Lake Ray Roberts

Click for a glimpse of the area we will be racing at Nationals!

Other big news from this Spring/Summer

• Jake & Jessica Larsen had a little boy (Jack) in May
• Megan is now engaged (late June) to longtime boyfriend Andy Brazle
• We have new/prospective teammates Nikki Gillen & Chris Stauffer

The big announcement...

WE MADE NATIONALS!!!

Were not in Kansas anymore...just Nebraska

After many hours and calls, I finally filled the roster for the Run, Row, and Roll less than 10 days from the race. An up and coming race director and fellow Kansan, Charmion Harris joined Jake and I for the duration of the course. She was planning on sitting this race out after finding out that it was three member teams only, but she gladly filled our hole and challenged her team to "keep up."

June 19th

2:30pm - lonely drive up Missouri and across Nebraska (no phone reception)

6pm - met up with Jake at race HQ and got race packet(s)

6:30pm - got Subway (seems to be a race tradition)

7pm -plotted map and organized gear

8pm - drove part of course

10ish - bed

June 20th

5:15am - rise and shine

6am - bike drop

7:30am - prerace meeting

8am - start

We began this race with a mysterious "red neck subway" (horsetrailer) ride to the start. We exited in mass to a 3-4 mile run to our first "challenge." Build a raft from innertubes and a 2x4 ladder that matched a diagram. With that successfully done, we took two paddles and floated/walked it ~1.5 miles down the Little Blue River. After loading the "raft" back into another trailer we ran another half mile to the bike transition. We picked some time and spots during this first wheeled section. But the flat and rolling hills, pavement and gravel quickly became dirt and grass tracks into canyons you wouldn't expect to find in the Midwest (especially Nebraska). I think the barefoot running through the river caught up with me, because hike and bike with my cleats caused some wild calf/achilles cramps. Also the wet sand started chewing my feet up pretty bad. Oh well, no pain... Anyway, the other team events were fun (archery, stationary calf roping, mud plinko) as well. We continued on throughout our difficulties and the rain, having an awesome trekking section. One more long ride, and a total of just under 9 hours later we finished to a BBQ sandwich meal! Yum!

I was so brain dead after this race though, that I left my bike shoes at the finishe line. Thankfully, Jim Craig (angry cow adventures owner) got them back to me quickly (and clean!).

Before and after with Jake, Charmion & the Lake Adventures crew.

"We're on a MISSION from God"

Mission AR...that is.

Tyler, Megan, & I successfully endured another qualifying race.

Here is the race rundown...
-Friday we arrived just in time for meal & meeting (timezone change - oops!)
-Cheap and gimpy TA tent (good times - ask anyone of us)
-No prerace strategy, map, or coords. (maps were handed out at starting line)
-Began race in Thunderstorm at 6am
-Road muddy singletrack until bikes would no longer roll
-Subsequent brake problems from mud (Megan's back brakes went out - ask her about her raspberry and road rash)
-Missed CP7 because of brain fart (novice plotting mistake)
-Canoed up and down the Ohio (yes, the big river) while towing our bikes in an inflatable raft
-More fast biking (no brakes - reverse towing: Tyler & I were Megan's brakes down a couple big hills)
-High ropes (Megan volunteered to be blindfolded)
-Awesome night trek/orienteering (Powerhiking...nuff said)
-Marinara Meatball sandwiches at midnight (check out that alliteration)
-NO CRAMPS! (I love you e-caps!)

Photos of our fun...