Lake Castaic – 2001
Photos by Ruth Ann Timothy
After record setting
100-degree temperatures last year, night racing returned to Lake Castaic to
kick off the 2001 Hi-Tec Adventure racing series. Many familiar faces like Team Balance Bar and Team Red Bull also
returned to compete for the series championship, along with several newcomers
like Mike Pigg’s team adventuretrain.com and Ian Adamson’s team
Eco-Internet. It was a stacked field
that made for a very competitive race.
The special tests started
during the pre-race meeting when we were given two-1 foot ropes that we were
told to have at all times during the race.
The first special test encountered during the race was right at the
start when we were forced to run about 100 yards through knee deep water along
the Castaic beach before heading out on a 6 mile trail run. The run course proved to be a Lake Castaic
tradition of hills, hills, and more hills.
The good part was that it was mostly three miles of up-hills and then 3
miles back down. I think we were in 5th
place finishing the run and we were right on the heels of Team Red Bull.
As we neared the park area
we encountered our second special test called the Rescue Carry. One person on the team had to be carried according
to the diagram on the instructions we were given. Dave and I carried Tracey for about ¼ mile. When we were told we could finally put her
down we were hit with a second “double” special test. We were given the ring of love that all three of us had to hold
on to while orienteering. The
orienteering, which is usually a strength of ours, gave us problems as we wasted
5+ minutes in locating the first point that was only about 100 yards from where
we started. In my confusion, I lead the
team in the wrong direction. To get
back on course we tried to descend a steep hill covered with ragweed. The second step down the slippery slope sent
us sliding on our rear ends that were immediately skewered with prickers.
Following the run was the
first 6-mile mountain bike leg. The
bike course was similar to the run course and covered many of the same
trails. We were lucky and were able to
finish the first bike leg while it was still light outside. Returning to the transition area we
encountered the next set of special tests.
The first one was the traditional “mud pit” and the second was a new one
called “chaos” that resembled the spider web.
For the Chaos test, each team was given three 2x4s nailed together in a
triangle. Each team member must be
touching the wood at all times while trying to get through a spider-web of
elastic rope. The catch was that the
wood could not ever touch the rope or the ground at anytime. We did well at this special test until
Dave’s neck got caught on the last rope and nearly got decapitated.
Reaching the kayaks we
realized my second “brain fart” of the race.
We were going to use a tow system for the boats, which I inadvertently
left in the transition area. I took the
time to run back and get it, which ended up being a waste of time since Tracey
accidentally dropped it along the shore while ferrying the boats. This was only a prelude of what was to come
on the water as my seat cushion deflated about half way through and then we got
entangled in fishing line that brought us to a complete stop until we were able
to bite through the 6 pound test line.
Despite all that happened we were able to keep team Timex in sight. In fact Dave was able to pass them in the single
kayak right before reaching the shore.
Back on shore we encountered another new special test I dub, “William
Tell”. Each team was given one bow for
shooting arrows at a target. Each
teammate had to shoot at least two arrows unless the target was hit on the
first shot. Only Tracey was able to
accomplish this task where as Dave and I couldn’t even hit the bails of hay.
Next up was the second loop
of the mountain bike, but now it was dark.
We immediately discovered that Tracey’s helmet light was inoperable and
hindered our ability to ride fast.
Luckily we were able to pre-ride the course in daylight on the first
loop. Following the bike was the last
two special tests of the evening. The
first one required the ropes that were handed out at the pre-race meeting. Amazingly enough they were still in my
shorts where I put them on the first bike leg.
We used the ropes to tie our wrists together and then scale a 4-foot
wall. Behind the wall was a series of
low wires we had to crawl under without touching or be forced to start
over. After the wires was a second
4-foot wall. The final special test was
the 12-foot wall that did us in last year.
We used our new method of putting me up first, then Tracey, followed by
Dave. All went well until Dave started
climbing. Dave seemed to want to try
some new acrobatic stunt where he scales the wall upside down with his feet
first. To everyone’s amazement it
worked, it just wasn’t as fast as we would like it to be.
We ended up crossing the finish
in 7th place with a time of 2:56:55. Tracey did awesome in her first ever adventure race and Dave did
equally well in his first race back from breaking his ankle in last years Fog
Dog 24 hour race.
Look out Detroit – Here
comes team Ultima Replenisher!