Chattanooga, TN
Bubba Elite Rides
The official Elite ride for Saturday 8/4 is the Chattanooga Century (formerly known as Prison Prevention Ride). Pick your poison Century or Metric, both are great courses provided there’s not a monster wind out of the north. Click link for details.
https://prisonprevention.org/chattanooga-century-and-5k8k
Elites will head into Fly territory Saturday. Roll from Ridgeland High School at 8:30 (park in the back) for a 64 mile tour of North Georgia. Some of the roads you might recognize from the Gents ride. All I know is that I’ll have the route loaded in my Garmin, otherwise I’m lost. Store stop either in Lafayette or Rock Springs depending on how we feel. Hopefully Reflectar can ride with us and relive his PR decent down Cora Ann from 4 years ago.
Elites will run contrary to Team Bubba Saturday (and a little bit shorter). Roll from Unum at 8:30. Swing by Bub One’s house on the way to Marble Top. Climb 136 to the store and then return via Creek Road. 54 miles and lunch at UJ for those that can make it.
Elites will continue to look for ways to beat the heat by riding at a higher altitude for most of Saturday. Roll from the old Signal Mtn K-Mart at 8:30 for the Tour de Signal. We’ll warm up with a loop through Horseshoe Farms subdivision before spinning up the front of Signal, bearing right at Shoal Creek and then turn left back towards the CVS. From there we’ll run the mountain clockwise and explore most every nook and cranny on the mountain. Water stop at mile 32 and a possible pool stop (Boss take note) at Romeo’s at mile 38. 50 miles and 3,600 ft of climbing. Lot’s of regroup points.
Elites will roll from Unum at 8:30. We’ll head over the toe and out Creek Rd. to Trenton where we’ll continue south past the Southeast Lineman Training Center on Hwy 11 before turning at Byrds Chapel Ln. cruising by the Trenton Country Club and then climbing Sand Mtn. (don’t take the 2nd switchback). Back to Unum the normal way so if you’re not sure look at the map.
Now pay attention because TB rolls at the same time from the same location. I’d hate for you to get caught in the wrong group. 😉
Steve Blankenship aka the Man in Black will be leading this week’s Elite ride that rolls from the old Falling Water Elementary School at 8:30. Will roll to Graysville via Green Pond/Armstrong/Lee Pike/Providence and then climb Brayton Mtn. Will return via Leggett and back the usual Back Valley Route. Several good fuel/water stops on this route. 65 miles and 4,100 ft of climbing.
Elites will roll from Unum at 8:30 with TB but in the opposite direction. We’ll be doing the traditional 3S3M Metric route but Elite style which means it’s only 55 miles by leaving out the Shellmound loop. We will add the Nature Center climb on the way back. Might be a good day for the UJ after the ride. See TB post regarding Holiday ride on Monday.
To the Cove and Back. The General’s in charge Saturday and he’d like to ride to the Cove. Roll from St. Elmo Food City at 8:00 am. Pretty standard route that includes the 2 nice detours on the way to the cove and back via Hog Jowl. 65 miles.
Elites will roll from Falling Water at 8:30 for a redo of a ride that was abruptly altered due to high winds. Head north to the Foot Washing Church on to the Ball Fields and out Back Valley where we’ll climb Leggett. Regroup at the “wishbone” and will return via Hell of the North route. Bring plenty of fluids and snacks as there’s not a lot of store options on this route. Winds predicted to be light and variable at 3-5 mph, 57 miles and 3,500 ft. of climbing.