Grand
Tips for the Rider
® Official Checkpoints –
® Support Vehicle – There
is one support vehicle, whose primary mission is rider safety on this high
mountain route. The vehicle will also provide
water. In addition, riders may hand off
food, clothing, and lights to the vehicle.
If you do this and you depart the finish ahead of the support vehicle,
you’ll need to make arrangements to retrieve your belongings after the
finish.
® Faster Riders – The
® Park Entrance Fee – You
are responsible for the $5 cyclist entry fee to
® Nutrition/Hydration – Apart
from the support vehicle, there are sufficient stores en route to supply your
needs, including:
® Terrain – Golden-Boulder-Lyons is
rolling, with no appreciable net elevation gain.
® Shortcuts – There
are no vehicular shortcuts back over the Divide, or in fact anywhere on the
route. (
® Weather – One
reason the Grand Loop is ridden counterclockwise is to get over Trail Ridge
before afternoon storms and traffic build.
Still, in exposed, mountainous landscape, you should be prepared with
adequate clothing for storms in cold conditions.
® John Marino Competition – As
the past two years, the Grand Loop is a UMCA John Marino Competition (JMC)
event, worth 1 Difficulty Point. For JMC
credit, you must be a UMCA member.
® RUSA and ACP Credit – The Grand Loop is an ACP (Audax Club Parisien)
brevet this year. This means that RUSA
members get distance credit for this brevet towards RUSA awards, as well as
credit towards ACP awards, and the option of purchasing an ACP 300km medal.
® 1200km Randonnée Qualification – 1200km
events (including Boston-Montreal-Boston and the Colorado Last Chance) accept
the Grand Loop as 300k credit towards qualifying.
® Lighting – Remember that lighting and reflective equipment
are REQUIRED for the ride start, which will have 2½ hours in darkness. Lighting includes street-legal headlight and
taillight. Reflective equipment includes
vest, ankle bands, and reflective material on your bike.
® Finish and Brevet Card – If
you depart the finish in Golden before the support vehicle arrives, note your
arrival time on your card, sign it, and mail it to John Lee Ellis, 2155
Dogwood Circle, Louisville CO 80027. Please do this promptly, so we can post
results and submit them to RUSA and the UMCA.
® DNF – We do not sweep the course. If you do not finish the brevet,
you may leave a message with the ride manager at a phone number he will supply,
and at 303-604-1163 (results processing).
® Not a Race –
Observe traffic rules and ride responsibly.
SAFETY FIRST.
And have fun!
- Brevet
Basics -
®
Brevets
are not races. Finishing is more
important than finishing time. Lending
assistance to other riders who require it is more important than finishing
quickly. The last rider to finish within
the time limits gets precisely the same credit as the rider who’s first to come
in.
®
Observe
traffic regulations, be safe, share the road, and be courteous to your fellow
riders, fellow road users, checkpoint establishments, and members of the
communities you visit.
®
Brevets
are tests of persistence and self-reliance.
If you have personal support, they may only meet you at the checkpoints.
®
Make
sure your brevet card is filled out completely, including each checkpoint entry
and your signature. Incomplete brevet
cards (including missed checkpoints) are grounds for DQ.
WAIVER: In signing below, I acknowledge that I understand this waiver’s intent, and I for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, and representatives, do hereby agree and will absolve and hold harmless the Rocky Mountain Cycling Club, Randonneurs USA, Ultra-Marathon Cycling Association, and any other parties connected with this event/these events in any way, from and against any blame and liability for any harm, loss, inconvenience or any other damage of any kind whatsoever, which may result from or be connected in any way from my participation in this event/these events.
In addition to the absolute and unqualified release from all liability, I hereby represent that I am physically capable of participated in this event/these events; that my bicycle and any other equipment I may use is in good working condition; that I will observe all applicable traffic and event rules; and that I will wear a helmet and generally conduct myself in a safe and prudent manner while participating in the event(s); that I undertake this ride as a personal bike tour and take responsibility for my own safety.
I further agree to abide by the rules for riders of
brevets. I certify that I am a member in good standing of the Rocky Mountain
Cycling Club, and that I have read this waiver and
release and understand its significance.