Welcome to year 5 of the Blue Crusher Flowers, join the team for our 5th year celebration at the end of the 2018 90-miler in Saranac Lake!
We had our season-opener Around the Mountain race. Nancy Bernstein joined the 2nd seat on her first-ever race to fill in for Chrissy. She joins the growing family of Blue Crusher Flowers paddlers and pit crew. Thanks Nancy!
People often ask the origin of our team name. Fran Yardley coined it during a year 1 training day. We racked our brains for a good team name and although I don't recall the details, I remember her asking what is something we look forward to each day of the 90-miler race (a 3-day race on the classic Adirondack canoe route through the heart of the Park)? We unanimously replied, "The End." Somehow from there we picked words for the end of each day of the race. Day 1 ends in Blue Mountain Lake, Day 2 at the Crusher, a local name for the route 30 boat launch on the Raquette River, and Day 3 at Lake Flower.
Although the 5th year is a grand occasion for the BCFs, I still have fond memories of my first year on the 90-miler with the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Each year I reread this piece I wrote the night I finished that first journey to psych myself up for whatever hardships we might endure along the route. For those first year wanna be 90-milers, I highly recommend jumping in a voyageur boat and seeing how a full team works together. Have fun and keep paddling!