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contentsFeatures112008 USARA Sprint andCollegiate Adventure RaceNational Championships13Pushing the EnvelopeAn Interview with Dean Karnazes1829Once Bitten, Twice Shy2008 Costa Rica Coast to CoastChallengeAdventure Racing 101You Know You Wanna Try It...25DepartmentsDirt DivasSix for a Stronger Core36I Left my Heart inJalcomulco39TrainingAdventure Racing NavigationPart 3: Contour Lines44Adventure DestinationBend, Oregon4 Editor’s Note5 Contributors51Gear ClosetTrail Runners and Apparel7 News From the Field9 Race Director Profile23 Athlete Profile24 Where Are They Now?59 It Happened To MeCover Photo: 2008 USARASprint National ChampionshipsPhoto by Glennon SimmonsThis Page: Photo courtesy ofGlennon Simmons

contributorsSHEER SPEEDAlex and Thomas Huber race up theNose of El Capitan, California during theworld speed climbing record attempt• Sally Heath lives and trains in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. An avidadventure racer for the past six years, she has completed over 50 sprintand middle distance races in Canada and the United States. In 2007, sheand her teammate Stephania (better known as the Funderstorm) rackedup several sprint race victories, including wins in the all-female categoryat the SMAC XL and GRAAR Fall challenge in Michigan. Sally is generouslysponsored by Running Free, a multisport retail store in Markham,Ontario (www.runningfree.com). When not racing, Sally enjoys writingabout the sport and has had previous publications in Adventure Sports,Breathe Magazine, and Trail Runner.• Robyn Benincasa is a veteran of over 35 expedition length AdventureRaces and is one of only two women in the world who has won both theEco-Challenge and the Raid Gauloises. She is currently the Captain ofTeam Merrell/Zanfel Adventure Racing, which recently placed 2nd atthe grueling Primal Quest Adventure Race in Big Sky, Montana.You can generally find her and her team on the podium of the biggestexpedition races on earth.Altimeter, Barometer, Compass–The new Suunto Core is yourgenuine guide for real outdooradventures.Adventure World Magazine is a GreenZinesuunto.com

The Cradle of Liberty Adventure Race • Jun-28-08Southeastern PA • www.goalsara.orgNew England AR Series #3 • Jul-19-08New Hampshire • www.racingahead.comThe Bitter Pill • Aug-2-08 • Bolton, VTwww.gmara.org/bitterpillWoodstock Goldrush 24 • Aug-3-08Woodstock, GA • tobyb@ymcaatlanta.orgKrista Griesacker Memorial Race • Aug-9-08Hamburg, PA • www.goalsara.orgBushwak This! • Aug-12-08 • Vasilla, AKwww.egadsalaska.comThe Thunder Rolls Adventure Race • Sep-6-08Illinois • www.thethunderrolls.orgNature Cure BlackBeard AR • Sep-13-08Outerbanks, NC • www.americanadventuresports.comThe Midnight Rush at the Raging Russell • Sep-13Clayton, GA • www.midnightrush.trailblazerar.com/Raid the Rock Urban Adventure Race • Sep-13-08Little Rock, AR • www.raidtherock.comKit Carson Adventure Race • Sep-13-08Lake Tahoe, NV • www.bigblueadventure.comMidwest Monster Adventure Race • Sep-20-08Quincy, IL • www.monsteradventure.comWild Adventure Race • Sep-20-08Biwabik, MN • www.wildadventure.comTerra Firma Adventure Race • Sep-20-08Smithville, TX • www.terrafirmapromo.comOvermountain Extreme • Sep-26-0Morganton, NC • overmountainextremear.comBerryman Adventure Race • Sep-27-08Big Springs Park, MO • www.berrymanadventure.comHowl at the Moon • Oct-08 • Floridawww.adventurousconcepts.comFontainebleau Adventure Race • Oct-11-08Mandeville, LA • www.gulfcoastadventure.com

news from the fieldVasque ® and Gore ® Support the2008 North American Trail TourThe second annual Vasque NorthAmerican Trail Tour (NATT), atrail running series with venuesthroughout the United States andwestern Canada, is currently underway,and this year promisesto be even bigger and better thanlast. Primary sponsor and trail shoemanufacturer Vasque, is partneringwith W.L Gore & Associates andsuperb race directors for the 2008series, which includes events forall levels of trail runners.The trail tour program is a grassrootsinitiative that supports selectlocal race-series events and affiliatedretailers in an effort to improvebrand awareness and showcasetrail running nationwide. Thepartnerships also provide Vasqueand the GORE-TEX ® brand a platformto promote innovative shoetechnology and educate runnerson the importance of using trailspecificproducts.“As a manufacturer of high-performance,technical trail runningshoes we feel it is equally importantto join forces with those who aremaking a difference on the trails,”says Outdoor Division Directorand Vasque Brand Manager MarkDinndorf. “Our dedicated race directorswork very hard to provide afun and challenging race environmentfor trail runners everywhere.It is our objective to support theirefforts, as well as the trail communityas a whole.”The partnership with Gore, a recognizedleader in high-performanceclimate-comfortable fabric innovation,design, and production, willallow Vasque to extend more supportto the trail running community.It has also enabled the seriesto expand from 75 races in 2007 to112 in 2008.“We are very keen on this partnership,”says Brian Gallagher, GlobalMarketing Footwear Strategistfor Gore. “We admire the overwhelmingsupport Vasque has forthe trail running community atthe grassroots level. To join themin sponsoring events that make adifference in communities nationwidemade complete sense to us.”“There is definite synergy betweenour companies in supporting thisfast-growing population of trailrunners.”To learn more about the NorthAmerican Trail Tour, or to find alocal event, visit http://www.vasque.com/in-action/trailtour/index.cfm.photo courtesy of Ty Stevens2008 SkirtChaser Race SeriesCreated as a fun mixer, the Skirt-Chaser Race Series is designed formen and women who like to “runhard and play hard.” Each eventwill kick off with an all-women’sstart, followed by a men’s “skirtchaser” start three minutes laterand will conclude with a post-raceblock party and fashion show featuringa live band.“The SkirtChaser 5K is unlike anyother race because SkirtSportsworks to make running more thanjust a competition…our goal ismake it fun,” said Meg Gill, ProjectManager of SkirtSports. †“Wewant to bring both women and mentogether to celebrate fitness andsocialize in an atmosphere that isfriendly and encouraging.”Remaining races in 2008 include:August 8th: Salt Lake City, UTSeptember 6th: Denver, COOctober 11th: Austin, TXNovember 1st: Culver City, CAFor more information, visit www.skirtchaser5k.com/. We know thatit is only a 5K Run, but hey, weliked the name!Adventure World Magazine July 2008

ace director profileIan Adamsonwww.ianadamson.comAWM: How long have you beenputting on adventure races?I started designing courses in 1998and directing multi-day internationalraces in 2000. Since then Ihave been course, race and or technicaldirector on over a dozen majormulti-day international racesand have put on over 50 multi-dayevents. I am currently the owner /producer of Newton 24 hours of triathlonand director of The Real DealChallenge and Terra Traverse.AWM: What made you want tostart hosting your own events?Since I retired from professionalracing last year, I have transitionedinto directing and producing a lotmore. This has actually been a longterm project of mine since 2000when I started working on my postracingcareer goals.AWM: What is your favorite eventthat you host and why?Newton 24 Hours of Triathlongives me a huge amount of satisfactionsince it is contained in astate park (easy logistics), has elementsof adventure racing – strategy,teamwork, camaraderie – andis a true cutting edge multi-sportevent. Adventure athletes do reallywell at the race, even with no triathlonspecific experience.Terra Traverse is exciting for mebecause it brings together all thebest elements of my experienceover the last eight years directingand 24 years of racing.AWM: What in your opinion makesyour event (s) unique?24 Hours of Triathlon is the onlyset time triathlon in the world (thatI know of) and the only 24 hour triathlon.Terra Traverse is unique in theamount of television coverage, theformat (journey expedition), andthe exceptional value (transfers,50% discount flights, meals, accommodation,prize money, coursedesign for all levels of ability)AWM: Do you still participate inadventure races? What was the lastadventure race you participated in?What was your first adventure racethat you participated in? How welldid you do?I don’t race at all now that I amretired. My last race was the 2006Adventure Race World Championshipsin Norway and Sweden (wewon.) My first race was a two-dayevent in Australia called WildTrekin 1984. The event included Nordicskiing, mountain bike (cycle crossin those days), orienteering, whitewater kayaking, road cycling andran until 2004. I came in 4th, then3rd and finally won in 1991 (myfirst win in an international race.)AWM: If you could participate inone of your adventure races, whichone would you choose and why?Hands down Expedition BVI – thiswas by far the most fun format (forme) and in the best location. Eachteam was given a 40 foot yacht andwe did a tour of beautiful resortsand wilderness in tropical paradisefor four days – sea kayaking,mountain bike, orienteering, scubadiving, ocean swimming, sailing,local skills (lots of fun party elements!)AWM: Contact info for yourorganization?www.24hour-events.comwww.terratraverse.comwww.ianadamson.comAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine

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The 2008 USARA Sprint & CollegiateAdventure Race National Championshipsby Chance ReadingRocky Hill Ranch in Smithville,TX is one of the best known“little secrets” in the central Texasarea. Not only does it have greatcamping, a saloon with showers,live entertainment and great burgers,it is also home to some of the best,most challenging mountain bikingin the state. It also happened tobe the host of the 2008 USARASprint and Collegiate NationalChampionship race, one of themost unique and challenging shortcourseraces in the US.This championship race caughtthe attention of racers nationwide,especially in the collegiate division.The AIX Group added to the buzz,giving a three thousand dollarteam sponsorship to the top co-edcollegiate team to accompany a stoutproduct sponsorship list. Totalingover six thousand dollars in goodsand cash, this prize was the perfectlure to entice college teams fromMaryland to Wisconsin to show upand race their lungs out.A beautiful, warm weekend framedby cool nights provided perfectrace day conditions. Off and onrain showers during the previousweek had really softened up thetrails and awoke Colorado River.As teams stepped up to the startingline, they were greeted by theofficial USARA starting cannon tobegin the race.The opening foot section of therace gave teams their first taste ofthe mountain bike leg to come.Single track littered with rocksand roots, ups and downs and theinfamous Fat Chuck’s Revenge thatwill suck the life out of anybody’slegs. Teams that chose to push thepace here, would pay a bit later inthe day.Houston’s Team M.O.A.T., thedefending USARA 24hr NationalChampions, were on hand alongwith professional adventure racerRobyn Benincasa, who took timeoff of training for Primal Quest, toshow support and to challenge theyoung collegiate teams to competeat the next level.As the day heated up, so did thecompetition. Teams streamed infrom the trail run and transitionedonto their bikes. Rocky Hill Ranchis pure mountain biking and this12 mile loop was at its best on thisday. Teams started with a smallclimb before dipping into the firstsection, the Drop Zone. Afterwinding their way up and downin this tight, fast technical singletrack,the gears dropped as teamsentered the climbing section knownas Fat Chuck’s Revenge.Photos courtesy of Glennon SimmonsAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 11

Teams pushed on deeper into thesingle track riding sections likeTriss-Tross and Longhorn Loopbefore finally breaking out in theopen and heading down to theColorado River for the boatingsection.The river was flowing strong whichmade this 3-mile paddle fast andfun. Teams moved quickly downthe wide river to the take out, asharp turn in the river that hasbeen slowly eroded by the constantflooding of the area. A ladderbridged the gap from the river levelto the muddy cliff exit, sixty feetabove. Teams deflated their boatsand passed all of their gear up theladder to their teammate. Fromhere, teams carried their boats,paddles, and pfds, totaling almostforty pounds of gear, over a mileback to the finish line. This wouldprove to be one of the tougherchallenges of the day.With typical early-summer Texastemperatures glaring teams inthe eye, teams continued to pushforward toward the finish line. Inthe end, only a few earned the titleof National Champions, but all hadearned the memory of a great dayof racing.Photos courtesy of Glennon SimmonsAdventure World Magazine July 2008 12

Pushing the EnvelopeAn Interview with UltramarathonerDean KarnazesPhoto by Wang BinAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 13

