American Canyoneering Association instructor Rich Carlson and Pura Vida Adventures' 5 day Canyoneering Course.

Pura Vida Adventures is proud to announce that we will be offering an American Canyoneering Association Instructional Program hosted by Rich Carlson (founder of the American Canyoneering Association) Feb 1-5/2010. Spots are limited. More info available at below as well as at http://www.pvadventures.com/Canyoneering/index.html#canyoneering instruction.



Cost/ Dates/Location $495 a person, dates are Feb. 1st-4th 2010, Pura Vida Adventures Brevard, NC- airport transportation from Asheville Airport available for a small additional fee.

Prerequisite Knowledge Interested students should have experience and knowledge with rappelling, as well as be familiar with and know most basic climbing knots.

What to bring Particpants should bring carabiners, harness, and helmets, as well as other basic rope gear. This equipment can be provided if you do not have it.

Topics covered This program is a fast track course it will include material from American Canyoneering Association Technical Canyoneering, Advanced Canyoneering and Canyoneering Self-Rescue curriculums.
Instructor info Rich Carlson, founder American Canyoneering Assoc., Joe Moerschbaecher owner PVA first commercial company to offer canyoneering in the southeast
More info and booking info to find out more about this course or to book a spot email us at contact@pvadventures.com or call 772-579-0005.

Shuttle Service, Frequently asked questions, and water sources along the Art Loeb Trail

The 34 mile Art Loeb Trail is one of the most popular weekend backpacking trails in the Asheville area. The trail begins at Camp Daniel Boone and travels through the High Balsams of the Wilderness Area and drops into the forest covered lands along the last two thirds of the trip. Ending at Davidson River Campground at the southern end of the trail the Art Loeb has been described as the highlights of the Appalachain trail compressed into 34 miles. Some of the highlights along the trail include Shining Rock Ridge, Tennet Mountain, Black Balsam Mountain, Pilot Mountain, and the rock face of Cedar rock.







The most popular hike is from North to South because it provides a little less elevation gain and provides for easy alternative exits if the trail or weather makes it difficult for hikers. Many backpackers with only a weekend who find the 34 miles a bit daunting will either hike the northern section from Camp Daniel Boone to the Blue Ridge Parkway (approximately 14miles, shuttle cost $125) or the southern end the Blue Ridge Parkway to Davidson River Campground (approximately 20 miles, shuttle cost $80). It is important for backpackers hiking in the North Carolina area to understand their limits based on the elevation demands along the trip.

Below are some frequently asked questions regarding the Art Loeb Trail,

Where are water sources on trail?
Water source 1 (WS1) Just before deep gap 1 where the trail makes its southern bend on the ridgeline, (WS2)after passing black balsam there is a short spur from the art loeb that takes you to the black balsam parking area. from there head north on Ivestor Gap trail for about 200m and you will see a spring on your right, (WS3) Deep Gap Shelter, (WS4)Butter Gap Shelter. ALL THESE WATER SOURCES WILL BE IN OPPOSITE ORDER IF YOU ARE HIKING NORTH TO SOUTH.
2. Should we carry a water pump purification system (or just chemical tablets)?
This is completely up to you either will work fine.

3. What is a good source (web site, etc.) of weather information for the trail (as opposed to cities in the Valleys)? NOAA weather website at Mount Pisgah. Is there a rule of thumb as to how much cooler it is at 6,000 feet than in Brevard? Typically 20- 30 degrees.

4. Any recommended economy places to stay in Brevard or nearby? Sunset Motel in Brevard has the cheapest rates. Once you have booked with us we can provide you a code for a discount at the Holiday Inn Brevard another option is the Hampton Inn Brevard.

5. Where are the bailout points?
Gloucaster Gap, Butter Gap Trail to the fish hatchery, Cat Gap Trail to the fish Hatchery, North Slope Connector trail

6. Any other advice you can give us? Be sure to pay attention to your map and compass, specifically on the northern end until you leave the wilderness area as the trail is only vaguely marked in this area. Please note that campfires are not allowed within the wilderness area on the northern end of the trail.


