by Jess Evans
June 16, 2018
This past week (June 11 to 13) I helped Journey Racing with the 48-Hour NOMAD race. They had 20 teams excited about conquering the Colorado mountains. It started north of Bueno Vista, Colorado on the Arkansas River. The racers rafted down the Arkansas river, biked on the Colorado Trail, and crossed the Continental Divide twice to finish at Mt Princeton Hot Springs Resort. It was amazing to watch the teams push through the heat during the day and brave the cold nights and snow up high to complete the race.
This race is not for the faint of heart. There was a 35-mile rafting trip through Class III rapids. Then the racers biked on the Colorado Trail which can get pretty technical in places. To top it off, they crossed the Continental Divide at least twice which required some climbing over rocks with their bike. It was a slow trudge at high altitudes with and without bikes during the night for most teams. These teams had weather, terrain, high elevation, and fatigue to overcome.
In the end, everyone ended with big smiles on their faces. The volunteers had a great time supporting the teams throughout the 48 hours. The racers appreciated the care they received from the race staff and volunteers.
Athena Adventures is looking forward to helping with this race more in the future.
