So Long As It's Just Pretend

Submitted by: Lady Tannerlot of Stonehurst Glen

The Challenge: Play on a fire truck

Contact and meet Cheryl Lamerson and Dr. Will. Tour their personal fire station and go on a drive on one of Dr.Will's Fire Trucks, have you picture taken, opposite Lunenburg on Tannery Road, with Tristan at the wheel wearing the fireman's cap with Zora hanging off the side.

Tristan's Note: This is a great idea. Simple, fun, and something I haven't done before!

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat’s Ruling: This is too much fun for a quest! Bah. Kids these days. 200 experience points, 3 hours charity.

Giggin' in Maine

Submitted by: AC2006 Forever

The Challenge: Give a gig some love

Word on the street is that there are some Bantry Bay Gigs floating around Belfast, Maine. Loyaute, Joie de Vivre, Communite, Humanite... So many to choose from! How many can you find? How many can you row? 

Earn volunteer points by giving these beauties some maintenance. Scrape, paint, caulk, you know the deal. If you time it right, plant some garlic, join the choir. Don't get too comfy, you might want to stay.

Loot is an AC USA2018 size large t-shirt which you will have to retrieve from me.

Zora's Note: Yay more gig quests!! And the bonus of getting some volunteer time in is also excellent.

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat’s Ruling: This is a tricky one - you guys can either opt to use this time as charity hours or as a quest. If the latter, record how many hours you worked on it and take some before and after pictures. I’ll figure out the experience points once I see how much work it is.

"Diana is Invited to Tea with Tragic Results"

Submitted by: stephdye

The Challenge: A Cordial Invitation to Deliver the Goods

Fetch quest! 
Hand deliver a bottle of raspberry cordial from Prince Edward Island back to St Louis, to me, Steph. Try some yourselves while you're at it - if memory serves correctly, it's divine.
Bonus points for taking pictures of as many green-gabled buildings on PEI as you can!

Zora's Note: Since we've been stuck in St. Louis longer than we hoped, we're not entirely sure we're going to make it all the way to PEI, however, since it's conveniently connected to Nova Scotia by a great big stick, that cordial has been known to pop up around my home province. We should be able to retrieve some. I also know someone who worked on the original Anne of Green Gables TV show, so we'll see what insights she may have. 

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat's Judgement: Fair enough. 300 exp, 4 hours charity. Double exp if you bring me one! (It's good to be the king). 

Get Back To Where Ye Once Belonged

Submitted by: sjil28

The Quest: The Meeting of the Medievals

The Challenge: Attend Ye Old Renaissance Festival!

Attend the Renaissance Festival in Crownsville MD and either dress up in costume or compete in games.
https://www.rennfest.com/

Starts in Aug and goes through Oct so you have plenty of leeway to arrive in MD.

Tristan's Note: Oh my goodness yes! A thousand times yes!

Wombat's Ruling: A very good idea. 300 exp, 4 hours charity. Maybe I can come join you...

Duck Race!!!!!

Submitted by: Dai

The Quest: Out Pacing the Plastic Paddlers

The Challenge: Race a Duck.

You have to beg, steal or borrow a duck. Then you have to race it from the usual Middle Mill start point to the finish by the rocks. However, you either race in a dinghy or on a tandem bike.

Tristan's Note: This is a great quest! However for our non-Pembrokeshire based contingent I'll put in a little explanation; every year my village of Solva holds a 'Duck Race'. This means that about 50 plastic ducks are floated down the river from Middle Mill to the finishing point at a bridge in Solva. Everyone buys tickets which give you a share in a specific duck. Whichever duck floats past first, wins. Simple. And strange. And great.

We would love to try and race one, when we eventually end up in Wales.

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: This one should be good! 400 exp, 5 hours charity. I want to see video with epic music (think Chariots of Fire). 

Surf's Up Dude and Dudette...

Submitted by: Zoe Emery

The Quest: The Hanging of the Ten... or Twenty

The Challenge: Go Surfing!Let’s go surfin now, everybody's learnin now, come on safari with me... etc
Go surfing!! 
Double points if both if you go for it. Beg, borrow or rent a board (don’t steal), it’s up to you. Proper surf pose pictures on the beach are required. Have a lovely time.

Tristan's Note: No smart comeback to this one, it would be my pleasure!

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: Ooh, I'm looking forward to some videos of falling off a surfboard! 600 exp, 3 hours charity, +100 exp (no charity) for uploading a hilarious and short video of someone either falling off or being badass.

This Otter Be Good!

Submitted by: Zoe Emery

The Quest: The Finding of the Aquatic Fuzzballs

The Challenge: Spot a Sea Otter!

