2016 TWO RIVERS AR
Our last race of 2016 was the Two Rivers AR in urban Philadelphia on Dec. 3. Our friends at Rootstock Racing had an extraordinarily busy year, putting on an entire race series (seven races, I think?) in addition to racing a ton themselves, including at ITERA, and this would be their grand finale for the year.
We tried to make it to as many of their races as possible, but with our own busy schedule and the long drive to PA, we had only made it to the Crooked Compass, an 8-hour foot-O which was a blast. That weekend, we had heard a lot how excited they were for Two Rivers, which would explore all the wildness hidden away between the Schuylkill and the Delaware. At the time we talked in April, December felt like a decade away...but of course, time passed quickly and December - and the Two Rivers AR - snuck up on us.
Cliff was fortunate to get the Friday before the race off work, and Kate was also on a school break, so we headed down around 11 a.m. thinking we would beat traffic. We were wrong. It took us about nine hours to get down to Philly, but fortunately we had a comfortable and convenient place to stay - the race directors’ house! Claire drove up from Maryland and met us there, we had a quick beer and chat with Abby and Brent, and then we spent about an hour getting everything ready before heading to sleep around midnight.
Of course, the end of 2016 also meant preparations beginning for 2017, and with that in mind, we had made a plan to race together with Eric and Rick of Chaos Raid, who we had met at previous racers and had gotten to know well enough to feel like we might make a good team in an expedition race sometime in 2017. It might have made sense to have a formal meeting place and time, but instead, we did our bike drop at a bright and early 5 a.m. (metaphorically - it was still dark out) and hoped to meet each other at the race briefing, which took place at the car drop/finish line at Wissahickon Park (near the intersection of Henry and Valley avenues) at 5:30 a.m.
Given that it was freezing out, after we got our maps, we huddled back in the car to get a feel for the course. Cliff ran to the portapotties, and low and behold, Eric and Rick were loitering about, with Eric looking particularly sketchy in his five-inch running shorts and showing a whole lotta leg for 6 a.m. on a dark December morning. Naturally, Cliff invited them back to the car, where they met Claire for the first time and we all had a peek at the maps. Everyone seemed into the idea of staying together for the whole race, and letting Rick take the lead on nav with Kate as a consultant.
We tried to make it to as many of their races as possible, but with our own busy schedule and the long drive to PA, we had only made it to the Crooked Compass, an 8-hour foot-O which was a blast. That weekend, we had heard a lot how excited they were for Two Rivers, which would explore all the wildness hidden away between the Schuylkill and the Delaware. At the time we talked in April, December felt like a decade away...but of course, time passed quickly and December - and the Two Rivers AR - snuck up on us.
Cliff was fortunate to get the Friday before the race off work, and Kate was also on a school break, so we headed down around 11 a.m. thinking we would beat traffic. We were wrong. It took us about nine hours to get down to Philly, but fortunately we had a comfortable and convenient place to stay - the race directors’ house! Claire drove up from Maryland and met us there, we had a quick beer and chat with Abby and Brent, and then we spent about an hour getting everything ready before heading to sleep around midnight.
Of course, the end of 2016 also meant preparations beginning for 2017, and with that in mind, we had made a plan to race together with Eric and Rick of Chaos Raid, who we had met at previous racers and had gotten to know well enough to feel like we might make a good team in an expedition race sometime in 2017. It might have made sense to have a formal meeting place and time, but instead, we did our bike drop at a bright and early 5 a.m. (metaphorically - it was still dark out) and hoped to meet each other at the race briefing, which took place at the car drop/finish line at Wissahickon Park (near the intersection of Henry and Valley avenues) at 5:30 a.m.
Given that it was freezing out, after we got our maps, we huddled back in the car to get a feel for the course. Cliff ran to the portapotties, and low and behold, Eric and Rick were loitering about, with Eric looking particularly sketchy in his five-inch running shorts and showing a whole lotta leg for 6 a.m. on a dark December morning. Naturally, Cliff invited them back to the car, where they met Claire for the first time and we all had a peek at the maps. Everyone seemed into the idea of staying together for the whole race, and letting Rick take the lead on nav with Kate as a consultant.
At 6:30 a.m., we loaded the short bus to take us to the start at the Belmont Plateau XC Course (same location as the bike drop), had some fun conversations on the ride over and did some last-minute calorie-chomping/map gazing. More prep at the start line, some more words from Brent and Abby, and at 7:30, we were off, splitting up into two factions on the prologue, with Kate, Claire and Eric going for three closer points and Rick and Cliff stretching their legs hitting three points a bit further away. We got the points without too much of a problem, though we might have gone faster if the group of three had taken one of the points from Rick and Cliff.
