Scavenger Hunts, Corporate Teambuilding - Ravenchase Adventures

Kurt Muehmel, Pirate & Creative Genius | Regional Director, France

For the longest time Kurt was thinking that it would be a really good idea to become a lawyer. Fortunately, one day he came across an ad looking for a Pirate/Creative Genius. Knowing that he was much more of a creative pirate than a lawyer (genius status is pending), Kurt decided to change ships and has been wearing the Ravenchase hat ever since. Originally hailing from the paved expanses of the Detroit suburbs, Kurt now finds himself in Paris, enjoying the life of the expatriate. When not offending the French in his attempts at perfecting their language, Kurt focuses his creative efforts on constructing spectacular chases that lead players throughout Paris; from the grand boulevards of Baron Haussmann to the maddeningly complicated side streets of the Middle Ages. The goal of all of this, of course, is to get people stop looking at the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame and to start appreciating the oft-missed details. From the delightful, to the bizarre, to the tragic, this great city has too much to offer to rely on the words of a jaded travel writer. Get up, get out, and live Paris! Vive la chasse aux corbeaux !

Chris Dove, Codeiologist, Chaseius Mapperus | Regional Director

So there I was at the top of the tree, swinging to and fro with great glee. Then the tree top broke and down I plunged. Facing skyward, I watched as the branches whizzed past me on my way to meet my Maker. Since I had the time, I started thinking: What could I be doing right now if I had the chance? Then it hit me, the ground, that is. Years later, I would remember that fateful day and decided I needed a less harmful way to have fun. Since plunging down class IV whitewater had lost its thrill, I looked for something to replace that adrenaline taste in my mouth. After a breath mint, I found what I was looking for: Ravenchase Adventures. And I get to wear my kilt....or did you want something serious?

Lisa Duty, Creative Gadgetologist & Merrymaker Extraordinaire | Regional Director

Lisa was destined to work with Ravenchase Adventures. Lisa's parents discovered early on that their daughter was "different." In elementary school, while other kids were drawing the picket fences and smiling faces of their families standing in front of a house with an A-shaped roof and a lollypop tree, Lisa's drawings were often from odd perspectives. Among her favorites: the one from a bird's point of view as it flew high above the house and another from the goldfish's perspective looking from the bowl into the living room. She was fascinated by da Vinci, Fibonacci numbers, words, patterns, mysteries and detective work often writing poems and stories in made up languages and painting pictures which had hidden meanings or secret symbols. Lisa has degrees in education and communication/graphics arts. As she likes to say, she is always in her "right" mind. She is lively and enthusiastic and is generally deeply involved in creating gadgets for hunts and merrymaking. When not developing new gadgets, playing with words and symbols or cracking codes, Lisa enjoys kayaking on Class IV-V whitewater.

Becky and Andy Mudd, Punologists | Richmond, VA

After traveling across Europe as a free-lance artist and winning the opportunity in a card game to return to America, Andy met Becky as she was attempting to extricate herself from an undesirable pre-arranged marriage to a steel magnate by throwing herself off the back of the ocean liner on which they both traveling. Oh wait, that was Titanic. In truth, Becky is a native Virginian and Andy is from western New York. They moved to Richmond in 2002 and participated in their first Ravenchase event in February, 2005. They've been hooked ever since and compulsively read every historical marker and gravestone they pass. When not lounging on the beach, Becky teaches high school English to students with special needs and Andy teaches Technical Theatre. Their motto is: "Two-Person Teams Rule! Shut Your Pie-hole!"

Mike & Mary, Superheroes, Richmond, VA

Mary's Superpowers: Able to anagram whole pages of text faster than Superman can change in a phone booth.

Mike's Superpowers: Well, we think the picture says it all.

Motto: "We are not role models for your life!"

After the gig pillaging for that "capital" credit card company ran out, Mike needed a new way to spend his weekends. Thank the gods Mary has brain-lobes bigger than a Ferengi and can solve puzzles like a fiend. Together, their combination of brains, brawn and beer consumption (Guinness only!!) are an unstoppable force whether they are creating a chase or playing in one. In addition to being the founders of the Kilted Cosa Nostra, a band of high-spirited Ravies who work the ol' chase trail like a plague of locusts, these two superheroes brew their chases like they like their brews...dark, thick and tastes like guddddd... If you think you're brave enough, ask to see the Raven tattoos.

Jason, Director of Gimmickology | Richmond, VA

I originally started with Ravenchase Adventures by stalking Josh around Richmond and attending every event he held. I eventually realized that this wasn’t going to be enough. So I decided to kidnap and hold him hostage in a well where I only allowed him to eat crackers and rub lotion on his skin. After begging and pleading (and crying like a little girl) for his release for eight days, he finally made me an offer I couldn't resist. He wanted me to join his company. Of course I couldn’t refuse, so I let him go with a spam sandwich and a few more psychological scars. A lot has changed since then. Now I hold him hostage at bars talking about the company. He actually waves now when he sees me peering in his window at 3am. He smiles whenever I pass the crackers at dinner. And he even started using lotion again. But for some reason, whenever I write new clues, he still cries like a little girl.

Joshua Wolak, Enigmatiste/Wisecracketeer | Southeast Regional Director

Joshua has made a lighthearted pastime out of digging into the deeper mysteries of life, and is well versed in the history of philosophy and ideas. Polybius, you say? Perhaps Pythagorus? "Peons!" says our Enigmatiste, who has left no concept unheard and no cipher uncracked. Possessed with a multifaceted and sometimes maniacal creativity, Joshua develops art through paradoxical and perplexing styles of music, visual art, poetry, and now by way of Ravenchase Adventures in Nashville. His interests range from pedestrian to bizarre (organic cooking, incessant cycling, coffee science, film history, string-pickin' and monster balladeering) but he expends most of his energy fulfilling a lifelong dream of evil geniousity, and prays that someday men will curse his name.

Kristine Jenner, Cluemaster and her faithful apprentice, Rob Jenner | Northeastern Regional Directors

Kristine, a through and through Jersey Girl, and Rob, a crocodile wrestling Aussie, met on a fateful day in 2003 aboard a cruise ship that had all the attributes of a bucket. Rob swept Kristine off her feet after one cunning pick-up line, “Can I buy you a drink…I get them half-price?” What Rob did not know was that Kristine, an avid shopper especially for painfully cute shoes, could not resist a good deal when she saw one. After a couple intoxicating months, both with said half-priced alcohol and love, the couple tied the knot. Rob, an junkie fan of those TV treasure hunting and adventure race programs, was saddened to learn that as an Aussie and non-citizen of the United States he was ineligible to appear on the hit reality show. Fortunately, he discovered Ravenchase Adventures while living in Richmond and dragged his young bride along. Luckily, it was love at first chase for the Jenners, despite the threats of divorce during particularly challenging clues…or maybe it was mere moments of stupidity. With a move to New Jersey, the Jenners found they could not make their marriage last without the monthly chases and thus they try, perhaps in vein, to emulate their demon hero, Josh, by crafting particularly difficult Cemetery clues.