Transport from DIA
If you are flying in, you will probably arrive at Denver International Airport. Available transportation:
-
RTD-Denver (Regional Transportation District) Bus Service - RTD-Denver offers dependable, comfortable service, $9 fare (no charge for bikes), and stops at the Louisville-Superior Park-and-Ride near the Last Chance start/finish (it will stop on the north side of US-36; the Quality Inn host motel is north across the parking lot, beyond the cinema) as well as Boulder, etc. This is the "AB" route.
RTD info - click on "skyRide". Note: returning to the airport, the bus will stop on the south side of US-36. There is a covered pedestrian walkway, with elevator, crossing US-36.
-
There are also airport van shuttles, which will drop you at your motel, in the $25 range (plus possible charge for bikes), reservations not required. Inquire in the arrival area.
-
Cycling from DIA is legal, signposted, and there are broad shoulders to ride leaving the airport. It is about 40 miles cycling from DIA to Louisville/Superior.
Ride Start Accommodations
There are several motels within ½ mile of the ride start (same side of US-36, some on the east side of McCaslin Blvd.).
-
Quality Inn - 303-604-0181 - This is our host / ride start motel. West of McCaslin. Ask for the RMCC event discount rate.
-
La Quinta - 303-664-0100 - East of McCaslin.
-
Marriott Courtyard - 303-604-0007 - East of McCaslin.
-
Hampton Inn - 303-666-7700 - East of McCaslin.
There are also motels in Boulder (5-7 miles further up US-36), and one or more in the Interlocken/Broomfield area (3-5 miles before the Louisville/Superior exit).
Around the Louisville motels are also numerous places to eat, hardware stores, and a cinema.
Bike Shops
There are several bike shops in the area. We recommend
Louisville Cyclery - 303-665-6343 - in Louisville, 3 miles away, on South Boulder Rd.
There are also a number of bike shops in Boulder, about 10 miles away.
Points of Local Interest
Excursions - Looking for some relaxation before or after the event?
... or maybe en route?
Recommended Stages (coinciding with bagdrops):
The recommended stages are oriented towards riding the course unsupported, finishing in the 80+ hour time range, and taking into account the sparse services and accommodations along much of the route, especially at night (between 9pm and 6am).
-
Day 1: 251 miles to Atwood KS (trending downhill)
-
Day 2: 219 miles back to Atwood (turning around at Phillipsburg)
-
Day 3: 180 miles to Byers (roughest stretch of the ride - uphill and exposed)
-
Day 4: 103 miles to the finish
As you can infer from the Services section, most restaurants, stores, and service stations tend to open early ... and close early, as you'd expect of a ranching and farming region. (On top of this, remember that you enter the Central Time Zone not far into Kansas, and so lose an hour on the clock, in terms of opening/closing times.)
If you reach a place to eat or buy supplies towards late afternoon or early evening, consider stopping there and stocking up. For example, the first recommended stage passes through St. Francis, KS, 215 miles into the day - there are plenty of stores, cafes, and restaurants to choose from. By contrast, you may be reaching the first bagdrop point, Atwood KS, at or after closing time of such establishments. Riders in the past have also started early each day, with 3-5 predawn hours of riding, stopping for a hearty breakfast between 5am-7am when rancher cafes open. We would like to EMPHASIZE that riders should think ahead and plan ahead for food and water, and overnight accommodations.
Boulder to Atwood (251 miles) - The first recommended stage is the longest, as you're fresh, the course trends downhill, and you will typically not encounter onerous headwinds - this puts you in a good position for the rest of the ride, when you are tireder, going uphill and possibly upwind, or some combination of these.
Atwood - Alma - Phillipsburg - Atwood (219 miles) - The second section is at lower elevation (more oxygen! more humidity!), may be warmer, with more trees, and to some extent more services. If things go well, you could consider going beyond Atwood to St. Francis (45 miles further, but uphill).
Atwood - Byers (180 miles)) - This section could feel like the toughest, with elevation gain over rollers, sparser trees and services (especially between Idalia and Byers), and likely a good breeze from some direction - at this stage you may start to pick up westerly winds, whereas to the east, the winds are more northerly or southerly. If things go well and you reach Byers early, you could consider going on, but there are few motel accommodations along the route. NOTE: There are no services between Anton and Byers (50 hilly miles). In addition, the Anton store closes at 5pm. If you miss this store, that makes for 75 miles without services, from Cope to Byers.
Byers - Finish (103 miles) - With the Rocky Mountains in sight,
this is a more populated area with a few more trees. Services are more plentiful.
Bagdrops
There are two bagdrop sites - Atwood KS and Byers CO - providing you three opportunities to access your drop bag.
