Daily Sun: June 29-30

On June 29, I prepared to spend a day in the sun. This consisted of 20% gathering and packing up my supplies and 80% wondering "What was I thinking when I volunteered for this?!"

On June 30, I spent six hours outside on a cloudless, hot day. The temperature climbed to about 92F/33C. While 92F is certainly not the worst heat I've ever experienced, the Colorado sunshine is intense. The power of the Daystar is greatly magnified at a mile above sea level.

What could possibly lead me to spend six hours under the Burning Orb? It was a work event. Called the Amazing Survivor Minute, it was a day of challenges similar to Amazing Race, Survivor, and Minute to Win It. I had volunteered to help, so I played the role of game show host, leading two of the teams through the series of challenges. Being a host rather than a player was good for me as I am neither athletic nor competitive. :)

We began the day by using random selection to group people into 10 teams. Each team then chose a name and created a team flag.  The Ninja Neers later won the Best Flag vote.

Then the teams spent about 2.5 hours making their way through the 10 challenges. In Run Mat, the team all stood inside a loop of plastic mat and walked it down the field, sort of like a tank tread. One difficulty here is that you can't see where you're going. One of my teams veered off course, flattening another team's flag and trampling someone's straw hat. :P

In Paper Dragon, each person held a roll of crepe paper streamer in each hand. The goal was to unwind the streamers as fast as possible. My teams' technique was to throw the rolls and then run like mad down the field with the streamers flying behind them. :)

In the Wet Head challenge, one team member launched water balloons toward the others, who had to catch the balloons in a colanders held on their heads. A bursting balloon scored for your team and also provided a refreshing splash of water on your head.

After all the teams had completed the challenges, we stopped for lunch under the tents. Then it was on to the final challenge. Everyone gathered near the shore of the reservoir. Each team was given a set of materials and required to build a raft/flotation device that would hold two people. (A perfect challenge for the Research & Development department, heavily populated with engineers.)

The raft had to be carried to the water, and two people had to paddle/ride it to a certain point in the reservoir...

and back. The first team back was the winner.

And of course, there was a dunking booth. Because what work event is complete without an opportunity to dunk your boss? :D

Despite the heat and intense sun, it was a super fun day. I had a blast. I did not get sunburned or tanned in the slightest thanks to a sun hat, a long-sleeve shirt, and lots of SPF 50.