Team 50+ Miles

“Barkley Marathons meets Amazing Race”

– Kathy Schut, 2018 team event finisher

YOU vs. YOU.

Crusher isn’t run by a large event company. We don’t have a marketing team, in fact, our team is comprised of just two people and a bunch of passionate volunteers. 906 Adventure Team (the non-profit that produces the Crusher), is dedicated to empowering people to discover the best version of themselves through outdoor adventure, and we do it by providing unique adventure experiences for adults (Polar Roll, Crusher, Marji Gesick) and youth (Adventure Bike Club, 500+ kids in 2021!).

On Monday June 7th, 2021, Marc Salm, Kelsy Kellerman, and myself completed a 1,624-mile off-road circumnavigation of the Upper Peninsula. Liz Belt was with us until Marquette. All four of us are Crusher alumni. I thought about Crusher (the event) and Crushers (you) every day (16.5-days total). The experience has changed my perspective on life, what it means to be successful, and how to achieve it. We spend too much time comparing ourselves to others and worrying about what they think. We sell ourselves short. I see it at bike club with the kids, and I see it at the events with adults. We’re constantly being told what we are worth based on how fast or slow we made it to the finish line. Take my advice – forget about the fucking finish line. Dedicate yourself to getting ready, putting in the time, and doing the work. If you’re not signing up for things that scare you… you ain’t living! I once had a competitor tell me “I’ve never quit nothing in my life!”. So I asked if that record included a finish at Marji, and she said “Oh, no! I’d never do that. It’s too hard.” Ya…. #quitter.

The beauty of this event comes down to two simple questions: Did you claim a green dot (finish)? And what are you gonna do to finish the job, if you didn’t? How many events can you attempt, not finish, and go back for a second crack at it in the same year? Not many. How many events can you do around your schedule? Not many. How many events can you do and not see another human all day? Not many. How many events are gonna push you the way Crusher will? NOT MANY.

It’s YOU vs. YOU. Get ready.

THE ROUTE.

Total Adventure. No course markings. In fact, no course. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to capture as many checkpoints, as fast as you can, and return to basecamp. Teams decide where they go and how they get there. Checkpoints can be captured in any order. Navigation by GPS unit, map reading, and orientation skills will benefit you greatly. We consider the Team Adventure to favor the thinking man and woman.

REQUIREMENTS

All event participants are required to know the self-supported ethos, take photos at checkpoints and to abide by the rules. GPS is mandatory. The course is not marked. Recommended gear lists are provided and may be updated prior to the race.

CRUSHER PASSPORT

Your passport is your race plate. Need a number on the front of your bike? You’re in the wrong place. Do not lose your passport. You need your passport. It contains: checkpoint info, the rules, event info, and we can guarantee at least 51% of the information provided is accurate. .

LOGISTICS

Date: Complete your CrusherEX event anytime between July 1st – October 1st, 2021.

Where: All events leave from Al Quaal in Ishpeming.

Time: You can start any time, just think it through, and understand how it impacts when you might be in the dark.

Beacons: We’re working with Trackleaders again. 225P2P riders will get their beacons at basecamp in Copper Harbor Friday night before we start. EX riders will need to request a beacon via this form.

Checkpoint selfies: This is important. Selfies are required at specific checkpoints. Your passport will contain all the info. Checkpoint selfies will be required with your ride file to verify completion of your CrusherEX event. Email to: events@906adventureteam.com

Ride file: Email your ride file to us upon completion of your CrusherEX event. We may be able to use your tracker file assuming you used one, assuming it worked. We recommend navigation redundancy (multiple devices)!

Cut-Offs:

225P2P = 36 hours

225EX = 36 hours

100EX Run = 36 hours

100EX Bike = 24 hours

50EX Run = 24 hours

40EX = 12 hours

Team = 12 hours

LOGISTICS

RECOMMENDED GEAR IS… RECOMMENDED.
GPS IS MANDATORY… but we won’t know if you don’t have one.
GPX-files will be provided by the event prior to race day.
The course IS NOT MARKED.
Cell service is unreliable, if not impossible.

SUPPORT CREW

Neutral support allowed. Offer to all Crushers. Help each other out.

CRUSHER PASSPORT

Your passport is your race plate. Need a number on the front of your bike? You’re in the wrong place. Do not lose your passport. You need your passport. It contains: checkpoint info, the rules, event info, and we can guarantee at least 51% of the information provided is accurate. .

LOGISTICS

Your passport is your race plate. Need a number on the front of your bike? You’re in the wrong place. Do not lose your passport. You need your passport. It contains: checkpoint info, the rules, event info, and we can guarantee at least 51% of the information provided is accurate.

Date: Complete your CrusherEX event anytime between July 1st – October 1st, 2020.

Where: All events leave from Al Quaal in Ishpeming.

Time: You can start any time, just think it through, and understand how it impacts when you might be in the dark.

Beacons: We’re working with Trackleaders again. 225P2P riders will get their beacons at basecamp in Copper Harbor Friday night before we start. EX riders will need to request a beacon via this form.

Checkpoint selfies: This is important. Selfies are required at specific checkpoints. Your passport will contain all the info. Checkpoint selfies will be required with your ride file to verify completion of your CrusherEX event. Email to: todd@906adventureteam.com.

Ride file: Email a link to your ride file and make sure you have your privacy settings set so we can view the ride.. We may be able to use your tracker file assuming you used one, assuming it worked. We recommend navigation redundancy!

Cut-Offs:

225P2P = 36 hours

225EX = 36 hours

100EX Run = 36 hours

100EX Bike = 24 hours

50EX Run = 24 hours

40EX = 12 hours

Team = 12 hours

LOGISTICS

RECOMMENDED GEAR IS… RECOMMENDED.
GPS IS MANDATORY… but we won’t know if you don’t have one.
GPX-files will be provided by the event prior to race day.
The course IS NOT MARKED.
Cell service is unreliable, if not impossible.

SUPPORT CREW

Neutral support allowed. Offer to all Crushers. Help each other out.

It’s all about community.

906 Adventure Team is a 501c3 Non-Profit based in Marquette, Michigan. Since 2014 we have been creating outdoor adventure experiences for youth through Adventure Bike Club and events like Polar Roll, The Crusher, and Marji Gesick. Our take on life is pretty simple – it’s an adventure. In life (and adventure) stuff doesn’t always go to plan. Things go wrong. Bad things happen to good people and you don’t overcome it by complaining or pointing fingers. The truth is adversity brings out the best of us – by taking us down unknown paths to find it.

906 Adventure Team uses revenue from the events to support trail organizations and create more youth Adventure Teams.

The Marji Gesick will donate $27,000 to local trails this year, bringing total trail donations since 2015 to $216,000.

In 2022, with the help of corporate partners, we invested $40,000 in youth programs for three new Adventure Team communities. Resilience, confidence, community, and a sense of belonging have never been more important than it is for kids today. Adventure Teams help them “find their people”, the way you feel like you’ve found yours at Marji.

We want you to know when you support 906 Adventure Team and the events you’re making life better here in Marquette County and in communities across the Midwest.

Learn More

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