After that, we mounted up on bikes and snaked our way through the Belmont Maze trails, what the course instructions described as “some of the best unknown trails in PA.” There were 20 CPs in this section, and the trails were very narrow, not to mention crowded with racers. Given the difficulty of the northern section, we decided to skip most of the further-out points and just do the central, more gentle section. We were having fun and getting points fast, and in retrospect, we probably should have stuck it out and gotten more points in this section. But there were 84 points in the entire race and we were pretty sure we didn’t have any chance of clearing it, so strategically skipping points was definitely a good idea. Just not these points.
After that, we mounted up on bikes and snaked our way through the Belmont Maze trails, what the course instructions described as “some of the best unknown trails in PA.” There were 20 CPs in this section, and the trails were very narrow, not to mention crowded with racers. Given the difficulty of the northern section, we decided to skip most of the further-out points and just do the central, more gentle section. We were having fun and getting points fast, and in retrospect, we probably should have stuck it out and gotten more points in this section. But there were 84 points in the entire race and we were pretty sure we didn’t have any chance of clearing it, so strategically skipping points was definitely a good idea. Just not these points.
We got back to the TA and...there was no TA. The only thing in the former start/TA area was Cliff’s lonely drop bag of food. We had misread the race rules and instead of going out to the road, we realized we had to head back into the trails. The return to the TA wasn’t totally a waste, as at least Cliff got his bag of race food. We were able to snag a couple more points on our way out, ending the section with 10 out of 20 CPs.
After a fun five-mile ride across Strawberry Bridge and down Ridge Avenue, getting busy with morning traffic, we made it to the next (and real) TA at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
After a fun five-mile ride across Strawberry Bridge and down Ridge Avenue, getting busy with morning traffic, we made it to the next (and real) TA at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Brent was there along with a couple of volunteers, and everyone looked pretty freaked out that we had arrived. Apparently, we were early. Brent told us as much as I snapped a photo of him.
But we learned that it’s difficult to throw Rootstock off their game. Brent had the special map ready to go, and we were off on a quick 1-mile sprint around (and in) the museum and surrounding gardens for a 9-point mini-orienteering section.
We decided to go clockwise(ish), eventually reaching a funky statue, then going through a revolving door into the museum where an employee manning the entrance gave us a quizzical look as we counted tiles on the ceiling. Exiting before he could ask too many questions, we broke into a trot around to the front side of the museum, doing our best hands-over-head Rocky impression as we ran down the famous stairs and found his statue, where we took a selfie and texted it to Abby for a point. We nabbed another point down by the river, where Eric got very close to a friendly-looking statue to look deep into its eyes and gauge their color, then two more quick ones and back to the TA.
We had another quick bike of about 4 miles, with Rick guiding us perfectly to three points along a wide but leafy trail overlooking the Schuylkill, including a CP perched high up on a hill overlooking the river and another on an old stone watercourse. We got to the Laurel Hill Cemetery still at or near the front of the pack, which Rick and Eric might have been used to, but for Kate and Cliff, was a strange feeling. Friendly volunteer Mira handed us our next map, which was another mini-O section around the historical cemetery, and we were off.
Rick seemed to get quickly into a zone and steadily had us knocking out point after point in rapid succession. Brent and Abby seemed to have had a particularly fun time setting this part of the course, taking us to some interesting mausoleums and trees growing through gravestones, and the resting places of some of Philadelphia’s most famous residents, including Harry Kalas, the longtime Phillies announcer (with an appropriately chosen giant microphone as a headstone).
We didn’t have much time to take it all in, however, as Rick was setting a blistering pace. We made through the 2.5 mile loop and back to the TA in what turned out to be the fastest time in the male division and one of the fastest times on the day (Rootstock’s time with Jim Driscoll navigating, however, made our time look pedestrian).
We didn’t have much time to take it all in, however, as Rick was setting a blistering pace. We made through the 2.5 mile loop and back to the TA in what turned out to be the fastest time in the male division and one of the fastest times on the day (Rootstock’s time with Jim Driscoll navigating, however, made our time look pedestrian).
The next bike leg was tough and long, starting in the first 500 feet from the TA, with Eric realizing he had a flat. We changed it and rode on, heading down Ridge, which had become a busy thoroughfare now that it was a normal time where people were awake. We turned right at a trail intersection before Lincoln, a road we were told we could die on. From our view on the trail above the road, it definitely seemed dangerous, but still tempting given it was flat and we were traveling along what felt like an endless series of ups and downs. After picking up B1, we made it to the end-around Lincoln, then hit B2 at a historical homestead, then found B4 at a creepy bunker built into the side of a hill, where a cultish monk apparently resided back in the 1700s.