Dean Karnazes has pushed theenvelope in just about every waypossible in the area of ultra runningand he continues to push thelimits of human endurance. Hehas completed 50 marathons in 50consecutive days (in all 50 states),won the Badwater Ultramarathonthat involved running 135 milesacross the Death Valley in 120degree temperatures, completed amarathon to the South Pole in minusforty degree temperatures, hascompleted the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run eleven timesin under twenty-four hours, and isthe national bestselling author ofUltramarathon Man: Confessionsof an All-Night Runner.In 2008, Karnazes is attemptingto complete “The North Face DesertGrand Slam”. In addition to runningthe Badwater Ultramarathon, hewill also be running the 4 Desertswhich will consist of the AtacamaCrossing (Chile), the Go bi March(China), the Sahara Race (Africa)and The Last Desert (Antartica).Each of the 4 Deserts events consistsof seven-day, 250-kilometer(over 150 miles) footraces acrossthe world’s largest and most extremeenvironments. Having recentlycompleting the events inboth Chile (1st place) and China(4th place), he is now setting hissights on the remaining three.We were able to catch up withKarnazes upon his return fromChina last month. We wanted toknow what inspires and motivatesan individual to push their bodyto such extremes. This is what heshared with us.AWM: First and foremost, what’snext for you?DK: This year, I’m attempting torun the great deserts of the earthin “The North Face Desert GrandSlam,” which consists of runningfive of the world’s preeminentdesert races in one calendaryear, which has never been donebefore. These include: The AtacamaCrossing, The Gobi March,The Badwater Ultramarathon, TheSahara Race, and the Last GreatDesert race (Antarctica).AWM: For endurance athletes likeyourself, eating has to be a lifestylechange (eat to live not live to eat).What does your daily food consumptionconsist of?DK: I’ve been following what Icall “The Neanderthal Diet.” Thepremise is straightforward, whenchoosing the foods I eat, I use thissimple filter: would NeanderthalMan have access to this food? Pasta?Nope. Ice cream? Uh uh. Bread?No way. Fruit? Sure, they’d find atree. Vegetables? Yep, they’d pullthem from the ground. Fish andlean meat? If Neanderthal Mancould catch it, he could eat it. Thatis how I eat. Back in Neanderthaldays, it was all organic, so I tryto eat as many organic foods aspossible.AWM: Given your whole foodsapproach to nutrition, how do youfeel about vitamin supplements?Are they necessary with the rightdiet?DK: Having had my diet analyzedon numerous occasions, I get mostof the nutrients I need through thefoods I eat. Supplements can serveas an “insurance policy,” thoughmega-doses are not only unnecessary,they’re potentially harmful.AWM: After running an ultra or 50marathons in 50 days, how do youspeed recovery to your body?DK: I’m a big believer in icebaths. I fill my tub with ice waterand soak for as long as I can. I alsoeat lots of salmon for the Omega-3fatty acids, which I really believehelps with recovery.AWM: Average training day…what does it include?Photos courtesy of Wouter KingmaAdventure World Magazine July 2008 14

see more and more people pushingthe boundaries.AWM: Of all of your events thatyou have competed in…what hasbeen the toughest (physically,mentally or both)?DK: I would have to rank therecent Atacama Crossing race inChile as one the most challengingever. There were so many elementsDK: Inspiring others to be the bestthat they can be. I think providinginspiration to others will alwaysgo way beyond my own personalaccomplishments.AWM: You have just completedthe second of four in the campaignto run the 4 Deserts. What hasbeen the highlight from the firsttwo (aside from the finish line)?The greatest challenge?Even though I won the event, I prefer tosay to people that I merely, “Survivedthe fastest.”that compounded the difficulties,from sleeping on the dirt for sixdays,to having to carry all yourfood, gear and supplies in a pack,to the extremes in the environment.Even though I won the event, Iprefer to say to people that I merely,“Survived the fastest.”AWM: What do feel has beenyour greatest accomplishment as anultramarathoner?DK: These races require a highdegree of self-sufficiency. You’reallotted a ration of water each day,but that’s it. You need to carryeverything else. Getting used torunning with a heavy pack on wassomething I needed to adapt to.Overall, however, I’ve found thatthis style of racing really suits mystrengths. The greatest highlighthas been some of the people I’vemet from across the globe.AWM: How does one prepare torun in such extreme conditions(Death Valley, Gobi Desert, SouthPole, etc…) when living in the Bayarea?DK: You get creative. In preppingfor desert races, I’ll do setsof push-ups and sit-ups in thesauna at the gym. When gettingready for an arctic adventure, I’llrun around town in my skiwear.Sure, you get a lot of strange looks,but it beats showing up to someof these events unprepared. Still, Idon’t think it’s as weird as SylvesterStallone working-out in a meat lockeras he did in “Rocky.” Now that’sextreme! (more laughter).Having run for a multitude ofcauses over the years, Karnazeshas been an advocate for inspiringand challenging others to achievetheir owns goals of physical exercise,a good diet and to be the bestthat they can be.For more information on the 4 Desertsevent, visit www.4deserts.com.Or to read more about Karnazesand his upcoming events, visit hiswebsite at www.ultramarathonman.com/flash/.Photos courtesy of Wouter KingmaAdventure World Magazine July 2008 16

p r e s e n t e d b yGulf Coast AdventureRacing announces the2008 Racing to N’AwlinsAdventure Racing Series.There’s nothing moreunique than racing in thegreat venues that theGulf Coast has to offer.From scaling high-risebuildings, paddlingthrough pristine swamp,searching the deck of theU.S.S. Alabama battleship,and New OrleansFrench Quarter, you canbe sure you’ll have theadventure of a lifetime!Enter one race, or theentire series. Full detailsand entry form areavailable at www.GulfCoastAdventure.com.2008 Events4/5 - Mobile UrbanAdventure Race5/10 - Baton RougeOff-Road Adv. Race6/7 - PensacolaAdventure Race7/12 - Baton RougeUrban Adv. Race9/13 - Gulf CoastAdventure Race10/11 - Fontainebleau4-hour Adv. Race10/11 - Fontainebleau8-hour Adv. Race(USARA Qualifier!)11/15 - New OrleansUrban Adv. RaceAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 17

Once Bitten, Twice Shy2008 Costa Rica Coast to Coast Challengeby Kimo and Licia GreenleafI have always said that the hardestthing about team sports was gettingeveryone to the starting line healthy.This would prove to be the case forus as we prepared for the adventureof a lifetime.When asked if we would considerracing as Team Adventure WorldMagazine in the Costa Rica Coastto-CoastChallenge at the end ofApril 2008, we emphatically said,“YES!” We had been adventureracing for eight years, with ourlongest race together being athree-day race two years prior,and had been wanting to furtherchallenge ourselves by competingin longer expedition-length races.The concept of this race, being aninternational one taking place inbeautiful Costa Rica, only cementedour desire to go. In preparationfor our big trip we obtained ourpassports, subjected ourselves tonumerous immunizations, attemptedto brush up on our high-schoolSpanish, completed a three-daytraining in the Smoky Mountains,read previous Costa Rican racereports, and filtered our gear list tothe smallest amount possible. Wetried to stay focused on our jobs anddaily lives without daydreamingabout Costa Rica, which wasdifficult to say the least.Then, we encountered our firstobstacle in getting to the startingline. Jason Martin, our originalfourth member of the team, toresome knee cartilage in an on thejob injury. At this point, we wereless than six weeks away fromour departure. Our minds beganto race. What were we going todo? This was not a short race. Itwas not even the United States.We needed a replacement thatwas capable of completing anexpedition length adventure race,had a viable passport, and couldleave for two weeks in a little overa month’s time.With some very good fortune, wewere able to recruit Tom Lane fromTexas to join us for this adventure.Now, our team was complete.Team Adventure World Magazine;consisting of Dave Poleto, KimoGreenleaf, Licia Greenleaf, andTom Lane; was heading to CostaRica. After several teleconferencesand numerous e-mails to work outthe details of the gear and travelplans, the day finally arrived for usto leave on our journey.After meeting Tom for the first timewhile waiting in the immigrationline, we introduced ourselves,collected our gear and followedseveral other teams outside theairport to meet Pablo, the racecoordinator. What an amazingsight it was to see Pablo and hisguys load our bike boxes and binson top of a tourist bus. We thoughtfor sure someone’s bike was goingto fall off the top and splatter intoa million pieces on the highway.Photos courtesy of Adventure Racing Costa RicaAdventure World Magazine July 2008 18

Fortunately, no bikes were lost intransit from the airport to the hotelin San Jose. We settled in at thehotel and took in the local sights,which included the National ArtFestival.The next morning, we met the busesand loaded our bins and bike boxesfor the ride to the Caribbean coast- the official start of the race. Wemet Mike, the race director, on thisride and enjoyed his stories aboutthe local people and customs. Theatmosphere was relaxed, whichwe learned was part of the CostaRican culture. Mike also gavenumerous tips regarding CostaRican travel, hopefully levelingthe racing field somewhat betweenthe international teams and theCosta Rican teams. We stoppedfor lunch at a river camp on thePacuare River, which was built inthe middle of a banana plantation.After lunch, we received our racepacket and continued on our journeyto Hotel Punta Cocles, south ofPuerto Viejo. At the captain’smeeting, we were given our mapsand instructions regarding the race.As part of our race gear, we wererequired to carry a digital camerain order to take a picture of eachbuzon (“mailbox”) to prove thatwe were actually there. We wouldbe acquiring the buzon tickets atvarious checkpoints during theinitial part of the race. Final gearprep finished out the evening andwe were able to have one last goodnight’s sleep before the start.The race began on the beach at tenin the morning. Stage 1, the “warmup”section of the race, consistedof each team being split in twoand meeting at the designated teamtransitions to exchange disciplines.Dave and Tom helped us launchour kayak into the raging surf. Wemanaged to stay upright and got pastthe large swells without incidence.While we set off on our paddleleg, Dave and Tom ran back to thehotel, acquired their bikes and setoff to meet us at the first transitionin Punta Uva. The first checkpointwas out in the Caribbean and wereceived a buzon ticket to placeinto the first buzon, which washanging below a bridge located inan inlet. After switching placeswith Dave and Tom and helpingthem launch the kayak through thesurf, we rode along the Caribbeancoast to meet them at the next teamtransition in Manzanillo. We madeour first mistake of the race in thistransition as wewere supposedto show ourpicture fromthe first buzonto the racestaff in order toreceive the restof the buzontickets. Uponour arrival atthe secondteam transitionin Manzanillo,we realizedour previousmistake and received a one-hourtime penalty to be served at thetransition area prior to Stage 2 ofthe race.Dave and Tom began a short jungletrek while we biked to meet them atthe next team transition. Our ridewas hot, humid and a bumpy oneon a cobblestone road along witha few steep hills to climb. Whenwe finally arrived to meet them,we found Dave and Tom restingcomfortably on a picnic table. Wethen took off trekking through thejungle back to Manzanillo, whileDave and Tom rode the cobblestonesection to meet us. This shortjungle section was beautiful yetchallenging with deep mud andslippery roots.When Dave and Tom arrived, wewere faced with a few issues toresolve. The shifter on my bike(Licia’s) broke and Tom had riddenit in one gear for most of that leg, andDave was suffering from the heat.Part of adventure racing includesovercoming such obstacles andbeing flexible in order to handle theadversities of racing. The other twobikes were available so the four ofus rode back to the hotel, droppedoff our bikes, and completed Stage1 with Tom ascending into a treefor a buzon placement.After resting, unsuccessfullyattempting to fix our broken bike,and serving our time penalty, weheaded out of TA 1 on our bikes tobegin Stage 2 of the race, a mountainbike leg. Shortly after leaving, itbegan raining and would continueall night long. About an hour intoAdventure World Magazine is a July GreenZine 200819

