Curwendurance, Curwen, Jay Curwen, James Curwen, Chilton Curwen, Monica Curwen, Gibson Curwen

New blog!

2010-01-26T14:42:00.001-08:00

Hit www.jaycurwen.com for the new skinny...

Spring is here...No time to train though...

2009-04-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

Warm weather means workouts beckon...But, with both kids and a new job to get on top of...consistent workouts take a back seat...

Hikes w/ the boys...and the occasional hard day will have to suffice for a while!...

They sure are growing fast though!

Getting excited for Christmas

2008-12-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

The kids are virtually vibrating with excitement...

Chilly has calculated the seconds...and is reciting a continual countdown...

And Gibby is obsessed with the ornaments..."Ball! Ball!"...is the constant cry as he toddles precariously near the tree...

This can only end badly at some point...

Long time - no post...

2008-12-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

Jay's Page

Monica's Page

We have pretty much become Facebook drones now...You will find far more current postings there...Also, check out a new endeavor for Jay www.curwendurance.com

Camping - Just the boyz...

2008-08-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

Backpacking in Shining Rock.

A year makes a heck of a difference! Chilly & I headed into Shining Rock a few weeks back and he managed the whole loop around Flat Laurel Creek (including a push up on top of Sam's Knob!) all by himself...with a small pack.

He's growing up too fast!

Sure is a cute little bugger in the hammock though!

Tough getting old!...

2008-08-04T14:25:00.001-07:00

Whew! Fun local races aren't supposed to be so hard! Last year at this race, I was recovering from viral meningitis...and really struggled. This year, I have been able to cobble together a bit of training between finding my legs in a new job and spending as much time as possible with my family...but real fitness is still a ways away...

When the choice is a hard workout after work, or reading a story with your 6-year-old before bed...guess which comes first 4 out of 5 nights?

After a fairly easy win a couple of weeks ago at the inaugural Asheville Triathlon, this more competitive race went as well as could be expected...and became a great dual between myself and another masters racer...He stuck to my feet for most of the first swim...then we traded places a couple of dozen times on the bike...on the run, I thought I had him put away a couple of times...but, he put one final surge in with a mile to go and opened up enough daylight to take the master's win. Great racing! And, it turns out that he is the brother of the guy who first won this race and was tragically killed a year later. If you're going to get beat, that's the guy to get beat by...

2008 Blue Ridge Adventure Race

2008-04-20T05:08:00.001-07:00

We got a look at what may be the format for the 2008 USARA Nationals race, this past weekend. Lots of variables and many logistical choices. The following is our strategy...To put it in context, check the other reviews and descriptions at www.trailblazerar.com

The format allowed teams to split up to retreive CPs in any order they wished...Choosing any mode of transportation required by your route choice...

"We biked instead of paddled...After 3, I ran for 7,6,5 and 4, while Michelle and Chris got our bikes ready...Then we all rode to 9 (getting 8 on the way) where I dropped the bike and ran for 10 and 11 while they rode my bike back around...They also took everything except my pfd across the lake while I was running...so, unfortunately, I had to run for 12 as well...oops...A quick swim across the lake and I re-joined them at the boat to ride to 14 and 15. We took the Green Mtn. trails...Chris descended fast and got 14...we plotted 16 and he bushed out to it quickly...Then we rode to the marina for 15...We got off the bikes in 3rd...and were promptly run down by CP02...We limped our way in for 4th...Hard day. "

Results - Top 5 of 80 teams
1st - Snickers
2. CP0
3. CP02
4. Black Dome
5. Taint so Bad

Folly Beach 2008

2008-04-08T04:57:00.001-07:00

Plenty of sand, surf and seafood...Chilly discovered he doesn't care for clams...leaving more for dad...and Gibby will be pooping sand for a month...

The Prom

2008-03-17T10:59:00.001-07:00

So bad...in so many ways...

The Asheville Prom...70's edition...Was swank indeed.

Much debauchery was had...but all proceeds went to a good cause...The Buncombe County Medical Society Foundation Project Access.

Click the pic for more embarrassing pictures of Ashevillians you might know...

The old man takes a soggy day...

2008-03-17T01:08:00.000-07:00

After the fast guy that should have won went the wrong way, I managed to hold off Mark Ledyard for an awfully slow win (38:05)...but, a win none-the-less!

Results at the Citizen Times

Update on the fam...

