2008 Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race
Hike and Bike: Day 3
Frances Fisher / 26.06.2008
Things aren't always as they appear. As racers approached the Yellowstone River, the seemingly calm waters beckoned to them. Despite the fierce whitewater from yesterday, the racers desperately wanted to get off their feet, relax, and cool down in the 40 mile Travel Montana paddling segment. They would not get their wish. For though the Yellowstone appeared placid, under the swift current churned dangerous eddies and undertow. Thirty- and forty-foot trees floated downstream at over 10 mph. River officials shut down the river and requested that Primal Quest eliminate the paddling section due to dangerous conditions. Locals commented that these were very unusual and dangerous conditions, and that this is a very different Yellowstone River than what they are used to seeing. The 9th Street bridge in Livingston was on the verge of collapse from the increased flow.
The real danger laid underwater, though. With many sandbars and regular islands now submerged due to the flood, anyone who fell out of a kayak could easily get their feet tangled in branches or other debris, and with such a strong current, they would become trapped underwater. Race directors, after much consultation with experts, decided to cancel today’s Travel Montana Kayak segment.
What did this mean to the racers? A grueling day of hiking, biking, and not much else. The Sportraxx by Simpson mountain biking segment was extended to 107 miles. Teams took the news in stride, though many were visibly disappointed not to have the rest their legs had hoped for. With memories of Tuesday’s terrifying Gallatin River experience still fresh, few were overly eager to get into another dangerous river.
Today, teams began to make their way toward the famed Crazy Mountain segment, a trek that lives up to the range's whimsical moniker. Teams Nike, Merrell, PeakAdventure.com, DART-nuun, and Bones are in the range overnight and others are making their way toward the legendary hiking spot. Local lore has it that the range was named after a pioneer woman who avenged the death of her family at the hands of the native tribe by murdering every single member of that tribe. After her bloody rampage, she retired to the mountains where she roamed the rest of her days unbothered due to the belief that she was, in fact, crazy. Now keep in mind, racers in the Crazy Mountains have not slept much in the past three days and are subject to sleep-deprivation hallucinations. Perhaps they will stumble upon the mountain chain’s namesake in their bleary eyed wanderings.
Team Nike has decided to leave their snowshoes behind for the trek, even though they have been told they are mandatory equipment. A penalty will most likely be assessed and with the Crazies being full of snow (confirmed by the picture above), their decision may slow them down if they have to hack through 3-4 foot snow drifts.
Although the lead teams are expected to come out of the Crazies tomorrow morning, many of the following teams are finishing up the trek they started yesterday. They will soon learn that the paddle has been canceled and that they must bike a whopping 107 miles through their next checkpoints, followed by the toughest hike of the course.
After the Crazies, the leg burn-fest will continue with a 97 mile leg of the Sportraxx by Simpson MTB segment. The racers’ weary legs will have a hard time preparing for that endeavor after the 107 mile “monster bike.� Furthermore, Mother Nature has made a clear distinction between top teams and the “rest� (not that anyone ever rests in Adventure Racing!). While top teams were off the river before it swelled even more with snow meltoff, middle- and back-of-the-pack racers endured the roughest water conditions ever seen in a Primal Quest. Similarly, the front-runners went through the canyon-to-canyon MYTOPO.com trekking section early today – before the skies became foreboding and promised wet, nasty weather. Many are wondering if the lead teams will take the good weather off the Crazy Mountains as well, and leave more challenging conditions to the later teams. This may lead to even more team separation on the course.
Rumor has it that PQ directors still have a few tricks up their sleeves to keep racers on their toes. As to what that will be, it’s anyone’s guess for now.
Stay tuned for continued adventure…
SleepMonsters
