Get off your couch and take the Adventure Challenge

You don't need to be an avid fitness enthusiast to take today's Adventure Challenge. All you need is a desire to get outside for a few hours and enjoy the Tri-Cities' scenic waterfront.

The Sacagawea Heritage Trail Adventure Challenge is a free community event sponsored by the Tri-Cities Rivershore Enhancement Council to help promote the 23-mile, walking-biking trail along the Columbia River and part of the Yakima River.

"The first Adventure Challenge (in 2008) was to celebrate the completion of the trail," said Kim Shugart, vice president of operations for the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau.

The idea was to urge people to get out and create their own adventure on the trail by starting anywhere along the looping route and ending at Sacajawea State Park in Pasco. Or you can start there and head the other way.

"What we celebrate now is the fact that our community has the trail. We want families and the community to be cognizant of the asset we have here in the Tri-Cities," she said.

At first it was thought the Adventure Challenge would only appeal to people who were fitness-oriented -- bicyclists, rollerbladers, power walkers.

But in the past two years Shugart has seen moms pushing strollers and people in wheelchairs also taking part.

"And they're all different fitness levels too," she said.

There are checkpoints every few miles along the trail -- which is mainly a loop from the cable bridge to the twin bridges where Interstate 182 crosses between Richland and Pasco and finally along the Pasco side ending at Sacajawea park.

To see a map of the trail and the 21 checkpoints go to www.visittri-cities. com and click on "Adventure Challenge."

At each checkpoint challengers fill out a ticket with their name and phone number. The tickets will be collected and go into one drawing to be held the week after the event. Top prizes are two mountain bikes donated by Sports Authority of Kennewick. Other prizes include water bottles, backpacks and other outdoor equipment.

"The more checkpoints you pass, the more tickets you have in the drawing, the better your odds are," Shugart said.

About 500 turn out for the event each year but Shugart would like to see at least 800 to 1,000.

"This event is not as crowded as some other community events because there's no official starting point," she said. "You can pick up the trail at either end of Columbia Park, Chiawana Park, wherever it's convenient. Sacagawea State Park is a good place too."

There's no need to preregister. The Adventure Challenge runs from 9 a.m. to noon.

This story was originally published September 11, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Get off your couch and take the Adventure Challenge ."