2008-03-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

Birthday party for a friend of Chilly's today - Wyatt Brown (WyWy)...All morning at Fun Depot...A huge dose of middle American consumerism ...ugh!

But, we got this cool pic...the first one of all 4 of us together!

Here are a few other pics and a short video...It's amazing how fast they are growing and changing...

CP0 2008 - Brutal!

2008-03-11T07:35:00.001-07:00

What a brutal race! Every leg was a new level of suffering...

Snow, wind, cold, distance, mechanicals...this thing had it all...

Here is the race report from Black Dome this past weekend...We put 2 teams into the top 10 of the most competitive race in the East...

Here is the Dome's race report from www.trailblazerar.com

Getting ready for the mass start of 77 teams, we were hoping for a long prologue to break everyone up before a mass boat start in the snow...No such luck...in the end, the start was fine and we paddled away in 3rd...Enduraventure, EMS, ABC and us started to pull a little ahead, trading places a few times but staying together...We bitched hard at the take out about having to get out of the boat and get wet that early...But, in view of the rest of the course, that was nothing. We TA'd and took off on the bike with ABC in 4th...

We started up Addis Gap and caught EMS to make it a group of 6 in 2nd, 3rd and 4th going up the climb...Eventually getting CP2 and getting to the bike whack, we rolled up on Endura and EMS & finished out the bike leg with them...1st through 3rd were just minutes apart...and we were stoked to see the other Black Dome team right there as well...

The Paddle. What can I say? Epic. Brutal. Horrible. Dangerous. Debilitating. Demoralizing. Those are all pretty good words...but still don't quite get it. When you look at your neoprene gloved hands and there are icicles growing down off the fingers...that sucks. When you paddle as hard as you can and look at the boat house to your right to see that you are going backwards in 40 mph winds? That sucks worse. We started the boat in 3rd and finished in 3rd...but lost about 25 minutes to EMS and Enduraventure...

Coming out of the boat, we were trashed...shivering, hungry and beat down...we got in the warm car and TA'd as efficiently as possible...but it was still 30 minutes before we headed out on the bike...Black Dome/Sport Factory passed us here...but we rolled back on them in the first few miles of the bike...we made a quick mistake and they put a few minutes on us on the way to 8...but we rolled into 8 in 4th...and flatted right at Paul's CP...actually, the perfect place to flat as there was a nice big fire there.

We took off for CP9 with ATAC in 4th & 5th and here was where the wheels really came off...From 9, we chose the trail up and mistook the big shoulder we came to for the saddle we were looking for...and bushed right over it and down into the wrong drainage...judging from all the headlamps we saw, several folks did this...Then for some inexplicable reason, we bushed back up to what we thought was a high point that would take us over and into CP10...and proceeded to get sucked back down into the same damned drainage...so up we went again...and finally went over in the right spot to get 10 and ride out...But, these extra bushwhacks took almost 4 hours and untold energy out of us...When it came time to go up to Turkey Gap for 11...we took a look at our beat up bikes that didn't shift at all anymore...and quickly ditched it in favor of getting trying for more trek points.

Getting back to the TA, we were in pretty good shape...albeit a little cold and bummed about losing so much time and dropping a point...but, the other Black Dome team was there and still full course...we were stoked to try and give them as much help as we could...Off we went for 13...ATAC and Black Dome1 were looking for 13 as well, so we all ended up together and knocked it out fairly quickly...Then started the bush to the road up to Addis Gap...We lost ATAC at this point and would learn later that they had lost their passport somewhere near here...Now Black Dome1 and Black Dome2 were trekking together and making good time to 14...Consulting there, we were trying to decide if there was enough time for 15, 16 and 17 to the south...then we learned that Endura had dropped and Black Dome1 was now going for 2nd...I was sure we could at least get those 3 before calling it a day. We eventually voted to head up to 15...These 3 points were much easier than anticipated...and 3 hours later we were seeing Jon Barker at 17...Here, we had to make a call...Black Dome1 decided to go in from there and drop 18 and 19...giving them all but 2 points and a likely 2nd...We could go in now and take our chances or try for the bush to 18 to tie anyone behind that was still on the full course...the trick was, we would still have to beat them to the line...and we weren't at all sure that could be done. In the end we chose to head in and hope...I still think we could've gotten 18...but it likely would not have changed our finish place much...