Pura Vida Adventures offers Art Loeb Trail Shuttles, Guided day hikes of the Art Loeb trail, and multi day backpacking and slackpacking trips of the Art Loeb Trail. Please contact us at 772-579-0005 or contact@pvadventures.com

Canyoneering Western North Carolina's Wolf Creek and Bonas Defeat Gorge

The Wolf Creek and Bonas Defeat Gorges which flow into the East Fork of the Tuckaseege River are two of the steepest narrowest Gorges in the Western North Carolina area. The large boulders and narrow gorges make for some of the best canyoneering in the Western North Carolina mountains as well as the southeastern region.

The highlight of the wolf creek gorge is the 150 ft Wolf Creek Falls which creates the deepest part of the Wolf Creek gorge.

The most magnificent feature in the Bonas Defeat Gorge is also located in the deepest part of its Gorge where a rock face of 400ft protrudes out of the Creek bed. This rock face is what created the name for this gorge.

Legend has it that an old hunting dog, named Bonas, had been trained by its master to run game of the rock face causing the game to fall of the cliff deep into the gorge creating easy meat for the master. However, one day a smart buck caused the dog Bonas's death or defeat when he stepped away as the dog chased him causing Bonas to take the plunge that he had caused so many of his hunting prey to take prior to his own demise.

The Bonas Defeat and Wolf Creek Gorges are beautiful remote areas that consist of large boulders and narrow slots. This landscape creates an arena for grand adventure, but not without some risk.

Both Gorges lie down stream of a lake and spillway gates can open up and increase the water levels in either or both gorges at a quick rate. In addition the travel would becomes considerably more difficult in wet or rainy conditions when rock becomes wet and slick.

The final considerations for travel in this area is the difficulty of any type of rescue if evacution was required. During our travel through the gorge we tried to stick to the most straight forward and risk reducing form of travel however even with this philosophy our travel was not without risk. We decided to wear climbing helmets while in the canyon to minimize the risk of head injury in case of an unexpected slip or short fall.

Both the Bonas Defeat and Wolk Creek gorges are remote remarkable gems that offer incredible hiking and adventure opportunity but this adventure should not be taken lightly and should include well calculated planning.

Pura Vida Adventures Feb 2010 Expedition to Patagonia Argentina

Dates Janurary 30- Feb 8th 2010

(Dates can be customized in Feb for groups of three or more.)

Cost $3200 per person excludes airfare, exit tax of approx. $30, tips, alcohol and 5 meals.

Activities include: glacial mountaineering, backpacking, open water kayaking, camping, and trekking. (See Itinerary below)

Day 1:
Arrive to Bariloche Airport.
Transfer to Refugio del Lago
Dinner at La Marmite
Night at Refugio del Lago

Day 2:
Transfer to Pampa Linda. Hike up to Otto Meilling mountain hut. This is a five hour hike along the way we will see glaciers and waterfalls coming out of Glaciar Castaño Overa.
Night in the hut

Day 3:
Early wake up at 4am, prepare equipment and head out to Pico Argentino Refugio (approx 6-8 hours). This route will take you along glaciers on avarage 25 degrees slopes, with some steps of 40 degrees. Summit attempt of 12,000 plus ft. Pico Argentino (weather and time permitting), head back down to Otto Meiling mountain hut. Sleep in Otto Meiling Mountain Hut.

Day 4:
Glacier crossing of Glaciar Alerce, one of the glaciers that belongs to Mt Tronador.
Hike down to Paso de las Nubes heading Northeast, where we will see the Frias Valley and the Frias Valley Glaciars. All these glaciers stem from Mte Tronador.
We will put up our tents at the base of Mte Tronador where we are going to spend the night at 9,000ft. This area is called Selva Valdiviana which is comparable to a rain forest rain forest.
Night in tents

Day 5:
This day will include a short trek, hiking through the Frias Valley until the river runs into Frias Lake.
This area is like walking through a “jungle”, the vegetation is very thick and this area looks like a tropical rainforest.
The Frias River looks turquoise and brown, this color comes from the glacial sediments as it makes it way down the glacier. This water color is known as glacial milk.