the ride, we faced our next obstacleas Licia began vomiting and shakinguncontrollably from consuming anenergy drink. We stopped at a gasstation and ended up staying thereuntil dawn. Although weak andtired, she was able to begin ridingagain and we continued on, ridingmostly in the cool rain on graveland paved roads, through bananaplantations and small towns. Wewere grateful that one of the buzonstops was at a small store where wewere able to buy water and snacks.We also rode into Limon in order tofind a checkpoint that was locatedin the only 24-hour restaurant inthe central market. We enjoyed abrief rest and an incredible hot mealbefore continuing on our way.The next long and challengingportion of the race was on theinfamous La Ruta mountain bikecourse riding on railroad tracks.We bumped our way over thetracks, with each of us crashingat some point and having to walkvarious areas that we were unableto ride. We also had to crossseveral long railroad bridges, whichwas a frightening feat in that eachrailroad tie was unequally placedand the bridges were over ragingrivers. It was amazing to see thelocals walking these same tracksand bridges, carrying large bundlesand not using any lights! At onepoint, we stopped to talk with aman and his two small boys, askingfor directions to make sure we wereheaded on the correct route. Lateron, we heard a quiet noise comingup behind us on the tracks andturned to see this same man and histwo boys quickly coming our way.The man had made a “train trackbike” which consisted of a bikemounted on a wooden platformwith small track wheels. The frontfork of the bike was mounted tothe platform, while the rear wheelpropelled the contraption on one ofthe tracks. We were quite enviousof his mode of transportation. Wefinally arrived at TA 2 late at nighton the second day of the race,which was located at a restaurantalong the river. After partaking ofyet another hot meal and breakingdown our bikes to be transportedto the next biking section, we hunghammocks and had a few hours ofmuch needed sleep.Stage 3 of the race was a longtrekking section through thickjungle. We left TA 2 before dawnon the third day in order to reach thejungle by daylight. We felt goodafter the rest and food and tackledthe jungle with a vengeance. Beforeentering the jungle, we visiteda man named Rito for one of thecheckpoints and jokingly namedthe path to the jungle “Rito’s road,although nothing about the routehad any resemblance of a road.”We had been warned before leavingTA 2 by Mike to not sleep in thejungle, so we pushed as hard aswe could through the challengingterrain. It took us twenty-eighthours to complete Stage 3 of therace, with twenty-four of thosehours spent in the dense jungle.It was hot and humid and our feetstayed wet and caked with mudthe entire time. We took as manyopportunities as we could to cooloff in the rivers by dunking ourheads and even our entire bodies.The path, if you could call it that,was tricky to follow and extremelysteep in many places.One of the most enjoyable parts ofthe race included visiting two smallschools in remote villages in thejungle to drop off school supplies.The first school we came to wasstill in session so we were ableto talk with the children and takepictures with them. The schoolitself had no electricity or runningwater, but the children were veryhappy to be there and eager toAdventure World Magazine is a July GreenZine 2008 20

learn. While we took a break anddid some much needed foot care,the children singing the samesong over and over about “lovingto come to school” serenaded us.We arrived at the second schoolduring the night and were greetedby Martin, who we had heard aboutfrom several of the other teamswho had previously done the race.The “infamous” Martin helped cutthe paths that we were traveling on.After checking in with Martin andreceiving directions in the formof hand gestures and Spanish, wecontinued on our way.We thought we were on the correctpath, but it was quite difficult to tellas there were numerous cattle pathsdissecting the jungle. We finallymade it out of the jungle and weretrekking on a steep downhill pathwhen Dave fell off the side of thetrail. We called to him, with noresponse, and realized that he hadfallen asleep while walking. Hewas curled up sleeping on the sideof the trail, with his feet tangled upin his trekking poles. When askedwhat he was doing, he sleepilyresponded, “I find myself in aprecarious position.” It definitelywas a precarious position as he hadfallen very close to the edge of thehill, with only the brush keepinghim from falling off the side. Wegot him up, fed him some caffeinelacedfood, and had a few laughsas we helped him along his way.Before dawn, we made it downthe hill and were pleased to be ona gravel road again. We were allfighting the sleep monsters so wegave in and slept alongside theroad. At dawn, we continued onour way past coffee plantationswalking along the gravel roadwhich had become heavily traveledby buses, cars and motorcycles.We finally arrived at TA 3, whichwas located at a community centerin Cien Manzanas. There we ate,cleaned up a bit, built our bikes,had a mandatory medical check bythe race doctor, and slept briefly.With the sun shining, Stage 4 beganwith a short bike ride to a smalllake where we had to paddle twokayaks across the lake, towing twobikes on an inner tube behind us.Kimo and Tom were dropped offon the other side of the lake withtheir bikes and had to navigateback around the lake to join up withDave and I. While Kimo and Tombushwhacked their way throughthe marsh to the road, Dave andI paddled for several hours tryingto find the buzon. After comingashore, we bushwhacked ourway through the marsh to locatethe buzon. This is when Davewas bitten by a spider (or so raceofficials would speculate). Thoughhe did not see the culprit, thereexisted one large hole and bloodwas pouring down his arm. Thiswas just the beginning.Dave and I headed back acrossthe lake to get some additionalinformation from the race officialsand pick up our headlamps, as it wasnow getting dark. After receivinga little bit more information, Daveand I paddled again across the lakein search of the buzon. We paddledinto every nook and cranny of thelake that we could get into, andeven got out of the kayak at severalspots to trudge our way up the shore,but still no buzon. Unbeknownstto the race officials and to us, theelectric company had lowered thelake level, therefore making itimpossible to paddle up the inletto retrieve the buzon. Shortly afterarriving back, Mike and Jimmycame back from searching for thebuzon themselves with the news ofthe lowered water level. Jimmy, amember of the race staff, went outto retrieve Kimo and Tom, and wewere once again a team of four.Adventure World Magazine is a July GreenZine 200821

We headed out on our bikes insearch of the next buzon. Werode up the river and found it inthe middle of a small garden ona small bridge. In order to reachthis buzon, we had to cross theriver. It was a nice surprise to seean inner tube and a rope strungfrom one side of the bank to theother. Kimo and I placed severalboards that were convenientlylocated beside the inner tube on topof it and pulled ourselves acrossthe river. We continued ridingthroughout the night and arrived atthe rappel and rock climb site justafter dawn on day five of the race.We each rappelled, and Kimo didthe rock-climbing portion in orderto complete the checkpoint.We rode into a small town whereDave was now starting to feel theeffects of the bite he had received.After racing for more than twenty–four hours since the bite, Dave’sarm was twice the size of normaland he was experiencing partialparalysis on the left-side of his face.The decision was made to use theemergency cell phone to call therace doctor. After an examination,Dave was medically pulled fromthe course to begin antibiotictreatments. The remaining three ofus continued biking to TA 4.When we arrived at TA 4, wechecked on Dave to make sure hewas doing well, and then met withMike to discuss our remaining racestrategy. A trekking section wasscheduled as Stage 5 of the race, butwe decided as a team to be movedforward to Stage 6 of the race. Wetook into consideration that my legswere exhausted from only have onegear on my bike since day one ofthe race and that we wanted to reachthe finish by the proposed cut-offtime in order to not be pulled fromthe race course. We later learnedthat this trekking section was oneof the most beautiful sections ofthe course, with amazing vistas andchallenging navigation.Jimmy drove us from TA 4 to TA 5,navigating the harrowing roads ofCosta Rica as if he was a local withbicycles, motorcycles, and carscoming at us from all directions.We arrived at TA 5 atop Luchita, asmall town high in the mountains,and bedded down for the night. Onthe morning of day 6, we awokefeeling rested and began the finalbiking descent to the Pacific coastand finish. After a short climb, webegan our downhill descent.This final stage of the race wasincredible as we experienced someintense downhill, with drastictemperature change from the coolmountains to the hot and humidjungle. Once we finally reachedthe flat, paved roads, we manuallychanged my bike into a higher gearin order to complete our ride to thefinish at Playa Bejuco. We reachedthe finish line on the beach at 5:48p.m., just as the sun was setting overthe Pacific Ocean. Dave was thereto greet us and cross the finish linewith us. The other teams wouldfinish the race with a short paddleand trek along the beach. Afterresting for the night, we journeyedback to San Jose and in the eveningattended an awards party whereeach team shared stories about theiradventures.Even though we encountered manyobstacles (some before we even leftthe United States), our experiencewas one that we will never forget.The course was diverse andchallenging, the race staff was verysupportive and knowledgeable,and the native teams were verywelcoming. We look forward toreturning to Costa Rica to raceagain in this tropical paradise!Adventure World Magazine is a July GreenZine 2008 22

athlete profilePaul RomeroLocation: Big Bear Lake CaliforniaSport: Multi-sportAge: 38Occupation: Athlete, Coach, EventOrganizer, Flight ParamedicAthletic Background: I spent mychildhood touring the country withmy brothers racing every BMXNational event that existed. I wasa BMX National Champ at age ten.My father taught me the disciplineto be successful at whatever I did.I then went on to be a high schoolquarterback, pitcher and the centeron our basketball team. After that,I got involved in beach volleyball,sport rock climbing, snowboardalpine racing, and adventure racing.Karen Lundgren (my wife) and afriend dragged me into doing myfirst adventure race in 1997. Shortlythereafter, we won a lottery spot forthe EcoChallenge in Morocco.Athletic Goals: I’ve achieved moreathletically than I ever imagined Iwould. I’m currently climbing theSeven Summits with my son Jordan.I see myself and Karen likely doingsome more high altitude/alpineadventures. It’s rather fun applyingour expedition racing backgroundinto these bigger expeditions.It’s great going light, with goodnutrition and strategizing in orderto move well on the mountains.Karen and I will go to Everest in2009, and have a look around at allof the other stuff in the Himalayas.Also, I see myself getting back intosome big blue water sailing andplunging into every water sportknown to man.Athletic Highlights: Most recently,my summit and lead up the WestButtress of Denali in June 2008(with Karen and Jordan). Othersinclude: 2007 Raid the NorthExtreme Champions, Lake Mead12 Hour Champions, 4 th placein the Wulong Mountain Quest(China), 4 th place in the 7 Cerros(Columbia), 3 rd place in the ExtremeAdventure Hidalgo (Mexico), 2006Champions of the EcoMotion Pro(Brazil), and 1 st place in the CentralCoast Challenge just to name a few.Favorite Workout: Lake Mead:During the summer when thetemperature is 105 degrees Fahrenheit,I like a two-hour paddleboardsession, then a swim and finishingout the evening with a mountainbike ride on some SICK single trackat Bootleg Mountain Bike Park.What Inspires or Motivates You?Well, as about everyone readingthis knows…it’s an addiction. Themotivation comes with the constantthrive to reach new levels of fitness.It’s kind of funny, but it’s only beenduring the last year that Karen andI have begun doing some focusedtraining. We’ve become morefocused and smart about what wedo, and have allowed ourselves torun a full schedule, with minimalinjury, full recovery and optimalperformance. It’s a very goodcombination.Favorite Fuel: Hammer Nutritionhas been there for us for years. It’sa slam-dunk approach to fuel andContinued on page 35Photo courtesy Karen LundgrenAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 23

where are they now?Barry SiffAWM: What was your proudestachievement during your racingcareer?While we had a great manyaccomplishments, achievements,and highlights, I would have tosay our top 10 finish at the 2000Raid Gauloises in Tibet and Nepalmust rank at the top. Until thefinal night, when another team ofAmericans passed us, we werethe highest ranked US team everat the Raid. We still ended upas the second US team, and itwas a remarkable race.AWM: What are you doing now thatyou are retired from competitiveracing?Shortly after I retired in 2003,I reacquainted myself with thesport of triathlon, and morphedMountainQuest Adventures into5430 Sports, www.5430 Sports.com.Since that time, 5430 has grownto be a major multi-sport eventmanagement company, and I havegotten back into racing triathlons(mostly Ironman races).AWM: If you were still racing...what event would be a must doin 2008?I think I would go down to CostaRica and do their Coast-to-Coast.I have spent quite a bit of timedown there – even got marriedthere – and I think it would bea cool race. I would not want torace in the United States; as quitehonestly, the allure of the sport wasalways the travel and explorationinvolved in the classic races.AWM: Summary of race history?I started racing in 1998 as a fillinfor a missing team memberat a 24 hour race in Colorado. Iwas hooked and did Don Man’sfirst “Beast of the East” that sameyear. In the years that followedLiz Caldwell (my business, training,and race partner, and I competedin Expedition Races in over 20different countries. While neverwinning the race outright, we werealways one of the more recognizedand respected teams – probablydue to our age (older)and notbeing superstar athletes like manyof our competitors. We also coauthoredone of the first books onthe sport, “Adventure Racing – theUltimate Guide.” MountainQuestAdventures, the company Liz and Ifounded in 1998, also put on some ofthe earliest 24 hour adventure races,as well as camps for beginners.AWM: When did you compete inyour first AR? Where? How didyou do?As I mentioned, I was playing hostto Team Toy Soldiers from NewJersey at a race in Colorado in May,1998. When one of there teammateshad a family emergency the eveningbefore the race. The team asked ifI would fill in. I had never put on aclimbing harness, paddled or rodea bike at night. I jumped in and hadan absolutely amazing experience.We finished pretty well (I believe7 th or 8 th ). And I was hooked.AWM: What was your favoritething about racing?Besides seeing some of the mostamazing places in the world andlearning about so many differentcultures, it was all about the teamexperience. Liz and I did everyrace together, but would selectdifferent team members for allof our races. The team aspect ofthe sport was certainly one of thethings I enjoyed and appreciatedthe most. We were blessed to beable to race and play with someabsolutely awesome people.AWM: Why did you retire fromcompetitive AR?Actually, all four members ofthe team that raced Primal Questin Tahoe retired following thatrace. While each of our reasonsand circumstances were slightlydifferent, I believe it stemmedfrom recognizing a change in thedirection of the sport. It had become– to us – more about racing versusContinued on page 34Adventure World Magazine July 200824