Results as it looked to us:
1. EMS full course (wow)
2. Black Dome / Sport Factory (dropped 2 points)
3. Wedali (dropped 2 points)
4. Pura Vida (dropped 2 points)
5. Active Learning (dropped 2 points)
6. EMS masters (dropped 3 points)
7. Black Dome (dropped 3 points)

* ATAC apparently continued on after losing their passport and absolutely heroically cleaned the rest of the points to get to the finish just before 3pm...an amazing feat.

This was probably the most continuously brutal race I've been in...There was just never any let-up...Each leg was a new level of suffering...Even the final run in on 75 was into a f$*#ing headwind...

Gear used:
2 rain jackets
2 rain pants
2 pair Amfib tights
1 neoprene cycling jacket
5 pair Smartwool Adrenalines
2 pair cycling shoes
3 pair running shoes
3 pair winter gloves
1 pair neoprene gloves
1 pair neoprene cycling booties
8 chemical handwarmers
2 hats
2 buffs

Quick word of thanks to all the volunteers out there...Peter, Jon, Paul and all the rest of the zeros...thanks for the fires and the encouraging words...thanks Jono (we were on the receiving end of some of his good samaritanism)...and thanks to our support crews...without whom, we would be sad little hunks of ice in a campground parking lot this morning.

Congrats to anyone who even got into the boat for the start Saturday morning...What a race!

Jay C
Black Dome

Slate Rock Hike

2008-03-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

What a fun day! Chilly & I got out for the first nice weekend of the Spring...Up, up, up...to the ridge along Slate Rock in Pisgah Forest...Great views...perfect for a snack before returning to the truck on Yellow Gap Rd....

The Most Horrible Thing Ever

2008-02-19T11:32:00.001-08:00

Good name...Very fitting.
About 3 months ago, I was perusing the mtbr forum boards and clicked in on an innocent enough thread labeled "t.m.h.t.e."...As a fairly experienced adventure racer, it sounded painful, but fun... I'm used to long weekends of suffering... albeit, broken into many different sports...24 or more hours of straight cycling... in Pisgah terrain... sounded vaguely intimidating. And being told "no" by several prospective teammates should've been a red flag.

Jump to Friday night...I have a 3 month old son...a full time job running a store...and precious little time to waste on things like training, pre-race preparations or sleep. So...I work until 6pm, throw a bunch of junk in the back of the truck, stop by Ingles for a bunch of Gatorade, Doritos, Boost and single serve ravioli...mmmmmm...and hustle over to the White Pines Group Camp to begin the ordeal.

I get the tent set up and my gear laid out pretty quick (my cousin Drew is appalled at the complete lack of bike maintenance apparent in my Litespeed...the crank barely turns over and the rear brake rotor is making a sickening squealing noise where spun)...Whatever, I ain't got time for details...I stuff some calories down my gullet...and lay down for about 30 minutes...just enough time to get really sleepy...then, clang, clang, clang...Eric rings the bells for the racer meeting.

In no time, we are all on 477 and speeding along behind an SUV up Bennett Gap...Brad Key and I set the pace before a couple of teams roll up and join us...At the Bennet Gap trail head, I snap a quick pic and apparently take the lead...

Down to 276 and on to the dirt rd. behind Looking Glass...Brad rolled back up on me and we proceed together on 225 and down Cove Creek...I manage to open a little gap here (why the hell was I even worrying about it?) and start up to Gloucester Gap alone...close to the turn up Pilot, Brad rolls back on me again and proceeds to ride away into the night...I struggle up the wall that is Pilot Mt. and come into Farlow alone again...down, down, down...I was worried about missing the right turn on the way down and turned around just before getting there...pushing back up towards Farlow, I meet Brousard and teammate coming down...I turn around again and follow...About halfway down, I run into the first bit of cramping and stop to refuel and take on salt...Then it's out onto Courthouse Rd. and up & over Summey Cove to 215...Didn't see a single skunk...but Thomas Minton and Mike Brown come in right behind me after tangling with one...

Off I go back up to Gloucester via 140 and 5003...unfortunately, I missed the 140 turn the first time by and added some distance and time with an extra climb up to the gate at Kismee Trail...oops...

Back up 5003 and then on up to Butter...Cramps are gone and I'm feeling fine again...the downhills on Butter and Long Branch make the last bit of stage 1 very enjoyable...

