Race Pictures

Race Report

Raid the North Deerhurst Resort

July 23 & 24, 2005

Team: Andre Gaudreau, Sherry Lemcke, Bill Gadzos, David Haavaldsrud

Support Crew: David Jaremy, Jessica Bassil

Another year, another Raid the North, another couple of new teammates. Things happen when you start to put together a team for a 36 hour race, a wedding, a retirement and the opportunity to race with a team you always wanted to try racing with all led to my need for two new teammates. So as the old saying goes as one door closes another one opens and into the breach stepped Sherry and Bill. Sherry came to the team to race a 36 hour race with her friend and SAC race teammate and longtime Max Payne stalwart Cindy Archer. Unfortunately for Sherry, the team and adventure racing in general Cindy decided to retire from racing shortly before this race. With just a couple weeks to go before the race we needed a replacement so the call went out to Bill a racer who usually captains his own team and was looking for a team to join after his teammates had to move on. So once again we were heading into a race with new teammates who were soon to become great friends, which is always the best part of adventure racing.

Most of the team arrived at our rustic cabins on the Oxtongue River Thursday evening to prepare for the race. Sherry was waiting for us (myself, Dave and Dave) when we pulled in and Jess joined us there later that night with Bill driving in Friday morning from Ottawa. Once we were all together it didn't take long to figure out that this team was going to have fun if nothing else this race. At registration we did the usual gear check and received the maps without a problem and then had to find out if we could manage to do support out of my little truck since we had a little problem with the rental van we had booked. We returned to the cabins and reduced the gear boxes as much as we could and sure enough everything was going to fit. Although if it wasn't for Jess and her faithful Cavalier we would have had more then a little problem getting the team to the start line.
The start for this race was a good 2 hour drive from Deerhurst on the road to the Kiosk entrance to Algonquin Park. The race start was at 2:00 am and the first leg would involve a trek through trails and dense bush to Cp 1 at the north end of a small lake before continuing on through to the TA at Cp2 for a total of about 17 km of trekking. It started very well with the team making good time running a trail south while looking to make a turn to the north west on another trail about 4 km from the start line. We reached the turn onto the other trail and soon realized that we had gone further south then we had intended as there was a lake beside the trail that was not suppose to be there. We continued on the trail south of the intended track aware that we would sooner or later make an adjustment to bring us to Cp 1. When the trail petered out we swung north in search of water. Before long we came upon a small lake that confirmed we ere on the right track and we made our way around it and took a bearing straight for the Cp. About a half an hour later we popped out of the bush onto the side of the lake with the Cp on it and scrambled up the shore to check in. Once through the Cp we headed back into the forest expecting a long 10 km bushwack to the TA and Cp 2. But before we knew it we found a bush road obviously leading to the highway and from there to the Cp. This fortunate discovery made for a quick and relatively painless (if you can count all the running that we did as painless) trek and we arrived at the TA confident that we would do well from here on out as the hardest navigation part of the race appeared to be behind us.

Next up was a short river crossing while holding our bikes and packs above our heads to keep them dry. From there we bushwhacked our bikes up to a rail trail to start the long bike ride through Cp 3 and onto the next TA at Cp 4. It soon became obvious that this little 16 km section of rail trail was going to cause some problems. The heavy slag on the old rail bed made pedaling difficult and soon led to a problem with pinch flats. After fixing the first flat it became obvious that I had not pumped enough air into the tire so I stopped to try again. And before I knew it I had snapped the end of the valve of so that even though it still held air I could no longer pump anymore in. So I pressed on expecting the worst and sure enough before too long another pinch flat and I was back changing another tube. This time I was using Bill's tube our last presta style tube but I got Bill to pump it up and he did a much better job of getting it to a suitable pressure. We continued on hoping to be soon out of the slag and on to better roads. Near the end of the rail trail we came upon another team in need of a spare tube. They were looking for a presta tube as well but settled for one of our two remaining Schrader valve tubes. A little nervous about the threat of another puncture we took it easy and made our way to the end of the rail bed.

Although we were glad to be off of the slag soon we discovered that the rest of the ride was going to be no picnic either. The relentless hills would soon become our enemy as it seemed that we were heading up much more then down and it was beginning to take it's toll on Bill's knee. Something was not right with it and despite his best efforts he was unable to pedal uphill properly. We briefly tried towing but the heat and steepness of the hills meant that this would not be possible much so Bill had to soldier on through the pain and that he did very well getting stronger as the ride went on. Before long though the next test of the team would come.

While descending one of the few downhill sctions of the road Sherry rode along the side of a rut in the road and her bike slid out from beneath her. As quickly as she went down she got right back up and despite some serious road rash on her left elbow and shin not to mention a third knee cap that was growing from below her right knee, she pronounced herself good to go and on we went. Before long we had reached Cp 3 and were off on the short ride to Cp4 and the next TA. Meanwhile I was experiencing the onset of an all too familiar problem as my water was no longer quenching my thirst and my stomach was feeling too upset to allow me to eat. Yet again the heat was becoming a problem but it was not serious enough to keep me from reaching the end of the bike leg.