B3, B6 and B7 all went by relatively smoothly, with us all riding in an accordion fashion - spreading out on the flattish and downhill sections and coming back together during the steeper uphills.
Rick called for a stop after crossing the bridge to B8, and made the dubious choice of refilling water from the Schuylkill (we heard from Eric the next day that Rick was regretting this decision). After a 10 minute break, we remounted our bikes just to find out Eric had another flat. GOALS swung by just as we got done fixing it, and we made our way together to B8 by a swampy pond.
Rick called for a stop after crossing the bridge to B8, and made the dubious choice of refilling water from the Schuylkill (we heard from Eric the next day that Rick was regretting this decision). After a 10 minute break, we remounted our bikes just to find out Eric had another flat. GOALS swung by just as we got done fixing it, and we made our way together to B8 by a swampy pond.
We thought we had a long-ish ride up to B12, but that plan was interrupted when, on a flat and seemingly harmless section of trail, Claire’s derailleur snapped in two.
In retrospect, it might have made sense to head to the TA, which we weren’t far away from. But we actually all got pretty excited about trying to fix Claire’s bike. Without any hesitation, Rick and Eric jumped into action. We decided to turn it into a single-speed, cutting the brake cable and removing the derailleur (or the pieces of what was left of it), then breaking the chain, measuring it out to the correct gear size, splicing it back together with a QuikLink that was a size too large but worked, and stabilizing the chain in place with a stick duct-taped to the frame. Sounds easy, but it took about 45 minutes.
In retrospect, it might have made sense to head to the TA, which we weren’t far away from. But we actually all got pretty excited about trying to fix Claire’s bike. Without any hesitation, Rick and Eric jumped into action. We decided to turn it into a single-speed, cutting the brake cable and removing the derailleur (or the pieces of what was left of it), then breaking the chain, measuring it out to the correct gear size, splicing it back together with a QuikLink that was a size too large but worked, and stabilizing the chain in place with a stick duct-taped to the frame. Sounds easy, but it took about 45 minutes.
The whole process was fun, but poked a pretty big hole in our hopes of being competitive in the race. Still, everyone stayed in good spirits and Claire, down to one gear and just rear brakes, actually started riding the crap out of those trails! Instead of heading for home, we doubled down, going for B12, B13, then crossing the river and getting B11 and B8, leaving just three bike points out on the far north end of the course.
We got into the TA just as the sun was setting, greeted by hot coffee and huge cookies. Our transition could have been faster, but at this point, we were just about having fun, so we enjoyed our hot beverages and sugar feast and got our stuff organized for the last trek, which looked much bigger than we had anticipated. We heard this section was about 17-20 kilometers in total, if you got all 20 CPs. Which we did not.
We got into the TA just as the sun was setting, greeted by hot coffee and huge cookies. Our transition could have been faster, but at this point, we were just about having fun, so we enjoyed our hot beverages and sugar feast and got our stuff organized for the last trek, which looked much bigger than we had anticipated. We heard this section was about 17-20 kilometers in total, if you got all 20 CPs. Which we did not.
Heading out at a trot, we quickly ran down Q, south of the TA in a reentrant off the trail. On the way to the CP, Eric and Cliff wrapped their hands around what looked like a perfect-sized tree trunk to steady themselves on the steep terrain, only to find out that it had large flesh-tearing spikes all over it! Yelping in pain, we punched and then whined about the evil trees all the way to T, at the southern end of the o-course.
At this point, our running ceased, and darkness descended. We stopped on Walnut bridge at an advantageously placed Port-A-Potty, then headed over the bridge and searched - with GOALS again, for S, which was located on a “Toleration statue.” Not having much of an idea of what we were looking for, we took the wrong trail for a bit, then turned around. We walked through a doubled-walled gorge and on for another five minutes before coming back again. Cliff, admiring the large cliffs on either side, looked up and saw a bizarre humanlike shadow about 60 feet above. No doubt about it - it was the Toleration statue. We then faced the difficult task of climbing up to the statue (using the less treacherous back way up). We took a selfie with the statue that didn’t come out at all due to the darkness and large size of our mega-team, then proceeded up to R, which was buried in a tricky spot of vegetation near a stream.
Point P was next, which Eric found buried deep in a tunnel underneath Wissahickon Road. Then we went to O, and we found it by a large cement “aqueduct” that had a rickety shack built on top of it with “Daddy” spray-painted across its door in dripping red letters. We sped up to get away from the creepiness and found "Daddy" spray-paint on the nearby trees. Kate was tempted to use her psychology Ph.D. to diagnose the author/artist, but were running out of time before the 12-hour cutoff.
