Marshall was able to call last night from Kashgar, China as he waited in line to complete the race check-in process, including a review of all his gear. They have been traveling, traveling, traveling for days, and had more to come. Marsh, Mace, and Dr. Bob departed for Beijing very early in the morning on June 13, arriving their at 2:50 pm Beijing time (14 hours ahead of CO/mountain time) on June 14. After one night at the hotel, they flew to Kashgar on June 15, with a six hour layover at the airport in Urumqi. They arrived in Kashgar after midnight and had to get up early the morning of the June 16 for check-in, which is when Marsh was able to call. Following a briefing, they were off for a 7-9 hour bus ride to the first camp. I just received “Breaking News” from the race organization that they arrived at the first camp (Camp Silk Road at approximately 8,500 feet) at about midnight in China on June 16 or 10 a/m on the June 16 here in Colorado. Let’s see… that’s almost 80 hours, or more than three days, of traveling. Whew! Now, in just a few hours, they will be starting stage 1, which is approximately 22 miles.
To arrive at the first camp competitors traveled west from Kashgar along the famed Karakoram Highway, the highest paved highway in the world, reaching over 15,000 feet. This portion of the Karakorum highway links Islamabad, Pakistan with Kashgar over Khunjerab Pass. Reportedly they traveled “in the shadow of K2” the second highest mountain in the world at 28,244 feet/8611 meters. Maybe they caught a glimpse of her?
Marsh is #167, Mace is #111, and Dr. Bob is #65 – so watch for them in the photos that will posted on the race Web site http://www.4deserts.com/gobimarch/. You can even send them an e-mail! Under “Race Coverage” the last selection on the drop down list is “Email competitor.” If you have a minute, drop a line to Marsh, Mace, or Dr. Bob. I know they’d love to hear from you! Keep your eyes and ears open for Team Stray Dogs GoLite in the race reports too as they compete against 11 other teams from around the world.
Today I thought I’d tell you a bit more about the Gobi desert and the route of the over 150-mile race. The part of the Gobi desert that they’ll be crossing is in northwest China, in Tashkorgan County, near the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Team Stray Dogs GoLite will be traveling across the Pamir Plateau, a part of the ancient Silk Road, where the Kunlun, Kara Kunlun, Hindukush and Tian Shan mountains (all part of the “Himalayas”) come together. The two main rivers in the region are the Tashkorgan River and the Tiznap (or Tiznef) River. The population in this area of the Gobi desert is a mixture of Ugyurs, Han Chinese, Kyrgizs, Tajiks, and Uzbeks – a colorful ethic variety.
“Gobi” is the Mongolian word for “waterless place” and certainly lives up to its name with less than three inches of rainfall each year. The Gobi is the world’s largest cold winter desert. They can expect a wide variety of terrain including: slot canyons, salt flats, rivers, mountain ridges, rocky terrain and sand dunes. Although the Gobi contains less sand than the Sahara, at time competitors can expect 1,000-foot high sand dunes. They will also go over almost 13,000-foot mountain passes, although reportedly none of the camps are over 8,500 feet. The weather in the Gobi can be extreme – very hot days that reach well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and cold nights that drop below freezing. They may also experience violent sand storms and strong winds that are sometimes seen in June.
The race stages are anticipated to be as follows, although the course may be modified daily depending on expected levels of the rivers or poor weather conditions. The daily stage names and distances are as follows.
Stage 1: Tajikistan in China (22 miles)
Stage 2: Datong Fork (22 miles)
Stage 3: Stairway to Heaven (25 miles)
Stage 4: The River that Never Ends (28 miles)
Stage 5: The Long March (50 miles)
Stage 6: In the Shadow of Chairman Mao (13 miles)
According to one blog post, “The medical team is scrambling to acquire a lot more IVs as the course is much hotter than they were planning, and they are becoming worried about people being able to cool down at night. Because of the high heat, the snowmelt from the Kunlun mountains is much greater than expected and this has swollen the rivers. We are meant to be running through some slot canyons alongside the river, but as the river is now overflowing, we will be in the water for hours. So I am now thinking about how ice cold snow melt water, ankle deep, while the air temperature is above 100F will simply peel all of the skin off my feet. Following the removal of skin, we are then meant to climb up and over a 12,400 foot mountain pass! That will simply be a joy without the basic protection of skin. Are you beginning to understand the nervous anticipation we are feeling?” Oh… the ol’ dogs will be their element!
Each night Mash, Mace, and Dr. Bob will share a tent (the “Tatar” tent) with Frank Fumich, Alex Nement – two of Marshall’s favorite people – and five others (four from the U.S. and one from Australia). Frank and Alex have both climbed with Marshall: Frank on Aconcagua in January 2007 and Alex on the Mexican volcanoes in October 2006. Alex has also attended training camps organized by Marshall and Lisa Smith-Batchen. With Mace, Frank, and Alex all in the same tent, I know laughter will be a HUGE part of the race for everyone.
The tents are also enclosed from the elements and there will be a rug covering the floor. Cooking fires and/or stoves with boiling water will be provided in the morning and in the evening each day. A local family will live among the competitors and assist with the campfire.
Marshall told me that he MOST excited to be racing with dear friends Mace and Dr. Bob again, something they haven’t done in 10 years – since the 1997 Eco Challenge in Australia, I believe. To learn more about the history of the Stray Dogs, go to http://www.teamstraydogs.com/.
Tomorrow… a report about Stage 1 and more about the ol’ dogs themselves.
And remember…. if you can, send a donation for the women and kids to:
Religious Teachers Filippini
Mission Fund/Marshall Ulrich
455 Western Avenue
Morristown, NJ 0796 0
THANKS!
