Last Chance jerseys and vests mailed!

Thanks to our gracious volunteer and fellow randonneur Will deRosset, the Last Chance jerseys and vests that riders ordered have been mailed out - first class for international recipients, and priority for US. Voler got these items to us as scheduled (actually a few days early).

Thanks to Will for volunteering to handle this and carrying out the shipments!

-john lee

Stories and Photos

I am collecting stories and photos that you would like to share about your Last Chance ride. So please send:

• stories or blog-links (or other links)
• photos or on-line photo links, etc.

And I will post your material or link to it, respectively. Some of you have already sent material and links so thanks. "Story" doesn't have to be a blow-by-blow account, by the way: if you have some vignettes or wry observations, those would be great, too.

The event aftermath is still quite the busy time here at Last Chance HQ - I'll post links, etc., as expeditiously as I can.

-jle

Jersey Reminder

A reminder that we need to receive any additional jersey (and other attire) orders by September 19. At this point, it's probably best to order on-line if you're interested:

http://secure.midlifesports.com/home.php?cat=283v

Scroll down to find the various items of Last Chance attire.

Thanks,

-jle

Lost, Loaned, and Found

Found - a black, righthand SealSkinz brand glove was found by Beth and Brent Myers on Strasburg Rd. It it's yours, let me know.

Eric Simmons lent a number of items to various riders. If you have not yet returned them, please let me know and we'll find a way to get the items back to Eric. (If you are still in the Louisville area, you can drop them by my house.)

Thanks,

-jle

Day 4 - Saturday 13 September

6:22 am - Riders passed a clear, breezy night under a large, waxing moon which lighted their way. Temps in the low 40's made for crisp riding, but at least it's dry. Finishers today should enjoy sun and temps into the 70's! And a fresh dusting of snow on the Front Range peaks is gracing riders' views as they head west to the finish.

8:30 am - Eric Simmons is packing up the Byers control, while his compadre Leslie Sutton is off to ride the Last Chance 200k brevet! A hearty thanks to Eric and Leslie, as well as Dan Shields and Charlie Henderson who held down the fort at Atwood for two days, and played a big role in making this such a special event!

4:24 pm - All but two of the remaining riders have finished, and they've had a brilliant sunny day to enjoy those final miles! It's a far cry from the soaked figures who were the first to arrive, 36 hours before.

9:25 pm - Our final two riders, Ernesto Berzacola from Milan and Piero Delgado from San Juan PR finished in time to grace our presence (and hand over their cards) at the rider celebration dinner! Still full of enthusiasm, they put a fine finish to our event!

-jle

Day 3 - Friday 12 September

8:30 am - Five riders headed out from Byers overnight, and four of them have now made it to the finish: Ken Bonner, Larry Ide, Tom Knoblauch, and John Schlitter. Cold, at times drenching, rains have moved in with a cold front, and accompanied these riders for most or all of those final 103 miles. They arrived in various states of chills, sogginess, and general rough condition, but they can be proud of their performances!

10:30 am - Atwood-to-Idalia is beset by heavy rains and reduced visibility, temps in the low 50's ("Just like PBP'07," Charlie Henderson points out, as he patrols that stretch).

1:23 pm - Things are brightening up. The showers are thinning out and some places even have sun peeking through. Half a dozen riders in two groups headed out from Byers late morning.

And here's a heartwarming story: Charlie reports that nine cold and soggy riders descended on the cafe in Idalia this morning. The proprietors gave them blankets and dried their clothes while they ate. Now that's small town spirit!

Ken Bonner, who bested his previous finishing times (in 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006) despite "100km of drenching rain" at the finish, felt conditions on balance were very favorable, at least for the Last Chance! He reminded me that 2006 had a big tailwind going out, which was better than nothing, oh, and no storms to speak of, so he'd been happy about that. This year, Ken had a similar tailwind outbound, tailwind on much of the return, cool temps ideal for cycling, and limited troublesomely strong sun. So he's not complaining about a few soggy hours at the end.

