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Equinox in Baja

Barrie Adsett / 10.08.2006

How long does it take to kayak about 20 kilometers in the ocean, then trek up a 16 km canyon over boulders, swimming through the creek at places, then pick up a horse as your fourth teammate and while two of the human team members walked one got to ride another 16 km, then leave the horse, mount bikes and ride on washboard roads for 36 km before doing a 4 km hike-a-bike up a canyon and along ridges (which took 90 minutes), then ride about 22 km (when 12 Km would have been the preferred route), then trek about 8 km with a huge 65 meter rappel (that’s over 200 feet) and 50 meter pull-line swim at the bottom of the rappel, topped off by a 35 kilometer bike ride to the finish line?

It took Team Equinox – Kristine Gillis, Devlin Rambo and Barrie Adsett – 22 hours and 38 minutes. We think we meandered about 157 kilometers or almost 100 miles. Had we not taken a few wrong turns (only 2 really), and had to double back for missing a checkpoint, we probably would have finished some 3 hours earlier and shortcut about 30 km. But part of an Adventure Race is the ADVENTURE, and Baja Xtreme always guarantees adventure.

Our regular comrade, Steve Moore, was crew for this race as his knee was giving problems, so for substitution we twisted Devlin’s arm and he joined us. Devlin became the workhorse towing me on the bike and carrying extra stuff for Kristine and myself. But I think Devlin enjoyed himself and we thank him for joining a slower team than he is used to.

We completed our goal, which was to finish this race, something which has alluded us the past couple of years. Plus, along the way we accomplished a few good things like being first in the kayak, not bonking and not having to sleep during the race.

Fast Start

This year’s Baja 24 was a loop course from Baja Seasons Resort about 80 Km south of the US/Mexico border. The race went north on the ocean then inland via canyons and farmland all the way to the Baja Wine Country, before turning south then west and returning to the coast.

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