The very first race of was held not long after the Race Master saw the film Midnight Madness over three decades ago. Most commonly the race is a driving race, bound by a fixed area, and in the beginning it was near the Race Master's home in Ocean County, NJ.
With this in mind, it was fitting that the first clue ever was this -
"As the bridge doth rise, here the men will sit,
to stop here though, you'll need your wit."
Given that the first rule of The Human Race has always been "to think locally," and the only bridge of significance in the area is the nearly one mile long Thomas A. Mathis bridge to Seaside Heights, figuring out how to stop (the car) where "the will men sit" would certainly have required some wit - or at least a long walk!
But that was an easy clue, what is known as a "Level 1." Most of the clues in the TV show The Amazing Race are Level 1, they basically just tell you to go somewhere and do a thing. Over the years the race has shown many different levels of difficulty up to the mind bending Level 5.
Though, all clues are subjective. If you just don't get it, what may be a Level 2 for someone else may be a Level 5 for you. That's why you need a team.
In the year 2001 the race made its first appearance in the city of New York, and this mid-level clue shouldn't really have stumped that many. Given what you already know, you should be able to figure this one out pretty easily.
The internet, as well as life itself, eventually got in the way, and the race was placed on the back burner for the for quite some time. It was becoming increasingly difficult to challenge the racers when everyone had the entirety of human knowledge in their pocket, not to mention an unlimited number of virtual team members! In 1990 you were lucky to bring along a dictionary and to find a working payphone!
But come 2018 the Race Master had the itch and thought it was time enough to dig out the old clue pencil, gather up some friends and strangers, and have another go. Middlesex County, NJ would be the field for this race, and for a crop of all new racers, it was like something they'd never seen. And this clue, just about halfway through the race, would spell the end for a few teams. Such is the nature of a Level 5...
Don't let that monster (cough cough) scare you. There's only ever one (intentional) Level 5 in any race.
In spite of that rough patch the Race Master, was inspired to race again, and a good deal of money was raised for the charity Smile Train from just this one race. But more on that later...
Despite the best intentions of mice and man, life got in the way again, this time by the name of Covid-19, and the next race was put on hold. But now it is almost 2025 and it is time to race again...