Originally Posted by
unterhausen
this is why a smart RBA has a volunteer at the start
In a 400 and 600k, starting at 4 maximizes the riding during daylight hours, at least this time of year. That's always an idea I can support
The 400K randonnees started at 4:00 am in Manitoba, and I really liked that. I'm not a morning person by any stretch, but I liked starting in the dark, riding in the pre-dawn quiet for an hour or so, and then watching the sun coming up. By the time the sun was up, we were usually about 50 km into the ride, and for some reason it felt like we were just starting the ride and it was only 350 km long ... that's a really nice feeling.
Starting then also meant that I could finish somewhere between midnight and 1 am, which was quite reasonable. I could go home, unwind a bit, and go to bed at a normal time.