Note
Woo, did the Chill! And really, I was only uncomfortably cold once, right after the paddle section. So adventure racing in 20 degree weather can actually be fun!
The paddle was the roughest part for me. I was third or fourth in the water, but then was steadily passed by 10 or probably even more teams, which was a bit disheartening. I'm sure there is both kayak technique and kayak strength that I'm lacking.
After the paddle, I stopped for a few minutes at HQ, getting down a more chewy than normal Clif bar (should have opted for w4j's brownie instead) and warming my fingers up. No problem biking to the O course start (Highland), then time to have fun in the woods!
I went counterclockwise around the loop: 48, 51, 50, 46, 45, 44 (holy moly evilly thick swamp!), 52, 47, 49, 40, 42, 41, 43. I'm not sure if cutting from 50 to 46 was worth having to come around to 43 at the end? But maybe. All smooth besides the evil swamp and the missing (but later restored?) 40.
Going to 41, I got to chat a smidge with jayxc and Mindy, who didn't have to go and still get 43 afterwards. By the time I got to the transition, they were long gone, but I figured it wasn't so bad if I were really even kinda close, so time to try to be a speedy biker!
A runner asked me if I were doing an adventure race as I cycled back the roads to HQ, even asked which one - maybe he'll try next year. =) then nothing notable, until I broke the derailleur off the bike frame at the second control of the single track. I didn't even understand what I'd done at the time, just that things weren't working and I at least needed the derailleur out of the way so I could roll the bike. So I rigged it up by looping the chain around the lever for the bike seat and also used the Velcro of my saddle bag. Then time to run avec bike! Made very sure to get all the shortcuts...
A very fun second adventure race, do look forward to more!