usually just called Termini) a trip that takes about 30 minutes.  Trains leave every half hour beginning at 6:52AM.

When they arrive at Termini Station, they should proceed downstairs to the Metro system which crosses beneath the train station.  Here they want to get on Line A and travel toward Battistina, getting off at the second stop, Barberini, the closest station to the Piazza Fontana di Trevi.  Here is perhaps where we see Michelle and Lake coming up out of the underground station.  It is a short three block walk from the station to the Trevi Fountain.

After throwing their "Three Coins in the Fountain" the teams receive their next clue which is just part of Leonardo's famous sketch of the Vitruvian Man.  This sketch showing a man with extended limbs inside a triangle, inside of a square, inside of a circle is the key to "Da Vinci's Code."

The code when solved revolves around the spacial relationship of the circle and the square which relies on Pells Progressions to solve.  In short, it demonstrates the value of the Octogan as demonstrated by Andronicus of Cyrrha in the building of his Octagonal Tower in Athens, Greece.

To secure the various parts of the sketech, puzzle and the final solution of the code, teams are probably sent by cab on a wild trip around ancient Rome hitting various historical and famous landmarks such as the Arch of Constantine, the Catacombs, the Colosseum, Galleria Borghese, Palatino, Pantheon, Roman Forum, Trajan's Column, the Spanish Steps and Via Appia Antica (the Appian Way).

When they have completed the task and figure out that the answer to Da Vinci' Code, they will realize that they have to return to Leonardo da Vinci Airport and arrange the earliest flight possible to Athens, Greece.

If they are lucky and finish their trek around Rome early they might be able to catch Olympic Airlines flight No. 234 at 11:00AM which arrives in Athens at 2:00PM (and it has been shown so far in TAR9 that some tasks are done very quickly).  If a team is able to catch this early flight they would be able to reach Andronicus of Cyurrha's tower known locally as the Tower of the Winds or simply "Aerides" which is located in the ruins of the Roman Agora  before it closes to the public at 5:30PM (although TPTB seem to be able to arrange opening and closing times to suit their own needs).  If a team is this successful they would then end up at least a good 18 hours ahead of tlhe pack.  It has happened before in Munich. And, terrible thought, perhaps this is why we do not see The Beach Boys after Rome. I'll add that in any case I think Eric and Jeremy reach the Tower of the Winds first. OPTION NO. 1:

(a) They find the Fast Forward and are off to the pit stop,
(b) They find the Fast Forward and do not take it - as silly as it may seem, or
(c) There is no Fast Forward, and they are just running way ahead of everyone else.

But more likely this will be BUNCH POINT NUMBER TWO, as teams take longer to complete the task and will not be able to catch a flight to Athens until Atlitalia flight AZ720 leaving at 2:00PM arriving in Athens at 5:05PM or Olympic Airlines flight OA240 leaving at 7:15PM and arriving at 10:15PM.  There are other flights but these are the only direct non-stop flights listed. Other flights leaving between noon and 7:00PM all are connecting flights through Milan, Munich, Frankfurt, or Paris and take from 6 to 10 hours.

At the airport in Athens, teams will  make their way to the Tower of the Winds in the Roman Agora ruins situated just below the Acropolis and The Parthenon Temple.  However, the advertised open hours are from 8:30AM to 5:30PM.  So it looks like BUNCH POINT NUMBER THREE and a cool, overnight, (even perhaps rainy) camp out waiting for the Tower of the Winds to open the next morning.

When they find whatever it is they have to find at The Tower of the Winds,


(a) Teams are told to proceed to the KTEA bus Terminal A (10 Kifisou) and get a bus to Corinth (Buses leave every half hour from 6:30AM to 5:30PM)

(b) Teams are told to proceed to the OSE Peloponnese train station and catch a train to Corinth

(c) Start the DETOUR task. (1) Proceed to the nearby Ancient Roman Agora and participate in a reenactment of the first Olympic games from 720BC. [Note all participants had to participate in the nude. Pant, Pant, Pant go you MO!] Each team member must alternate in the first four events: Sprinting, Javelin Throwing, Discus Throwing, and Long Jump. Then both members must take on a professional Greco-Roman wrestler and attempt to throw him out of the marked circle! OR,
(2) proceed to the Panathenaic Stadium (also nearby) and do something intellectual like count the number of total seats (50,000) We see Ray doing the javelin (and it must be that he has to throw it a certain distance because in the first shot he runs past 6 javelins stuck in the ground by his back packs; in the later shot, he runs past two javelins on the ground and none sticking in the ground; so he must be having trouble.) MO is doing the discus. BJ is doing the javelin. MO and JO are wrestling as are BJ and Tyler. Missing are Fran and Barry (off on the intellectual task?) And Ray and Yolanda (falling behind again) And, of course, Eric and Jeremy.

If we follow Option 2(c)  teams will be told to proceed as in (a) or (b) and when they reach Corinth, they must make their way to the Corinth Canal and locate the next clue box.

When they arrive at the clue box at the Corinth Canal they will find the ROADBLOCK. One team member must jump off a 240foot high bridge spanning the canal! (Have we ever had a TAR without a bungee jump?) We see Ray, MO, Michelle, Tyler, and Fran.  Missing are Eric and Jeremy, again.

Upon completing the ROADBLOCK, we have OPTION NO. 3:

(a) Teams get back on the train or bus or pick up cars and proceed to the pitstop in Nafplio which is the Palamidi Fortress (you have to climb up 935 steps up a cliff to reach it, but when you do, oh what a view!! (And some teams get lost, of course,)

(b) Teams get back on the train or bus or pick up cars and proceed to Ancient Nemea, locate the Temple of Zeus and participate in the DETOUR as itemized above.  When complete they would then proceed to the pit stop in Nafplio.

(c) Teams get back on the train or bus or pick up cars and proceed to Ancient Olympia, site of the first Olympic Games in 720, and participate in the DETOUR.  And when completed proceed to the pitstop in Nafplio.

(d) Teams get back on the train or bus or pick up cars and proceed to Ancient Olympia site of the first Olympic Games in 720 and participate in the DETOUR.  And when completed proceed to the pitstop in PATRA and find the Ancient Acropolis or to the Agios Andreas where St. Andrew was martyred.  Teams would stay at the Grand Rio Hotel and Resort!

(e) Teams remain in Ancient Olympia and find a pit stop there.

So much we don't know.  But if I had to guess my order of finish would be:

1.  The Beach Boys
2.  The Hippies
3.  The Evil Ones
4.  MO/JO
5.   The Old Timers
6.  Rayolanda.  Sorry guys, but you just can't keep up.

Next week:  The first Fast Forward and first NEL for sure.

Offline puddin

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« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2006, 03:37:04 PM »
I've been looking forward to you summary all day Gman :cheer:


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