THE ROYAL FLUSH

1. All three members must stay together at all times. No splitting up.
2. GPS/phone navigation is allowed and encouraged.
3. No outside communication or research once the event begins.
4. All food and water must be carried from the start. No vehicle access, no caches, no resupply.
5. Must stay on marked trails. No bushwhacking.

1. At each waypoint, the facilitator reveals one card.
2. Once a card is revealed, it belongs to the team permanently.
3. A clue is also provided at each waypoint (written on the card sleeve or read aloud).
4. The team may visit waypoints in any order.
5. The team does NOT need to visit all 15 waypoints.
6. Win condition: Present a Royal Flush (10, J, Q, K, A) all of one suit.

The event ends when:

■ WIN — The team presents a valid Royal Flush
■ TIME OUT — Sunset arrives and no flush is assembled
■ TAP OUT — The team voluntarily quits

There is no penalty for extra waypoints visited. The "penalty" is the miles on their legs and the time burned.

Give them:
— A printed map of all 15 waypoint coordinates (names + GPS, NO card info)
— A terrain/zone description for each waypoint
— Sunrise/sunset times and weather forecast
— The rules above

Do NOT give them: Card assignments, clue content, which suits are complete, or optimal route info. They go in knowing WHERE but not WHAT.

15 cards total = 5 Hearts + 5 Diamonds + 3 Spades + 2 Clubs.

Hearts and Diamonds are both completable. The team doesn't know this. Early card pulls will likely include a mix of suits. The strategic question becomes: which suit do we commit to chasing?

Design intent: Hearts cards are spread across 5 different zones but with 3 of 5 clustered relatively close to the trailhead. A team that recognizes the geographic clustering of Hearts and commits early can finish fast. Diamonds are more scattered — still completable but requires more total mileage.

Hearts = the "smart" flush (clustered, ~10 mi)
Diamonds = the "safe" flush (spread out, ~15 mi)
Spades and Clubs = traps

The coordinates listed are approximate placements based on the park's known trail layout and zone descriptions. You MUST do a scouting walk or use a detailed trail app (AllTrails, Trailforks, Gaia GPS) to finalize exact GPS coordinates at real, findable locations on the trail.

Best practice: Walk the park with this schematic, drop pins at actual trail junctions, distinctive features, or landmarks that match the zone descriptions. Then update the coordinate list for the participant handout.

Each waypoint reveals a card AND a clue. The clue provides intel about other cards or suits on the map. Early clues are vague. Mid-race clues get more pointed. Late-race clues are nearly explicit — rewarding teams that have been paying attention.

Delivery: Print each clue on a small card, sealed in an envelope at each waypoint. Or, since you're walking with them, read it aloud and let them write it down.

Clues 1–5 create partial knowledge — they establish that some suits are dead ends without revealing which.

Clues 6–10 reward pattern recognition — a team tracking clues on paper can start narrowing.

Clues 11–15 are nearly explicit — if you've gathered enough data, these confirm your deduction and give you a surgical finish route.

The trap: A team that ignores clues and just chases distance will never synthesize the intel. They'll brute-force the map and suffer for it. This mirrors how people run their lives — more effort instead of better thinking.

Since you're running hybrid, you can adjust clues on the fly. If the team is struggling, make a clue more explicit. If they're crushing it, stay cryptic. The clue list above is your baseline — feel free to riff.

Expected: Low ~55°F at dawn, high ~78°F by afternoon.
Sunrise: ~7:30 AM · Sunset: ~7:45 PM (after daylight saving).
UV index: Moderate-high. Little shade on exposed trail sections.
Wind: Typically light, 5–10 mph.

Check forecast 48 hours before and adjust briefing accordingly.

Rule of thumb: 0.5L per hour of active hiking in these conditions.

Best case (10 mi, ~4–5 hrs): 2.5L per person = ~5.5 lbs each
Medium case (15 mi, ~6–7 hrs): 3.5L per person = ~7.7 lbs each
Worst case (20+ mi, ~8–10 hrs): 5L+ per person = ~11 lbs each

They won't know which scenario they're in until they're deep into the event. How much they pack is a bet on their own strategic capability. This is a powerful debrief topic.

NOTE: Reimers Ranch currently has NO running water or drinking fountains (plumbing is down). Portable toilets only. They must carry everything.

Recommend: 200–300 calories per hour of activity. For a 10-hour window, that's 2,000–3,000 calories.

Smart packing: Calorie-dense, lightweight — nut butter packets, trail mix, bars, dried fruit, jerky. Avoid heavy or bulky items.

They should plan one real "meal stop" mid-day and graze the rest. Where they stop matters — do they pause at a waypoint with a view, or push through and eat on the move?

— Trail runners or hiking boots (broken in)
— Pack capable of carrying 3–5L water + food
— Headlamp (pre-dawn start + potential late finish)
— Phone with GPS app loaded + offline map of Reimers
— Sun protection (hat, sunscreen)
— First aid basics (blister kit, tape, ibuprofen)
— Layers for cool morning
— Pen and paper for tracking clues
— Cash for park entry ($5/person)

Reimers Ranch is cash only at the gate. $5 per person. Opens at 7 AM. Plan arrival by 6:30 to stage or enter right at gate opening.

— You (facilitator) carry a first aid kit and emergency supplies
— All participants carry charged phones
— Establish a "tap out" protocol — anyone can call it, no shame
— Watch for: dehydration signs, blisters becoming debilitating, heat exhaustion
— Reimers has cactus and mesquite thorns — stay on trail
— Rattlesnakes are possible in March — awareness, not fear
— Park closes at dusk — plan to be out or near the trailhead by 7:30 PM

This event is designed to be a mirror. How they approach the race IS how they approach their business, relationships, and growth. The FirePit conversation that evening should draw direct parallels.