Entering the TA, I find I am hours behind Brad and 4th in off the stage...but only Brad has left on Stage 2...Stuff more calories down...thank Erinna for some E-Caps and Sudafed (nasty cold now)...fill my bladder and roll out in second.

I'm thinking stage 2 should net at least 4 points...ha!...I head straight up Coontree to get the cp on Bennett and continue over to Buckhorn...burning way too many matches in doing so...down to Squirell and up to the Horse Cove intersection, I'm all alone...Until I see a 2 person team walking up Horse Cove after getting the mandatory at Cantrell Creek...not sure where they came from...On the dead-fall whack out to Cantrell, I meet Brad coming back...He only has 2 CPs and doesn't mention going for Buckhorn on the way back...I'm starting to think can out-point him...Ha! again...

All kinds of time goes away while I'm floundering out to Cantrell and back...It's everything I can do to get down Horse Cove and back over buckhorn to White Pines before 3pm...I bury myself in the last 30 minutes only to miss it by 180 seconds...Damn!...Oh well, at least I don't have ride anymore...But wait, Eric informs me that he has magnanimously extended the cut-off...I'm welcomed to head back out...that is, unless I'm "skairt"...

I linger for a bit...eat, drink, warm myself by Erinna's wonderful fire...smile a bit when my lovely wife and 2 beautiful kids arrive to see daddy as a complete wreck slumped in his Crazy Creek chair...The I pull on some new togs and haul my ass out on stage 3...I have found that I am tied with Brad on points and have cut his advantage to about 75 minutes...maybe there is a chance...

I sleepily pedal out Fish Hatchery Rd. and start up Daniel Ridge...as I near Farlow, here's Brad coming back from the Shuck Creek CP...He's only planning the one mandatory before heading in...I have 3 planned for the stage...as I near Daniel Ridge Creek I am cramping badly again and pull over to sit down, eat and stretch...Cook comes by, returning from the CP...I didn't even know he was up there...I wonder how many points he has...and where his teammate is...but, deep down, I really don't care.

I get to Shuck Creek, snap the pic, and head back...I keep thinking I hear voices...Daniel Ridge is a BIG place at night...I continue down the DR trail, hook up with 225 and make it over to snap the pic at Cove Creek and Caney Bottoms...I get both sign 'cuz the passport says "Caney Bottoms at 225"...but they don't actually meet...whatever...Off I go, down the dirt rd. to the Fish Hatchery and over to Coontree...Up Coontree and down the backside (I clean this trail for the first time in my life!) to the TA at White Pines.

I'm told I'm ahead on CPs but behind on time...Brad has already left for the next stage...a bunch of laps...each taking about an hour and each worth 1 CP...it's 9:30 and I'm cooked...I crawl into the tent for 20 minutes of sleep (I've been up for 40 hours) and sleep until 4 am...oops.

I wake to find that I technically still have time to turn one lap of Stage 4 and get to stage 5...Brad turned 6 laps!...Frigging incredible!...He's passed out next to the fire...Cook turned one lap...he's out like a light as well...

I'm hacking up green shit and my ass is completely on fire...the last thing it wants is another 7 hours on a Flite Titanium...There's no way I can out-point Brad now...and, I'm told the last stage is a crushingly long gravel grind...

Towel...being thrown...to the ground...The first TMHTE is history for me...Somewhere over 120 miles and 25,000 feet or so of climbing...

To Brad Key (and Cook)...You are absolute hammers.

To Eric and Erinna...thank you for a weekend of what adventure is supposed to be. Fear, Joy, Pain, Suffering, Elation, Satisfaction.

Next up? Checkpoint Zero AR

Gibby is almost 3 months...Chilly is taking everything in stride...

2008-02-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

We've had a fun 3 months...Gibby is starting to sleep 4 and 5 hours at a time! Chilly loves being a big brother and is a constant help...

Jay and Chilly snuck away for a boys day in the mountains this past weekend...on a whim, Nana & Pop Pop were invited as well...The thinking being "I can do anything a 5 year old can do!"

4 miles and 1000 vertical feet later, there was a new respect for the capabilities of 5 year olds everywhere. (related link)

The day's hike took the group from Coontree Picnic Area on 276 near the Davidson River, up to Coontree Gap and up still to the top of Coontree Mountain, before dropping precipitously back to the valley floor. Chilly alternated between scampering up and down the trail like a puppy with too much energy, and begging to be carried on dad's shoulders "for just a little while."

