Team Ragged Glory – Adventure Racing, Multi Sport, Friends

Once again I’m packing for the race and transferring my “mandatory gear” pack from my tub to my pack. This is a pack of materials I have now carried for five races. It consists of the waterproof poncho ($.99 at Target), waterproof matches, a five year old emergency blanket and an all-in-one whistle, knife, and compass. I give no thought to ever having to use any of this gear, I simply think of the check mark that will appear when I present it at check in. Thinking I have met all of the requirements,I happily start the race.
…17 hours in to race I am not so happy. We find ourselves on the bank of Salt Creek with three other teams, having paddled around aimlessly for a couple of hours looking for the cutthrough that will allow us to continue on. We are cold, wet, and closer to an emergency situation than I have ever been in during a race. Everyone scrounges about there packs pulling out emergency gear. I grab my “waterproof” matches to try and start a fire, only to discover that, yes, While my matches are still dry, and do somewhat light,they are not powerful enough to ignite the damp twigs that we have gathered. Another more prepared racer pulls out a powerful lighter and the fire rages. Now the emergency blankets come out. Adventureres wrap themselves up, space themselves around the fire, and enjoy the “coziness”. I open my blanket, start to unravel it and it comes apart in several pieces. How old is this blanket? I have enough of a piece to maybe create a scarf for my neck. I look with envy upon glow of the fire on the intact orange space blankets of my fellow racers. At this point, I’d like to use my emergency whistle to blow for help but I do not have enough confidence in my gear to even get it out.