Support Crew Report: Crusher 100EX

Support Crew: noun | someone who supports someone else's suffering. Also see green dot enabler.

If you're familiar with the 906 Adventure Team's trilogy events like Polar Roll, Crusher, and Marji Gesick, you know that support is an essential component to these self-supported events. If you're not familiar with the events, you might wonder how a support fits into a self-supported event? Well let me tell you.

When folks started doing these events, friends & family found out that there wasn't aid stations available for event participants. They took matters into their own hands and they showed up.

According to the event rules, neutral support is allowed "so long as the aid is offered to one rider is available to all riders in the immediate viscinity." In other words, if you're providing neutral support, "you are expected to support each other". | Direct quotes taken from the 2025 Crusher Field Manual.

The events make the rules of engagement crystal clear. For a support crew to run efficiently, the division of responsibility between the participant and crew needs to be established.

Event Participant: This is the person that is signed up for the event. It doesn't matter if they're biking, running, hike-a-biking, walking, or crawling. They are responsible for having their gear ready, nutrition plan, and to communicate with their crew.

It is helpful to provide a checklist of what is needed at each stop so that your support crew members can have it available. If your support crew is experienced or knows your nutrition plan well, then a checklist may be a mental one. Having extra bottles or bladders can be helpful to make swapping empty for full bottles a quick process.

Support Crew: This could be one (or more) people who are spending the day (or days) "folllowing" the event participant at designated meeting spots along the course to provide support. Please note that these events will take your event participant to places you cannot drive on. This is not a road marathon! You'll need to navigate roads to get to meeting spots along the course and if you're lucky, they'll actually look like roads.

The app that was most useful for navigation was Gaia with the course uploaded. It's important to note that the navigation lead of the support crew has experiencing using Gaia on course of this event, although a different route. We also used Garmin Connect to view the course when trying to determine mileage between meet up spots. Apple Maps was used to cross check route on Gaia and TrackLeaders was used as a rough estimate of our rider's last known location.

Support crew had rain gear, hat, change of shoes, and several change of clothes to be prepared for all conditions. Support crew also had power cells, charging cords, headlamp, swim suit, and towel. Support crew members packed their own food and beverages such as water, coffee, as well as a combination of sweet & salty snacks.

The event: Crusher EX100

Time Cut Off: 24 hours

Date: July 5, 2025

Start || 0543

Location: Park and Ride M-95

How the heck did our rider leave ahead of schedule? We planned additional time to arrive to the course start, support crew navigation lead is a local and knows where to go, and the rider had all their required gear on their bike and ready to roll.

Support Crew Stop 1 || 0545

Location: Circle K Gas Station at Koski Korners

Support crew used the bathroom and started navigation to first meet up spot.

Support Crew Stop 2 || 0636

Location: L'anse, Michigan

Campioni Convenience || Hilltop Family Restaurant

At the gas station, support crew used the bathroom, bought two bags of ice to fill cooler, and filled 4 gallons of water. At Hilltop Family Restaurant, support crew bought 3 cinnamon rolls that are larger than the rider's head.

Meet Up Spot 1 ||

Location: Arvon Road || 46.76918, -88.24698

Support Crew Arrival: 0739

Rider Arrival: 0945

Support crew arrived and went for a walk up the course where they saw a snake, a wolf print, and wolf scat. Support crew moved car into shade and sat in camp chairs until rider arrived. Rider lost a front bottle somewhere on course since the start. Rider drank a ginger ale and consumed a sandwich. Support crew swapped out fuel bottles, refilled electrolytes, and exchanged wrappers for new gels.

Meet Up Spot 1 alternate ||

Location: Roland Lake Road || 46.82999, -88.18181

Support Crew Arrival: 1028

Rider Arrival: 1150

Support crew stopped to use the facilities (read outhouse) at the Roland Lake Boat Launch although the course doesn't go all the way to the boat launch. Support crew saw a loon and bald eagle. Since this was an alternate meet up location, rider needed minimal supplies at this stop. It started to sprinkle just as rider arrived which

was almost 5 hours prior to forecasted chance of rain.