Dirt Divas:Six for aStronger Coreby Elise Partidgephoto by Will Ramos PhotographyFirst and foremost, exercise is fun.Whether you are mountain biking,trail running, adventure racing,running a marathon or just going tothe gym, pick an activity and makethe process enjoyable. Increaseyour capacity to stick with theroutine by signing up to participatein a local event of the activity ofyour choice. Pick a friend, forma team or do it alone; but make itenjoyable and you are more apt tobe successful in your quest for abetter lifestyle.That being said, it takes an incredibleamount of strength, enduranceand determination to have that kindof fun. Your body and mind have tobe ready for any task that is thrownyour way. Strengthening your corewill take you one step ahead of alot of your competition as wellas lessen your chances of beinginjured along the way.The word ‘core’ has been bandiedabout over the last few years, but Ihave found that many people thinkthat it involves only your abdominals.To set the record straight, the coreconsists of all the muscles thatattach in and from the spine to therib cage, to the abdominals (allfour layers), to the gluteals (yourbackside) and hips. Research nowthrows in the neck and upper backregion as well. Just remember,spinal support and you have thecore, the center of which being thetranversus abdominus (your naturalgirdle). When you strengthen thiswhole chain of muscles, not onlywill exercising be easier and morefun, your quality of life will be aswell.I’ve put together a primer ofexercises and stretches that comefrom yoga, Pilates and bodyweighttraining to strengthen not only theglobal muscles, but challenge thesmaller supporting players aswell. All of these exercises can bemodified to be made easier or harder.Start with one set as recommended.Do one exercise right after another,and then move onto a second setof them all. Remember, form iscrucial. Pay attention to the detailsand have fun!Start with one cycle, and then workup to three cycles of all exercises.Plank to Hover to PushupsBegin in the upper pushup position(can begin from knees if necessary),lower until your chest is one inchfrom the floor, hold three breaths,then do five pushups; arms grazingpast the body with creases of theelbows pointed forwards.Repeat series two or more times.This strengthens pectorals, triceps,and scapular muscles. Stretch intoDownward Facing Dog betweeneach set.Adventure World Magazine is a July GreenZine 200825

Collegiate Champions Hit The Jackpotby Troy FarrarJosh LaSov’s journey began whenhe heard about the USARACollegiate Nationals and decidedhe would like to form a team forthe competition. He wanted torace but was uncertain where tofind a female teammate. In hisquest for a teammate, he attendeda Towson University mountainbike club meeting. After giving abrief speech about the race, onegirl, Alisa Pitt, raised her hand andexpressed an interest. There wasonly one set back, Pitt had neverdone an adventure race. After a briefconversation, she signed on for theadventure and the training began.After several mountain bike trainingsessions, LaSov realized that his newteammate was a very good cyclistand having such a fast female couldbe a key component to the team’ssuccess. Team Towson Universityspent the next few months raisingfunds for the trip from Maryland toTexas while training with hopes ofa top ten finish.On race day, the plan was to raceas hard as possible while keepingwith their race strategy; theywould consider the day a successif this happened. The event startedwith a single-track trail run andeverything was going great. Afterthe trail run, the racers transitionedto their mountain bikes, which Pittdescribed as tight, technical and lotsof fun. “It was more technical thanI expected, but it was an awesomerollercoaster ride,” commentedLaSov, “I wanted to ride it againafter the race!” The final stretch ofthe race included a paddle sectionending with a one-mile run carryingthe boat, paddle and life jacket.“The final run was great and addeda nice endurance challenge to theend of the race,” added Pitt.When the dust cleared, Josh LaSovand Alisa Pitt of Towson Universitywere crowned the 2008 CollegiateNational Champions. This meanta free entry to the USARA 24hour National Championship inNovember. AIX Group was alsoproviding a three thousand dollarteam sponsorship to help themprepare for the 24 hour Nationalsevent. Merrell, Zanfel, Suunto,Numa Sport Optics and Solewould outfit the team with gear aspart of the AIX sponsorship. Theteam was set for the rest of theyear. “We were shell shocked bythe team’s sponsorship,” remarkedPitt, “it is so generous and we areso thankful.” LaSov added, “it is adream come true. We are so excitedabout winning Collegiate Nationalsand now preparing for the 24-hourchampionship.”Now, a second journey begins forLaSov & Pitt of the newly formedTeam AIX. Pitt is now an officialadventure racer with one race underher belt. Things are a little differentthis time, as they start the journeyequipped with the knowledge thathard work and perseverance canmake dreams come true.Adventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 27

Do you have what it takes to conquer the Expedition Everest TMChallenge Race through the dark inside DISNEY’S ANIMALKINGDOM® Theme Park on a thrilling K trek Quicklycomplete the obstacles that lie in your path Hunt for cluesalong the way to aid in your journey Your handsome rewardan exclusive afterhours celebration where you can really getyour blood pumping on a highspeed train bound for theForbidden Mountain But beware of the beast who watches overthis domain Only a few will escape his grasp

Adventure Racing 101You Know You Wanna Try It...by Robyn BenincasaOk, you know darn well you’vewanted to try “that crazy AdventureRacing stuff” for a while now. Andthis is your quit-being-afraid-andget-out-thereofficial quick startguide! One word of advice beforewe start. Run NOW! Before it’s toolate! Adventure Racing is the mostaddictive sport you will ever try, andonce you get sucked in, there’s nogoing back. So you may as well sellyour aero bars, completely clear outyour garage to make space for scadsof new gear, cut back on your hoursat work, give away your tangerineSpeedo, invest in some duct tape,and call all your closest pals—‘causeyou’re about to enter a world whereanything and everything is possible.Your course is often limited only byyour imagination, and you will learnway more than you ever wanted toknow about yourself and your teammates,for better and for worse. Andyou may never want to come back.Still in? Do I hear a “heck yeah!”?Ok, let’s do it. But when you findyourself eventually standing at thestarting line of Primal Quest or theRaid Gauloises questioning yoursanity, don’t say I didn’t warn you.Here’s an overview of the sportsinvolved, a brief training plan foreach, and some handy tips that we oldtimers had to learn the hard way….Hiking/Running/Scrambling:Many of your races will start outwith a run that turns into a hike orscramble, so you’d better be ready onall counts. Hiking and running musclesare very different, so you need totrain both, and practicing scrambling(on as many different types of terrainas you can find, including wet, slipperystuff) is the key to gaining that competitiveadvantage on the roadies.Training:• For a race of 12 hours or less, youshould follow a marathon trainingplan. But do most of your runs ontrails if possible.• For a race of more than 12 hours,you should follow a half-marathontraining plan and use the same guidelines.• Start doing hill repeats (4-6 setsat 80% effort on a hill that takes 3-4minutes to run) and interval training(2-3-4-5 minutes “on” with an equalamount of rest in the “off” phase)twice per week in the final month oftraining leading up to the race.photos by Will Ramos PhotographyAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 29

Tips:• Race and train in trail running shoesversus regular road running shoes.Better grip, more stability, fewerstone bruises, and fewer blisters.• Practice running/hiking with a10-15lb pack several times beforeyour race, both for the strengthbenefits and the knowledge of yourequipment (How are you going to getto your water? Food? Where is themost efficient place to store requiredgear for easy access? Does the packgrate you like cheese on your neck,back, or arms?).• Wear thin cool max socks to preventblisters. Two pairs if it’s cold.• Take all of the calluses off of yourfeet before a race. Make them babysoft. Calluses actually cause deepblisters, which are very painful.• Wear short gaiters to keep “crap”out of your shoes.PaddlingBecoming a good paddler is thefastest way to gain a competitiveadvantage in adventure racing, sinceit’s the weak link for most of the teamsthat cross over from triathlon. It’s veryeasy to gain a 10-15 minute lead inan average two hour paddle if you’regood—a feat that’s almost impossibleto accomplish on mountain biking andrunning legs. Paddling sections can beanything from a nice flat water cruiseon a lake to class IV whitewater and sixfoot ocean swells, so get out there andpractice in as many situations as you canfind. Just remember to always take abuddy with you and stay within sightof one another.Training:• Start by contacting a good localpaddler and learning stroke techniqueand water safety (especially how toget your booty out of and back intothe dang boat when your world turnsupside down). A good rule of thumbfor stroke technique, at least initially,is to paddle with your arms lockedcompletely straight throughout theentire stroke. This forces you to useyour torso and midsection for power(via the back and forth twisting anduntwisting of your body, much like awashing machine rotor) versus relyingon your manly arms (which willbe limp, lifeless, and useless to evena little girl within thirty minutes).• Paddle with a group whenever possible.The best-case scenario wouldbe to find a local k-1 training club(flat water Olympic kayaks) or oceanracing team. In California, this isn’ttoo difficult!• Join an outrigger canoe club tosupplement your kayaking and helpwith your strength• Do at least one “long” paddle (1+hours) and one session of intervaltraining per week; similar to the intervalsyou’ d do for runningTips:• Always focus on technique versusturnover (number of strokes per minute)for increased speed. Similar toswimming, the better your technique,the fewer number of strokes youhave to take to get across the pool/lake, and that efficiency pays hugebenefits over the long haul.• It’s very difficult to eat whilepaddling, so rig your camelbak strawto a wire coat hanger that you canadjust to sit just below your lips forhands-free refueling. Fill your bladderwith CarboPro (my favorite way toadd 500-1000 tasteless calories tomy water) and your electrolyte drinkphotos by Will Ramos PhotographyAdventure World Magazine July 2008 30

of choice, and you will never have tostop paddling.• Practice paddling and steeringwithout a rudder on your boat. Manyraces will supply boats that haveno rudder, and you will gain a hugeadvantage with your ability to steerthrough the other teams who aregoing in frustrated zigzags and circles.• Put a pad on your seat (duct tapeit down) if you have access to yourboats before the race. You’ll be higher(more power if you can handle theslight increase in tipsiness) and yourbutt will thank you• If you’re at the point where you areconsidering buying a training boat,think about a surf ski. Great for flatwater and ocean paddling, and they’regenerally easy to transport and carrysolo. They’re also tippy enough toensure your technique is correct, butstable enough so you don’t have tospend the entire day trying to keepthe rudder side down.NavigationEighty to ninety percent of the racesyou will enter will have some kindof navigation or orienteering component.It’s a bit intimidating at first,but once you start learning and havesome successes, this is an aspectof the race that you will truly learnto love. And learning the basics isnot all that hard. If I can (sort of)do it, anyone can. Good navigatingprovides an incredible competitiveadvantage, and most experiencedracers will admit that strategy, teamtactics and navigation are a far biggerfactor in their team’s success thanspeed. That’s why it’s no surprisethat athletes in their mid-forties arestill winning the big events! Oldage, treachery and good navigationwill overcome youth and skill anyday. So get out there with your mapand compass and become the MVPon your team.Training:• First, buy a localtopographical map anda beginner’s navigationbook, and get thebasics.• Next, attend acourse or a camp withsomeone who is into“speed” navigation.Local orienteeringclubs are a great source as are adventureracing camps and clinics.• Join a local orienteering club andstart doing competitions –try to doyour first few with someone experienced,if possible, and watch theirtechnique. Part of the efficiency ofnavigation revolves around whereyou keep your map/compass, howyou hold and remember your locationon the map, and how you accessall of the information you need to getto the next checkpoint. The end goalhere is to not only learn to navigate,but to navigate on the move.Tips:• Buy several local topographicalmaps of your local area and takethem with you everywhere you go.You can learn a lot just by being apassenger in a car and practicingterrain association with the mapwhile driving around. You shouldalso do occasional runs with yourmap and see if you can identify theterrain features as you go.• Find a way to have easy access toyour maps during all events. Forhiking, get a map holder that hangsaround your neck. For paddling, finda waterproof map case that you cansecure directly in front of you and amarine-type compass that sticks tohull of the boat. For mountain biking,create a map platform that’s positionedacross your handlebars.• Make sure that your teammateshave at least a rudimentary knowledgeof navigation so that they canback you up or cover for you. The bestAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 31

