Well, we are back from our first REAL Adventure Race!
We had done a "sprint adventure race" but it was NOTHING like this.

We survived, this is the important thing. We had fun, this is the second
must important thing!
We made it to the end. We even got 2nd place in the novice category.

We did get lost a few times, wandered through the woods and cacti (not just
here and there, but INFESTED with cacti), but made it in eventually...

We had a 13 hr time, which at first I thought was terrible, but after all
was said and done, we didn't quit like 4 teams did, and we were not the
last
ones out...

The race was 15 miles on the mountain bike, 20+ miles trekking/land
navigation with kayaking first, and last (about 5 miles worth).

Near the end, they did make us get out of the kayaks as it was dark and
there was lightning all around. I didn't really want to but there was no
choice!

Anyway, we made it to the dock and then trotted to the finish line.

We started with a "hunt" for the info packets (maps, etc), then the biking,
which  went great (long + bumpy = sore buts) Then we got to the transition
area where
we had to strap a laundry basket on Pam's head while she was blindfolded
and
helped only by Chris. I had to make 3 water balloons inside the basket
before we could continue...
Then we looked at our maps and I tell you, I almost gave up! I didn't
really
know what the heck to do. We took a small penalty and got some basic help.
After that, I was able to figure it out enough to get us through.

We did WAY overshoot the bearings between check point (CP) 6 and CP7 and
ended trekking an extra 5 miles! This was through cacti, more cacti, tall
brush. cockle-berry brush, more cacti, cacti, tall grass, sun-dried old
lake-bottom, and then more cacti...

Part of the problem was that the maps didn't reflect the actual terrain as
the main feature was the lake, which is being totally drained. As a matter
of fact, some CP's where on the middle of the "water" as per the
topographic
map...

Regardless, we finally made it back to the kayaks...

And we were still talking to each other!!!

At that point, CP10, we headed out, in our inflatable kayaks, into the
water-way , which was barely deep enough to not hit bottom in many places.
The wind started kicking up making the travel tough. Pam and Chris were in
one and I by myself in another. This made mine quite hard to steer into the
wind as I had only the "keel" under my rear actually in the water.

Paddling halfway to CP 11 the Rattle Snake staff-guy caught up with us in a
kayak and made us get out because of the storm and lightning!

We ended walking in the mud for 4+ miles to the dock.

We took penalties for missing CP7, CP11, and CP12, but oh well! Better than
quitting which is what they wanted (suggested) we do due to the storm. I
told him "I be dammed if I've been here this many hours to quit now!" He
was
cool about it and off we went.
We had misunderstood some of the instructions and had left the flashlights
at the transition area as we thought we would be passing through there some
time during the day. The only time we did was between biking the 15 miles
(which we had finished at 10:30) and the start of the kayak/trek...
So, all we had were chemical glow sticks. This is what we used to travel on
the muddy lake-bed and cacti infested shore line!

It was not too awful as with the lightning we could see (every so often)
clearly!

Well, long-story-short, we had a great time, though we thought we would be
buzzard food for a while!

Joking about this the week before the race is what led to the team name
"Team BIOHAZARD" as we were telling people, that if we became buzzard food,
to remember that the carcasses were a biohazard and to wear gloves before
they moved them...

We learned a few lessons:
LEARN to land navigate with a compass better...
When they say that the teams are "self-sufficient" they REALLY mean it!
Blisters half way during a 20+ mile trek REALLY suck!
Walking on mud is no fun!
And the best lesson:
We will be doing MANY more Adventure Races!

Alex, Pam, and Chris