Find and photograph a wonderful sea otter. These are my favourite animals and I wish I could be one.
Extra points for getting a photo of them holding hands. So cute!! 
Fun otter facts are also appreciated.

Tristan's Note: I don't think you could find anyone who didn't think that otters are adorable (although in the Brian Jacques books they are also pretty badass (Finnbarr Galedeep is a personal hero of mine)), and we would be more than excited to go and find them! Of course there will be fun otter facts, have you met Zora!?

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: Otters are adorable and badass - not always an easy combination to pull off! Let's call this 400 exp, 2 hours charity. 

A mighty warrior otter.

Dance like no one is watching (but they totally are)

Submitted by: Cassie

The Quest: The Courtly Caper of the Cowherds

The Challenge:  If you’re in Texas you have to go line dancing one night! 
Challenge extended!

Tristan's Note: No problem! I love making a fool of myself in public, and if I can do that whilst also embarrassing Zora then so much the better!

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: 200 exp, 2 hours charity. Bonus for posting a video, bonus bonus for posting Zora looking embarrassed. 

Defeat the Mighty Mississippi in its puniest of forms

Submitted by: misskarenjean

The Quest: Leap over the mightiest of rivers

The Challenge: Jump over the Mississippi

Find Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox and they will lead you to the headwaters of the Mississippi. Jump over this puny little trickle of water that becomes a mighty river!

Zora's note: I've always wanted to do this! Challenge Accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: This is too easy. You only get experience points if you do it while singing "Old Man River" together (you can substitute a more appropriate song if you can think of one). 100 experience, 1 hour of charity. 

Strolling Player Palaver

Submitted by: Quester #2

The Quest: The Call of the Casting.

The Challenge: Audition to be on screen.

So Tris and I agreed that we should be able to challenge each other. I mean who knows our biggest dreams and fears better than each other right? 

So Tristan, here is your quest:

Level up your charisma skills and put yourself on display!
Audition. I don’t care if it’s for a dog food commercial or a blockbuster film. But while we’re in California find something with an open call and answer it! It’ll be a great experience and hey, if you land something that’s some more road trip funds!!

I'd suggest having a shower first though...

Tristan's note: Ladies and Gentlemen, my wife, who knows me so well. I accept your challenge Zora, and shall pad my resume out with the role of corpse number #74, or some such grand title. Do I get extra experience points if I actually land a part Wombat? Extra-double-mega points if I land a part AS a Wombat?

Wombat's Ruling: This is a good one! Let's see... this is worth 600 exp (4 hours charity) if you do it and document it (to whatever extent you are able). It's worth an extra 400 experience (without any extra charity!) if you actually land the part and do it.

A Marathon of Matinee Marveling

Submitted by: misskarenjean

The Quest: The Battle of Bearing the Bards

The Challenge: See 30 plays in Chicago

I challenge you to see 30 plays with Dave and I while you pass through Chicago. You can do this in one night at the Neo-Futurarium! Bonus points for seeing MORE than 30 plays. MOAR THEATRE!!!

Zora's note: Yes! This is a great challenge. We will definitely try to see more than 30, and we'll see how the Wombat rules on matters of bonus points! :) 

Challenge accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: Okay, here's the rule. It's worth 600 experience (1-4 hours, tough difficulty), 4 hours charity. Why "tough"? Because you need to write a one sentence summary of each play! Muahahah! Bonus points for extra plays, or for real funny summaries. 

Their Holinesses the Tourist Traps

Submitted by: misskarenjean

The Quest: The Search for the Sacred Spaces

The Challenge: Find the homes of American Gods

This requires some prep work: read (if you haven't already) Neil Gaiman's AMERICAN GODS (the TV show is pretty good, but read the book). Faded gods from the numerous Old Worlds of the many immigrants that people this giant land mass continue to live on in the contemporary US. Without worshipers, their powers are weakened, but they find ways to make do, in part by convening in the various tourist traps and town that still contain some spiritual residue. XPs awarded for visiting the real places named in the book, and also for finding places that COULD belong to some god (real or of your own invention) and describing the power/draw of the place for that god.

Tristan's note: This is brilliant. I freaking love American Gods. I haven't seen the show but read the book a few years back and yeah, it's a great idea, quintessential Gaiman. I will re-read it asap and begin looking for suitable places. Zora will have to read it too, so we'll try to get it on audiobook so we can do it together (otherwise I'll be on chapter two and she'll be on to her usual genre of Romance novels). We can get really creative with this one!

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: This may be my favorite quest yet! It's doubly apropos, given that Tristan is from the same benighted/nighted country as Neil Gaiman (see below)! I'm going to have to judge this one on a case by case basis for experience. Tell us about the places and why you picked them. If you do something creative (could be funny, insightful, deep, sad, whatever), be prepared for massive amounts of points. 

