(Previously: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

So we have left our FRAC teams running from the Chicago Children’s Museum to the anchor just east of the Grand Ballroom. When they got there they found their next checkpoint:

This is a test of nonverbal communication over a distance. The team needs to split up; one person will stand at the anchor. The other person will stand at the base of the 20-foot tall pillar on the south side of the pier. You will be exchanging signals.

Person 1, please take the envelope labeled A and proceed over to the anchor. Open your envelope when you get there.

Person 2, please take the envelope labeled B and proceed over to the 20-foot tall pillar on the south side of the pier. Open your envelope when you get there.

Step #	Person A	Person B
	Go to the anchor and read the plaque on the front. Note the port in Washington that provided assistance in establishing the exhibit. Turn to face your teammate. Raise your right hand to show that you are ready. They will raise their right hand when they are ready. You may both drop your hands. After you see they are ready, do the following:	Go to the 20-foot-tall pillar on the south side of the pier and read the sign next to the pillar. Note the size of the water tanks that used to provide fire protection to the pier. Turn to face your teammate. Raise your right hand to show that you are ready. They will raise their right hand when they are ready. You may both drop your hands. After you see they are ready, do the following:
1	If the port that provided assistance was Tacoma, bend over and touch your toes. If the port that provided assistance was Bellingham, perform jumping jacks.	If they jumped up and down in place, alternately stand and squat. If they performed jumping jacks, flap your arms up and down like a bird.
2	If your partner flapped their arms in the air like a bird, alternately stand and squat. If your partner spun around in a circle, place both hands on your head.	If your partner waved their hands in the air, perform jumping jacks. If your partner alternately stood and squatted, bend over and touch your toes.
3	If your partner bent over and touched their toes, jump up and down in place. If your partner performed jumping jacks, flap your arms in the air like a bird.	If your partner jumped up and down in place, wave your hands in the air wildly. If your partner spun around in a circle, beat your chest like a gorilla.
4	If they jumped up and down in place, the secret code is “White Sox”. If they bent over and touched their toes, the secret code is “Bulls”. If they waved their hands in the air, the secret code is “Cubs”. If they put both hands on top of their head, the secret code is “Blackhawks”.

Call FRAC HQ when you have determined the secret code!

ANSWER: “Cubs” (highlight text to see answer)

So, this seems a pretty simple task, until you realize that Navy Pier was rather crowded that day (Linnaeus tells me that picture doesn’t do the crowds justice, but you get the idea). The anchor and the pillar were about 100 feet apart, and here you had two people gesturing like loons at each other. Man, I wish I’d been there to see it 🙂

Once teams called in with the secret code, they were instructed to open their next clue:

Once you have arrived at your destination, you will notice that there is a statue of a famous person outside of the building; who were the sculptors? Call FRAC HQ when you know the answer!

ANSWER: Omni Amrany and Lou Cella

Things were going well up to this checkpoint, the small run-in with the parade notwithstanding. At one point we had four teams converging on Wrigley Field at the same time; Takaza pulled up the Cubs’ website and noted the game was in the bottom of the 9th…no wait, the game just ended. Oh dear. And so it was that Team Vin Diesel Hubcaps and Team Yuk got to perform their impressions of salmon swimming upstream against the torrent of people exiting Wrigley Field to get to their destination. It’s always amusing to answer the phone and be greeted with, “I hate you!” I’ll also note that mirkowuff had mentioned they day before that we had better not be sending teams to Wrigley Field during gametime, because that would just be mean. We tried to look innocent 🙂

Once they had called in the correct answer to FRAC HQ, teams were directed to open their next clue:

We tried to score you some bleacher seats for the game, but they were sold out! It must be because of the Cubs’ terrific winning record…

Since you can’t get into the game, we’ll just have to move along. But to where? Well, solve the puzzle below to find out:

Find the date that the statue of Harry Caray was dedicated.
The month is M: ______
The day is D: ______
The year is Y: ______

(Using today’s date as an example, M=5, D=26, Y=2006)

Using the numbers from the statue:
1. Multiply M by 16.
2. Add 10 to that.
3. Subtract D from that.
4. Multiply that number by 23.
5. Add Y to that.
6. You have your answer, and the address for your next stop:

____________________ N. Southport Avenue

Once you arrive at that location, call FRAC HQ and tell us: What is the unique ingredient in the Signature Sunset?

Also, in small type in the bottom right corner of the page was the following: 15, 17, 7, 14, 10, 16, 11

ANSWER: Signature Sunset is a flavor of ice cream at Bobtail Soda Shoppe, and its unique ingredient is Merlot Wine (highlight text to read answer)

When they called in with the correct answer, teams were told the following:
“The time is now _____. You are now off the clock. Open the envelope labeled ‘Heaven On Seven’; in there you will find a gift card with enough on it for you to purchase two kiddie cones of whatever ice cream you like. Take a break, use the rest room, sit down for a bit. When you’re ready to return to the race, call us and let us know and we’ll tell you the next clue to open.”

And that’s where well leave our teams for now. As they take a break, it looks like we had Team Vin Diesel Hubcaps in first place at 3 hours and 59 minutes, Team Yuk right behind at 4 hours and 2 minutes, and Team Simbius still within shooting distance at 4 hours and 14 minutes.

Mayor Daley the First, rallying ’round the statue, and an exciting footrace to the finish in the final installment of FRAC checkpoints! Click here to read it.