Crusher in the Tushar: Jeff's Top Ten Lists

Almost immediately after finishing the race my brain began negotiating the pros and cons of such an infernal affair.  Why in the world would I want to do such a thing?  Here follows my top ten reasons (in Late Night Style):

Reasons I Hated the Crusher

• 10  - Leg Cramps, everywhere, like all the muscles in my legs wanted to vie for the position of "most likely to sabotage Jeff's race"
• 9    - The "20 miles to go sign".  AKA "abandon all hope, ye who enter here" sign before the Col d' Crush.
• 8    - Headwind from Junction to Circleville.  Wind belongs in Idaho.  On training rides.  Not in races.  Period.
• 7    - Looking at the pro time postings.  Guess I'm just that slow.
• 6    - The "1 mile to go sign".  It was most certainly placed 5 miles out.
• 5    - Plastic bags that don't open on rough gravel roads.  Only alternative - bite through plastic bag, eat contents and spit out plastic.  Oh, and keep riding.  And don't cramp.
• 4    - The hot, dusty, and strangely steep section from the end of the road north of Circleville back to UT153 (I imagined Scotty yelling something about the core overheating)
• 3    - Caught behind a vehicle convoy on final descent.  Dude, you threw off my groove.
• 2    - 12% grade 500 meters to the finish.  Seriously?  Hire a decent road grader.
• 1    - The "Col d' Crush".  I'd psyched myself to take on this bad boy like a nerdy school kid convincing himself that he too could run through a brick wall just like Harry Potter.  Reality hurts.  Badly.

Reasons I Loved the Crusher

• 10  - Beaver Utah - surprisingly nice little town with Super Nice People (aka race supporters)
• 9    - The kid who handed up the Coke to me at Feed Station 5.  He was so excited to do the hand-up it made me feel like Mean Joe Green
• 8    - Great scenery on the first ascent.  The scent of pine lulled me along like a lamb to the...
• 7    - Great support.  Dawn in the Team Car and all the local volunteers along the way - high five!
• 6    - The Gilly Suit Guy cash hand-up.  "Get paid to play" he said!
• 5    - My TRP disc brakes.  They saved my life on the descent of the Col d' Crush.  Literally.
• 4    - Every last stretch of level or negative grade.  Thank you Nature for creating downhills that for a moment make me feel fast.
• 3    -  My Kelson RAD Bike (you'd think the thing was built for this race...)
• 2    - Great friends to ride with.  It wouldn't have happened without them.
• 1    - Finishing, finishing, and yup you guessed it finishing the C*R*U*S*H*I*N*G thing!

All in all this happened to be a superbly run race, and made the pain and suffering less memorable than it otherwise would have been.  And like childbirth, I'm sure as time goes on, I'll begin to consider doing it again!