Meet Up Spot 2 ||

Location: Mouth of the Huron || 46.91206, -88.03563

Support Crew Arrival: 1233

Rider Arrival: 1250

Support crew stopped to check out water crossing. It started to pour once our rider arrived. One of the support crew members changed into their swimsuit to assist our rider across. The crossing had one failed attempt where the water got chest deep on the rider. One support crew member assisted our rider across while another stayed on shore. Rider opted to change into a dry kit on the beach only for it to starting pouring. Tarps were placed on driver and passenger seat of car as both support crew members were soaked.

Meet Up Spot 3 ||

Location: Northwestern Road || 46.81690, -88.00415

Support Crew Arrival: 1431

Rider Arrival: 1509

It rained the entire way from Meet Up Spot 2 to 3. Support crew members had food like yogurt, protein bar, and protein shake and made a cup of coffee. Rider had some coffee, refilled bottles, and electrolytes. Garbage was exchanged for gels. Rider swapped for a pair of dry gloves. Rider requested that support crew try to get as much dirt off back as possible. One support crew told rider that it was unrealistic to try to remove any dirt from the back of their jersey.

Meet Up Spot 4 ||

Location: Triple A | Eagle Mine | 46.74588, -87.88021

Support Crew Arrival: 1616

Rider Arrival: 1701

Support crew arrived to service which was able to update family, friends, check the weather forecast, and check TrackLeaders. When rider arrived, support crew noticed that rider had not consumed any water since last stop. Rider drank serving of electrolytes & UCAN during stop and ate instant mashed potatoes & Honey Stinger waffle. Support crew refilled electrolytes and gave rider requested wind vest. Rider opted for the warmer version of the wind vest due to drop in temperature (82 degrees to 68/70 degrees) and continued rain. Support crew reminded rider to drink something (anything really) during next section of the course.

Support Crew Stop 3 || 1828

Location: Border Grill in Negaunee, MI

Support crew stopped to order food to go which included tacos for the crew and cheese quesadilla for rider. They took time to refill personal water bottles and use the bathroom.

Meet Up Spot 5 (add on) ||

Location: near Wolf Lake Boat Launch | 46.59381, -87.87822

Support Crew Arrival: 1922

Rider Arrival: 2122

Support crew arrived to no service and noticed trail cam at intersection. After the estimated time of 3 hours, support crew drove on course towards rider to receive a SPOT tracker message that read,

Running waaaaaaay late leaving last CP now 1944

Support crew returned to meeting position and rider arrived with 40 minutes of receiving message. Rider was excited about the quesadilla, grabbed a few chips & a section of quesadilla. Rider swapped out dry gloves, swapped out one fuel bottle, and a few additional gels.

Support Crew Stop 4 || 2209

Location: Circle K Gas Station at Koski Korners

Support crew was greeted by a beautiful sunset on the drive. Support crew threw away garage, used the bathroom and got snacks while we wait for our rider to finish.

Finish ||

Location: Park and Ride M-95

Support Crew Arrival: 2216

Rider Arrival: 2343

Support crew considered rider's reaction if we were sleeping when he finished. We tracked our rider using Trackleaders from the parking lot at the finish but knew the mileage did not accurately depict where our rider was. When rider was close, support crew opened trunk, attached battery operated lights, and cheered from the parking lot entrance.

Start Time (planned): 0600

Start Time (actual): 0543

Finish Time (planned): 0000

Finish Time (actual): 2343

Pre-Event Event Participant x Support Crew Meetings: 1

Meeting Spots Planned: 4 (with 1 alternate)

Actual Meeting Spots: 6

Number of Apps Support Crew Used To Navigate: 4

Times Support Crew Turned Around: 1

Times Support Crew Worried About Rider: 1

SPOT tracker Messages Sent to Support Crew: 2

You'll notice that support crew arrived to the Meet Up Spot sometimes several hours before the rider. This allowed support crew to find the spot without fear of missing the rider. Support crew refilled fuel bottles and mixed electrolytes during this time. Support crew also utilized this time to take care of their own needs (eat, pee, walk, etc.) so that 110% attention could be given to the rider when they arrived.

Our rider was the only one out on the EX course on this day. Had the support crew come into contact with any other EX participants then they would have provided support to those within their immediate vicinity as instructed in the 2025 Crusher Field Manual.

Whether you are an event participant or support crew member, we hope you found this support crew report helpful! Get out there and get your #greendot.