Monarch Crest Crank

When and where is check-in/bib pickup?

Check-in is the morning of the ride, Sunday, Sept. 20, starting at 7:30 a.m. at Absolute Bikes, 330 W. Sackett Ave., Salida. There's no pre-ride bib pickup. All riders must check-in and get their bib. All riders must be here and ready to roll no later than 8 a.m. sharp – shuttles to Monarch Crest leave at 8:30 a.m. and will not wait.

Where is Salida, and where can I stay near the ride?

The amazing mountain town of Salida is located 2.5 hours drive southwest of Denver via US 285 or 2 hours west of Colorado Springs via US 24, then south on US 285. There are multiple motels, cabins, short-term rentals and camping spots in the area - check out the Salida Chamber of Commerce for options. 

Do I need to have a really good mountain bike?

To ride the Monarch Crest Trail, you need a mountain bike in excellent working condition. This does not mean a really expensive bike. If you have any doubts, please have your bike checked by a professional mechanic before the event. You can also rent a bike through Absolute Bikes or SubCulture Cyclery in Salida.

What will the weather be like for the ride?

In September it's usually sunny, cool in the morning, and warmer in late morning and afternoon. The Monarch Crest Trail is along the Continental Divide, and it will be fairly chilly up there in the morning when the ride starts. You will need a long sleeve jersey and rain jacket. It will warm up considerably as the day goes on. If it’s foggy or rainy, the show must go on and we’ll do the ride regardless. In this case, you will need much more clothing – rain gear, hat, gloves, long sleeve jersey and jacket.

What if the event is cancelled due to public health concerns?

We are hopeful that we'll be able to hold the event on Sept. 20 - and we'll only do so if it's safe for the health of our riders and our community. We are in touch with our county health department and other local officials, and will let those registered know as soon as possible if we need to cancel. 

We are also brainstorming and keeping an eye out for how to make this an awesome virtual ride if we need to. So if you have ideas or hear of a super cool virtual ride experience, please email us at crestcrank@gmail.com and tell us about it!