Having grown up on the Kitsap Penninsula, I couldn't help but be intrigued when I saw the press release for a new multi-sports event,
'Unleash the Beast!', being thrown out there for a weekend in the most beautiful little logging town around, historic Port Gamble.
So we marked the calendar and Jim began strategically training...as he eagerly took the opportunity to register for not one, but two different sporting races being offered at the NW Adventure Sports Festival.
New this year on the Puget Sound paddle racing schedule was the Paddle the Dragon 5 mile kayak race- in the venue of all venues, absolutely beautiful Port Gamble.
As well as three
Dirty Dozen mountain bike races. Jim signed up for the 25 mile 'expert' class, single track race as well as the paddle race. *To this multisport ultra-athlete, this was a great warm-up, racing double-header as part of his
Mountains-to-Sound,
ironman trainining.
We arrived a few hours before the kayak race on Saturday morning to allow plenty of time to check in,
as well as check out the different race courses.
Along with the numerous colorful and assorted vendor displays of mountain bikes, rec plastic kayaks, sea kayaks, stand up boards, canoes, pedal sail boats... all available to demo on trails & seas! We were in true Northwest adventure sport lover's heaven!
Boats and bikes, bikes and boats = so many toys, so little time....
Start of the Paddle the Dragon ~ 5 mile kayak race
Race Report by JZ~ 2nd overall,1st place kayaker-
"Before the race conditions were as calm as can be, then a slight breeze came in across the bay... The field was small with a lot of non-rudder rec boats, a few triples
and a double. 
Also a couple of fast outrigger canoes. By the time the race started we had a stiff 10 to 15 knot headwind with up to 1 foot chop. It was a grind to the turn around buoy at the Dragon but knowing we were going to have a downwind run to the finish made it worth it.
At the turn around the fast double missed the turn around buoy so it was 2 outriggers and me. The wind waves were small but perfect to connect one after another. The wind was blowing us right to the finish. Awesome! Overall it was a great course- Great for beginners and also in just the right conditions for the experienced racer."
Start of the Dirty Dozen -Expert class- 25 mile- single track- mountain bike race
Race Report by JZ
"The sign up was a bit unorganized, but for the first year is understandable. The expert field had some awesome riders...some were so fast they never even got dirty? (*reference to the 20 guys who never passed him, yet somehow finished ahead of him) Could have had a check point half way so riders could check in (* Reference to reference above)...The course was excellent, roots, tight trees, steep down hill and really fast rolling terrain made it an awesome warm-up for the season."
Rainbow display of plastic kayaks ~ recreational boats
The British have arrived in Port Gamble...and taken over our waterways?!
(*I may be 1/2 Pom myself, but the other Kiwi half of the gene pool in my family taught me that if you wanna paddle far and/ or fast around the PNW waters, you need a RUDDER!!)
Kayaks, SUPs, canoes, pedal sail boats-
you could demo just about anything that floated!
Jim finishing in 2nd place to a smokin' hot OC-1 & 1st kayaker overall
Jim was the only bi-athlete racer of the day to participate in both the kayak AND the 25 mile mountain bike races
Olympic mountain peaks and floating Hood Canal bridge backdrop