We meet the kayaking guides at Puerto Blest, where we become familiarized with the kayaks and the rest of the group while we pack the boats. After a brief talk on kayaking safety and orientation, we are ready to begin our trip. A few minutes after leaving Puerto Blest, we are immersed in magical scenery, the Blest branch of Lake Nahuel Huapi is surrounded by Mount Capilla and Millaqueo, among others. We kayak part of the branch, and later stop for lunch by one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the area. In the afternoon, we continue paddling until reaching a beach resembling paradise, where we set up our camp.


Day 6:
In the morning, we prepare our kayaks for the trip along the Nahuel Huapi lake, paddling the lake surrounded by high snow-peaked mountains, such as Mount Capilla and López, both towering above 6000 feet. We will visit Centinela island, to see Perito Moreno`s tumb. We keep paddling towards Fossils Islands and Victoria Island, where we will set our second camp site.

Day 7:
We will paddle the south side of Victoria Island, doing a long crossing to Peninsula San Pedro, and getting into the Campanerio Branch of the lake.
We will finish our trip at Playa Serena. Where the van will take us to Refugio del Lago for a nice hot shower.
Dinner at el Boliche de Alberto.
Night at Refugio del lago

Day 8: Morning free
Transfer to the airport

Additional activities and expeditions can be added to this program at an additional charge.

Contact Joe Moerschbaecher at Pura Vida Adventures for more details

772-579-0005

contact@pvadventures.com

Pura Vida Adventures Featured in National Geographic Adventure

Pura Vida Adventures

Canyoneering Trips highlighted in the August/ September issue of National Geographic Adventure

From the Magazine:

"Utah no longer has a monopoly on canyoneering. Outfitter Pura Vida Adventures has imported the multisport art of descending a wet rocky gorge by foot, rope, and swim stroke to the lush wilds of the Blue Ridge Mountains." See full article on p36 of the 2009 August/ September issue.



Canyoneering
Pura Vida Adventures Canyoneering programs are a combination of climbing, rappeling, waterfalls, swimming holes, and rock climbing. If you want a true multi sport adventure this trip is for you.

Explore Canyoneering
This program is focused toward families, groups, and other who have experienced rock climbing and want a bit more adventure. It is also for any person or group looking for a unique adventure that combines climbing, rappeling, and water activities. Limit of six participants.
Length: 6 - 7 hours
Costs:
$185 / person$45 / additional people up to 6
Suggested Program for Youth and Families

Adventure Canyoneering
This is our full day canyoneering experience. Participants should be in good physical shape and consistently maintain a high level of fitness. This trip is 7-9 hours of climbing, rappeling, bouldering, and "full on adventure. Limit of four participants.
Length: Full day program (7 - 9 hours)
Costs:
$150 per person minnimum of 2ppl, maximum of 6ppl
Limit of 6 participants. Participation age is 15 and up.

To get more info or book a trip contact Pura Vida Adventures at contact@pvadventures.com or 772-579-0005 or visit http://www.pvadventures.com/Canyoneering/index.html

Pura Vida Adventures Whitewater Kayak Instruction highlighted in Asheville's Mountain Express

Outdoors: Trial by white water
A Green River paddling intensive
by Jonathan Poston in Vol. 15 / Iss. 48 on 06/24/2009
Whenever someone asks whether I've kayaked before, I always reply, “Of course,” with a certain bravado. But as soon as that weak lie in a lion's suit springs from my lips, I have to suppress some embarrassing memories of flipping my kayak in the French Broad River's gentle waters (and even in a few still pools that I won't ever mention). Read more at http://www.mountainx.com/outdoors/2007/062409trial_by_white_water/