Monica is also back teaching Spanish at Asheville Montessori...She, Gibby and Chilly posed for Chilly's last picture as a Montessori student...Next year is 1st grade...We are in the throws of school choosing now...

Gibson, Chilton and family!

2008-01-16T08:34:00.000-08:00

Gibby's new friends...

2008-01-16T05:40:00.000-08:00

Cataloochee run...

2008-01-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Chris Brown and I decided to find a "back way" into the Smokies this weekend. After staying the night at a family cabin in Maggie Valley, we drove up some of the new development roads west of the Cataloochee ski area...and hit a gate on an unmarked dirt road far below our goal...Not to be deterred, we parked and started running up in hopes of finding a connecting trail into the park...After about an hour, a few wrong turns and an extra 1500 feet of climbing, we found the park border and the Hemhill Bald Trail...The original plan was a long loop encompassing the Rough Fork Trail...But, with wives and kids waiting at home, we settled for a 3 hour out and back over Hemphill Bald and past Calswell Fork & McKee Branch...Fun day in the hills though...

2007-12-09T05:36:00.000-08:00

Chilly's Santa wish...

Gibson and friends week 1 and 2

2007-12-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

New little athlete!

2007-11-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

Gibson Endicott Curwen
born - 11/21/2007 7:39pm
7lbs, 5oz
20 inches
Mom and baby boy are doing great!

Shut-In 2007

2007-11-05T11:42:00.001-08:00

What a fantastic Day!

Stunning runs from all the Black Dome athletes!

See www.shutinridgerun.com for results.

2007-05-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

Sweet day! Heinous all the way around.

We hit 4 of the 7 possible CPs in this weekend's PMBA and after 9 hours, I was pretty stoked w/ that!

My teammate Chris' brakes went out maybe 4 hours in, forcing us to walk all the downhills...not the fastest method...

My steed is gonna need maybe $400 in repairs.

But, I sure was a mud covered, grinning idiot at the finish...Thanks Eric and Erinna!
Jay
The Dome

2007-05-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Only 4 days until the Rock2Rock!
Team Black Dome's Jay Curwen and Chris Brown are excited about this new trail race...one that is sure to be an instant classic...and it looks like the racers are stoked as well. With only 200 coveted slots available, the race looks to be a sell-out in it's first year with room to spare.

Black Dome is hoping to raise both money and awareness for the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy through several of it's events...including the Rock2Rock...A portion of the proceeds is planned for that worthy cause.

Where - Camp Rockmont in Swannanoa, NC
What - 10 Kilometers of kick-ass trails that will bring a smile and a grimace to any face.
When - Friday, May 4th - 5pm (race day registration at 3:30pm)
Why - Cuz trail running is sweet.
WWW - www.rock2rockrun.com

24 Hours for Africa

2007-04-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

What an event!

Fun course, music, food, spirit, great people...

This thing had the whole package.

Black Dome's Jay Curwen got a bit over-zealous in expectations though, and after several other members of the 10-person Team Black Dome relay squad had to withdraw, felt the urge to sign up for the solo division...

Bad move.

Being a strong all around athlete is not comparable to the specificity of running for that many hours straight!

As they say...It is better to burn out than fade away...and burn out Jay did...After a 5 hour stint in the lead of the solo race..a lead that saw as much as 3 miles of daylight between himself and 2nd place (in the first 25 miles!) Jay realized that he was wholly unprepared to simply run for 24 hours...let alone do it at 7:30 per mile pace...

The IT bands started acting up about 25 miles in and by 40 miles...they (and he) were toast...40 miles in a bit over 6 hours was great but not quite the objective...Hey, maybe training for these things would help...

Anyway, it was all for a good cause as Black Dome donated $250 in gift certificates and another $400 or so in gear for the teams that stuck with it and burned up the course...and all the proceeds from the event went directly to providing critical fresh drinking water to needy kids in Africa who don't have the luxury of playing in the woods like we do...

Check the link for all the details...

There's a new coach out there...

2007-04-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

There is a new coaching service on the horizon... Lee & Brenda Simril former members of Team Litespeed (now Team Black Dome) has moved to Two Rivers Wisconsin and developed their training regime into a personal coaching service for all levels...

