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A Quest in the North West

Rob / 17.09.2004

The third Subaru Primal Quest is about to get underway, and ‘Earth’s Richest Adventure’ has gone west, into a climate and terrain quite different from the first two races in Colorado and California. This year’s race will be in the Pacific North-West, close to the Canadian border, and it won’t be heatstroke and blisters worrying the teams, more likely foot rot or the effect of damp conditions on their energy and morale.

They’ll have been studying the maps, looking at the options for the course, which will only be revealed at the last moment. After the meeting point was announced as Anacortes, North of Seattle, the options may have narrowed a little, but in a race covering 400 miles over 5 to 10 days course planner Dan Barger has almost unlimited scope.

To the East are the extreme heights and Glaciers of the Cascade Range and on the coast are the islands sheltered by Vancouver Island. Nearby is the Olympic National Park – will the Gods of Adventure Racing get to climb Mount Olympus?

The Park Service’s description gives a good idea of the nature of the terrain along this coast. “Glacier capped mountains, wild Pacific coast and magnificent stands of old-growth forests, including temperate rain forests - at Olympic National Park, you can find all three. About 95% of the park is designated wilderness ...�

Once the teams met up in Anacortes, they moved off in convoy to be ferried to race HQ on Orcas Island, so another piece of the puzzle was revealed, and they’ll be wondering how much sea kayaking is to come. And if they’ll see any Whales ... and how close up?

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