River Safety: Carabiner use on Whitewater Rivers

I can remember the incident like it happened yesterday. Working as a trip leader on the Nolichucky River, the day began like any other. The water level was a moderate 1.5 ft. We had a large trip about 4-6 boats as it was the middle of the summer and vacationers were coming to the river in droves to be part of the best water year on the Nolichucky in over 20 years. Our trip went through the class III rapid Last Chance without incident, and did the same at the first Class IV On the Rocks. As we made our way down the river and entered the Class III hydraulic known as Jaws smiles could be seen on the faces of the rafters, as well as the guides. As I made my way through Jaws I eddied out to set safety in case anyone swam. What happened next was an incident that I believe will stick with me the rest of my life. As the next guide passed through Jaws he leaned back to pry toward river left to set himself up to run the correct line at Snappy’s, after completing the stroke he attempted to lean forward and resume his straight posture and found himself connected to the boat. The guide upon leaning back to do his pry had leaned into his non locking carabiner which was used to connect his throw rope to his D-ring. As I watched the guide helplessly flop around trying to unhook himself I quickly made my way over to assist him. When getting over there I quickly was able to assist in getting him unlocked from this situation. However the look on his face and mine was solemn for a moment in a day otherwise filled with laughter, smiles, and excitement.
Locking Carabiner
Although this situation was a minor incident and could be glanced over and forgotten in days it has stuck in my mind for the last five years. Was it the fact that the guide locked to the boat was my brother? , the terror I saw on his face when he could not free himself? , or looking at it from a “what if” standpoint? , which has left this incident so etched in my mind (I do not know). However, as an ACA swift water instructor I do retell this story to my participants when explaining why we teach that locking carabiners be used in whitewater. The facts are simple climbing standards require locking carabiners on all anchor points (unless non locking carabiners are opposite and opposing). In whitewater the idea of opposite and opposing carabiners simply will not work as we have an uncontrollable force (the whitewater) which can come in any direction.
Whitewater Instruction Course


Whitewater professionals should be setting the model for this practice and although the ACA teaches these standards in their courses I believe a better job can be done of letting whitewater enthusiasts know the dangers of having non locking carabiners or “unlocked” locking carabiners exposed to whitewater.

I can not count the number of rafting guides I have seen from various companies throughout the years decked out with non locking carabiner hanging from the shoulder straps or sides of their PFD’s, or how often I have seen guides use non locking carabiners to clip gear or a throw rope to their raft. I encourage readers of this article to educate others of the additional risk of having exposed non locking carabiners on the river. It does not just create an unnecessary hazard for the paddler with the non locking carabiners, but also those paddling with him or her.

If paddlers decide to use a non locking carabiner it should be kept in the zipper pockets of the PFD or in other places unexposed to whitewater, such as inside a sealed dry bag. .
Demonstartion on how to set up a Z Drag for releasing a pinned boat
The river already poses enough hazards for boaters let us work together to eliminate one additional hazard through education. Our efforts will help us avoid reading a story that ends the following way:

The raft turned over and as the raft continued its way down the rapid the crew began to swim to other boats and eddies. However, one paddler was not able to get out from under the boat; he and the raft floated down stream with the paddler unable to get free from the raft. Once the rest of the paddlers got to the raft minutes later the paddler was no where to be seen upon retrieving the raft the group found that the paddler’s unresponsive body was still attached to the raft by a non locking carabiner.
Kayaking Pinball Rapid on the Upper Green River

Joe Moerschbaecher is an Amercan Canoe Association swift water rescue instructor. In addition to his swift water rescue courses he also does kayaking instruction and guided paddling trips through his company Pura Vida Adventures. To find out more about the programs offered by Pura Vida Adventures call 772-579-0005 or visit www.pvadventures.com

April Adventure Racing Camp provides fun, excitement, and challenge for all

Pura Vida Adventures hosted its first three day adventure racing camp of 2009 this past weekend on April 17-19. Over the three day camp participants learned how to read and paddle whitewater in inflatable kayaks, basic river rescue skills, proper rappel technique, rope assisted climbing , land navigation, utm plotting, and map reading.