Once at TA 2, Cp 4 we got ready for the supposed first paddle leg of the race. Not a moment too soon for me as while attempting to eat a banana and drink some orange juice the inevitable happened and I puked it all back up. After that gut wrenching experience I made my way to the river soaked my shirt put it back on and started the cooling off process. We headed out on our boats hoping that the time off his feet would help Bill's knee and give us the chance to complete the race as a team. But the race had another challenge in store for us in the form of a nearly dry river. All thought of resting during the paddle was replaced by the knowledge that we would have to work hard through this section just to give us a chance at finishing on time. And all the in and out of the boat combined with walking on wet rocks was not helping Bill's knee at all. After day turned to night and after we went under the first bridge we found our way past the illusion of a second bridge to the real one and shortly after that the illusive TA 3 Cp 5.

This is where things went from bad to worse as the chill of the night set in. Once the shivers were under control it became apparent that Bill would no longer be able to go on. After agonizing over the decision for some time we reached the conclusion that there was no point in Bill risking further damage to his knee as too much of the race still lay ahead. Bill decided to join Dave on the support crew and the rest of us headed out to see how much further we could get as an unranked team of three. This was a first for our team but injuries are a part of adventure racing and it had to happen eventually.

Things always get interesting while riding bikes on the second night. Navigation gets real tricky as it is all you can do to remember when to turn one corner to the next not to mention trying to keep from falling asleep as you go. The constant stopping to check the map slowed our progress through the night, not to mention having to back track due to a road that did not go through as shown on the map. Once daylight came things didn't get much better either. One particular old gravel road we needed to find in order to connect up a few main roads proved uniquely difficult to find. Once on it we were further confused by the lack of tracks on it as well. It appeared to be the only way to go to stay on the proper legal route but at best two maybe three other teams had traveled on it so far. It did get us to Hwy 518 as promised though but then the most frightening thing I have heard of during a race happened. While biking along this seldom used highway early on a Sunday morning a blue dodge pickup crested a hill from behind the team and did the strangest thing. Dave was bringing up the rear and was a little to the center of his lane as the truck approached. Once he could hear the truck behind him he started to pull to the side of the road to make it easier for the truck to go around him. For some unknown reason the driver of the pickup had decided to go by Dave on the inside (the other lane was completely empty and there was no oncoming traffic what so ever) and was then forced to drive by at full speed on the gravel shoulder. After barely maintaining control he then swerved back on the highway and proceeded to pass both Sherry and myself properly if a little too close for comfort. We will never know why this driver did what he did but at least no one suffered anything worse then a good scare. Shortly after this we turned onto an even quieter gravel road and searched for the trail that would lead us to the next Cp. Soon after a lot of good teamwork we reached Cp 6 a unique but totally legal way (something we have a habit of doing) and were all set for the short road ride to TA 4, Cp 7.

Next up after the short bike ride to Cp 7 was the trek into the rappel. The ride was uneventful for the most part with just minor corrections needed at a couple intersections so before you knew it we were back in transition where we found out that we would be doing a modified course from here in so that we would have a chance to cross the finish line. The plan was to trek into the rappel at Cp 8 do it then return back to the T/A at Cp 7 and be moved ahead to the last paddle section while skipping the river scramble. Well with Max Payne things do not always go as planned! We made it into the rappel quickly and enjoyed the scenic drop overlooking a lake off a good overhanging cliff. The next part did not go so well. We apparently were suppose to find our way back up the cliff by way of a somewhat climbable section of rock. Not everyone had heard the instructions and so we were a little sceptical of our ability to return to the top that way and since we knew we were not to return by following the bottom of the cliff to the right we decided to go left instead and look for an easier way back to the top from the far side. This took a little longer then anticipated and was complicated by the fact that we initially didn't bother to use a compass so to make a long story short we return to the T/A a little late to be moved around to the paddle. Our race was done a little earlier and shorter then we would have liked but none the less we had accomplished plenty and shown all of the perseverance that our team is know for.

Talking about things not going as planned, after a great meal at Deerhurst we returned to our cabins to discover a teammate was missing car keys (gone to Ottawa in another car) and to make matters worse a wallet was locked in the car as well. Sometimes real good can come from a bad situation as while we waited for the keys to return by bus we got to hang out with one of our new teammates have some fun, steal a sailboat and go on an impromptu road trip in search of the ever elusive keys. In the process we all got to know one another a little better and resolved to do another one of these races together one day.

As always at the end of one of these I must take time to thank everyone who makes it possible. From the great staff and volunteers at Frontier Adventure Racing to the good peopleof the Huntsville area who give us access to their private land. And I always save my biggest thanks for my teammates and support crews. Dave J. for always being there at every T/A taking care of us and keeping us going. Jessica for sacrificing your precious spare time from work to come and give us the long ride to the start line you were a lifesaver and I look forward to the day when you are able to join us out there on the course racing! To Bill your sense of humour and great navigation skills where a tremendous asset out on the course. Not to mention your willingness to put yourself through hell for the team with your aching knee, plus the unselfishness to pull yourself from the course to make it easier for the rest of us to get further once it was obvious things were not going to get better. You are a true team player and I hope to have to chance to give this another shot with you next year. Sherry what can I say, you once again proved that the women of this sport are the best and toughest teammates of all. I must have been blessed because you continued a long tradition of excellence when it comes to female racers on Max Payne. You never once faded, you helped keep our spirits high and the way you jumped back up and continued on as though nothing had happened after your big bike crash was inspirational. And as for Dave H. you once again proved that training is overrated and that a good navigator is never too old or too slow!

Thanks again everybody and see you again at the next one.

Andre Gaudreau
Team Max Payne