case scenario is to have at least twocapable navigators on every team.• If you can find out the “scale” of themaps for your racecourse in advance(most will be 1:7,500 or 1:24,000),practice with maps of similar scaleto get a feel for actual distancesbetween various points.Mountain BikingMost people considering an adventurerace are pretty familiar with mountainbiking and what it takes to trainfor it, so I wont spend a lot of timehere. I’ll just cover a few tips thatare adventure racing specific:Tips:• For sections that are certain to beat night, go big with the lights if thecourse is remotely technical. The extraweight will be worth the increasedspeed and safety. We use the Lightand Motion “Stella’, which gives usthat serious “turn night into daylight”setting as well as two lower levels forthe less technical stuff. It’s also superlightweight, so it works great as ahelmet mounted light.• Rig two bikes with tow lines, andall bikes with small hooks to receivea tow. We’ve had great success usingretractable dog leashes (for smalldogs) as tow lines. Just cut off thelatch at the end, tie the end of the lineinto a three-inch circle that fits overthe receiving hook on your bike(s),and zip tie the leash casing underyour seat and around your seat tube.Voila! This is called the “Rocky”system, since my buddy, Isaac Wilson’sJack Russell sacrificed his leash forour initial test run of this system forEco-Challenge 2001.• Try to use the same pedal system asyour teammates in case you need toswap bikes or bits of bikes for somereason.• Buy or make a system for easyaccess to your food at all times. Youwill probably not be stopping to eat,and not eating on a mountain bike legis not an option. I use a “bento box”rigged on my cross tube.ClimbingYou may not have to worry about doingany climbing in the sprint races,but you will more than likely haveat least a rappel in the longer races.In expedition and 24-hour races, youmay also have to do an ascent withjumars. Both are very fun and relativelyeasy to learn.Training:• Head to a local gym or adventureracing camp to learn how torappel with an ATC/Figure 8 andascend with jumars (a jumar is adevice that clasps around the rope andallows you to shuttle it forward, butnot backwards--so you can actuallyclimb “up” the rope, supporting yourfeet in attached “foot loops”).• Practice with a number of differentascending techniques to discoverwhat works for you. I find that I usetwo different techniques, one for lowangle and one for vertical (“RopeWalker” system and “Frog/caving”system, respectively). It’s just amatter of practice and personal preference.Tips:• Buy lightweight equipment. Youmay be running with it on your body orin your pack for long periods of time• When ascending, remember to useyour legs to push yourself up, versusyour arms to pull yourself up.• Tie a hair band or rubber bandaround the bottom of your foot loopsto keep your feet from sliding out ofthe loops. Put your foot in the loopunderneath the rubber band and thenjust push down on the rubber band totighten the webbing across the top ofyour foot.• Learn to not only ascend, but trainto transfer from one rope to another(around a knot) and continue ascending.This is very common in adventureracing. You may also be asked to doan ascent to rappel transition, whichyou should learn to do suspendedmid-rope. It’s not hard, but there’sdefinitely a method to the madness.• If you are new to rope work, sandwichyourself between your teammatesin the line-up for ascending orrappelling on your designated rope.That way you have a coach at thebottom and at the top if you need one.*Tie your hair, maps, compass andthe waist strap of your backpackAdventure World Magazine July 2008 32

ehind you before you get to therope. Anything that can be caught inyour equipment WILL be.TeamworkAdventure Racing is one of the onlysports in which you actually have tohave your teammates with you, doingexactly what you’re doing, glued toyour side at all times. That’s whyAdventure Racing is just as much aninterpersonal journey as a physicalone. In the best of times, you willexperience moments that will bondyou to your teammates in a veryspecial way for life. In the worst oftimes, you will walk away having experiencedthe worst aspects of humannature and be left to pick up the piecesof your shattered hopes. In myexperience, a lack of teamwork skillsis responsible for at least 40-50%of the DNF’s in Adventure Racing,The 8 Essential Elements of Human SynergyTEAMWORKteammates. In the races my team andI have won, we were not the strongestor the fastest, but we were able to createa “human synergy”—an ephemeralquality or “magic” that made theTEAM stronger than the collectivetraining and experience of the individualmembers. If I could bottle it,I would certainly be a millionaire.But after a good deal of thinkingabout the subject, I have a prettyTotal CommitmentEmpathy and Awareness of TeammatesAdversity ManagementMutual Respect“We” versus “I” thinkingOwnership of the ProjectRelinquishment of EgoKinetic LeadershipTips:• Be the teammate you would wantto race with.• Be cognizant of the fact that, due tothe intensity of the emotions generatedin this sport, the way that youtreat people, (especially during theirlowest moments) will always beremembered.• In the end the love you take isequal to the love you make (for youBeatles fans).• Try to “coach” versus criticize.Extending a hand is always moreimpactful than pointing a finger.• Remember your priorities-ourteam’s priorities, in order, are to: staysafe, stay friends, and go like hell.• Check your ego at the start line.and it is far too important a factor tooverlook in any discussion about thesport. So here’s my two cents.After years of study in what causes ateam to rise from “good” to “worldclass”, I’ve come to the conclusionthat the biggest factors are the attitudesand actions of the individualgood idea of the essential elementsrequired for this human synergy.Here’s the highlight reel:And I’m Spent!!!!! Ok, that’s the fulldownload about getting started in AdventureRacing from my skull to yours.The rest is up to you! So get out therewith your pals and make it happen—soon. It will be a life changing and lifeaffirming experience you will neverforget. See you “Out There”!Robyn Benincasa has placed in theTop Five in over twenty expeditionlength adventure races, and has wonboth the Eco-Challenge and the RaidGauloises. When she’s not out playingwith her teammates on Team Merrell/Zanfel Adventure, she can probablybe found at her real job as a firefighterfor the City of San Diego, or workingon her newest passion - bringing theteamwork skills of adventure racingand firefighting to the corporateworld.Adventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 33

where are they now?Continued from page 24expedition/exploration. Plus, theraces were no longer taking placein amazing locations. I’ve felt likeMark Burnett’s departure fromthe sport left a huge void.AWM: Excluding yourself...nameyour all-time dream team forexpedition AR (1 girl/3 guys).Liz Caldwell, Harald Zundel, JayPetervary, and Danny Suter. Eachof these people was tremendouslysupportive as teammates, alwayskept a super positive attitude,and could sing really well.AWM: What is the biggest“life lesson” (if any) you learnedfrom AR?Just how strong a team can be. Thesum and success of the team farexceeds the individual talent addedtogether. It’s all about passion,love, and commitment.AWM: What was the most disappointingresult and how didyou deal with it personally or asa team.Without a doubt, Eco ChallengeFiji was our biggest disappointmentever. One of our team mates hadbeen selected for a reality TVshow just prior to leaving forFiji. The show was going to givehim the opportunity to possiblyclimb Everest. He did not tellus about this until just before therace, and he was not going to riskinjury or substantial pain whichwould jeopardize the televisionopportunity. As such, after just 4days, our team dropped out of therace due to foot problems. Needlessto say, it was very disappointing.To this day, I have never watchedthe video of the race.Adventure WorldmagazineInterested in Advertising with AWM,email us atinfo@adventureworldmagazine.comand we will send you ourmedia kit.Please specify whether you are arace director/promotor or acompany seeking to reach aspecific market of readers. Adventure World Magazine July 2008 34

athlete profileContinued from page 23recovery for expedition racing. The other little secretwe have is something called “V-3”. It’s a combinationof three products from a company called Synergy. It’sa combination of Acai, L-Arginine, and fresh groundgreens (3 different products). It all amounts to animmense about of nutrients for recovery and maximumheart performance…amongst a lot more. For my travel,training, racing and work schedule…I have to havesome secret weapon or I’d be in a wheel chair by now.The V3 is it.Favorite IndulgenceAbout twice a year I get Rocky Road. It’s been aweakness since I was a kid.Typical Workout: Well, I generally get in a minimumof two, generally three disciplines everyday. It’s anadvantage living in the mountains and living with myteammate (and wife). I have a belief that quality ismore important than quantity. So I will generally doone hour of mountain biking, one-hour paddle and aone-hour trail run. Now, we incorporate core workoutsalmost daily now. I wish I had discovered this ten yearsago.Favorite AR Discipline: It used to be mountain biking,but now it’s paddling. In the past, it was pure tortureto do some of the huge passages and sections we doin expedition racing. Now we paddle twelve months ayear and approximately five days a week.Least Favorite AR Discipline: Inline Skating. AlthoughI am a little better now, I was horrible when I firststarted.Mtn. BikingTrail RunningPaddlingPaddle Boardingwww.calmultisport.comsolo and relay3-4 hoursfully marked courseIt’s , it’s , it’s , it’s coming to California in 08.Adventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 35

“I left my heart in Jalcomulco”Tales from Frontier Adventure Sports & Training’sMexican Training Campsby Sally HeathWhat makes a vacation the trip ofa lifetime? For me, it’s the opportunityto combine travelling withthe sport that I love, adventureracing. Thanks to Geoff Langford,president of Frontier AdventureSports & Training and the stafffrom Esprit Rafting (recently ratedthe #2 Adventure Travel companyin the world!), I’ve found a way toexperience the trip of a lifetime notonce, but twice.For the past two winters, I’vespent my vacation time trainingwith some of North America’s topadventure racers in a lush tropicalsetting far away from the blusteryCanadian winter. Since 2006,Frontier Adventure Sports &Training and Esprit Rafting havebeen hosting week long adventurerace training camps in the ruralvillage of Jalcomulco, Veracruz,known for its hilly terrain, exceptionalwhitewater, and welcomingcommunity.Having raced with Frontier forseveral years in Canada, I wasfamiliar with their reputation forputting on top notch events.After a failed trip to Costa Ricain which I demanded to leave theresort on a daily basis, I knew that Iwas through with beach vacations.I wanted more out of my travelexperiences than an umbrella drinkand a sunburn.In March 2007, my teammate and Iheaded to Jalcomulco for adventureracing camp. We were planning onracing for the first time that yearas an all female team, and werehoping that the camp would help usto hone our navigation and teamworkskills. Even though we’dalready been racing for severalyears, we knew that we would havemuch to learn from the camp’s instructors,Lawrence Foster and TrishWestman.Our group that year was a variedgroup in terms of age and experience:some participants had never racedbefore while others were seasonedcompetitors looking for some addedmotivation and technical skills.Neither group of participants wenthome disappointed. Throughoutthe week we trekked, biked, rafted,ascended, and rappelled in therural areas surrounding Jalcomulco,as well as learned valuable wildernessfirst aid and swift water rescueskills. While our days were filledwith training activities, includingoptional pre-breakfast bike rides,runs, or yoga classes, our nightswere far from quiet.Frontier and Esprit went well outof their way to ensure that ourMexican experience wasn’t justathletic, but culturally memorableas well. One evening we attendeda family-run travelling circus thathad made its way to Jalcomulco;another night we gathered in thelocal pool hall where we learnedthat Lawrence is equally competitiveat foosball as he is at adventurePhotos courtesy of William YoungAdventure World Magazine July 2008 36