3:16 pm - Leslie Sutton reports from Byers: "I'm back at my coin op washer 'desk'. Roberto [Trevisan] and [Vincent Muoneke] are in excellent spirits after hot showers and hot food. They arrived at 13:05 and just departed at 14:35 as the sun started peaking out of the clouds and warming us up. Roberto reports that the drivers here are very courteous and the smooth roads are a treat. Jim [Solanick]'s clothes are hanging on the pipes in here (utility room) and they are just about dry, so I think he wil be on his way soon as well."

Note: I've added Leslie's photo of Roberto Trevisan departing Byers to the Flickr group photo pool.

7:15 pm - The next four riders have now come in, riding together and showing lots of camaraderie: Henk Bouhuyzen, Tim Feldman, Catherine Shenk, and Dick Wiss. The weather has brightened up ahead of schedule, making for a scenic finish with the sun setting over the cloud-bedecked Front Range. As Henk, Catherine, and Dick registered with the UMCA as aspirants to be RAAM qualified, they are now. A strong performance and congratulations!

-jle

Photos

I have posted a few photos from the event start in the Flickr group "Colorado Last Chance 1200km 2008" --

http://www.flickr.com/groups/882563@N21/

I will be posting more, and hope we will also be getting some from Byers and on the road, depending, as always, on when there's a moment to spare.

-jle

Day 2 - Thursday 11 September

7:56 am - As you can see from the rider times, most everyone got in and out of Atwood in good shape. Reports from the earlier riders through the turnaround point at Kensington are of strong winds through the night - not unusual - but no moisture. Right now it's high overcast, not threatening, with some breaks of blue.

11:30 am - The good news is no thunderstorms, tornadoes, or tumbleweeds. But it has turned cool, in the 50's with a 20mph wind out of the north, sprinkles and drizzle. Trail boss Charlie Henderson reports that Floridian Jim Solanick has broken out his RUSA wool jersey, its inaugural use since purchase half a year ago.

4:05 pm - At this point, everyone has made it through the Kensington turnaround point. Weather seems reasonably ok for cycling: overcast, 70°, drizzle here and there. The rain is parked off to the SE.

Richard Stum from Utah praises trail ranger Eric Simmons' delicious pasta salad, which he's enjoyed a couple times already on the route - this prepared by Eric's gourmet wife. Eric will no doubt be cooking up something tasty in Byers, as he and Leslie Sutton brace themselves for the onslaught of randonneurs.

8:45 pm - Leslie Sutton in Byers reports that Larry Ide and John Schlitter have come through: "Larry and John rolled in at 8:08, enjoyed some PB&J sandwiches, talked about getting a jacuzzi room if they finished by 3am, and then headed out into the night at 8:31p. It's a little chilly out here - about 53 degrees with a NNE breeze."

-jle

Greetings to Riders

Thank you for your greetings to riders in your post replies! We are conveying those to the riders as they pass through Atwood (and will also do so at Byers).

-jle

Day 1 - Wednesday 10 September

3:00 am - It's a mild, calm morning in the low 50's in Louisville, and the 36 riders are off to a good start!

7:15 am - Charlie Henderson reports from the Byers contrôle, while enjoying a giant breakfast burrito at the Longhorn Cafe - A glorious morning out on the plains, just past sunrise, mild temps, the hint of a tailwind. First riders, including Tim Feldman, Larry Ide, and John Schlitter, passed through around 6:15am, followed by a large group of up-to-this-point happy riders.

8:30 am - Free-range roving official Eric Simmons is out between Last Chance and Anton, savoring the treeless rolling landscape he featured on flèche Team Falcon. Charlie reports a carpet of "Colorado green" (a paler green than you see out East), almost like springtime thanks to recent rains. Tailwinds picking up.

10:20 am - Tim Bol and Judith Longley from Florida have passed through the Cope control. This is Tim's third Last Chance, and they both rode the Shenandoah this year - looking forward to much more comfortable weather on this one!

3:15 pm - The first riders have arrived at the Atwood bagdrop and control. Too bad for them they're not planning to stay long. Trail boss Charlie Henderson and sidekick Dan Shields report the newly remodeled "It'll Do Motel" is almost too comfortable to want to leave!