You need a coach...find one at www.prtricoach.com

2007-03-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Team Black Dome ventured down to Helen, GA this past weekend and came back with a hard fought top 5 finish at the premier southeastern race of 2007...

What value for the money!

1. All CPs correct and present (well, we can't speak for 20...but it sounds like it was there.)
2. A free hotel room the night before!
3. An included dinner at the pre-race meeting the night before!
4. Very nice waterproof maps...No map fumbling!
5. Good mix of manned and un-manned CPs to keep you on your toes but not feeling abandoned.
6. Sweet technical T.
Plenty of food and drink at the finish.
8. Very inebriated and entertaining southern gentlemen (ok, rednecks) near CP16.

Great job guys! This is the race you get when you combine a promoter that has vision and industry contacts, with a course designer that has a sadomasochistic streak like Tony...

Black Dome tried an interesting experiment this weekend...With our lead navigator Chris Brown out because of the impending birth of his second child, we decided to race with one of our sponsors...owner and wheel designer from Industry Nine Wheels, Clint Spiegel...While Clint had done a couple of longer races, he had never raced with the intensity of a top team and it would be curious to see what would happen when you combine the competitiveness of a quick team with a self-proclaimed middle-of-the-packer...The result was some serious pain!

With a relatively quick first run, we started the paddle right behind Enduraventure and Rock Creek in about 6th or 7th and really dug in for about 30 minutes...With Clint in the back of the boat steering, we started to feel the effects of true race pace quickly...zig-zagging all over the place for a couple of hours, we lost place after place until it was time to go to shore, dump the water out and switch to plan B...Now with Monica in the stern, Clint could rest a bit and we seemed to track straighter...After about 4:45 on the water, we came ashore in around 25th - 30th.

From the start of the bike, it was all about time management...I had calculated that it was possible, but unlikely, for us to get all the points...I planned to skip possibly one point on the bike and 2 on the final trek to make it by 2pm...We , however, managed to nail the nav on the first o-course with a counter-clockwise course that took us straight to all the points (no running at all however as Clint was still pretty worked from the paddle)...and as we hiked down to the bikes from CP9, it was apparent that we were about 2 hours ahead of schedule...From 10 it was a loooooong dirt road ride up and around to 11 & 12...and then there was 13...We got to the bend at the gap and simply went to the top of the knob...walked south about 60 yards, and took a bearing of 210 degrees...We bushed right to 13 sitting on the little flat area exactly where it was supposed to be...then came the fun part. We chose to bush down to the creek from 13 and on the little trail...after an hour of falling off a cliff, trying to cross that nasty creek and then dealing with the blow-downs on the trail, we emerged back on Trey Gap Road pretty beat down and began the slog up to the gap. 15 was just a matter of bushing on a bearing straight down a reentrant, across the creek and up to the little trail that went right to the point (we never saw the field, but it was dark and might have been there)...After 15, it was a matter of getting back up to Trey Gap and down to the lodge...My original estimate had us to the Unicoi Lodge at 4am...We arrived at 3am...Still probably only enough time for 3 of the 5 trekking points.

After only 10 minutes in TA, we set of on foot for 18 and the long bushwhack up to the burned out car, followed by the dirt road to Trey Gap...We got to the gap right at 7:30am and decided there to abandon 20 (and probably 21)...We took off down towards 22 with Jim Kelleher and his teammate...Getting to 22, we all decided to gamble and go for 21...a huge bushwhack with what looked like some cliffs to deal with...By this time, Clint was really spent...but holding up. I was worried this final bush would just crush him and we'd miss the 2pm cut-off...In the end, we made it down to 21 and back up to get the punch at 22 in just over an hour! Clint was a little wobbly, but still moving...I hooked him back on the bungee tow and we set off for the finish...Hooking up with another team, we managed the final short bush down to the lake and hiked in at noon for a well-deserved 5th...

Some great Clint-isms during his baptism:
"Are we going to go this fast the whole time?"
"How many hours do you guys sleep during one of these?"
"Wow. You guys don't ever take rests during the paddle."
"We're already supposed to leave the TA? We just got here!"
"There's no way I can go back up that...Just leave me."
and, in the middle of the bush out of 13:
"This sucks amazingly bad...but I'm still having the best time of my life!"

Thanks again to Yak, Tony and everyone else...We had a blast!

Team Black Dome