Adventure racing team Nike from the United States is making its way through gear check here in Abu Dhabi. Here's a shot of athlete Sari Anderson signing her waiver for the event. Sari and teammates Mike Kloser, Michael Tobin and Chris Forne look healthy, happy and ready to take on the desert.

Sari, who rolled an ankle early on while racing this event last year, said she's more ready this time around. "Last year I'd just had a baby," Sari said. "I was in good shape then, but I wasn't as ready as I'd liked to have been for the heat and the pure exhaustion."

This year's format is similar to that of last year, according to organizers. Best of luck, Sari! Keep those ankles healthy!

One of the least glamorous taskes in adventure racing, gear check, takes place before the start. At multi-day races like this Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, it takes place the day before the start. I've been to gear checks in parking lots, pop-up shelters, lodges and hotel ballrooms. But never in my life have I caught a scene like this at gear check. In the photo, a team makes its way out of the back entrance of the Armed Forces Officers Club, on its way for gear check out front. Sheesh! What a place!

Some of North America's best adventure racers will take on the sandy wilds of Abu Dhabi next month, where they'll compete in the second annual Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge.

So far, American teams include Nike of Colorado and Idaho; DART-nuun of Washington state; and Crested Butte of Colorado.

Two more U.S. athletes were slated to compete on foreign teams, according to the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge website. Jay Henry will race with team Desert Islands of New Zealand. Julia Townsend, who was to compete with team Emerson of the United Arab Emirates, tells Checkpoint Zero she's unable to race due to injury, but will be on site to cheer for her team.