One of us! One of us!

Submitted by: Dale L. 

The Quest: The Quest of Sir Lotsalance 

The Challenge: Camping with Lance friends

Get together with other LOA members, share stories, laughs, and food. There are Lance gatherings and rallies on both coasts and even here in the Midwest. Check out the 2nd Annual Great Plains Gathering in my signature on any LOA posting of mine.

Zora's note: This is a great challenge! And so exciting to get a quest from someone without a previous tie to our friends or family! An independent quest setter! Unfortunately we'll be pretty far from Nebraska in September (especially sad since Nebraska is one of the state's we're a bit clueless on how to experience to its fullest), but we will be sure to hit up one of the other gatherings. We're excited to find ourselves in the company of Lance Owners of America, the community has already been helpful for us to get our new home ready to hit the road! For anyone interested here's LOA's website: http://lanceowners.hoop.la/

Challenge accepted!! 

Wombat's Ruling: Wow, this is pretty nerdy, even for you guys. I love it! There are three separate quests I'm setting:

1) Get a picture of a ridiculously modified, tricked out, or otherwise amazingly strange Lance. 300 exp, 1.5 hours of charity.

2) Get a picture with at least 5 Lances in it (a car dealer doesn't count!). Alternatively, get a picture with the owners of 5 Lances. 300 exp, 1.5 hours of charity.

3) Attend a Lance event, take pictures, and do a blog post or video about it. 500 exp, 2 hours of charity. 

Big Machines? Bucket, Why Not.

Submitted By: Phil, Purveyor of the Finest Trucks

The Quest: Observing the Vanquished Beasts

The Challenge: Get a picture in the Bucket of the LARGEST Electric Shovel or the LARGEST Dragline bucket in the world

How about a picture in the Bucket of the LARGEST Electric Shovel or the LARGEST Dragline bucket in the world They are all but memories, as they won't make them this big anymore..

Big Brutus -
converted to a Museum in KS. if it's on the way to another quest, why not get a picture.
http://www.bigbrutus.org/about.html

The other - my personal favorite and I was trying to help get it converted to a museum in 1999, was Big Muskie, Made in South Milwaukee, by Bucyrus Erie, "same as Big Brutus"
All that's left is the 230 Ton, 220 Cubic yard bucket....on display, just a few miles from it's working area Ohio.

The Big Muskie was a model 4250-W Bucyrus-Erie dragline (the only one ever built). With a 220-cubic-yard (170 m3) bucket, it was the largest single-bucket digging machine ever created and one of the world's largest mobile earth-moving machines. could pick a load, larger than 2 grey hound busses, and sit it more than a football field away.

The bucket is big, 
http://www.noblecountyohio.com/images/largebucket.jpg
Now look at the bucket, in relation to the machine
http://www.noblecountyohio.com/muskie3.html
When you look at the mere size of this machine in this pic, it really puts things in perspective on just how big the machine was - It was featured by "That's incredible" and it walked like a duck...
http://www.stripmine.org/wwwboard/stripmine/uploads/1_6487c3625ca7a0c5b26d515079c01d5e.jpg

I believe there is a campground near by
Directions:I-77 exit 25 (Caldwell). Head west on SR 78 -- a winding, hilly, two-lane road -- 16 miles to the Bucket in Miners Memorial Park.

Zora's Note: This is brilliant! Fun, accessible, and that's a great amount of detail. Seriously people, take a look at those links the machines are ridiculous.

Wombat's Ruling: Them things are huge! Okay, 300 exp, 2 hours charity (1-4 hours, Easy "Sweat Factor").

The Manateaser

Submitted by: Fire Donkey

The Quest: Voyage Through the Swamp

The Challenge: Swim with a Manatee...

Hi guys! This is based on googling stuff... HOWEVER! Why not head to the Everglades national park? (Everglades National Park protects an unparalleled landscape that provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther <-- ELUSIVE PANTHER!). 

The challenge would be to find a manatee and possibly swim with it. Or, find the Panther haha. It looks like a great place to visit and in terms of giving back to the community as there are lots of endangered species you could maybe find some kind of volunteer research based thing about. Who knows! If I find more info I'll send it on to you. 

Tristan's Note: I don't know how legal it is to go bothering the Manatee over there, plus you did also mention crocodiles... I'm going to say that we will get a photo from in front of a sign in the everglades to complete the easy part of the challenge. Wombat, how about giving us a massive bonus if we see the Manatee or the Panther?

Challenge kind of accepted!

