And The First Shall Be Last At Last

The sun rises for the last time on Last Chance 2009. At 6:00 am it was raining lightly at the finish in Louisville, but the precipitation has ceased leaving a fresh, spring-like smell. It never rains in the morning in the summer, so this is a sign that fall has arrived in Colorado. Aspen and alder leaves are already starting to turn above 8000 feet, and the elk are bugling up at tree line.

Some overnight finishers are not yet recorded: John Lee Ellis, Sharon Stevens and Andrea Koenig at the very least. We will be at the finish line soon to get all the news there.

The Rider Progress page is caught up on the news from Byers as of 6:20 AM where Nathan Dick and Rick Isham were climbing onto their bikes.

Ron Himschoot, Seattle, Washington, is resting for another 40 minutes and will shut down the party there soon. His special request for chocolate milk was fulfilled as Eric Simmons just barely got to the grocery in town before it closed. Ron was one of three riders to ride the first Last Chance in 2001. This first Last Chance rider will be bookending the records with this year's finish.

John Lee Ellis wrote of the first Last Chance,

Bob Fourney – our local RAAM champion, PBP veteran, etc., etc. – supplied the route concept and the impetus for doing the event in the first place. Out-to-Kansas-and-back was a favorite RAAM training route for Bob. John Evans spoke of the vast expanse. The route is not flat, but is fixed-gear, recumbent, and tandem-friendly, and there is that vast expanse … so we think the Last Chance has a future.

John was right. The future looks bright. And the sun is rising.