6:15 pm - East of St. Francis, the wind has turned firmly out of the south, and it's a stiff wind at that. This is the prevailing wind here - the middle two days of Last Chance '06 were unbroken SSE winds. It's warm here, too, but warm is relative: Brazilian rider Roberto Trevisan was spotted by Eric Simmons still in leggings in the heat of the day. Temps in the low 40's are predicted for the Colorado return, so tropical riders may be bundling up!

-jle

Room Sharing in Louisville

Are you interested in finding someone to share your room at the Comfort Inn (or other motel near the start) ... and share the expense? Are you looking for someone who has a room to share?

If either is the case, you may reply to this post with your contact info. We won't be mediating things - it's up to those interested to contact each other.

Thanks,
-jle

Last Chance Jerseys

In the interest of accomodating late arrivals, we're putting in our order with Voler after the event itself. If you've ordered a Last Chance jersey or vest, you should be receiving it the first half of November. (Yes, just in time to wear while working out on your indoor trainer!)

Thinking of ordering a jersey after all, or maybe ordering an extra item? You have until the end of the week after the finish (that is, by September 19) for us to receive your order. But that's the latest our production slot can accomodate.

-jle

Ride Procedures

Ride Start

Sign in between 2am-2:30am at the Comfort Inn. We will try to arrange a motel-provided self-service breakfast. Deposit your Drop-Bags in Atwood and Byers piles, respectively. As in years past, the Comfort Inn staff is making provisions to store guests' bicycle bags and other luggage during the event.

En Route

• Atwood - We've allocated enough room for everyone intending to sleep there, though in some cases it may be two to a queen-sized bed. Please follow the directions of the staff when you arrive.
• Kensington – Mail your turnaround-point postcard, noting time of passage, at the Kensington post office.
• Unstaffed Checkpoints – Checkpoints noted as “Store/Personal Checkpoint” have no event staff: have any store clerk note your time of passage and initial the card or, if during the night when all establishments are closed, note your own time and initials.
• Atwood and Byers Sign-In/Out – When you arrive in Atwood and Byers, sign in on the sheet provided. Then remember also to sign out when you leave, whether your stay is half an hour or overnight. This allows us to track rider progress and post it on the website. This is in addition to having your brevet card validated by staff.

Ride Finish

• As in years past, the “pre-finish check-in” is at my house (noted on cue sheet). During daylight hours it should be staffed all the time. During nighttime hours, Buster the Dog may announce your arrival - the nighttime staff official (that's me) will be glad to welcome you. Please be sure your time of arrival is noted on your card and that you leave your card in the receptical provided. This allows us to keep close track of finishers, and post rider progress on the web.
• Drop Bags will be available starting Saturday afternoon at the Comfort Inn.

Après-Finish Dinner

As in years past, we've made arrangements at Carrabbas Italian Grill, in the next block north of the motel, starting 6:30pm on Saturday. Attendees pay their own way. In past years, everyone's had a great time!

Bonne Route!

-jle

Check-In and Inspection

Check-In and Inspection will be 4pm-6pm on Tuesday 9 September at the Comfort Inn in Louisville. If this time will not work for you, please let me know in advance. You will need to show your:

• lighting system mounted on bike, and backup lighting system
• reflective gear for your bike and yourself (legbands and reflective vest or equivalent)

I will hand out rider packets including brevet card, Kensington postcard, printouts of map and cue sheet, plus dropbag tags for Atwood and Byers.

After inspection, you may wish to join other riders for dinner at a neighboring restaurant - there are several within walking distance. We recommend Carrabbas one block north.

See you there!

-jle

2008 Route Posted

The 2008 route map and cue sheet are now posted. As predicted, the route and checkpoints are unchanged from 2006 (except we're now using a sideroad near mile 730):

• Cue Sheet
• Map
• Map Detail (Start/Finish to/from Byers)

Any questions, let me know.

-jle

Personal Support

For riders having personal support (6 out of the 39 riders as of this post), a few reminders:

• Personal Support may only meet their riders at official checkpoints, except as noted below.
• Support may travel the event route, but may not leapfrog their riders (waiting at points along the route for their rider to pass them). Support should not be a salient presence on the course.
• Support may render emergency assistance (i.e., where there is a genuine safety concern) to their rider, and is of course expected to do so for other riders on the course, as any passer-by would.
• For lodging purposes, because of the sparse nature of the course, Phillipsburg KS will be treated as being within the supportable proximity of Kensington. (That is, support may meet their riders there for lodging.)

