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NGAR Report
By Mike Bobroski
Captain, Team Relentless
www.teamrelentless.org
Eighty-three,
3- and 2-person male, female and coed teams met in Suches, GA to
compete in the North Georgia 30 Hr Adventure Race. At the 5:00 AM
Saturday morning race start, the temperature was 4 degrees, with
wind chill –5 to –10. While waiting at the school for the
start, we knew that it was not going to be as much fun as first thought
and would likely rank as one of our toughest challenges ever.
The first leg was the bike and it was one of the most brutal 60+ miles of biking
we have ever done. Many hills and mountain roads, 4-6 inches of snow, ice and
negative wind chills turned the bike ride into a painful and uncomfortable event.
To make matters worse, I once went over the handlebars and ended face first in
the snow. That was cold, especially since it was still single digits when it
happened. We started the bike leg in the top 20. Unfortunately, in the dark,
we missed a turn to the first checkpoint (CP) and went an hour out of our way.
This mistake cost us quite a few positions. After checkpoint 1, Lisa's knees
went out, so the miles to CP2 were slow going. Lisa our female teammate unfortunately
had to quit there, but Paul and I were able to continue the race unofficially,
meaning we could not compete for the prizes and money. The bike leg took us 12
hours to finish and we were in 25th when we got to Transition Area (TA) 1.
Once in the TA, it appeared that we were going to retire there. Most top teams
spent only 30 – 45 minutes at TA 1, but we spent a pitiful 2 hours and 10
minutes. It was difficult to leave the warmth and safety of the TA for the frigid
cold and isolation of the mountains. Somehow, we were motivated and headed out
on the trek/run at 8:38 PM. By midnight, the temperature had dropped to 10 degrees
with wind chill again below zero. We located the first two CPs but finally lost
our nerve heading for CP13. A battery of negatives happened all at once, never
had we had that many events happen at near the same time; I think the good Lord
was trying to tell us something.
We were making our way to CP13 (3rd CP of the hike), still physically in good
shape, a little fatigued given it was 2:30AM Sunday morning and we had been doing
this for 22 hrs straight. Given the time and the constant wind chills ranging
from -10 to +10 for the entire race, we surprisingly felt physically and mentally
able to head up the mountain, especially given that we are Floridians. Before
starting our climb to the summit of Rhodes Mountain, we had to stop and fix Paul’s
pack. After fifteen minutes in the wind and driving snow, we chilled to the bone.
It was 2:30AM and the temperature was eight degrees. The only way to maintain
core warmth was to always keep moving. As long as we were moving, we were fine,
but if we stopped for even a moment, a hard chill set in and shivering commenced.
After fixing the pack, we headed up the mountain, shivering but knowing we would
warm quickly.
On the way to the summit, we passed five teams coming back down, each saying
that it was near impossible and too risky. We knew that once at the top, we had
to continue over the backside and bushwhack, i.e., no trail, for more than a
mile in the dark to get to the next CP. Finally, the last man coming down the
mountain, said that he wasn't willing to risk it, because, "once you go
over the back side of the mountain, there was no turning back and you'd be on
your own. So you better be sure once you leave the top of the mountain." That
put a scare in us. We had already made a mistake in plotting the previous CP
on the map and would never have found it had it not been for another team's help.
So given the fact that we did not have confidence in the CP location and knowing
we had to bushwhack to it, there was a reasonable possibility that we could get
lost. It was below zero, so it was impossible to rest, even if we needed it,
and nearly impossible to stop and look at the map. We were also a little light
on food supplies and we estimated that we had five more hours in the field.
Finally,
with so many teams unwilling to risk the trek, we lost our nerve. All I thought
of was the two of us lost and huddled in the middle of the mountains freezing
to death. Unfortunately, I could not shake the thought. Paul had similar thoughts.
Had we made it to CP13, we still had 10+ miles to get to the next TA without
manned checkpoints. This meant that if we got into trouble, the only way to quickly
get to us was via helicopter. We were also told that some of the emergency radios,
that all the teams had to carry, were not operating due to the extreme cold.
The bottom line was, we were scared to go over the backside of the mountain.
This was a new experience for me. I never thought my brain would get in the way,
especially when, per my mom, I was born without a brain; the explanation given
by her for my participation in extreme sports.
When the race was complete, only eight of the 83 teams completed the entire course.
We finished 36th and officially made CP12. Although getting that far was a challenge
that less than half the field of 83 teams accomplished, it did not make us feel
better about our decision to quit. It was a first for each of us, to quit when
we were both mentally and physically able to continue. We began our climb up
the mountain without even a thought to quit. We were cold, a little fatigued,
definitely not having fun at that moment, but still OK. In our weakened states,
we allowed others to plant a seed that festered in our heads until we finally
quit. We started the race with the cockiness and confidence of super humans and
ended the race mere mortals. It is quite a somber feeling when you have given
in for the first time. The toughest part of the race was not the cold but taking
the easy way out and not living up to our team name, Team Relentless. Paul and
I have vowed to never let that happen again.
Of final note, we want to thank Scott and Pam Baldwin and DJ on the tremendous
support they provided us during the race. We would never have gotten as far as
we did nor arrive back home safely had it not been for their hard work. As the
support team, they had a tough job, maybe tougher than ours. They were responsible
to drive from TA to TA on icy snow covered logging roads, pack up the u-haul
trailer, unpack and set up the TAs for us, then wait in the frigid temps for
us to show up. When Paul and I came to TA1 after 12 hours out in the field, hot
drinks and food was available. Although, I think they made it too comfortable
because Paul and I ended up spending 2+ hours there. We especially want to commend
and thank Scott and Pam for sticking with Paul and I right to the end. With no
sleep, Scott and Pam had to pick up the transition area and come to our rescue
at Sheena Gap when Paul and I threw in the towel. When we finally got to the
school for official checkout, it was 5:00 AM. So, it wasn't a vacation for either
of them given the below zero wind chills and sleepless night.
We are now preparing for our next race, the Gulf Coast Conquest, a 36 hr adventure
race in Sanford, FL in March. For this race, Paul and I will continue as teammates
but we will have two new members, Scott, previously of our support crew, and
a girl to be announced by 1 February. Following that race, our team will travel
to Ormond Beach, FL for the Florida Coast to Coast, a 200+ mile race across Florida,
expected to take 2-3 days to complete.
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