This is somewhat representative of some of the scenery out to the Nebraska border: lots of hayfields, not many trees.

Fort Collins-Nebraska 200

“The distance from my house to the Nebraska border is exactly 100 miles,” a Fort Collinser named Mike told me at the Jorge Torres presentation the other day. “If you go out-and-back, it would be 200…”

Nebraska? It sounded intriguing for my final long ride of the year, designed to be about 200 miles so as to continue a double century streak going back to 1996.

As it turned out, it turned out to be a good final long ride for 2008, as it was easy to navigate even with limited daylight (and only 2 stop lights, both in Ault) and—more importantly for my not-in-best-shape legs which have only biked six or so times since the summer’s Tour Divide—FLAT.

Below is the route—or at least the intended one. More on this in a little bit.

Strava

I started riding at 4:30 a.m., expecting a low temperature of about 42 degrees. It was probably that warm (cold) in Fort Collins, but by the time I got to Ault 20 miles east, it was 32 degrees. My gloves were not cut out for that and I actually had to stop in a park in Ault to sit on my hands (literally) in order to warm them up and regain some feeling in them.

Another early morning issue I had was on Highway 14. It had a nice and wide shoulder and not too much east-bound traffic on a Saturday morning, but it also had rumble strips that were hard to see with my low-powered lights. Ditto for areas with sand and hardened dirt mounds that resembled flattened cow dung patties.

Fortunately, by 8:00 a.m. the sun was well above the horizon, and the ambient air started to warm up a bit. And the rest of the roads (CR77, Carpenter Rd., and the I-80 Frontage Rd.) might have had sketchy shoulders but almost no traffic.

Unfortunately, my cycling fitness is a bit lower than a few months ago from hardly riding, so I was not making great time. That, coupled with the reduced daylight hours, prompted me to turn around in Wyoming about 3.5 miles from the Nebraska border. So I actually ended up only seeing Nebraska, but not riding into Nebraska. I really did not want to have to ride the last miles on Highway 14 back to Fort Collins in the dark—as I knew there would be a lot more traffic by then and those rumble strips would be hard to see—and I was going to cut it really close as it was, especially since I had to make a quick food and water resupply stop at a convenience store off I-80.

Turns out that turning around a few miles prematurely was a good call—especially since I got a flat tire (staple puncture) on Highway 14 just four miles from Fort Collins. By then, it was already twilight, and by the time I had changed the flat tire (10 minutes), the sun had already dipped below the mountains. Worse, that stretch on Highway 14 was part of a construction zone, with lots of deep sand on the shoulder that was hard to see. By the time I got off Highway 14 and safely onto the I-25 Frontage Rd., it was dark except for street lights and the stars.

All in all, it was a good ride, about as leisurely as a 200-miler (or in my case, a 195-miler, which still counts as a double century in my book) can get. Thanks for the route suggestion, Mike!

Ride Data

  • 202 miles (planned), 195 miles (actual)
  • 4:30 a.m. start, 7:30 p.m. finish -> 15.0 hours
  • Average speed: 13.8 mph rolling, 13.0 mph overall

Rating

(Scale of 1-5, 5 = best)

  • Scenery: 2
  • Support/Organization: self-supported
  • Food: self-provided
  • Weather: 4 (mid-October, with high temperature near 80)
  • Relative Difficulty: 1
  • Overall Rating: 3
[Mile 20] I started riding at 4:30 a.m.  Unfortunately, an hour later, I experienced pockets of 32 degree temperatures and was freezing!  Here's Canny at a park in Ault where I stopped to dethaw.
[Mile 20] I started riding at 4:30 a.m. Unfortunately, an hour later, I experienced pockets of 32 degree temperatures and was freezing! Here's Canny at a park in Ault where I stopped to dethaw.
7:00 a.m. sunrise.
7:00 a.m. sunrise.
This is somewhat representative of some of the scenery out to the Nebraska border: lots of hayfields, not many trees.
This is somewhat representative of some of the scenery out to the Nebraska border: lots of hayfields, not many trees.
[Mile 78] Made it into Wyoming.
[Mile 78] Made it into Wyoming.
[Mile 96] There it is: Nebraska!
[Mile 96] There it is: Nebraska!
[Mile 107] Not much traffic along the frontage road by I-80, but there was this tractor that was hogging up the whole road.  Fortunately, we were going the same direction.
[Mile 107] Not much traffic along the frontage road by I-80, but there was this tractor that was hogging up the whole road. Fortunately, we were going the same direction.
[Mile 113] My first and only resupply stop included some Coke and mini-donuts, since I was pretty tired.
[Mile 113] My first and only resupply stop included some Coke and mini-donuts, since I was pretty tired.
[Mile 116] Sunflower fields in Wyoming, all withering away.  Fall is here.
[Mile 116] Sunflower fields in Wyoming, all withering away. Fall is here.
[Mile 150] Hooray, finally some trees again!  This was near the Pawnee National Grasslands in Colorado.
[Mile 150] Hooray, finally some trees again! This was near the Pawnee National Grasslands in Colorado.
[Mile 184] Sunset over the Front Range.
[Mile 184] Sunset over the Front Range.