-
Bagdrops 1 & 2 (mile 251 & 470): Atwood KS - IT'LL DO MOTEL Tel # 785-626-9615, Atwood KS 67730 -
Look for signage pointing to the checkpoint room.
- Located on the north side of US-36 midway through town (base of descent). Sleeping places provided, in some cases two riders per room (queen-sized bed), included in fee. The event has booked the entire motel.
-
Bagdrop 3 (mile 650): Byers CO - LONGHORN MOTEL (Budget Host Inn) Tel # 303-822-5205, 456 N, Main St. Byers, CO 80103 - Look for signage pointing to the checkpoint room. Make your own reservations if you intend to sleep here.
Drop Bag Guidelines:
-
You are allowed one bag 15" x 9" x 20" or equivalent volume.
We will check your drop bag at inspection for overall dimensions.
-
Please label each bag with your name.
We also plan to hand out labels with your name at bike inspection.
-
You may hand off your drop bags at the inspection/orientation or at the ride start.
-
You may retrieve your drop bags from the Quality Inn beginning Saturday afternoon, September 9.
Checkpoints
Checkpoints are of the following types:
-
Bagdrop Checkpoints (Atwood and Byers) will be staffed by Last Chance officials. Sign in when arriving and sign out when departing on the rider log sheets provided.
-
Establishment checkpoints such as stores - not staffed by Last Chance officials.
In general any store in the checkpoint locale will do.
If you transit them during their opening times, have someone working at the establishment register your card.
There will also be an information question you can answer if you arrive when stores are not open.
-
Information Checkpoints - There may be checkpoints in areas with no establishments, and no staff.
In those cases, the brevet card will contain a question you can answer by looking at your surroundings at that point.
-
Secret Checkpoints - There may be one or more Event Staffed secret checkpoints along the route.
Rules and Procedures
-
Riders are to follow the standard rules for brevets - see the Randonneurs USA "Rules for Riders" .
-
Personal Support may travel the Last Chance route between checkpoints, but are only allowed to assist their rider (or others) at the checkpoints or en route in an emergency situation, and are not to "leap-frog" their rider. You must register your personal support (vehicle and contact info) before the ride start.
-
If you must abandon or have other difficulties which delay you, please text (preferably) or leave a message on the
Field Operations line (303-579-5866) or at other numbers provided in your materials.
Please also mail your card to the address listed on the card.
Services en Route
Byers:
Last Chance: Park, SW corner of intersection, toilet.
Anton: Store, south side of highway, open 7:30am to 6:30pm
Cope: no services
- Cope Memorial Park - west side of highway, south end of town - water and restrooms..
Joes:
- Community Center Park (east end of town): open 1pm-6pm - water and restrooms.
Idalia:
- Grainery Bar & Grill: 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm
- Little Prairie Vista Cafe: 7am-7pm
- Carpenter's Grocery (west side of town) open 7am to 7pm.
St Francis, KS (CDT)
- Sinclair station and convenience store north side of US-36 50 yards east of the Empire Motel. Has pizzas and sandwiches.
.
- Pizza Hut, Subway
- Flatirons Restaurant: open 6:30am-8:00pm
- Park Hill Restaurant: located north side of US-36 200 yards east of Empire Motel..
Bird City:
- Family Restaurant (very small) on south side of highway. Open 5:30am for breakfast.
McDonald: Hydrant in rest area and park on north side of US-36.
Atwood:
- Café (at base of descent on US-36) open 6am to 8pm.
- Casey's Convenience Store - on US-36
- Mojo's Bistro - "gret coffees, breakfast burritos"
- Atwood Bowl & Fun Center (pizza)
- Williams Bros. Supermarket & Deli
- It'll Do Motel (bagdrop motel -- see above).
Oberlin:
- Frontier Restaurant - opens 6:00am
- Motels, Oberlin Inn(jct hwy 36 &83), Frontier motel in back of Frontier Café.
-
- Phillips sta and store open 6am to 10pm at jct US-36 & US-83.
Norton
- Pizza Hut, Love's, Dairy Queen, Sonic, Subway restaurants
- Town and Country Kitchen on east side of town and north side of US-36.
- Hillcrest Motel (west side of town, on south side of road, across street from Pizza Hut
Long Island
Places to eat:
Alma
Lodging:
Places to eat, buy food:
- Pump & Pantry
- Alma Short Stop
- Subway
Phillipsburg
Places to eat:
- Subway on US-36 at 4th St. on south side
- Pizza Hut further east on south side of US-36.
- Other cafes and bakery in town.
Motels:
- Cottonwood Inn - a nice place - at east end of town.
- Rodeway Inn - east end of town.
- Econo-Lodge - west end of town.
|
