RWGPS has the correct start time of 4AM from the Quality Inn in Louisville, CO, The riders all gathered in this pre-dawn start. Temps were warmer than usual and I still had a vest, skull cap, and arm warmers. Of note this year was a rider that was only 17 yo on his 1st 1200km ride! Amazing. Mike S also finally appeared a few minutes before the start after his whirlwind ride through Idaho! He had some challenges arriving in Boulder, with flight cancellations, broken spoke, and a new wheel. Glad he made it. Started off by realizing there were 4 other guys, 1 was Mike, that went out fast, so I worked to catch them and did a couple miles into the ride. My goal was to ride with them to Platteville, the first Contol, to help reduce the time on the flats. I achieved that feat and then some as I hung on until mile 48, when I was needed nourishment after chasing back from a bathroom break (another rider pulled me yet it was work even then) and I was just needing nourishment. It was too hard to eat solid food and keep their pace so I unhooked and enjoyed the rest of the day by myself. The ride out Niwot Rd turned out to be one of my favorite roads. Great scenery of little farms, houses, fields, no traffic, and the view of the mountain range! Then Lefthand! I was there such that I had shade for much of the lower part, so that was nice. Of course it keeps steeper up by Ward, at the very top. It was just prior to this steepness that my 8 mile lead over any other riders (due to the fast group pace) had evaporated and Vernon from CO and another local, caught me. We leapfrogged up past Ward as they stopped at the spring prior to Ward and I did not. I thought I had enough to get to Lyons. Then the long awesome downhill to Lyons and mile 116.2 for a welcomed water break, bathroom and some tornado (taquito like) treats. Vernon and partner were there. A couple more riders came in, including the 17yo. Then I left before all of them. This time I decided to NOT stop at Sandy's and continued up Glade. The climb to Horsetooth Reservoir was relatively easy as it seemed like an old friend, since we rode that many times in 2023. I stopped for water at Gasamat in Ft Collins mile 162,2 . In this section I was playing leapfrog with another Rando who had stopped earlier. Now he passed me and I never saw him again. My next big stop was in Windsor McDonalds mile 184 which was off the course a bit, but I wanted that food! Sat an curb outside the store by my bike, under wonder shade tree. Big Mac, fries, and sprite. Then it was detour time! The bridge was under construction at mile 185,8 and I tried to ride across it. I tried to use the bike path to the west of it. Neither worked. As I turned back north I saw about 4-5 randos going around the roundabout where the detour started and hurried to catch them. That group included Vernon and his friend. Turns out they stopped at a c-store and I just wanted to keep going, so I never really hooked up with them. That was that extra stuff at 186.9. Next water / bathroom stop was another McDonalds at 220.7. It was after sunset now, so the night gear was put on for the home stretch! Rode to the hotel and then rode on out Via Appia (first 2-3 miles of the next day), before I ended my track and rode to the airbnb. Good day. Done at 10:24pm