We know that you will be concerned about your rider, full of enthusiasm, and quite possibly bored in those quiet intervening hours, but please practice restraint and stay within the rules – otherwise your rider could be penalized.

Thanks,
-jle

Services from Cope to Byers

A word about the return stretch from Cope to Byers: the only service on this 75-mile stretch is the store in Anton (a control). From Anton it is 50 miles to Byers, including open, strongly rolling terrain trending uphill. So consider topping off your supplies in Anton.

Note, though, that the Anton store closes at 5pm. So if you arrive after that, you'll have 75 miles without intermediate services (unless you have personal support). We will try to provide some support between Anton and Byers during some hours, most likely Friday afternoon and evening, but riders should take this gap into account when budgeting their time throughout the day.

-jle

Services from Byers to Finish

Here's a rundown for the 103 miles from Byers to the finish:

• Prospect Valley (33 miles from Byers) - No establishments open overnight. Sodbuster Cafe keeps daytime/eve. hours.
• Keenesburg (40 miles from Byers) - Market St. Mart store open 5am-10pm.
• Platteville (66 miles from Byers) - Store open 4:30am-12:40am. *
• Dacono 25-52 Truck Stop, I-25 and Hwy. 52 (83 miles from Byers) - opens 5am (closed overnight) - similarly for the MacDonalds across the street - this is one mile off route, east of Hwy. 52 junction with Rd. 7.
• Lafayette 7-Eleven (only 6 miles from the finish) is open 24 hours.

So riders leaving Byers in the evening should prepare accordingly, perhaps restocking in Keenesburg if they'll be passing through before that store closes.

-jle

* Local rider and bon vivant Tim Feldman recently checked out the opening hours of the Platteville store (penultimate checkpoint), for riders who may be finishing at night.

Volunteers Offering Rider Help

Some of our local volunteers are stepping forward to offer help to Last Chance riders:

• Brent and Beth Myers have accomodations for one or two riders. Contact them here.
• Mark Jilka is offering to help riders with local transport before/after the event. Contact Mark at cyclistspaz "at" yahoo.com.

-john

Rider Info Updated for 2008

I have updated the Rider Info and posted it at: www.rmccrides.com/lastchance2008info.htm

Please have a look and respond to this post or e-mail me directly with any questions or suggestions.

Motel Accomodations: The info page contains details about accomodations at the start/finish and en route. In brief:

• The Comfort Inn in Louisville is again our host motel and is again offering a great discount rate (mention the RMCC when booking). If you stay there, you may also store your luggage and bike container with them while you're riding. Please let me know if the room block is filled up, and we'll try to get more. There are also several other motels in the immediate area (listed on info page).
• The It'll Do Motel in Atwood is our bagdrop/control motel there. We have reserved all of the rooms. If you plan to sleep in Atwood going or returning, you do not need to make reservations. We have space for you (and food). AMENITIES: The individual rooms have microwave, refrigerator, free wi-fi, and cable tv, for those sleepless after 400km.
• The Longhorn Motel in Byers is our bagdrop/control there. If you plan to sleep there, you need to reserve a room yourself. They have a discount for our event (mention RMCC), but their normal rates are already pretty economical, so the discount is modest, too.
• If you are thinking of motels at other towns along the route, the info page lists these. In most places, you do not need advanced planning to get a room (as long as it's not in the early hours of the morning) - that was my experience in Oberlin KS in 2006, at least. But this is no guarantee - for example, Idalia and Keenesburg have very small capacity.

In the meantime, happy training!

-jle

Strategy Spreadsheet Calculator

A strategy spreadsheet calculator has been posted on the website:

Spreadsheet: www.rmccrides.com/lastchance2008strategy.xls

Instructions: www.rmccrides.com/lastchance2008strategy.htm

Thanks to Steve "Bones" Matney, co-director of the Shenandoah 1200, for adapting his spreadsheet to the Last Chance.

-jle