Pre-Ride Day 1 (July 1) - Louisville - Saratoga

This is the first of four travelogues from our pre-ride (July 1-4), designed to whet your appetite (if it needs whetting) and give you a better idea what you'll be biking through.  If you'd rather be surprised, you can skip these posts.

First, a big thanks to my wife Patricia Heller and to Cathy Cramer for supporting the pre-ride, to riding comrade Tim Foon Feldman, and to Catherine Shenk, who did a recon foray with me in July, 2010.

-jle

A nice start to the first day, around dawn near Carter Lake.

Skirting the Devil's Backbone formations near Loveland.

Excellent giant cinnamon rolls at Vern's in LaPorte (checkpoint #2):

The Poudre River is at high levels, in some places only several feet below the road level. 

The rafters are liking it.

Glen Echo resort (checkpoint #3) at Rustic, halfway up Poudre Canyon:

Not the checkpoint, but a great sign:

A reminder to keep up your sodium intake:

The grade increases (but winds may decrease) the final dozen miles of the 57-mile climb.

Snowy peaks come into view as you near Cameron Pass:

The descent from Cameron Pass starts off dramatically.

That straight line is the Mitchell Ditch which you crossed at road level at the pass: it carries water from the Western Slope to irrigate Eastern Colorado.

There are pull-offs on the other side of the road (careful!) if you'd like to take a better look. 

But you'll also be coming back this way in a couple of days.

Soon you enter North Park, a mountain-surrounded plateau at 8,000-8,500 ft.

North Park traditionally has plenty of water and marshland, but especially so this year.

The Arapaho Wildlife Refuge is home to many species.

Marsh and willow landscape is especially attractive to moose.

An appropriately large amount of sky as we enter Wyoming:

Looks easy, doesn't it?

The open, rolling landscape between Walden and Saratoga is especially evocative.

But it's also exposed and does involve some climbing, as the sign indicates:

Soon enough, the terrain eases heading into Riverside and then on to Saratoga.

Hacienda Motel, checkpoint #4:

Next: Day 2 - Snowy Range (!) - Big Hollow - Rabbit Ears Pass - Steamboat

Other Segments: Day 2 - Day 3 - Day 4

Post Pre-Ride Q&A!

Tim "Foon" Feldman and I just got back (3:30pm today, Monday) from our pre-ride.  We accumulated a lot of rider tips and some emendations to the cue sheet.  Also many photos.  (Stay tuned.)  Here are some high points, so to speak ...

Re-entering Colorado from Wyoming

• How were conditions? - Good conditions overall. Chilly in the mornings and descending passes, warm afternoons, some wind.  Representative of typical conditions in the mountains.  Snowpack is way above average, and the landscape is very lush and green.
• Did you ride the stages as you'd suggested? - Pretty much.  Got off before 4am the second day, 4:10 the third, and "slept in" with a 4:35am departure this morning.  Got in before dark each night, although kind of at dusk the second day (finishing over Rabbit Ears Pass to Steamboat).
• Is the second day the toughest, as you'd expected? - Yes, it's a bit tougher than the first (all things being equal - but the vagaries of wind, etc., can tilt the tables).  It took longer to do the second day's 200-or-so miles than the 220-or-so miles the day before.  So you should really save yourself on the first day to have something for the second.  After that it's not exactly Easy Street, but you're over the hump.
• You finished mid-afternoon - is that what we should expect? - Possibly.  It took us 2h45m to climb from Walden to Cameron Pass this morning (30 miles).  It was nice to have the warming sun that final bit of climb up to 10,000 ft., and to have sun a lot of the way down the descent.  There was a crust of ice on some of the standing water at the pass, so that's a clue.  You could start earlier (and be colder - I think we started about right).  Traffic was low most of the descent.
• Any big surprises? - Not really - more like reminders of what to expect.  It's a tough ride - like all 1200k's, each in its own way - but also beautiful and rewarding.