acing! The after hours highlight ofthe week, however, would have tohave been the temescal ceremonythat had been arranged for us.After being blessed by a shaman,we entered a dark, circular, undergroundstone hut. Once seated,lava bricks that had been baking forhours were brought into the middleof the hut and the door was sealed.We covered ourselves with clayand for the next hour, we sweated,shared what had brought us toJalcomulco and what we wishedwe could take away from it, and listenedto the shaman chant and prayfor us all. The temescal ceremonywas perhaps the most mentally difficultpart of the entire week for me,but part of what made my Mexicanexperience so memorable!The week of training was cappedoff with a sprint race in which wehad the opportunity to practice theskills we’d been training, includingself-guiding our own rafts downClass II and III whitewater. Wealso got to practice some unconventionaladventure racing skills,such as burro riding through thestreets, much to the delight of thevillagers! Our all-female team,Male Mujeres, proved that womencan be more than mandatory gearon the adventure racing course bybesting all the other co-ed teamsin the field by several hours (andcelebrating, of course, with shoppingand ice cream).That evening was bittersweet, aswe knew that it would be our lastin Jalcomulco. Not surprisingly,the Frontier and Esprit crew helpedus to finish things off with a bangwith an incredible dinner and discothat lasted till the wee hours of themorn! I desperately hated leavingJalcomulco and vowed to return thefollowing year…Listening to the feedback ofseveral competitors who wantedto return to Mexico for an “advancedcamp,” or what I liked tocall “Camp, Part II,” in2008, Frontier and Espritadded a second camp totheir roster, the “Pico 2Playa Expedition TrainingWeek.”Unlike the previousyear, where we werebased out of Jalcomulco,Pico 2 Playa wouldallow participants tosee more of the beautiful Mexicancountryside by travelling severalhundred kilometres as they trainedthrough two different states. I convincedmy teammate that it wouldbe worth a second trip down toMexico and the planning begun!As with the previous camp, theexpedition week brought in competitorsfrom around the world withvarying levels of experience. Eachday we split into smaller groupsaccording to our goals and abilities,so that we could work on what isperhaps the most valuable adventureracing skill: teamwork.Team Peak Adventure captain,Bob Miller, as well as whitewaterexpert, Erin Coffey from Esprit,led our camp. We began our weekby trekking to the base camp ofPico de Orizaba, Mexico’s highestmountain. For some of us, this wasour first experience with elevation,which is a reality in many expeditionlength adventure races. Afterclimbing to 4200 m, we then grittedour teeth on a fast downhill bikeride where we spent our first nightcamped out in the rural village ofNeuva Jacal. We were a little takenaback when swarms of childrendescended from the hills surroundingthe village upon our arrival,but much more grateful when werealized how helpful they wereand that all they really wanted wasto have their pictures taken andperhaps some “dulces”!On Day 2, we made up for thedownhill biking that we’d enjoyedthe previous day with seven hoursof the most difficult uphill bikingI’d ever done. Throughout the day,we travelled through many littletowns and villages, always amazedPhotos courtesy of William YoungAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 37

at the hospitality and warmth withwhich we were greeted. Sincemany of us had come from winteryclimates, we also developed a fastappreciation for Mexican snackfood, especially the potato chipsthat could replenish the electrolyteswe were losing in the heat!The focus of Day 3 was trekkingand navigation, as we learned touse burro trails between villagesto save time and energy. We spentthe night camping at a coffee plantationwith a magnificent view ofthe Barranca Grande canyon. Thenext day, we traded our trekkingpoles for inflatable kayaks, whichwe self-guided (with safety boats,of course) for 25kms of excitingwhitewater action. At the end of theday we were astonished once againat our accommodation: a magnificentlonghouse built for the raftingtrips that regularly run down theAntigua River.On Day 5 we did it all: trekked,biked, canyoneered, rappelled andascended as we found our way toJalcomulco. I insisted on visitingall my favourite village haunts,including the bridge where Iindulged in one of my favouritepastimes: puenting! That night,another temescal ceremony wasarranged for us after we atedinner at Esprit’s newly built bar andrestaurant in town.The next and final day we bikedfrom Jalcomulco out to the Gulf ofMexico, stopping en route to visitsome Totenac ruins in the town ofCempoala. At the ocean, we weremet by our fabulous support crewwho transported us back to Veracruzfor a night in a luxury hoteland a four course meal. It was atruly amazing way to cap off anotherunforgettable week in Mexico!In 2009, Frontier and Esprit willonce again be running two adventurerace training camps that willappeal as much to the newcomerto the sport as they will to the seasonedracer. The Jalcomulco-basedtraining camp will run from March7-14, 2009, costs $1795 CDN andwill cater to those starting out in thesport or who want a more relaxingand flexible travel experience.The Pico 2 Playa expedition weekwill take place from March 15-21, 2009, costs $1995 CDN andwill offer participants a moreintense week of training. InstructorsLawrence Foster, Trish Westman,and Bob Miller will all be returningto join the staff of Frontier andEsprit.A third camp, targeted more towardsthe adventure photographer, will bedebuting in 2009 with dates to beconfirmed. Once you arrive in Mexico,all meals, accommodations andinstruction by professionally trainedguides is included.If you are looking for a way to fuelyour passion for adventure racingwith a winter getaway, you won’tfind a better location or way to experienceboth than with Frontierand Esprit in Jalcomulco!For more information, please visitwww.far.on.ca/ART/CampFrontier/Mexico.phpor email GeoffLangford at geoff@far.on.caThere is also a facebook group( w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / g ro u p .php?gid=2252064929), where youcan see additional photos andtalk to others who have taken partin Frontier’s training camps inprevious years.Photos courtesy of William YoungAdventure World Magazine July 2008 38

trainingAdventure Racing NavigationPart 3: Contour Linesby Mark ManningWelcome to the third in the monthly series of navigationarticles from AR Navigation Supplies.I once asked a teammate to hold the map during a race.He looked at me and asked with a dead straight face,what are all these squiggly lines for? There was areason we never let him navigate. This month weare going to take a look at Contour Lines and how toread the contour information provided on a USGStopographical map. Lets start with some importantpoints about contour lines that will help us understandthe information they contain.Contour lines connect points of equal elevationContour lines never crossContour lines provide a 3 dimensional view of theterrain they represent as shown in Fig 1.The light and dark brown lines shown on a USGStopographical map represent the elevation above MeanSea Level at each line and give a pictorial view of theterrain they represent. Mean Sea Level is normally determinedfrom a regional, fixed reference point due tothe changing tides.Contour lines have a fixed interval of elevationchange in tens and sometimes hundreds of feet.To avoid obscuring too much map detail contourlines are only labeled with the actual elevationevery few hundred feet. These marked contour linesare normally slightly thicker and darker than the others.These thicker lines are referred to as major contourlines. The elevation change between contour linesis called the contour interval. The contour interval isnormally clearly markedon the map legend andcan change on eachmap. Contour intervalscan also be determinedby dividing the differencein feet between twomajor contour lines bythe number of lines thatare counted to get fromone major contour lineto the next. E.g. If wehave 100 feet betweenmajor contour linesand we count 4 linesfrom one major contour line to the next, wewould divide 100 by 4 and determine that thecontour interval is 25 feet for the map we are using.Lake levels will also be shown as elevation above sealevel. The lake level will normally be marked on thelake and will be determined by the level of the spillwayif there is a dam or by the stream exiting the lake ifthere is no dam present. Many lake levels will actuallybe lower than marked on the map as the water levelchanges during the season when the streams and lakesstart to dry up. This can affect route choice and planningby as parts of a lake that are shown as underwateron the map could in reality be dry.One of the most important features of contour lines istheir ability to show how steep the terrain is. This is criticalfor route planning. The steeper the terrain the closertogether the contour lines will appear. Widely spacedcontour lines will represent much flatter and easier terrain.Adventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 39

Your team will be much happier if you can take them tothe next CP via a flatter route rather than going straightup the side of a mountain or off the edge of a cliff,Mountain Peak. These often have the elevation marked.so pay close attention to the contour lines if you havemultiple route choices. Counting the number of linesyou cross on each route can give you a good indicationof elevation change.By carefully reading and interpreting contour lines itis possible to identify many important terrain featuresthat will help with your route choice while navigating.These can be features such as Gullies, Ridgelines, Valleys,Peaks and Knolls. It is essential to be able toidentify these features and understand how they willaffect your travel. Below are some examples.Ridgeline. Trails often run along ridgelines giving arelatively flat route between two points.Using the contour lines in conjunction with an altimeterwill allow you to determine how far up a hillsideyou are or your point along a trail based on where thetrail crosses certain contours. The important thing toremember is to regularly reset the altimeter at knownelevation points. The accuracy of an altimeter willchange with time due to variations in air pressure andlocal weather patterns. Resetting the altimeter whenyou reach a point on the map where the elevation isknown or clearly marked will greatly help your accuracy.Trail intersections and mountain peaks are veryuseful reference points so look out for them and notethe elevation as you pass.It is always useful to practice the interpretation of contourlines. Some useful techniques for this are to lookat the terrain around you and imagine how that terrainwould look if it were represented by contour lines. Youcan also look at a map and try to picture how the terrainwould look if you were walking on it. This will helpimprove your ability to read the contour informationprovided on a topographical map during an event.More information on navigation can be found atwww.ARNavSupplies.com.Mark Manning. AR Navigation Supplies, Inc. 2008Gullies often contain streamsAdventure World Magazine July 2008 40

AWM Navigation Challenge Round 3

Adventure World Magazine Navigation Challenge: Round 3True North and Grid North are assumed to be identical on this 1:24K map.This month your team traveled to Big Sky, Montana and Primal Quest 2008 for the third round of theAdventure World Magazine Navigation Challenge, brought to you by www.ARNavSupplies.com andthe Basic Roamer AR.Checkpoint InstructionQuestionStart Find the building at UTM 0469220 5014600 What is the elevation of the building?CP 1 Cross lake Levinsky to the Northwest Stream. What is the length of the lake in Metersfrom its southern most point to theNorthwest Stream?CP 2 Follow the Middle Fork West to its fork at theL in Middle.What is the elevation of the Fork?CP 3CP 4CP 5CP 6CP 7Follow the Southern Fork of Middle Fork Westuntil it crosses the grid line 0467.From CP 3 travel North and slightly East for130 meters to the knoll at 8005 feet.From CP 4 Plot a bearing of 247 degrees for0.7 of a mile.Follow the 8800 contour line to its intersectionwith the fire road in UTM square 0466 5014Follow the fire road South to an elevation of8440 feet.How many contour lines are crossed fromCP2 to CP3?What is the UTM of this Knoll?What is the elevation of this knoll?What is the straight line distance in milesbetween CP 5 and CP6?What is the UTM of this intersection?CP 8 Plot UTM 0468200 5012220 What is the bearing from CP 7 to CP 8?CP 9CP 10FinishBushwhack down the mountain to the topof the Ski Lift in grid square 0469 0513 at8660 feet.Follow the Ski Lift down the mountain tothe base of the liftEmail your answers to:info@adventureworldmagazine.comHow many contour lines are crossed onthe straightest route?What is the length of the Ski Lift in meters?Adventure World Magazine July 2008 42

The Basic Roamer© ARAs the OfficialNavigation Tool of the USARA, the design ofthe Basic Roamer©AR has been carefullyconsidered forUS Adventure Racingand has over 20major features. Originally developed for rallying inEurope this tool is now customized andavailable for the US Adventure Racer. Rallynavigators must make split second navigationdecisions at very high speed and any errors canbe very costly to crew, car and team. With thesechallenges in mind it is easy to see how theAdventure racing navigator can benefit from theBasic Roamer© AR. www.BasicRoamerAR.com.Adventure Racing Rotating Map HolderA lightweight, rotating design with a quick releasemounting bracket the rotating map holder isdesigned to fit almost any bike, it is built strongenough to withstand the rigors of any adventurerace or bicycle orienteering event. The solidconstruction will not flex or flap on rough roads andwill hold most flexible map covers or just the mapitself http://www.arnavsupplies.com/products.htmlPositioned for easy reading it will make bikenavigation much easier. Proven in many races andsuccessfully used in 2006 USARA NationalChampionships.The Adventure Racing Waterproof PedometerNow you don’t have to guess or time your travel to the nextCP, you can know exactly how far you’ve gone. Mostpedometers fail completely when they get near water. We’vedeveloped one that actually works when wet. It even survivedthe full course at Primal Quest.Check out the full line of navigation products fromAR Navigation Supplies including: Waterproof MapCases, Racing Compasses, Waterproof Pens,MYTopo Maps, Nav Practice Guides & More!www.ARNavSupplies.com Phone: 1-408-420-3883

adventure destinationWeekend Warrior’s MultisportGuide to Bend, OregonPhotos courtesy of VisitBend.comWeekend Warrior’s Multisport Guide to Bend, Oregonby Cynthia EngelWelcome to Bend! An activecommunity of 75,000, there is a lotto do and see in the area if you likethe outdoors. Bend has an extensivevariety of trails and terrain thatare ideal for the recreational andcompetitive multi-sport athlete.The difficulty is figuring out howto sift through all that informationto find the treasures that the localsreally cherish. Following is a guideto get you started on your visit tothe region this summer. And don’tforget that Central Oregon is luckyto have some of the best early andlate season snow for skiing! \Socome back this winter to experiencesome of the best Nordic anddownhill skiing around.Warrior Prep:Pick up a copy of the MountainBiking and Trail map of Central Oregonby Adventure Maps, Inc., yourtrail bible while in Bend. They canbe found any local bike or gear shopbefore launching into your weekendbonanza.Getting There:Roberts Field (RDM) is easilyaccessible via daily direct flightsfrom Seattle, Portland, San Francisco,Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, LasVegas, Eugene and Denver (seasonal).Bend is located just 15 minutessouth of Roberts Field via US Hwy97, and is also easily accessible viacar from Portland (three hours).Places to Stay:The lodging options in Bend areseemingly endless, though reservationsare definitely recommended.Due to all the events in town, theydo fill up! Following are some localrecommendations to help yousift through the extensive options:Budget:Tumalo State Park (http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_45.php):Besides camping, this State Park,located 10 minutes from downtownBend right on Tumalo Creek, offersboth rustic and deluxe cabins, yurtsand teepees.Adventure World Magazine July 2008 44