Team Tantric at the river

Participants in this camp ranged from age 39- 72 and brought everything from intermediate adventure racing experience to no experience at all. In addition to the skills taught above classroom sessions talked about team dynamics in adventure racing, essential gear, types of races and what to eat. The camp participants were also offered technical gear advice, and advantages and disadvantages of different water treatment options, headlamps, electrolyte replacement, and knives from gear guru and owner of Looking Glass Outfitters, Phil Hoffman.

Team Tantric negotiating the rapids

Day one of the camp focused on whitewater including classroom sessions on what to wear and water reading technique, as well as, learning river rescue skills in a land based environment. The afternoon course work on the river was the highlight of the day as participants had the opportunity to practice the skills they learned in the classroom first by negotiating the class II rapids of the lower Green River, and secondly by having the opportunity to practice river rescue skills such as rope throwing rescues and whitewater swimming. The day ended with a discussion of the types of adventure races and gear demands for various races, including the ten gear essentials of adventure racing.

Stan Grochowski river swimming in the whitewater swimmers position

Reb McCown rappelling

While day one had found participants swimming in whitewater day two first saw participants suspended on a rope in mid air as they learned appropriate rappel and rope assisted climbing techniques. The afternoon was spent in the classroom learning how to use a map and compass. These classroom techniques were then applied and improved later that day as participants split up into two teams and navigated their way through a orienteering course, whose points they had plotted while learning UTM gridding. Day two would prepare the teams well for their five hour adventure race on Day 3.


Sinead Ingersol navigating in the backcountry

Sunday morning began with an opportunity for participants to share their experiences from Sat evenings land navigation course, as well as ask any additional questions they had about navigating. After a short break to prepare for the race the two teams Chaos http://www.teamchaosar.com/ and Tantric were given there maps and passports and given an opportunity to review the race course. After some final directions from the race director. The two teams headed to the start of the race.

Team Chaos at checkpoint 4 of the bike leg

The race was a rogaine style event with a maximum five hour time limit. For every 5 minutes late after 5 hours teams would lose credit for one points. Positioning would be determined fist by most points reached after penalty time followed by the total time on the course in case of a tie for points earned. The course comprised both trail navigation as well as off trail navigating and consisted of 4 foot points and 5 bike points. The teams were off after a split start where Chaos began on foot and Tantric began on bike.

Four hours and fifty minutes later the rookie master's team Tantric crossed the finish line after grabbing 4 out of 5 bike points and 2 out of 4 foot points. Finishing the course not only in under the allowed for time but showing that they had learned quite a bit of land navigation by grabbing one of the two off trail navigation points.

Team Tantric finishing the race

Team Chaos finished in a time five minutes faster and nearly cleared the course missing just one bike point to ensure they made it back to the start in the allowed time.

After the race the two teams shared their experiences and a graduation ceremony was held for all adventure racing camp participants.

Rich Ingersol of Team Chaos http://www.teamchaosar.com/ summed up the adventure racing camp with these simple words "thanks for a great weekend...definitely had a good time and learned a lot."

Pura Vida Adventures has additional three day racing camps scheduled for May 29-31 and June 25-29th. In addition interested participants can schedule their own camp date if they have three or more people and can choose to come for one or two skills specific days for any camp. Inaddition to the three day camps, Pura Vida Adventures offers five day comprehensive camps in the Spring and Fall. Please call 772-579-0005 or email contact@pvadventures.com for further detail.

Transylvania County North Carolina and Surrounding Area offer Rock Climbing Opportunities for All

From beginner to expert, from bouldering to multi pitch leads Transylvania County and the area surrounding Asheville has climbing opportunities that will provide challenge and adventure for participants of all ability level. Although this area of North Carolina is dominated by traditional rock climbing; there are opportunities for mixed and sport routes, which can be difficult to find without getting some information from local climbers.

For those novice and intermediate climbers looking to improve their skills you need to look no further than Cedar Rock, the Sunwall, and South Face of Looking Glass. These areas offer opportunities for top rope climbing as well as moderate lead routes with good protection. The “super classic” Nose route at the Sunwall is a must do for any climber who is competent and comfortable on a traditional four pitch lead of class 5.8 climbing.