-jle

Event Procedures - Read Carefully

These procedures cover:

• Check-In and Inspection
• Ride Start
• Bagdrop Locations and Controls
• Ride Finish
• Après-Finish Dinner

Check-In and Inspection will be 4:00 - 5:30pm on Sunday 10 July at the Quality Inn in Louisville. If this time will not work for you, please let me know in advance.  Time will be limited at the ride start, so only limited inspections and packet hand-out can be accommodated.

For inspection, 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)
• dropbag (no need to fill it - just show it's within size limits)

I will hand out rider packets including brevet card, helmet number, and cue sheet. After inspection, you may wish to join other riders for dinner at a neighboring restaurant - there are several within walking distance.

Ride Start

Sign in between 3am-3:30am at the Quality Inn.   Deposit your drop bags at the front of the motel. As in years past, the Quality Inn staff is making provisions to store guests' bicycle bags and other luggage during the event.

En Route

Overnight Accommodations & Bagdrops - The controls at Saratoga, Steamboat Springs, and Walden provide motel-room accommodations and dropbag availability during periods:

• Saratoga: evening of July 11 to morning of July 12 (day 1-2)
• Steamboat Springs:  evening of July 12 to morning of July 13 (day 2-3)
• Walden: evening of July 13 to morning of July 14 (day 3-4)

Dropbags and rooms will be available starting late afternoon.  Dropbags will be transported to the next location early morning.  Volunteers will assign you to a room.  They will try to accommodate rooming with certain other riders, but that's not guaranteed.

Food will be available in a common area.  There will be evening items and then breakfast items in the morning including items to take with you.

Walden Transit Control - The Walden control will also be staffed parts of July 11 and 12 for riders transiting Walden outbound to Saratoga and heading to Steamboat Springs.  There will be some food and drink.

Sign-In/Sign-Out – IMPORTANT - When you arrive in Saratoga, Steamboat Springs, and Walden, 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 keep track of the riders and post rider progress on the website, for those following the event. You also must have your brevet card validated by staff.

Unstaffed Checkpoints and Texting – Checkpoints mentioning a store or "Any Store" or "Any Establishment" 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 in the town are closed, note your own time (should not occur).   You may optionally send a text when you transit an unstaffed control - this lets us and those following the event keep better track of your progress during the day.  Text to 720-295-8751 and include:

• Location of checkpoint (e.g., Laramie)
• Your name  (and optionally of those riding with you)
• Time of Passage

Ride Finish

Finish is at the Quality Inn.  We'll be there starting mid-afternoon until dinnertime (see below).  If you finish when there is no event staff present,  have motel staff validate your finishing time, and retain your card.  Give it to an event official at the dinner or during the time the finish line is staffed, or contact us.

Drop Bags will be available starting Thursday afternoon at the Quality Inn.

Après-Finish Dinner

We've made our traditional arrangements at Carrabbas Italian Grill, in the next block north of the motel, starting 7:00pm on Thursday. Attendees pay their own way. Mention the Rocky Mountain Cycling Club as the group you're with.  Their back room has been reserved.  If we run out of room there, you can ask for a table in the main dining area. In past years, everyone's had a great time!

Jerseys and Vests

Jerseys and Vests are scheduled to be produced and delivered in September.  You may order through July 19.

Bonne Route!

-jle

Rusty Pines?

In North Park and some other areas, you may wonder about areas of rust-colored pines. 

This is evidence of pine-beetle infestation with which parts of Colorado and Wyoming have been contending the last few years.  The US Forest Service and private landowners have been removing the afflicted trees as time and budget permit.  So you may also encounter logging activity, at least in North Park.

On a brighter note, July is wildflower season in the Colorado High Country. 

You may see wildflowers including St. John's Wort, Foxglove, Columbine (Colorado state flower), and dozens of other varieties of alpine and subalpine blooms.

-jle

How Early?

The High Country 1200 departs Louisville at 4am.  But what time should you head out from Saratoga, Steamboat, or Walden as your ride progresses?

