Saturday, September 8, 2007 -- Morgantown, WV
Deckers Creek Adventure Fun Race and Festival (iPO Event Id#: 10384)

[Details] [Coverage]

First Ever Adventure Fun Race in Morgantown a Hit

Story by Sarah McClurg, Executive Director, Friends of Deckers Creek
Photos by Jan Kiger, Owner of Adventure's Edge

Team Adventure WV tackles the canoe challenge. Photo by Jan Kiger

Highlights from the Deckers Creek Adventure Day on Saturday September 8th to support the Friends of Deckers Creek (FODC) included the first ever adventure fun race to hit Morgantown. Though the event was not a grueling race as adventure races are known for, it was a family fun introduction, helping the average Joe and not-so-average get a small taste for adventure racing.

Seventeen teams of three competed in areas such as; bike, hike, canoe, and team mystery challenges to compete for the title and overall prize.

Team mystery challenges included throwing paper airplanes, powering a vacuum via a stationary bike, a run up the arboretum trail, riddles, tangram puzzles, blindfolded obstacle courses, and many more. Teams came out in costumes and uniforms for this fun, family-friendly event.

In the end, it was the all male team of Adventure's Edge who took top prize - a rafting trip for 4 down the Cheat River Canyon courtesy of the Cheat River Outfitters.

Team Creek Legs before the race begins. Photo by Jan Kiger

Other first place finishers included the Fairmont Police Department in the business category, Pigs in the Middle for the student category, the Morgantown Multi Sport - Just Tri it team came in first in the women's division, the Creeklings took first in the Youth/Family category, and the first place coed team was We Are - Wild and Wonderful.

Following the race awards Lindsey and the Clear Mountain Boys played some bluegrass tunes while families milled around the event tents. Kids' activities included acid mine drainage (AMD) tie-dyes, face painting, edible geology, recycled materials art, two pinatas, and a kids' bike raffle to support the new FODC Youth Advisory Board (YAB).

There were plenty of educational opportunities from the WV Raptor Rehabilitation Center, Morgantown Utility Board, the WV Department of Environmental Protection, the Office of Surface Mining, and FODC's very own chemist Wiz, Martin Christ.

Deckers Creek Adventure Race Champions - Team Adventure's Edge -

Next, Taylor Runner and accompanying band led Adventure Day goers in an hour long square dance on the Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheatre stage. Finally, Clutterhouse, an alternative rock band from Columbus, Ohio rounded out the day with funky originals and disco covers.

This event was a great opportunity for Friends of Deckers Creek (FODC) to let the community know about the positive changes being made to turn Deckers Creek from a liability into a community asset. The event also help to raise money and awareness for the organization.

The FODC would like to thank all of their event sponsors for making it possible - a full list of sponsors can be found at www.deckerscreek.org.