|
June 24, 2000, 8 PM - The pre-race meeting. 168 nervous
people find out their fate for the next 48 hours.
 Each
team gets a set of 11 maps. Next step...where do we
go?
 Back
to the hotel room. The task of figuring out what to
do with all this gear...
 The
race started at 5:15 AM with a 3-4 mile hike down the
Lake Michigan shore. A perfect start to the race.
 Look
at that set up... What a crew...
 At
CP1, we pick up the bikes and head out for 25 miles
of roads, dirt trails, goat paths, and sand pits. We
entered the transition area, cheering and having a great
time, at about 10:30AM.
Checked our maps at the transition area, changed out
of the bike shoes, more water, food, grab the horse
and go.
 Eleven
miles with Candy the horse, followed by 22 grueling
miles of hiking (and don't forget the 2 river crossings!),
brings us to the zip line. 550 feet of rope over water
at a max height of about 150 feet. AMAZING RIDE!
 Next,
we set off on 25 miles of possibly the best singletrack
in the state of Michigan, maybe even the best in the
Midwest! Rolling hills, exposed drop-offs, fast downhills,
all between the hours of 1 AM and 6 AM to add a bit
more excitement!
 7:00
on June 25 - We pull into the last Checkpoint ready
for a canoe ride...the 45 mile canoe ride with no end!!!!
 John
is all ready for the ride. He's got his good luck picture
from one of his little buddies. (Thanks Rachael!)
 Wait
a minute...how long are we going to be in that boat????
Did you say 45 miles!?
And we're off...
 Len
and Lori pack up the Load Warrior and head back to the
finish line to cheer us on. Thanks crew!! You're awesome!
 A
mere twelve hours later, we can't get out of the boats
fast enough! We've done it. 38 1/2 hours of pure excitement,
and it was all worth it. Team Orange Triangle has completed
the Pathfinder Challenge 2000!
Congratulations
Team Orange Triangle
|
