Caught! A Pegasus, in fence, with camera

Clues in contest send sleuths on sightseeing hunt around Dallas

By LAURIE FOX

The modern-day Magellans came ready to pound the Dallas pavement in a high-tech treasure hunt that tested their navigational skills, patience and endurance.

Some, like Marcy and John Beard of Austin, were fierce competitors, marathon runners armed with text-messaging devices, guidebooks and an army of unseen real-time researchers.

Billie and Rim Loughlin of Garland, meanwhile, outfitted themselves with little more than a map, hiking boots and a sense of humor.

Urban Challenge , a nationwide contest held in 18 U.S. cities, descended on downtown Dallas on Saturday, sending 75 two-person teams sprawling throughout the area armed with cryptic clues to 12 sites.

The Beards finished in two hours and 35 minutes, earning them first place and a free trip to the national finals Nov. 2-3 in Las Vegas.

The Loughlins took most of the day - and finished last. But they sure learned a lot about the city.

"It's really fun to watch all the different ways that people try to get to the same conclusion," said Kevin McCarthy, the event's founder, who hung out along the route cheering on participants and dropping hints.

"We've heard it called sightseeing on fast-forward," he said. "And there's a really cool mass participation element to it."

Mr. McCarthy, who lives in Phoenix, started Urban Challenge after organizing a similar high-energy treasure hunt for his athletic 12-year-old daughter's birthday party.

He said it combines elements of reality television, endurance racing and adventure.

One site at a time

Some players started with the first checkpoint on the list, while others moved on to the first clue they could decipher.

For the Loughlins, that meant hoofing it from downtown's Campisi's restaurant southeast to the Dallas Farmers Market. There, they dodged pumpkins and curio cabinets searching for some sort of Robin Hood reference.

"Little John! We found it!" Mrs. Loughlin shrieked, throwing up her arms as she hustled toward Little John's Plants and Produce, quickly producing a digital camera given by organizers to record their site discovery.

Next site clue: an elusive Pegasus statue south of Dallas City Hall accompanied by the hint "don't fence me in" and "painted with a lively and colorful pattern that originated in a city in Scotland."

Despite the surrounding iron fence, the Loughlins debated whether they had the right painted animal, wondering how the paisley pattern related to the clue. (Paisley is a city in Scotland, so they had the right horse.)

"We're only on the second clue, so I don't want to screw this one up," Mr. Loughlin said. "This could be our make-or-break."

The couple seemed aware of the runners crossing their paths, but instead decided to take their time and enjoy other landmarks along the way.

Short cut

Over at Checkpoint 5, the secluded Lubben Plaza at Young and Market streets, Mr. McCarthy and the contest's "Skip" person awaited discovery. Those who photograph themselves with the Skip person are allowed to skip a checkpoint.

Richardson police Detective Coby Pewitt and his contest partner, Ross Worden, an 18-year-old Police Explorer, stormed into the plaza, shot their photos and headed to Union Station to hop the DART light rail to Mockingbird Station.

"The train leaves at 10:41 - let's go," Detective Pewitt shouted over his shoulder. The duo finished seventh.

Even those who don't do well have fun.

The Loughlins, though weary, were proof of that.

"We learned a lot about the game," Mr. Loughlin said. "We probably needed someone on the Internet helping us. We just know how to do it next time."