2014 Crusher in the Tushar

I went. I rode. I freely admit I got summarily Crushed.

July 12, 2014, is a day i will never forget. This is a race (ride for me, I'm not delusional) without peer. It's the most difficult thing I've ever attempted. The part I finished made me humble. And tired. It starts in Beaver at 5,680 feet, and tops out at 10,262 (for me). The altitude did me in when all was said and done.

I started with the Prop/Open men's group. They dropped me at 2.3 miles - but I rode with Levi Leipheimer for 2.3 miles!!. The women passed me at 4.4. Everyone else pretty much sailed by by the turn up to Kent's Lake. I made the initial cutoff by three minutes.

My legs were fine, but someone went and sucked all the air out of that air. Discretion being the better part of valor, I ended up not descending the Col d'Crush and doing the Junction - Circleville loop. If I had, I'd still be climbing back up. 8 miles, 4,000 feet of tire-sucking lunar dust, gravel, and stuff. There is a localized spike in gravitational force on that climb and the 2 or three miles leading up to it.

That area above Beaver, Utah, in the Tushar Mountains is absotively, posilutely gorgeous. I enjoyed the heck out of this, and the views alone were worth the pain. I wish I had pictures, but I didn't take my phone on the course. Anyone interested can see good pics at the website www.tusharcrusher.com

Several people I talked to had also done Leadville. They said this was harder. Not having attempted Leadville I couldn't say, but I do believe them.

I don't know if I'll try again next year. I haven't yet figured out how I'd find the time to train for the altitude. But I highly recommend it to anyone who has lost their marbles.

And I have to add this: When the guy on the singlespeed fatbike passed me I could only shake my head in admiration.

 

hey I have camped right there at the little reservoir campground

 

9 days out and the pain begins to fade. I've decided that somehow...not sure how yet...I will finish this insane race in July of 2015.

 

And....I've signed up for the 2015 version. July 11, 2015. But this time on a 2015 Giant XTC Advanced 1. Now it's all on me. No excuses about equipment.

Still has 80% of the race over 8,000 feet elevation. Still has 10,500 feet of gain. Still has the last (yes, last ... mile 69) mile at a 12% grade, at over 10,000 feet elevation!! I dare you. 200 slots left as of now. https://tusharcrusher.athlete360.com/

 

You're way beyond my goals.

After I did my Catalina Island tour, I found myself missing that kind of biking. I'm trying to make room in my schedule for the Chino Grinder (42 miles out & back, starting at 4K) http://chinogrinder.azgravelrides.com/ and if I really enjoy that, I'm going to try and make the Rebecca's Private Idaho (56 miles out & back, start at 6K, 4K of climbing) http://www.rebeccasprivateidaho.com/

Good luck on your trek.

 

I'd love to do the Big Potato, but not sure I can convince the wife that it's a necessity after the Crusher...

 

I can relate to that.........