Zora's Note: So I did the research on how to swim with manatees in a legal and respectful way, and it is permitted in a certain area! Here are the details: Manatee Manners

So we will definitely do our best to go see them, it would be amazing! 

Wombat's Ruling: This would be really cool! It sounds like a lot of work, though, so let's call it a whopping 800 exp, 5 hours charity (<1 day, Difficult "Sweat Factor"). Bonus points for not getting eaten.

There better be a lady in this lake...

Submitted by: Fuzzy Bear

The Quest: The Observance of the Water

The Challenge: Following in Burgoyne’s Footsteps

As you head to NS from New York, your task is to enjoy one of the better views of Lake Champlain. However, I'm not going to tell you where that is. To find out stop at Fort Ticonderoga and take the tour. The docent's might know where you should go. Here's a hint though, if you get the right information you'll be able to "defy" the odds I've stacked against you. Post a picture to prove you were successful. For extra points put the history of the path you took in the photo's caption (that's another hint as to where to go by the way).

Tristan's Note: I appreciate that we get to make this quest more difficult if we choose to! 

Challenge accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: I haven't been to Fort Ticonderoga since I was a kid! It'll be great. Anyway. 300 exp, 2 hours charity for just the picture (1-4 hours, Easy "Sweat Factor"), or 400 exp, 3 hours charity (1-4 hours, Moderate "Sweat Factor") with the caption too. Lots of bonus points for doing a post/video/something about the important history of Fort Ticonderoga. (I'll award the bonus points once I see the result). 

Dad's Fave Philly

Submitted by: Bromogida

The Quest: The Conquest of the Bovine 

The Challenge: Ro's dad challenges you to go to White House in Atlantic City, and order a "Whopper". Get some laughs then have the best Philly Cheese Steak dad has ever had. Post a picture to commemorate the moment.

Tristan's Note: We will starve ourselves in preparation, because I'm pretty sure that something called  a "Whopper" is not going to be small.

Challenge Accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: You guys are so lucky. This is 100 exp, 1 hr charity (<1 hr, Trivial "Sweat Factor" - all you have to do is have lunch!). 

The mark of the dragon

Submitted by: Rania & Jon

The Quest: Carving The Flesh of the Wyrm

The Challenge: Pumpkin Carving in New Hampshire. Attend the world's largest pumpkin carving festival in Keene NH, which takes place in mid October, and carve a welsh dragon on a pumpkin.

Tristan's Note: Excellent suggestion, however this may not fit with our timeline. However what we will do is go to Keene, and carve a Welsh Dragon into SOMETHING whilst we are there. We will also attend the biggest pumpkin festival available to us in mid October and carve the dragon into a pumpkin.

Challenge accepted!

Wombat's Ruling: This is a 2 part quest.

Part 1 is carve something in Keene - 200 exp, 2 hrs charity (< 1 hr, Easy "Sweat Factor).

Part 2 is carve dragon into a very large pumpkin in October - 300 exp, 2 hrs charity (1-4 hrs - I'm including time spent finding a huge pumpkin, Easy "Sweat Factor). PLUS 200 exp bonus (with no charity requirement) if they carve a good Trogdor into a second pumpkin (what's the point of being the arbiter of the rules if you can't abuse your power?). 

Play with animals...

Submitted by: Penelope Burns

The Quest: Exorcising the Beasts

The Challenge: Find an animal shelter and see if they'll let you walk the dogs! That way they get exercise :) Or just go socialize with the cats, if they let you do that.

Tristan's note: This isn't really a challenge at all is it?

Challenge accepted!!!

Wombat's Ruling: This is almost too easy! Let's make it more interesting. Tristan and Zora have to make adoption profiles (name, pictures, descriptions of animal's personality) for some of the cats/dogs they meet and post them here and on Facebook. It'll be 200 experience (and 2 hours of charity) for each animal, up to a maximum of 4 animals.  

Eat-a-thon

Submitted by: Laura Louis

The Quest: The Feast of Unrivalled Gut Distention

The Challenge: Complete or attempt every eating/ food contest you come across ....... eg eating 1 tonne of hot wings and you don’t have to pay!!!!

Tristan's Note: I am not going to do this, because I will ruin about 20% of all my days (Do you know how many places in the US have an eating challenge!?) HOWEVER, I will attempt the first eating challenge that there is at a place where we stop for food, AND for every subsequent place where I pass on attempting a challenge I will donate time.

Challenge (kind of) accepted!!!

Wombat's Ruling: This is a pretty easy/fun one, but let's have mercy on poor Tristan's stomach (he's not used to good, healthsome US food). We'll call it 1-4 hours (to include the time he spends recovering), and Easy "Sweat Factor", for 300 exp, 2 hours of charity.