Always Go



Yesterday was a reminder of why it pays to stay stubborn and keep the soul happy by tackling objectives that seem lofty.  Alycia and I woke up at 3:30am and drove down to the Tushar Mountains. A range I’d heard about but not yet explored. At 8:00am I lined up for Tushar Crushar, a 70 mile gravel road bike race with 10,000 feet of elevation gain. Most of the course hovers at 8,000ft and the finish was up at 10,600ft. The race starts in Beaver, Utah, the same town Butch Cassidy grew up in.   I raced on a borrowed one speed bike I’d ridden twice.

Hard as the course was, riding with one gear in a place I’d never been brought me back to those youthful days of riding my BMX bike around Hollywood Hill where I grew up.  If it’s steep you have to pedal harder, if it’s flat you cruise, and down hill always means coasting.

The Tushar Mountains are the third highest mountain range in Utah. The range is polka dotted with alpine lakes, lichen covered granite walls, and tight aspen groves amongst ponderosa pines. As accessible and incredible as the Tushar range is, a person won’t find many humans there. More likely sightings are afternoon thunderstorms marching toward the range from the plains, lush river valleys, craggy alpine zones, and a lot of solitude. The Tushars are the perfect place to push yourself.


I was stoked to experience the day with Alycia. We both got caught in a hail storm while riding and got hypothermic at the summit finish. Always a sign of a good event when they have space blankets at the ready! Truly a must do event. 1st place in the Single Speeds was icing on the cake.
Big thank you to Bonk Breaker, Giant Bicycles, Mountain Khakis, La Sportiva, and most of all to coach Kurt Perham, Alycia, and my family. You all make life so full of joy.
Until next time.
Your pal,
Andrew

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