Those climbers who are looking to stay close to the ground will find bouldering opportunities around the north and south face of Looking Glass.
For those looking for a guided rock climbing experience Pura Vida Adventures, offers guided rock climbing trips for beginners and instructional courses for those interested in learning more.
Additional information on climbing in the area can be found in “The Climber’s Guide to North Carolina” written by Thomas Kelly. Regardless of your ability level be safe, use good judgment on the rock, and know your limitations.

Joe Moerschbaecher is the owner of Pura Vida Adventures and works as an adjunct faculty member in Brevard College’s Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education Program. He can be reached at contact@pvadventures.com.

Step by Step Explanation on performing a self rescue in Open Water

The technique described below is for performing a self rescue with a paddle float and bilge pump in open water.

The information here is not a substitute for instruction from a competent professional, but is rather a guide to use when practicing this skill. It is recommend that you practice this skill first in a controlled environment such as a pool and master it there, prior to practicing it on open water. The self rescue technique needs to practiced often to keep proficiency once it is mastered.

Equipment needed:

sea kayak

pfd

spray skirt

paddle float

paddle

bilge pump

Self rescue ocean/sea kayak

1) Perform proper wet exit
-----Grab the grab loop and pull
-----Push boat off like a pair of pants
2) Hold kayak and paddle on water surface
3) Flip kayak right side up
4) Grab paddle float place fully on paddle blade
5) Inflate paddle float
6) Insert other end of paddle under bungee and deck line (2/3 of paddle in bungees)
7) Climb onto kayak with stomach on stern deck, using one leg on paddle shaft for assistance. Note weight should always be leaning toward paddle float
8) Place both feet in cockpit, maintain a low center of gravity
9) Rotate body into proper sitting position rotating toward paddle float
10) Bilge water out of cockpit
11) Put sprayskirt back on
12) Remove paddle from under bungee cord and breakdown paddle float
13) Secure bilge pump and paddle float and continue paddling

Pura Vida Adventures offers instruction in this skill, as well as other skills used in sea and ocean kayaking, including navigation, chart and tide reading, eskimo roll, ocean entry and exit, expedition planning and logistics.

In addition to our open water kayaking courses we also offfer whitewater kayaking instruction courses.

Please contact us if interested in learning more about our services. contact@pvadventures.com 772-579-0005

Day 2 Biking into the Atlas Mountains

After a good nights sleep we were ready to begin the second day of adventure racing. Day 2 found us starting on our bikes with a 27 km bike on old dirt roads. The race start found us in the race pack battling the rolling hills that would lead to a long climb into the Atlas Mountains. After the first 15km the terrain took a sudden change that found us on the long hill climb into the mountains. This climb provided stunning views of the Atlas mountains and at the top we were rewarded with gogeous views of the canyon below. The road continued to parrallel the canyon until we hit the TA for the climb section.

Unlike many adventure races in the US the time stopped once you got to the climbing section. You were able to relax for a moment and enjoy the scenery that surrounded you before making your way down into the gorge and up the opposite side to complete a magnificent tyrolean traverse across the canyon which had created a stunning view throughout the entire climb on the bike. Pleased with our positioning through the bike leg we savoured the view of the magnificent land around us and enjoyed the ropes section across the canyon.

After completeing the ropes we were back on our bikes for another 24 miles of mountain riding through the Atlas Mountains. During this section of riding the temperature increased and the heat became a bit of an issue for the first time in the race. With about 6 km to go on the 24km second ride we were pleased to see that the rode got better making for easier and faster riding. After completing this second ride and increasing our position we got to the TA for another orienteering course. This course would prove to be longer with a max time of 1hour and 45 minutes and the same rules as the first days O course.

