Explore Sweden

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TA4 the crossroads of Day 3

Susan McKenzie / 16.05.2005

Montrail’s Martin Drexler pulls a misshapen green canvas hat out of his gearbox and attempts to beat it into shape.

“It’s pretty frozen,� he says, his fist pushing into the holes cut out of the top. “Like everything else, I guess.�

Montrail and Lundhags have arrived at TA4 from the bike/run section almost simultaneously, Lundhags bringing up the rear.

“We were racing with them a bit on that section,� says Drexler. “I don’t really like racing alongside another team, because they can sometimes through you off your plan. They shouldn’t, but sometimes you can end up second-guessing, wondering what they are doing. You need to keep your own pace.�

Montrail is ready to head into the orienteering section, packs on their backs, bananas stuffed down the sides, when race director Mikael Nordstrom approaches them.

“It is very cold from here to the next CP,� he says. “You might want to carry a little bit more in your pack just in case.�

“Oh, poopy pants,� says Rebecca Rusch, glancing down at the open skin between her socks and her tights before a quick rummage through her gear results in no more clothes. “I don’t have anything else. I guess we’ll have to be cold.�

“What else is new,� says Tim Derrick.

“Why is it always so cold in Sweden?� Rusch asks Nordstrom.

There is no reply.

Teams visit this transition area no fewer than three times over the course of the race. Kolgardens camping is a fishing camp on the shores of the Volg lake, complete with sauna, toilets and hot showers. It is a crossroads of this race, and this morning sees every team on the course come into and out of it. See All Event Posts