Adventure Race is May 8

    The fifth annual East Grand Adventure Race For Teens and Adults, hosted by the East Grand High School Outdoor Education Program, will be held Saturday, May 8 in memory of Phillip Morse.
Contributed photograph
ON THE TRAIL – This young man participated in last year’s Adventure Race. He is pushing through the mountain bike portion of the race.
    The race, which begins at 9 a.m.,  will consist of four parts — a bush whack (off trail compass run) approximately 1.5 miles to the top of Stetson Mountain Wind Farm, followed by mountain biking through the wind farm and east on woods roads and trails for nearly eight miles then canoeing about seven miles on mostly flat water on Baskahegan Stream to the town of Danforth, and finally, an optional climbing wall challenge back in the gymnasium with the choice of an easy or difficult route.  
    Adult and teen participants can enter as pairs in the high school boys and girls divisions, the adult men, women or mixed (all one category) until the numbers warrant splitting into separate adult divisions. Check-in time is Saturday morning, 8-8:30 at East Grand High School in Danforth. Entry fee is $40 per team, which includes lunch, adventure race T-shirt, and trophies to the top three finishing pairs. Advanced registration is required.
    The level of difficulty in the Adventure Race, according to outdoor education teacher Dave Conley, is physically challenging, but not beyond the reach of those who are in reasonably good physical condition.
    “We highly recommend a routine of training, well before the race that includes biking, jogging/running and canoeing,” he said.
    There will be five-minute breaks to eat a snack and take a drink before heading out on each leg of the race.
    Awards include a traveling trophy to be presented to the winning high school boys and girls team to keep at their school for the year, along with $300 in prizes to each of the top three finishing pairs in each division. First place is two $75 gift certificates, second is two $50 gift certificates and third is two $25 gift certificats to Ski Rack Sports in Bangor.
    All proceeds will help benefit the East Grand’s Outdoor Education Program. The race is sponsored in part by Ski Rack Sports of Bangor and First Wind.
    For more information about the race, forms and waivers, go  to www.eastgrandschool.org/adventure-race or call Conley at 448-2743 or e-mail dave@canoethewild.com.