Adventure Racing

Next Adventure employees Rachel and Seth recently returned from a 15-day climbing trip in the Eastern Sierra region of California. Popularized in the early 2000's by climbers like Lisa Rands for its incredible boulders, there are also plenty of sport and traditional, multi-pitch and alpine routes scattered throughout the valley. Seth and Rachel set up base-camp outside of Bishop at a primitive and dusty (but cheap!) climbers' campground and spent most of their time climbing in the Owens River Gorge. When the desert got too hot, they explored the steep granite of the Rock Creek area and short trad lines in nearby Alabama Hills. Of course, you can't go to Bishop and not visit the now-famous Buttermilk boulders. Rest days were spent seeking shade and caffeine at the coffee-shop in town, or hitting the local restaurant for weekday happy hour (which was really, literally one hour), tracking down free hot springs and searching for petroglyphs. Rachel and Seth returned to Portland via Smith Rocks near Bend, OR, and spent their last day of freedom clipping bolts in their 'home crag.'

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Team Next Adventure/Ragged Energy

All photos are courtesy of www.bigblueadventure.com who were the organizers of the race.

Hi, I am team Next Adventure/Ragged Energy. I was a lonely solo participant in this rather gruelling event. But, alas I did prevail and finshed intact with only a few cuts, bruises and stings! I actually placed third in the solo class. Not bad for a 53 year old, 4 weeks out of knee surgery. I would like to thank Bryan and Deek of Next Adventure for helping to sponsor me and making this possible. I hope that I did them proud. On to the race!

The race was centered in the Oakriddge Oregon area and involved 70 miles of mountain biking, 20 miles of trekking and 15 miles of kayaking. ( numbers are valid if you did not get lost ).

From the start (our bikes and kayaks were staged the night before ) we were shuttled and dropped of in the woods and had to run to the first checkpoint to get the info for the race, then run to the next checkpoint to get our bikes.

Off we went for about 45 miles of rather hairy single track to the drop off then a run to an island checkpoint. During this wet ordeal I step on a yellow jacket nest in a wood pile and proceeded to get myself stung about 50 times. I was not sure of the potential outcome so I popped all the Benydryl I had in my med kit and continued on, itching along the way.

In the middle of the first biking section they added a little bonus event. Jumping in the cold Willamette to snag a hanging cargo net. Which you then climbed up to read a number. Then climb down and swim back in the rather cold and fast flowing water.

Next came 15 miles of kayaking as the sunset and the stars came out. Pretty marvelous site and the most enjoyable part of the race besides finishing.

Then night had fallen and off for the trekking section – mostly uphill to get to our bikes again. We had to pretty well carry our bikes on a part of this last section up about 800 feet of steep rock scramble to the top of a peak and then down the other side. I did not bike that part – out of my league and I love life- whatever I may have left.

Ahh, but in the final leg of the race I joined up with Team Manny ( good beer ) and we rode together. We stop at a junction and did not open the map all the way which lead to a bad route error that cost us an extra 12 miles and 2000 feet. Not what you wanted to do near the end of a 24 hour race. We were doing fine in position up till then, Oooppps.

But alas we did make it to the finish to a good stash of iced beer and a long and tired drive home.

Just in time to plan for the next 24 race Sept 15 http://4thdar.com/24hourar.aspx

Team Nike the first place team (left) and Myself getting my 3^rd place beer mug (right).

By: Gary Dunkley
Thanks Gary!! Way to Go!!

Check out the Cho-Pema Softshell for women - a great mid layer or outer layer to break the morning chill.

You need a Next Adventure T-Shirt, and we've got them back in stock. Take your pick of long sleeve, short sleeve and jersey styles, in a variety of colors. Just $5 each!

Know what you're getting into before you go! Check the playground conditions for the latest weather, tides, river levels, snow conditions, surf, and other information to maximize the fun.