We got to N, at a wide point of a stream, and Eric got excited about the clue, which was “Devil’s Pool plaque - to whom does He give a gentle kiss?" It took us a moment to figure it out, but eventually we realized that “He” was the devil and the answer (found in the poem on the plaque mounted into the rock overlooking the pool) was “sedges,” which is a fun word that Google tells me is a type of vegetation.
CP M, nearby, shouldn’t have been a problem, but we had real difficulty finding it. Walking along with a solo racer and another three-person team right behind us, we should have paid attention to where and when they turned back. Instead, enjoying some good conversation, we went too far down the trail and only saw M on the way back when Rick crossed the stream and noticed some weird rock formations right near where we had passed before. With no flags, but rather just reflective tape on punches, if you didn’t make direct eye contact with the punch (such as when they were hidden in a creekbed), they were easy to miss. This isn't a complaint - we all liked that it rewarded good navigation. Which we had through the entire race, thanks to the awesome Rick/Kate combo.
At this point, we were pretty short on time, and we made the difficult decision to pass on L, then hustle back to the finish, skipping K as well. Frustrating but correct decisions. We got to the finish with a comfortable margin to spare, finishing off a very fun, non-stressful race.
At this point, our running ceased, and darkness descended. We stopped on Walnut bridge at an advantageously placed Port-A-Potty, then headed over the bridge and searched - with GOALS again, for S, which was located on a “Toleration statue.” Not having much of an idea of what we were looking for, we took the wrong trail for a bit, then turned around. We walked through a doubled-walled gorge and on for another five minutes before coming back again. Cliff, admiring the large cliffs on either side, looked up and saw a bizarre humanlike shadow about 60 feet above. No doubt about it - it was the Toleration statue. We then faced the difficult task of climbing up to the statue (using the less treacherous back way up). We took a selfie with the statue that didn’t come out at all due to the darkness and large size of our mega-team, then proceeded up to R, which was buried in a tricky spot of vegetation near a stream.
Point P was next, which Eric found buried deep in a tunnel underneath Wissahickon Road. Then we went to O, and we found it by a large cement “aqueduct” that had a rickety shack built on top of it with “Daddy” spray-painted across its door in dripping red letters. We sped up to get away from the creepiness and found "Daddy" spray-paint on the nearby trees. Kate was tempted to use her psychology Ph.D. to diagnose the author/artist, but were running out of time before the 12-hour cutoff.
We got to N, at a wide point of a stream, and Eric got excited about the clue, which was “Devil’s Pool plaque - to whom does He give a gentle kiss?" It took us a moment to figure it out, but eventually we realized that “He” was the devil and the answer (found in the poem on the plaque mounted into the rock overlooking the pool) was “sedges,” which is a fun word that Google tells me is a type of vegetation.
CP M, nearby, shouldn’t have been a problem, but we had real difficulty finding it. Walking along with a solo racer and another three-person team right behind us, we should have paid attention to where and when they turned back. Instead, enjoying some good conversation, we went too far down the trail and only saw M on the way back when Rick crossed the stream and noticed some weird rock formations right near where we had passed before. With no flags, but rather just reflective tape on punches, if you didn’t make direct eye contact with the punch (such as when they were hidden in a creekbed), they were easy to miss. This isn't a complaint - we all liked that it rewarded good navigation. Which we had through the entire race, thanks to the awesome Rick/Kate combo.
At this point, we were pretty short on time, and we made the difficult decision to pass on L, then hustle back to the finish, skipping K as well. Frustrating but correct decisions. We got to the finish with a comfortable margin to spare, finishing off a very fun, non-stressful race.
Chatted for a bit with our growing circle of East Coast AR friends at the finish, then rushed off to the cars to warm up. In an unusual and welcome twist, the awards ceremony took place at a bar, McGillicuddy’s, where we had some delicious beer and, eventually, some hot food. Spoiler alert - we did not win any prizes. We were impressed but not surprised that several teams cleared the course, and then we settled in for the premiere of Expedition Alaska: The Movie. With the Penn State game on elsewhere in the bar, it was hard to hear the dialogue, but the action scenes looked pretty gnarly. We mostly took the time as an opportunity to chat about our favorite subject with many of our favorite people, and hatch plans for future races and a potentially amazing and fear-inducing team name for our hybrid group of wanderers: Team Chaos Machine! Only time will tell what adventures we’ll have in 2017, but as for 2016, we’re pretty satisfied with what we accomplished.
Now we just have to get through four months of winter...
