Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25125
InFront The millennium's first major adventure race will be a bright reminder of why the Raid Gauloises is the granddaddy of expedition rac ing. Last year, Raid racers fell victim to the wrath of Ecuador's EI Cotopaxi's summit. But you ain't seen nothing yet. This year, from April 29 to May 11, the 10th Anniversary Raid will take on the Himalayas. The snow-capped Himalayas, home to some of the world 's most majestic mountains, are the perfect backdrop to this epic nonstop pilgrimage. In true Raid fashion, teams will receive maps, but must find their own way-without mechanical aids like motor vehicles, GPS, telephones or radios- over 400 miles of remote terrain . Phalanxes of racers will trek century-old, heel-worn ox trails through Tibetan and Nepalese villages to reach daunting altitudes of up to 17,300 feet. They' ll mountain bike across barren landscapes and remote furrows. They' ll rappel sheer canyons. They'll canoe and raft Class IV rivers and swim the frigid rapids when the water gets too shallow for boats. The top teams will sleep an average of two hours a night. Half-or more-of the teams will not finish. But this is what the Raid Gauloises, or Challenge of the Warriors, is all about. "The Raid Gauloises, and adventure racing in general, is about respect and discovery of self, of others and nature, " says Nelly Fusil, Raid co-founder and US correspondent. " Each event is a journey of self-discovery to the limits of one's physical and mental abilities." Nearly doubling its start list from the inaugural event held in New Zealand in 1989, the 50 five-member teams from 22 countries are ready for action . Follow real-time Raid action on the web (www.raid-gauloises.com) and then tune in to Outdoor Life Network-new Raid, same channel-and watch your favorite team endure this trans-Himalayan adventure. -Stefani Jackenthal 30