This past weekend marked my second Adventure Race (Bike, Trek, Paddle), and so far we are 2/2 for having a blast. After getting my first taste, I wanted more ASAP, and a post popped up on the Facebook feed about a Texas Adventure Racing event near Huntsville on the 13th. And here's the kicker... for FREE! I took it as a sign and loaded everything last minute for a blast south.
With such late notice, I didn't figure on rallying anyone else into it, so I jumped at it solo for the trip. I typically get an empty feeling in my gut when I do these kinds of things all alone. I've been blessed with so many good friends and a great wife that I'm accustomed to good company at all times. "Happiness only real when shared" was the revelation that Christopher McCandless, a famous solo adventurer, came to. I've been trying to put much more effort into shared experiences in this new chapter of my life. However, the beauty of this kind of racing is that I was only gone for about 24 hours. And anyone that knows me knows that's a pretty common gap if I get obsessive with a task or destination. The other great thing is the Adventure Racing community. Usually the guy with tattoos and a shaved head that shows up by himself isn't the first one invited to share the campfire. But that wasn't so this weekend.
The drive south was exactly what you'd expect... traffic in Dallas followed by nothing for a few hours. Solo drives are great for people with no hair- windows down, radio UP. A quick stop and visit at the Chili's in Huntsville (same one I ate at the night before winning the Caney Creek Enduro in 2011), and back on the FM roads that lead out into the woods. Camp and transition area were set up at a great little spot inside the National Forest, surrounded by pine forest except for a perfect little window for stargazing. The fire was already started and the sun was setting, so I scrambled to get camp set and organized. All was well with the exception of my tent, which I've only set up a couple times so far. Some mismatched poles left the sides drooping in to the point that my 4 person tent barely fit one cot (diagonally), but it wasn't bad enough to redo. Soon after I found myself discussing the use of Pop Tarts as heat shielding for spacecraft with a batch of NASA Engineers, Aussies, and marathon runners. Several friendly faces around the fire made for a good time and a reminder that I'm not completely solo. (Shout out to all of you and hope to see you again soon!) Eventually the clock drove us to our tents for the night.
Race morning saw a chill in the air and a larger group than expected. I recognized a few of the cars from the previous weekend, but no familiar faces with the exception of the night before. Time to prep the new Camelbak (review coming soon), chow down, and stretch better than last time in hopes of avoiding the rookie cramps.
At 9:15, the race officially started with a scramble to the maps, water, and special tests at camp. I opted to save the paddle for last with my hatred for wet socks, and instead took a run at two of the special tests. I love the creativity here, and you locals can expect to see some odd challenges come out after a few backyard beers! Upon completion, it was time to tackle the run/ walk/ modified wobble. I watched the map and soon realized the scale of it was more than I've ever done. I was prepared for 3-4 miles, but somehow made it through 7.5 beautiful pine forest miles. I wished for my camera several times, and especially looked forward to hitting the same loop with wheels beneath me! Huge thanks to the group that ran with me for several miles, and to Kathryn for keeping me company the last couple miles and keeping me from turning this adventure race into an adventure stroll. Coming in from the run, I opted to finish my special tests with a shoe toss and my first go on a slackline (shaky to say the least).
Next was the bike leg, the part that I'm most comfortable with. Pedal pedal pedal, and pedal some more. I'm not sure the final mileage count, but it was a good ride, especially after the long trek. Several downed trees, fresh trail, and creek crossings kept me huffing and puffing, but I love that winding singletrack in the trees! One of the aforementioned down trees hung me up, but I wasn't aware of the damage until a shift and two cranks grenaded my drivetrain. A broken derailleur hanger had me sitting still until I remembered a little trick. Within a few minutes I was rolling ghetto singlespeed, and managed to finish out the bike leg as strong as I'd started.
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Dear stray branch... if I wanted to ride singlespeed, I would have brought my singlespeed.
Hauling the kayak to the water, I felt much stronger than I did the previous week. With the last two checks in sight, I charged the short paddle. After working my way off a sandbar, I threw the boat over my shoulder and hustled in for a 3:35 finish time.
Post Race Death Face
Another great time, and another cold beer reward! I then enjoyed a visit with the main promoter and his family, which included a gorgeous Australian Shepherd that gave me that final push for home that I needed. A few goodbyes and back on the road, I was home in time for dinner and drinks with my people. I'm starting to like this.
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