race day

Even though we didn't actually get a hike in on Saturday, we were on our feet for a good nine hours.  Instead of driving from our condo up to the finish at the Skyline Lodge at Eagle Point Resort, we decided to walk the approximate one mile distance - which just so happens to be the final climb of the Crusher and which is also and decidedly uphill.  When we got up there, we were assigned to the Drop-Bag Tent by race ops boss Jason (whom we decided is quite possibly the happiest person we have ever met).  Last year, this tent was the Hospitality Tent, where racers were able to eat after finishing, and the drop bags were laid out on the ground for pick-up.  When it started raining last year, there was a mad rush to bring the bags under the tent; this year, looking at the weather forecast, the race organizers decided to just start out with the drop bags under the tent and on the tables, to keep them dry.

Setting up

We were given free rein to set up the tables and chairs as we thought best, and when the trucks brought the drop bags up from the start, after the racers had headed off, we off-loaded the bags and organized them.  When the food truck arrived, we snarfed down some free rice and veggies quickly because once the first finishers arrived a little after noon, we were busy for the rest of the afternoon: connecting the finished riders with their drop bags, answering questions, emptying garbage barrels, picking up trash.  Sometimes we saw a cycling heading our way on their bike and, by noting their race number, were able to hand them their bag before they even asked for it.  Sometimes a racer was so exhausted from the ride that when we asked for their number, they gave us the wrong one or simply looked at us blankly before trudging back to their bike to see what the number was.  I am happy to report that every rider who showed up at our tent was reunited with their correct bag.

Drop-bags galore

The weather was challenging and the race received the dubious distinction of being the wettest Crusher ever (to date).  Unlike last year, when it was triple digits down in the valleys and in the 50s up at the finish, this time it was cool and wet for the whole day.  The earliest finishers avoided the worst of it out on the course but the slower riders had to deal with a lot of rain and, at some point, marble-sized hail.  Up where we were at the finish, it started drizzling at 9 and raining at 9:30.  It cleared up for a couple of hours for about 11-1 and then the storm settled in from about 2 p.m. on.  Our tent got very crowded at that point, with racers eating and trying to change into slightly drier clothes.  Some of the riders were really cold and the Skyline Lodge ended up starting a fire in their bar fireplace to help folks warm up.

In between storms

The riders were all extremely appreciative of us volunteers, from the older amateurs to the young hotshot pros.  One guy helped me pull a full garbage bag out of the barrel.  Two racers recognized me and thanked me - again - for letting them borrow my reading glasses the night before.  We talked with riders from all over, including Arkansas, Wisconsin, Virginia, Oregon, California, Colorado and Italy.  Some of them shook their heads, swearing "never again," while others couldn't stop talking about their experience out on the course.  H, of course, could empathize.  H was especially stoked to talk to Caroline Gleich, mountaineering chick/wicked awesome skier/legend (if someone so young can be called a legend yet).

The huddled masses

When it was all over, when the last rider crossed the finish line, when all the racers had been bundled onto the shuttle buses and taken off the mountain, we broke down our tables and chairs and finished cleaning up our area.  Since it was still pouring rain, Tiffany, the very nice volunteer coordinator (and wife of the race organizer), gave us a ride back to our condo and gave us two 12-packs of Epic IPA - the Epic rep had loaded all the event's leftover beer into her car.  This was the first time we've finished a weekend with more (and better) beer than when we started! When we got inside the condo, we turned the heat on again.

Volunteer swag!