Independent Networks Adrenalin Rush
Storm Clouds and Sunshine
Rob / 27.05.2003
Tuesday morning brought clear skies and bright sunshine, suddenly it was time to put on the sunscreen, but it had been a different story during the night. In the earlier part of the night the weather was still bad and only the first 8 teams were allowed to continue from the jumar site onto the ridge of Liathach. Among them was CAN-IT-UK (Summerleaze) who had a torrid time in Torridon. “We were sliding around on wet paths where a slip could have been your last,� said Dave Hooper, “It was awful up there in the dark. A nightmare.� They were lost for a long time, and not just in the darkness, for much of the next morning too, when the weather was good. So much so Sheri Foster came back down badly sunburnt. They did all come back down to PC15, the Red Bull Transition point, safely though.
Ironically, as they were leaving The Big Fish were also preparing to set out and Shannon Roberts was complaining they’d not been allowed to do the ridge walk. By early morning the weather had changed rapidly from difficult to perfect conditions but once the decision had been made to cut the ridge walk there was no going back on it. So it was hard on the teams arriving later to find fantastic conditions and be told the mountain trek had been curtailed.
Instead they had the long hard climb up the jumar, then had to abseil down and go back down the mountain the same way they’d come up, which is difficult descent on tired legs. Then they had to walk along the road to PC15, where throughout the night and much of Tuesday teams put their tents up, cooked food and slept.
As the Big Fish were preparing to leave Gillian Murray, the marshal on duty brought round the local school to show them what was going on. There are only 6 children in the local primary school here and they were enjoying seeing the racers from around the world and hearing all about Adrenalin Rush.
The two Irish teams Nufarm U4EA and BCBC were both in camp in the morning, enjoying the sunshine. There was even enough breeze to keep any midges off. They were in good spirits and both planned to eat then have a long sleep through much of the day before going on. Clive Coffey was impressed with the course, “It’s very, very hard, but it all out in the wilds which is fantastic. Helen Cassidy of BCBC said, “We are OK fitness wise, but it’s just a matter of keeping going.� See All Event Posts