Moderate:Lava Belles Vacation Rentals(http://www.lavabelles.com/ ): Aunique group of historic, craftsmanhomes located in downtown Bend.They offer environmentally, petand child-friendly nightly or weeklylodging in your choice of fivehomes, each of which has it’s ownstyle, history, and story to tell.Upscale:Pine Ridge Inn (www.pineridgeinn.com/): One of Bend, Oregon’spremier small luxury inns, offeringromantic accommodations overlookingthe magnificent DeschutesRiver Canyon.Caffeine Fix:Strictly Organic (Colorado andBond): Locally roasted, fair trade,organic coffee. And cool people.Backporch Coffee (Newport and13th): A friendly, comfortable placeto chat and recover.Thump (Minnesota and Bonddowntown): Great roasted coffeefrom Portland.and indulge in an Eggs Benedictfor breakfast on Sunday morning(you’ve earned both!)…anotherclassic Bend standby.Westside Bakery (Galveston andColunbia) Cinnamon rolls biggerthan your face and breakfast optionsthat would have satiated eventhe hungriest of Bend’s woodmillworking founding fathers.Nancy P’s (Newport and 13th,behind Backporch Coffee): Ifyou want to meet up with the localcyclists in town while grabbinga great pastry breakfast (quiche,filled croissants, etc) or a sandwichfor the ride, this is the place to go!Set the weekend warrior free!Mountain BikingGrab your map before heading offto breakfast where you can perusedozens of epic single track loopsover a delicious start to your weekendof adventure. Recommendations:Short and Sweet: Phil’s Trail complex:seemingly endless combinationsof loops for beginner-advanced ridersin the Deschutes National Forest –take in the smells of the lodgepolepine, the baking Manzanita and thesage.Moderate: Tumalo Creek/ SwedeRidge loop: energizing ride withclassic views and a visit to a skishelter at the top of Swede Ridge– perfect lunch spot.Epic: North Fork/ Flagline loop:epic ride along several waterfallswith breathtaking views of the Cascades.Traverse alpine meadowsup to the Three Sisters Wildernessboundary and then brace yourselffor an incredible return down milesof smooth, winding single track.Trail RunningBend was recently named America’sbest trail running town by Outsidemagazine. So don’t put thatmap away yet! Use it to put togetheryour dream trail run. Hundredsof trail miles ranging from riverto mountain to forest and all threecombined! Recommendations:Short and Sweet: Shevlin ParkDiLusso’s (Galveston and 12th):If you like a good French pastrywith your coffee, this is the placeto come!Pre-warrior Breakfast:Alpenglow (Newport and Bonddowntown): A classic Bend locals’standby.Longboard Louie’s breakfast burrito(Galveston and 12th): On the way toPhil’s trails for a great breakfast onthe run.Victorian Cafe (Galveston and14th): Partake in a Bloody Marywww.cogwild.com or Cog Wild Bicycle ToursAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 45

loop: A 5 mile loop through one ofour local treasures, this is a regularfor Bendites. Savor the butterscotchsmells of the ponderosas,run through the aspen groves,traverse Tumalo creek, then followthe trail up to run along the ridgefor views of the Tumalo Creekvalley and the wonderful citrussmells of sage.Moderate: River Trail: Not surehow long you want to run? Startat Meadow picnic area (about 15minutes west of Bend) and juststart running. Turn around wheneveryou feel like it…go for as longas 30 miles out and back along theDeschutes river. Take in the magicof the many falls and watch therafters negotiate the rapids over thecourse of your run. Go at dusk andcatch the elk playing in the meadowsand the coyotes stalking theirdinner at Dillon Falls or the beaversplaying in the flat water near AspenCamp. This is another can’t missif you want to truly experience thelocal flavor of Bend.Epic: Green Lakes/ Soda CreekLoop: Grab a Geo-Graphics ThreeSisters Wilderness map at PineMountain Sports or MountainSupply and head up into the wilderness.This is a truly spectacular15 mile epic trail run – or justa great day hike. Start at GreenLakes trailhead (about 30 minuteswest of Bend) and run up the SodaCreek trail. After running throughlava flows and alpine forests, youwill emerge in the park meadowsflanking Broken Top Mountain.Run through the meadows andmountain streams into a breathtakingvalley of mountain lakesnestled at the base of Broken Topand South Sister. Take a dip in oneof the lakes before heading backdown along Fall Creek to the trailhead.Other trail loop options areavailable starting at Green Lakestrailhead with a short car shuttle toavoid some of the weekend crowdson the Fall Creek portion of thistrail run.Road BikingHead out on your road bike andsoak in the views while riding forhours on end. Stop in at any bikeshop for maps and recommendationson dozens of rides. Or join agroup ride and get a true localperspective. Recommendations:Short and Sweet: Skyliner roadout and back. Head out GalvestonAve and keep going to the endof the road – a 20 mile round tripride heading up the Tumalo Valley.Definitely a popular post-work rideamong the locals.Moderate: Twin Bridges Loop:Start early to avoid the heat at NancyP’s Bakery and then ride a 35mile loop along undulating terrainwith spectacular views of the Cascadesas motivation. Finish backat Nancy P’s for a well deservedtreat!Epic: Cascade Lake Highway:Start in Bend and climb up to MtBachelor. Circle the Cascade Lakesto finish in Sunriver (100 miles).For a shorter loop, take a left at theSunriver cutoff (65 miles). A carshuttle is required for the loops.Otherwise do out and back to makeit the distance you prefer…the ridedown is a treat (and well earned)for sure!Adventure World Magazine July 2008 46

PaddlingAre you feeling ready to givethose legs a break? Head out fora flat water paddle on any of themountain lakes along the CascadeLakes Highway. Some great choicesinclude Sparks Lake (30 min drive)and Little Lava Lake (40 min drive).ClimbingCheck out Redpoint ClimbingSupply for local beta and routes atSmith Rock State Park 5.0-5.14+(redpointclimbing.com). Explorethe combination of basalt and tuffrock faces in the canyon formed fromthe convergence of two volcaniceruptions millions of years ago, thenlater split by the Crooked River.Post Warrior Food and Fun:Soak at McMenamin’s TurkishBaths (700 NW Bond): Nothingbeats a relaxing soak at the openair baths! If you think you canstay awake, take in a $3 movie afterwardswith a burger and a beeron the couch at the Old St FrancisTheater in the same complex. Otherwisecatch the movie first and thesoak after!Surf Style Mexican at LongboardLouie’s (Galveston and 13th): Onthe way back in to town, stop for agiant burrito filled to the brim witheverything good.Pizza at Pizza Mondo (Wall andFranklin downtown): Grab anAfter Mountain Special between4 and 6 pm and savor some of thebest gourmet pizza in town with abeer or a pop.Beer at any of the microbreweriesin town: ask about which nightduring the week is local’s night ateach pub for $2.50 pints and goodfood at each of these outstandinglocal breweries.Deschutes Brewery (Bond andGreenwood downtown): Bendis indeed home to the DeschutesBrewing CompanyBend Brewing Company (Brooksand Newport downtown)Silver Moon Brewing (24 NWGreenwood downtown)Cascades Lakes Brewing (Coloradoand Century Drive traffic circle)Summer Sundays Concert Series(Les Schwab Amphitheater): Enjoythe live music on the grass onSunday afternoons at 2 pm.Munch and Music (Drake Park):Every Thursday at 5 pm throughJuly and August, dance and enjoythe live music over dinner fromone of the many food vendors atthe park.Munch and Movies (McKay Park):As the days start to get shorter inSeptember, join the town as wetake in a movie in the park by theDeschutes River on Fridays for freeat dusk – grab some dinner from arestaurant vendor at the park andlisten to the live music before themovie starts. Be sure to bring asleeping bag or blanket because itgets chilly after the sun sets!First Friday Gallery Walk (downtownBend): The first Friday ofevery month, explore the talentedart community by wanderingdowntown Bend. Free wine andappetizers are provided at all thegalleries and shops featuring localand regional artists.Night out on the Town:Cocktails and AppetizersFireside Red for drinks on the bestdeck in town (Old Mill District at theend of Bond street) and live jazz.Bo for great late night happy hour(Franklin and Bond)The Martini Bar for locally distilledgin and vodka (at the end ofthe breezeway off Wall Street andMinnesota)Fancy Foodies:Downtown Bend – many gourmetrestaurantsOld Mill District – gourmet andfamily friendly optionsAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine47

Hola! on the east side of town(2670 NE Hwy 20) – Peruvian andworth the trip!Group Training OptionsParticipating in some group runs orrides is a great way to meet people,get the inside scoop, learn some locallore and get to know the trailswithout the worry of getting lost inthe process!Group Bike rides: Group rides forboth road and mountain are availablealmost any day of the week.Check out the local shops for therides and events they each host.Bend Bella Cyclists (women’s ridinggroup): www.bendbellacyclists.org/WebCyclery: www.webcyclery.comSunnyside Sports: www.sunnysidesports.comPine Mountain Sports: www.pinemountainsports.comHutches Bicycles: www.hutchesbicycles.comBend Bike n Sport: www.bendbikensport.com/Group Runs: Group runs for bothtrail and road take place almost everyday of the week.Check out the local running shopsfor a complete listing of localevents and group training runs.Footzone Bend: www.footzonebend.comFleet Feet: www.fleetfeetbend.com/Local EventsThere is something happeningalmost every weekend for themulti-sport competitor this summer.Check out these upcoming events:Deschutes Dash Weekend SportsFestival (www.freshairsports.com/events/deschutes_dash/index.php):July 19-20, 2008: Join us at themost spectator friendly venue inthe Pacific Northwest for a seriesof Olympic and Spring distancetriathlons and duathons as well as15km/ 10 km/ 5 km runs and a kidssplash and dash.Cascade Lakes Relay (www.diamondlakemtbachelorrelay.org/)August 1-2, 2008: Put togetherteams of up to twelve for this 217mile race through the CascadeMountains.13th Annual Cascade Lakes SwimSeries and Festival (http://www.comaswim.org ) August 1-3 2008:Enjoy the festivities and swimin the crystal clear waters of ElkLake.Haulin’ Aspen Half and Full TrailMarathon (http://www.freshairsports.com/events/haulin_aspen/index.php): August 10, 2008: Testyour will while exploring our CentralOregon terrain on the all trailhalf and full marathon course. Participationis limited and this eventfills, so check in soon if you areinterested!Flaming Chicken Adventure Race(http://www.flamingchickenar.com) August 23, 2008: The FlamingChicken Adventure Race is CentralOregon’s only 12 hour adventurerace.† This 40-50km race will testall your limits as you wind through35km of incredible mountain bikingand 15km of trail running andorienteering. Race in teams of 2-4for 6 or 12 hours and take full advantageof all Central Oregon hasto offer!Sunrise to Summit (www.mbsef.org/events/sunrise2summit/):August 30, 2008: Race from MtBachelor’s Sunrise Lodge (6470ft) to the top of Mt Bachelor (9065ft). Or to really test yourself, roadride from Bend (3700 ft) then runfrom Sunrise Lodge to the top – asa team or solo!Bigfoot 10 km run (http://footzonebend.com/events/show_event/14)www.cogwild.com or Cog Wild Bicycle ToursAdventure World Magazine July 2008 48

