Early last Saturday morning, volunteers gathered at Lincoln Center, just north of a barely awake Colorado Springs, to set up for ROAR in the City. Everyone patiently received station assignments and dutifully headed off to one of thirteen locations. The Live Outside and Play Road Team made their way to Middle Shooks Run Park to a tennis court to set up Jungle Pong.
At the Really Outrageous Adventure Race, teams of creatively dressed humans run around Colorado Springs completing activities and answering questions at thirteen different stations. This year, with a Jungle Theme, leopard print was a favorite, and teams were especially voracious. We were in charge of the Jungle Pong, an activity where participants throw massive balls into garbage cans set up in a triangle across a tennis court.
Throughout the day, teams biked to the tennis court and tried their best at massive pong. After answering a few questions for extra points and finding a hidden flag, they were on their way. The day ended with an after-party back at Lincoln Center filled with drinks, food, and stories from the exhausting day. Prizes were awarded for teams with the most points, but more importantly, most creative team costume, best team spirit, and best Tarzan and Jane!
The creative mastermind behind this adventure packed day is UpaDowna, a non-profit that aims to connect people with adventure. They state their poetic mission on their website: “UpaDowna’s mission is to provide access to outdoor adventures for all, through events and programs that empower individuals, create healthier communities, and foster a respect for the environment.” We feel ya, UpaDowna! This resonates deeply with our Live Outside and Play soul and we were honored to be a part of this event.
After a long day, we packed it all in and headed West. With inspiration in our heels, we’re going to attempt the Maroon Bells Four Pass Loop, a challenging backpacking trail that traverses four mountain passes over 12,400 feet, with a total elevation gain of 9,580 feet over the 26-mile hike. By the time you read this, we are hopefully a day away from hiking out and enjoying the comforts of our plush van bed!
If you want to check out the van or meet the crazy humans behind the screen, Breck 100, on July 29th in Breckenridge, is your lucky chance! We will have the van and tent set up to welcome back the impressive riders after their 100-mile journey.
If tunes and relaxing yoga is more your scene, then Arise Music Festival is where you should find us. From August 4th to 7th we will be jammin’ with the Elevation Outdoors tent and plenty of other vendors inside the grounds of Arise near Loveland, Colorado.
We would love to see you and your van at our Van Life Rally in Boulder on August 17th. Check out the event page and come to the van party!
If you like the gear we’re reppin’, or what we’re wearing, check out some of the sponsors that make this tour possible: La Sportiva, Crazy Creek, National Geographic, RovR Products, Sea to Summit, Mountain House, LifeStraw, and Lowe Alpine.
