From atop Lookout Mountain, looming over the ride start, ominous flashes of lightning greeted the thirteen Grand Loop riders as they climbed out of Golden at 3 a.m. What kind of day lay in store?? One thing was for certain: things could only go up from here - up to 12,183 ft. to be precise.

The Rocky Mountain Cycling Club's Grand Loop is a "minimal circuit" (no shortcuts) of the Colorado Front Range. At just under 200 miles and 15,000 ft. of climbing, it's a good day's work. The route crosses the Continental Divide on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, and crosses back at Berthoud Pass (11,315 ft.). On Trail Ridge Road - the highest paved through-road in North America - riders spend an extended period above timberline at 11-12,000 ft., and cross three passes - Iceberg, Fall River, and Milner - passes to which the road descends!

The first segment of the ride scoots along the Front Range foothills, from Golden through Boulder to Lyons. This part seemed the fastest, on fresh legs in darkness, over gentle rollers. Transiting Boulder on brightly lit Broadway at 4 a.m. is a welcome albeit surreal "island of light" and diversion from the darkness. It was tempting to gaze in the shop display windows, while being greeted by University Hill night owls strolling home.

Rocky Mountain National Park John Lee Ellis photo

The riders reached Lyons in the faintest daylight - the first control point... and the start of an almost unbroken 7,000 ft. climb. In this counterclockwise direction, you get Trail Ridge out of the way before traffic and thunderstorms build, but at the price of the 7,000 ft. all at once. One of the small intermediate descents is over the "lip" of the bowl in which Estes Park lies. It was on this descent that RMCC rider Rex Farnsworth nearly bagged a four-point buck with his Litespeed. After losing a lot of rubber braking from 45 mph, Rex stopped less than a wheel length from the deer ... as it changed its mind and re-crossed the road!

Rex continues: "More wildlife greeted the riders in Estes Park where a herd of elk lined both sides of highway 34 near the [historic] Stanley Hotel (like Tour de France fans cheering us on). The good news is these elk were not interested in crossing the road."

The weather turned out to be the best ever for a counterclockwise Grand Loop. Riders enjoyed good, mild (70's), generally dry weather, and a fair amount of tailwind ... except of course on the toughest stretch - the 5,000-foot climb up Trail Ridge road from Estes Park. For a time they seemed to be heading directly into a cloudbank at 11,000 ft. - but either the clouds or the route veered at the last moment.

Trail Ridge Road John Lee Ellis photo

The long descent from Trail Ridge parallels the headwaters of the Colorado River, a marshy brook at that point in the shadow of the Never Summer Mountains. At points, riders had to dodge cars veering to the road shoulder to observe some large wildlife - probably elk, but possibly moose - better than having to dodge a moose itself, most likely.

The course then climbed through the Fraser Valley ("Coldest Spot in Colorado") and Winter Park, which some riders are more accustomed to seeing on skis. This set them up for the second big climb, back over the Continental Divide at Berthoud Pass. A tailwind lessened the sting of the long, serpentine grade; a multi-year project of retaining walls and larger shoulders have lessened the stress and the "Danger: Avalanche Control Blasting" signs were merely evocative ... at this season.

The descent from Berthoud Pass dives deep down into Clear Creak Canyon, still scenic, but less straightforward. In true randonneur spirit, Furnace Creek veteran Stuart Kroonenberg accompanied our guest, Sam Baugh from Missouri, through Clear Creek Canyon's mining-town frontage roads and backwoods bike paths.

Sam Baugh and Stuart Kroonenberg John Lee Ellis photo

"It's all downhill from here" is a tempting concept, flying down Clear Creek Canyon, but then there's Floyd Hill, 1.9 brief miles climbing out of Idaho Springs, which seemed much longer and steeper at that point in the day. And the final rollers up to Lookout Mountain - sunny, though in the wake of an afternoon mountain shower - put riders at a surprisingly high elevation. On the plus side, this set you up for the a great finish: the multi-switchback descent down Lariat Loop into Golden, enjoying vistas of Rocky Flats, Clear Creek Canyon, North and South Table Mountains ... and the Coors Brewery.

Once again this year, the Grand Loop was a UMCA John Marino Competition event. JMC participants included Sam Baugh, and locals John Lee Ellis, Luke Jeter, and Stuart Kroonenberg.

For the first time, it is also a RUSA domestic brevet. The Grand Loop was already a brevet-format event, but now offers RUSA credit. For results of the Grand Loop and kindred events: www.rmccrides.com/brevet2004brevetresults.htm. The window of finishing times was relatively narrow for this event, from 13h33 to 17h24 (about four hours or 17% spread).

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