Randonneurs  USA

Colorado Last Chance 1200km Randonnée
"Venture to Kansas"
Rocky Mountain Cycling Club
SANCTIONED BY
Randonneurs USA
Randonneurs Mondiaux

2022 Rider Info

Rocky Mountain Cycling Club

[ Last Chance Home  ---  Brevet Rules  ---  Colorado Brevets ]

Last Chance 2022 Rider Info

Consult this page for updates on accomodations, check-in procedures, etc. - Updated 9-Aug-2022

Stages  -   Bagdrops  -   Services  -   Ride Start Accommodations  -   Bike Shops  -   Transport from DIA
Checkpoints  -   Rules and Procedures

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, $10.50 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 the usual ride-hailing services. Travel distance is about 34 miles.
  • 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.

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: 248 miles to Atwood KS (trending downhill)
  • Day 2: 219 miles back to Atwood (turning around at Kensington)
  • Day 3: 169 miles to Ft. Morgan
  • Day 4: 112 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 (248 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 - Kensington - 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 - Ft. Morgan (169 miles)) - This section could feel like the toughest, with elevation gain over rollers, sparser trees but good services, 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 Ft. Morgan early, you could consider going on, but there are few motel accommodations along the route.

Ft. Morgan - Finish (112 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 Ft Morgan CO - providing you three opportunities to access your drop bag.
  • Bagdrops 1 & 2 (mile 248 & 467): 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 636): Ft Morgan CO - HAMPTON INN Tel # (970) 542-2484, 1152 Main St, Fort Morgan, CO 80701 - 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 Sunday afternoon, September 11.
Checkpoints
Checkpoints are of the following types:
  • Bagdrop Checkpoints (Atwood and Ft Morgan) 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.

    NOTE: You may use GPS tracking or photos as proof of passave at any checkpoint. (The GPS track just needs to show your time of transit through the checkpoint.)

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.

Services en Route
Segment  Cum.  LocationServices ("store" = convenience store)
+21.021.0Brightonstores, jct. Hwy. 7 and US-85
+3.924.9Bromley Lanestore
+.725.6Bromley Lanestore, Wendy's
+.526.1Bromley Lanestore
+38.664.7Strasburgstore, cafe
+6.270.9Byersstore, cafe 1 mi. south
+33.1104.0Last Chancerestroom on SW corner
+20.0124.0Antongrocery store on right
+22.1146.1Copewater in park on left
+9.3155.4Joeswater in park on left
+21.9177.3Idaliacafe, lodging
+29.3206.6St. Franciscafes, stores, lodging
+14.5221.1Bird Cityrestaurants on hwy., in town
+8.8229.9McDonaldrestaurant (closes 6pm), water in park on left
+17.9247.8Atwoodstore, restaurant, pizza, lodging
+27.4275.2Oberlinstores, cafes, lodging
+34.5309.7Nortonstores, cafes, lodging
+31.4341.1Phillipsburgstores, cafes, lodging
+16.8357.9Kensingtonstore
+16.8374.7Phillipsburgstores, cafes, lodging
+31.4406.1Nortonstores, cafes, lodging
+34.5440.6Oberlinstores, cafes, lodging
+27.4468.0Atwoodstore, restaurant, pizza, lodging
+17.9485.9McDonaldrestaurant (closes 6pm), water in park on left
+8.8494.7Bird Cityrestaurants on hwy. and in town
+14.5509.2St. Franciscafes, stores
+22.7531.9Haiglercafes
+17.3549.2Wraystores, pizza, restaurants, lodging
+14.4563.6Eckleybar & grill
+12.1575.7Yumastores, restaurants, lodging
+13.8589.5Otiscafe
+13.3602.8Akronstores, groceries, restaurants, lodging
+23.7626.5Brushstores, restaurants
+10.0636.5Ft. Morgancafes, stores, lodging
+27.2663.7Wigginsstore, grocery store, restaurants
+39.5703.2Keenesburgstore, cafe, lodging
+7.5748.9Hudsonstores, restaurant
+28.1710.7Eriestore 1 mi. north on E. County Line Rd.
+4.6743.4Lafayettestore

- - -