September 21, 2008: Bend’s oldest10K road race.† Starts at SeventhMountain Resort and continuesdownhill to McKay Park. DefinitePR potential.†XTerra Trail Run National Championships(www.xterraplanet.com/xduro/nationals.html): September27, 2008: Compete on some of thebest trails in the nation against thetop runners in the nation!www.arworldseries.comthe pinnacle of adventure racingCynthia Engel lives in Bend, Oregonand loves playing outside. Whenshe’s not traveling the world orworking with her university studentsabroad, you’ll find her skiingin circles on the Nordic trails of MtBachelor. Or, riding through thelodge pole pine and Manzanita onher mountain bike (with map andcompass) while training for adventureraces.Dirt Divas...continued from page 26flat on the mat, spine curled overlegs and arms long and parallel tothe floor (shoulder height). Withoutany other change, roll to the back ofthe sitz bones, as far as you can andkeep the feet on the mat, pause fora moment, and then roll back up.Repeat ten times. This strengthensall of the abdominal muscles, pelvicfloor, hip flexors and extensors andscapular stabilizers.I will be back in a few months to upthe ante and throw a whole new setof exercises out there to keep youmoving towards a stronger ‘core’.Elise Partridge is a certified personalfitness trainer through ACEand AFAA in Mobile, AlabamaXPD AustraliaSouthern TraverseEstoril Portugal XPDBergson Winter ChallengeBaja TraversiaThe Raid in FranceBimbache ExtremWilderness ARCThe Turas IrelandBull of AfricaExplore SwedenARWORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ‘08Ecomotion Brazilwww.arworldseries.comAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine49

feature story updateJordan Romero on his approach to the summitof Denali. Photo courtesy of Karen LundgrenEleven-Year-Old from California Summits Denali,Ties Record for Youngest at the SummitIn his quest to climb the SevenSummits of the World, JordanRomero has just made it one stepcloser by reaching the summit ofMount McKinley (Denali). At over20,000 feet, Denali is the tallestmountain in North America andpresents a challenge, which manysay equals that of the highest peakson Earth.It took just seven days for the eleven-year-oldfrom Big Bear Lake,California to reach the summit ofthe “coldest mountain on earth.”He arrived at the summit alongwith his father and step-mom,Paul Romero and Karen Lundgren,on the afternoon of June 19, 2008.With this feat, Jordan tied theage record held by Talkeetna, AKlocal Gaylen Johnston, now 18years old and attending school inAnchorage.“I’ve fallen in love with Alaska onthis trip,” said Jordan. “The mountainwas hard, there were lots ofropes and technical things to thinkabout, there were a few times thatI was scared, but I wanted so badlyto make it to the summit.”Jordan is two years into his quest toclimb the tallest mountain on eachcontinent. Before the visit to Alaska,he has traveled to Mt. Kilimanjaroin Tanzania, Mt. Kosciuszkoin Australia, Mt. Elbrus in Russia(Europe) and another record-breakingclimb to the summit of SouthAmerica’s highest peak, Mt. Aconcagua(Argentina).Jordan’s sights are now set onAntarctica’s 16,000-foot VinsonMassif and the seventh grade. Youcan learn more about his trip atwww.jordanromero.com.Adventure World Magazine July 2008 50

gear closetSummer is in full swing and we have seven reasons to stop procrastinating that morning or afternoon trailrun. We know that it is hot, humid and you have a thousand other things pulling you in every direction; but,we believe that you can escape the stresses of today by lacing up and leaving it on the trail. After testingnumerous models, we have narrowed it down to the ones you see in the following pages. Get out and enjoy!Features:• Lightweight trail shoe ideal for off-roadand mixed terrain use• Good grip in muddy conditions• Molded stiffener with META-FLEXgrooves allows metatarsals to take theirnatural alignment when contouringInov-8 Flyroc 310MSRP $90www.inov-8.com

gear closetMontrail StreakMSRP $90Features:• Lightweight and responsive trail runnerwith excellent traction in mud• Comfortable right out of the boxwww.montrail.comBrooks Cascadia 3MSRP $95Features:• The Pivot Posting System is biomechanicallyengineered to allow for progressive pronationcontrol and creates a smoother transition for themidstance phase into the propulsion phase• Brooks’ proprietary HPR (High PerformanceRubber) Green outsole—featured in theCascadia 3—is a durable, long-wearing outsolecompound made from sand rather than oilwww.brooksrunning.comAdventure World Magazine July 2008 52

gear closetKayland Dragonfly eVentMSRP $114.95Features:• eVent lining which consist of a waterprooffabric which lets sweat escape while keepingwater out• Integrated Heel Lock Systemwww.kayland.comLa Sportiva Exum RidgeMSRP $95Features:• SST (Slingshot Stabilization Technology) lacing yokeand down to the toes lacing for stable lock-downperformance on hairball terrain• High-performance traction with an innovativesynergy of climbing shoe dot treads in the front,trail running traction in the back and an in-cut• Trail Bite heel brake for downhill control inloose talus and snowwww.sportiva.comAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 53

gear closetSalomon XT wingsMSRP $120Features:• The AC tendon energizes heel-to-toetransition — acting like a spring —collecting heel energy and transferringit back during push off• The AC skeleton controls side-to-sidemovementwww.salomonrunning.comNike Air Trail Pegasus+ 3MSRP $85Features:• Trail-ready durable mesh and synthetic overlayshelp protect against the elements• Sturdy TPU eyelets and reflectivity help providea secure fit and enhanced visibility• New flexible forefoot Stone Shield TPU plateprotects the foot while keeping the shoe flexibleand light• Aggressive Waffle outsole keeps you upright onthe trails• BRS 1000 carbon rubber outsole and sticky rubberWaffle Fill secure traction in wet conditionswww.nike.comAdventure World Magazine July 2008 54

gear closetSkirt Sports Gym Girl UltraMSRP $64Features:• Built-in compression mesh shorties• Pocket on each leg with correspondingmusic port on side of skirt behind bindingwww.skirtsports.comThe North Face Hyperion TankMSRP $35Features:• VaporWick TM fabric• Built in supportive bra• Internal stash pocket in bra liner• Lower-back stash pocketwww.thenorthface.comAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 55

gear closetBrooks Equilibrium SSMSRP $36Features:• Close-to-body fit with stretch for full freedomof movement• Quick drying fabric keeps you dry and thermallybalancedwww.brooksrunning.comAdventure World Magazine July 2008 56

gear closetBrooks Element Notch ShortsMSRP $44Features:• Compression and Recovery (CoRe) boxerbrief reduces chafing and fatigue• Duel rear-holster pockets store essentialswww.brooksrunning.comAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 57

ON THE HORIZONComing up in future issues:Feature Articles:• The Bull of Africa• Primal Quest Montana• What’s in their gear box• Continental Divide Bike Race• Yukon River Quest• Adventure Sports on a Budget• Blister ManagementGear Reviews:• Socks • Paddles• Hydration Packs• Rain Jackets • And More!If you have anything that you wouldlike to read about or just havesuggestions or comments...email us atinfo@adventuresportsmagazine.comDual-action Zanfel.The only product clinically shownto remove urushiol, the toxin found in poison ivy,oak and sumac, from the skin anytime after breakoutwhile relieving itching within 30 seconds.Call 800-401-4002 or visit www.zanfel.comZanfel is a product of Zanfel Laboratories, Inc. ©2008 All rights reserved. U.S. pat.#6,423,746, #7,008,963. Additional U.S. and foreign patents pending. Zanfel and the Zanfel logo are trademarks of Zanfel Laboratories, Inc., Clive, IA.Adventure World Magazine July 2008 58

it happened to me!A Little Boat RidePhotos and story by Bob BrownLast year, late in April, my phonerang on a Wednesday night. It wasmy brother Ralph. He wanted meto go on a boat trip to some island,called Bermuda, off of North Carolina.I was not at home, but my wifetold him, absolutely not, no way!In the morning, I called him back.Ralph claimed his flats boat designcould run in extremely shallowwater and still handle fairly heavyseas, and he wanted to prove it.For eight months, Ralph had beenplanning this venture, when hisfirst mate bailed on him at the lastminute. He had already spent morethan $10,000 promoting the trip.Ralph had airfare, photographers,national press releases, hotels, anda support crew in place. He was ina bind and really needed a shipmatefast. He was scheduled to leave ina couple of days. I told him I had towork and there was no way I couldafford to take off. Besides, I was inthe middle of a job, and I was leavingat two o’clock that afternoon ona camping trip in Georgia. Ralphpleaded. He offered me more than aweek’s salary. There went my majorexcuse. A paid adventure-I was in!I had never seen the boat. That was,until he arrived in Georgia twodays later to pick me up. It wasa twenty-one foot flats boat calledan Intruder, built by his company,Dream Boats. My camping friends,Vince and Chuck, thought we wereAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 59

nuts. Only an hour before, lookingat a map in a camping store, we discoveredexactly how far off shoreBermuda really was. It was aboutthe distance from the Florida Keysto Atlanta Georgia, close to sevenhundred miles. Ralph planned togo even further on the return trip.From Bermuda, we would travel toNew York Harbor, approximatelyeight hundred miles away. I stillcould not believe he wanted to goon a fifteen hundred mile roundtrip in a boat with two foot sides,before being weighted down withthree feet. After we lost sight ofland, we spotted a pod of dolphinsand a big sailboat a couple of milesaway. Later, the swells grew to sixfeet, coming out of the southwest.The seas had now turned to a heavychop with a lot of white caps.All night long, we traded off driving,hoping the waves would calm down,at least long enough to heat up somesoup. That did not happen. Late thenext afternoon, we came real closeto a whale while I was napping.Ralph woke me up, and we drovewhite wash. We were well past thehalfway point and I couldn’t believethat we had actually made itthis far. The Intruder handled themwell. It was actually fun, steeringfor the steepest waves to catch.The next day, we arrived in Bermuda.After having a couple ofsmall problems coming ashore, dueto me not letting Ralph reprogramthe intermittent GPS, resulting inus not entering properly.An article was written about ourtrip, including a picture, in thewhat he said would be about 2,000pounds of gasoline. I told Chuckand Vince, that as soon as we hit theGulf Stream, Ralph would chickenout and we would be back. I wouldhave been willing to bet a thousanddollars on it.We left Atlantic Beach, NorthCarolina on the morning of April30, 2007 heading for Bermuda, withabout a foot of freeboard. The seaswere relatively calm at only two toover to where it had submerged.With both of us leaning over, lookingfor signs of it, Ralph started towonder if it might have had a calf.If it decided to ram us, we werethree hundred miles from shore,fooling around with a whale in atwenty-one foot flats boat. Howcrazy was that?That afternoon and evening, thewaves kicked up to around ninefeet with thirty-five mile per hourwinds. The seas were nothing butRoyal Gazette, warning us not toattempt a return trip to New York.The next day, as people found outabout our trip, we were treated likeroyalty. People actually wantedour autographs.We waited out Andrea, the first tropicalstorm of 2007, and then headedfor New York. We towed a strandedsailboat (broken motor), past thereefs, so that the lady could completeher solo circumnavigation tripAdventure World Magazine July 2008 60

around the world. Our voyage backdealt with zero to six-foot seas.We thought we had engine problems,but it turned out to be a falsealarm. Blindly driving through aa sheet of glasswhere we observedover forty whitesideddolphins,many playing offour bow. We had alittle difficulty arrivingin New YorkHarbor; tickets aregiven to those whoventure behind theStatue of Liberty,even though thesigns had blowndown months earlier.We actually madeit into GuinnessBook of WorldRecords; theWorld Record Academy, and Iwrote a book, Bermuda SuicideChallenge In A Flats Boat. Formore information on the book, visitwww.bermudachallenge.com.with him from Boston to Europe,some 4,200 miles, in the sameboat! I thought about it for abouttwo seconds and then said, “I’m allover that, when do we leave?”Details of this adventure can beseen at www.crosstheatlantic.com.Do you want a free pair ofChaco Flips? If so, we wantto hear from you!Do you have an amazing storyabout something that happenedto you while participating in yourfavorite adventure sport? If so,please submit it to us at editor@adventureworldmagazine.com.If your “It Happened To Me” storyis selected to appear in AWM, wewill send you a free pair of ChacoFlips.heavy rainstorm, during the lastnight, brought an end to the heavyseas. Fog blurred sunlight, broughtA couple of months later, my phonerang, it was my brother Ralph. Hewanted to know if I wanted to goAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 61