At this time of year, it will start getting vaguely light around 5am (assuming clear skies) with sunrise about 5:40am. 

If it were me, I'd be on the road every day by 4am.  That's about an hour of darkness in the morning, usually the calmest part of the day, both in terms of wind and storms (which tend to build up as the day progresses then taper off at evening).

And, too, this gives a better chance to finish the stage in daylight.  While it may be ok descending Rabbit Ears Pass to Steamboat, or Willow Creek Pass to Walden, in darkness (while staying alert for wildlife and other obstacles on the road), wouldn't it be faster and more scenic in daylight?

If your pace is slower, or you're snapping lots of photos, or enjoying a sit-down meal at a cafe en route, you might consider an earlier start.  Specifics ...

Saratoga - The first hour towards the Snowy Range is a combination of gentle climb and some upward-trending rollers.  By the time you reach the climb proper, it should be light, and by the time you reach the Snowy Range highlands, the sun should be warming you for the descent.

Steamboat Springs - An extended mainly gentle climb through Oak Creek makes for a good start in darkness.  It should be light by the time you reach Oak Creek and the store there.

Walden - Thirty miles to Cameron Pass, but most of it in flat to rolling terrain in North Park.  By the time you reach the main climb, it should be light.  And as with the Snowy Range, you should be facing into the warming sun for your descent.  The balancing act with the Poudre Canyon descent is an early descent can be chilly, but the longer you wait, the more time for up-canyon winds (headwinds) to build up, making more work for you in the lower canyon (and more traffic).  So generally, earlier is better.

-jle

Your Volunteers!

It takes a lot of people working together to bring off a challenging event like the High Country 1200.  We are fortunate to have a passel of folks who've stepped forward - most are veteran randos like you - and all are dedicated to a great rider experience.

A few of our gracious volunteers:

Dick Wiss (HQ), Tammie Nakamura (Walden), Charlie Henderson (everywhere), Kay Covington (Steamboat), Rick and Sherrie Isham (Saratoga), Jim Kraychy (Walden).

Front: Susan Plonsky (AZ), Buster (HQ), Tim Foon Feldman (Walden)

I know you will appreciate their efforts.

Remember, they've been in your shoes (except for Buster!).

-jle

Accommodations? Support? What to Expect ...

OVERNIGHT STOPS

• Places to Sleep - Overnight accommodations are provided at Saratoga (evening of July 11), Steamboat Springs (evening of July 12), and Walden (evening of July 13).
• Sleeping Arrangements - These are in motels.  Riders will be assigned to rooms as they arrive, generally double occupancy, depending on the room size.
• Dropbags - Your dropbag will be available by late afternoon of the day when overnight support is offered at the respective motels.  You'll need to return the bag to the common area before leaving.
• Food at Overnights - Hot and cold food items will be provided in the evening and the next morning, including items suitable for taking with you the next day.  Remember that the first leg of succeeding days can include several hours of riding before encountering any stores or cafes.  Examples:
• Saratoga over Snowy Range to Centennial (47 mi.)
• Walden over Cameron Pass to Rustic (57 mi.)
• Other Food at Overnights - There are also supermarkets, convenience stores, and fast food and other restaurants in these towns.  (The Saratoga motel is next door to the supermarket, for example.)
• Not Following the Stages? - If you plan not to follow the recommended stages (not sleeping at the overnight venues), let us know.  You should be aware that there are long stretches with no towns, or no facilities open overnight, and cold temps at altitude, and our course monitoring is oriented to riding the suggested stages.

ON THE ROAD

• Course Monitoring - You may encounter staff monitoring the course, but for every stretch - especially the challenging ones mentioned in the Hydration post - you should prepare, hydration-wise, etc., as if you won't.
• Phone Reception - As in many remote and scenic areas, cell-phone reception can be spotty, and can vary from carrier to carrier.
• Personal Support - If you have personal support, a reminder that (1) they may only meet you at checkpoints and (2) you must identify them to us at inspection or sign-in so they can be registered and oriented.

-jle