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The Group Travel Leader Going on Faith Select Traveler

Ships sail, bikes roll and smoothies swirl

In years past, the Gray cousins rode their bikes on rainy days in the Manor House’s huge third-floor attic, where 20 guest rooms are now located. That family tale inspired Graylyn’s team-building arm, Graylyn Adventures, to design a bike-themed team-building exercise.

Patience, problem solving and group effort are required for the Tour de Graylyn. After teams assemble brand-new bicycles and specialists check their work, team members compete in a race inside a large meeting room. Postrace, the vehicles are donated to the group’s local charity of choice.

In another team construction effort called Pirates of the Piedmont, attendees have an hour to build a boat that their captain and a teammate must sail across the Graylyn Pond in the fastest time — without sinking.

Another team-building program, the FISH! Philosophy, teaches participants to enhance their work experience and that of the customer through tenets embraced by Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market, where fat fish sail through the air from one wise-cracking handler to the other, to the delight of onlookers.

“Because we have so many repeat visitors, we try to add one new program to our team-building repertoire every year,” said Tina Davis Fullard, associate general manager of sales. Next on Graylyn’s team-building lineup are brainteasers and Wii team building.