YOUR AD HERE »

Challenging the unknown

Emma Garrard
Sierra Sun
Courtesy Nevada PassageSierra Sun photographer Emma Garrard is competing this week in the five-day Nevada Passage Land Rover G4 Challenge. The race features off-road driving, navigating, orienteering, rock climbing, open-water kayaking, mountain biking and running.
Nils Nilsen/TEAM Unlimited |

For the last month I have been trying to explain to people what I will be doing this week. It’s been difficult, and part of the reason is because I don’t really know myself.

As of Monday I’ve been on a five-day adventure competition starting in Las Vegas known as the Land Rover G4 Challenge ” Nevada Passage.

It’s the first time I’ve done any sort of adventure race, so it should be interesting and challenging. I know more or less what activities we will be doing, but for how long and where is unknown. All I know is we will go to some pretty remote and interesting areas in Nevada.



The event involves off-road driving, navigating, orienteering, rock climbing, open-water kayaking, mountain biking and running ” a little bit of everything, to say the least.

Although the event has gone on the last three years, this year’s competition will be a lot different as it is the first year it has been sponsored by Land Rover and involves much more driving.



I have been paired up with Dean Kruuse of Encinitas, Calif., by way of South Africa. Should be a great partner as he has experience doing triathlons, driving off road and knows a lot about Land Rovers.

We will be provided with brand new Land Rovers and specialized bikes for the competition ” unfortunately not to keep. But we will get a ton of swag to take home.

How prepared am I? We will see. I have been focusing on training for off-road triathlons along with working a 40-hour-or-so work week, so I have had little time to do any kayaking, GPS navigating, off-road driving or rock climbing.

Luckily in the last week I have had a few opportunities to take kayaks out on Lake Tahoe thanks to Harry King at Envirosports in Kings Beach. Every time I take a kayak out I wonder why I don’t go more often. It’s so beautiful and peaceful to kayak on the lake, especially at this time of year before all the motorized boats get out there.

I have also had a few opportunities to go rock climbing ” once outside thanks to my old UNR ski coach Jeff Schloss, who took me up to Donner Summit on a very windy day last week. Jeff gave me a crash course in rock climbing and even trusted me to belay him! Brave man.

Did I mention this is a made-for-TV event? We will be followed by a camera crew the whole time, which should be interesting; it’s always funny being on the other side of the camera. Every time I see the Gauntlet on MTV I kind of cringe and have to change the channel so hopefully I won’t look like any of the former Real World members.

I’m guessing this event will be totally different due to the fact the people competing are actually pretty experienced athletes, a lot of whom I know from racing triathlons. Most of the women are the top amateur racers from last year, so I know my competition will be tough.

If we win this contest we will go on to compete in Europe next year against teams from all over the world. Pressure’s on!

I will try to post my progress in the competition on the Sierra Sun Web site, depending on how much free time I have at the end of the day and where we can get reception.

To learn more about the Land Rover G4 Challenge, visit http://www.nevadapassage.com.


Support Local Journalism

 

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond make the Sierra Sun's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.