I always loved woods and any type of adventure, so when my friend invited me to participate in a trekking competition in Paranapiacaba, I did not thought too much before saying yes, I found out later that the trekking difficulty was easy, which was a good thing considering that I had no idea what a trekking competition was.
So I will explain to you.
First you need a group, each member of the group will have a job, and will receive the proper material: a map, a GPS and a compass, the objective is to make the stipulated route exactly in the stipulated time, so, for example, you have to go from point A to point B, from point B to C, …, in the exact time, not one minute more nor one less, while the GPS marks each point, time and route.
Our team could not be better, there was João, the one responsible to make the group happy. Antonio, the experienced and very patient. Leonel, the only one there who knew what he was doing. And me and Tay, the very definition about following the flow. And it was this group that came close to getting on the podium. Yes indeed, the podium escaped from us at the last moments of the trail, but I’ll get there.
The beginning of the trail was inside the city and pretty easy, so we focus about getting to know each other, taking pictures and trying to understand how the game works, what happened in time enough to realize that we were late to the check-point 2, (check-point 1 is the start so…. not good) so, unlucky for me, I was the GPS person, so I had to run uphill until arrive at the check-point. Awesome way to start!
But there is more, at some point along the way, we had to go through a muddy road to arrive at one of the check-points, and at some point of our conversation we noticed a small thing, a little detail, not so important, just that Mr. Antonio was no longer with us, in the sense of absence, okay ?! He had just disappeared! Everyone just left in despair looking for him, coming back on the road looking for the same path as we past, until we found him, sitting very relaxed on the edge of the trail, he laughed and told us that he had warned us that he would take a rest. So… you can see. We are very, always, very aware of everything
Yes
So , with all this going back and forth, our time to get to the point was over, so John, the youngest and with more energy was unanimously selected and summoned to run to the check-point with the GPS. But do you think he took it in viciousness? When he returned to the group. he had so much energy that he was just jumping in every puddles of mud, just for the simple fact that they exist, so they must to be stepped on, nothing like a mud bath to wash the soul right ?!
After passing a few streams and a waterfall the path took us back to the city, and it was at a decisive moment between two streets to take to the last check-point. I was in charge of the map now. I chose the street that I thought was right and then we arrived in the arc of arrival, with the crowd applauding and everything beautiful.
Gladly we went to deliver the GPS to the judges, we were full of proud and joy when we were informed that there was one path wrong, one stupid street, who happens to be the street just at the entrance of the city. OMG! I do not remember who it was that defined that I should have stayed with the map at that time, but the fault in on that person, with all certainty, irresponsible people!
☺☺☺
But enough of fault, let’s talk about the social part of this kind of event. I think it is very cool thing. Those initiatives encourage the practice of sports for all people regardless of age or social class. They make certain sports accessible and increase people’s contact with nature.
The organization of the event also made other activities for people while they waited, such as climbing walls, human slingshot, playground for children and other attractions for the fun of the galley in general.
Contribute to the environment
- Take your trash
- Collect rubbish if possible
- ALWAYS PRESERVE THE NATURE