We began the course smoothly with a higher quality map which made the navigation a bit easier. We cleared a first point and then began a long hike up a mountain to a second point. After making the hump to the top and grabbing the second point we traversed the ridgeline to a third point which butted out on a pencil thin scree ridge. Grabbing the third point and feeling good about our navigation we felt we could get to more points prior to returning to the TA which would end the day of racing. Navigating our way down to point three the clue sheet said that the point was at the intersection of the trail and a creek. The placement on the map however seemed more on a finger above the creek. We navigated are way over th finger but did not see the point, so assumed it would be in the creek. However, when we got to the creek there was no bag. After wasting some time looking for the bag we decided that it was best to move on to the finish. The last point we were going to go for was worth only 15minutes and decided it was better to save our legs and gain the 15 minutes by finishing the course a bit early. We finished the day strong gaining 17 minutes by coming in early but a bit of frustration was still felt by the fact that we missed the last point we attempted.

That evening we were put up at the local school house provided another delicious meal and once again had an opportunity to learn about the local Moroccan culture as live traditional music was played in the camp. Talking with Team Breathe Canada we learned that the point we were looking for was actually located inside a hut that we distinctly remeber passing along the finger. Talking with the course designer over dinner he explained that the clue sheet that was translated for us was actually an older version and the clue was incorrect. He apologize for the mistake but we could not stay upset still pleased with our days performance and enjoying what the race had to offer through the first two days.

Race Days 1: Adventure Racing from the desert into the Mountains

Day 1

The first short leg of the course went by inconsequently as we made our way out of town, first by foot and then by ride and tie. This first leg was actually simply a prologue to the long day of racing ahead. Upon reaching the first TA teams split. We and another 19 teams headed out on a foot orienteering section, while the rest of the field started with a paddling orienteering section on a lake. We recieved that map at the TA and upon receiving the map the clock started. It was simple an hour and 15 minutes to grab as many points as possible 5 minute penalty for each minute late after 1hr 15min. Point value varied from 15 minutes to 40 minutes. There was for us however one catch. The map had no visible topographic lines. It did have shaded areas to assist with elevation change but these were an inferior tool to the contour lines that we can expect on all maps when racing in the States. I later came to find out that the land had very limited mapping and the maps we used were old Moroccan military maps.

Throwing us for a curve we spent about a half hour stumbling around before we began to figure out the maps and grabbed our first bag. Unfortunately the map, continued to add aditional challenges for us as we ended up only grabbing 2 more bags before we had to head back to try and beat the1 hr 15 minute cut off. We came in about a minute late and Julia and I both shared a bit of dissappointment with our performance on the foot o section.

Instead of getting down we took out our frustration out on the paddle. The map for the paddle was actually a satellite map from Google earth. The race organization told us that the rise in lake levels over the past few years had left other maps for paddling the lake useless. The satellite map was adequate for us as we we steam rolled the paddling portion completing the entire course and returning to the TA with ten minutes to spare.

Regaining some confidence from the paddle we headed out on the 38 km bike through the desert double track. The navigation on this portion was challenging but we performed well as teams flipped flopped positions throughout the entire ride. The riding was primarily double track trails which reminded me of some Utah riding. The scenery was primarily barren desert with a few rolling plateaus along the way. Toward the end we had a long climb up to an old historic ruin where we began another short memory based (picture orienteering section through the ruins).

This was one of many of the examples of how the race organization intertwined Morrocan culture into the race. Dodging normal tourist and gaining assistance from local people we made fairly short work of this section while still taking time to take in the historic sites.

A short 10 km bike section was all that lay between us and the end of day one. This last 10 km ride left some good route choices and are decision to navigate through some areas of flood plain and agriculture fields seemed to assist in allowing us to move in front of a couple teams.

The most frustrating part of the day came at the last point prior to the end of day 1. Located about 10 minutes from the camp we searched the bridge for the point that was located there. After looking high and low along the bridge we did not find the bridge. Assuming it had been stolen and watching teams continue on we decided to move on to the finish. At the finish we found out that the point was actually spray painted on the bridge and not knowing this we were not given credit for the point. The 30 minute penalty we recieved was a frustrating way to end the day. It was lost in translation during briefing that if no bag was seen at the point you were to look for the symbol in spray paint.

Day 1 was now behind us and we set camp and enjoyed the comradere of the race as we ate dinner under a traditional Moroccan dining tent and rested up and prepared for the second day of racing.