Kansas City has an adventure racing scene

The intrigue: You have to come up with the race route yourself, and you can't use a phone or GPS for directions.

The vibe: It's like treasure hunting in the woods. You get to be a kid again — only this time, you're going a lot farther than your friend's ravine.

• Some 24-hour races cover more than 100 miles. Some races are multiple days long.
• All you have is your wits and your will.

Zoom in: The TimberRidge Adventure Race I did over the weekend was six hours, and included an archery and rock wall section.

• There was also a shorter two-hour version.
• Kudos to Johnson County Parks and Recreation for a great event!

Want to try it? Off Road Rage Adventures, which holds several annual races across Kansas and Missouri, has two more races planned this year.