Author: Russell Robertson

July 4 Holiday Ride – We’ll start at 9 am from the Food City in St. Elmo to let Team Bubba overtake us.  This is the traditional route down the length of Missionary Ridge at the traditional holiday pace.  For those wanting a little more, there’s the option to climb one last hill  by going through Dry Valley.
36 miles and 2,000 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51509852

Here are the Elite rides planned for Saturdays in July.  Watch this site early on the Saturday of the ride for any weather related updates.

July 5 – Here’s a new route that combines two roads not often traveled by Bubba.  Start at 8:30 am from the Food City in St. Elmo to warm up on Virginia Avenue for a ride by the river on Cash Canyon Road punctuated by the steep climb up Aetna Mountain at Black Creek.  This climb is up and back, so those wanting to pause and enjoy the view can easily take a break.
40 miles and 3,500 feet.  1 mountain climb.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51510130

July 12 – This is the Saturday for the advertised gravel ride at Ocoee.  Start from the Cookson Creek Baptist Church on Sand Mountain Road at 10 am.  It’s about an hour and 20 minute drive from downtown Chattanooga.  We’ll be doing the ‘short’ route that avoids the rougher forest service roads.  Don’t have a gravel bike.  No worries.  The grades and conditions are a good fit for either a gravel or mountain bike.
28 miles and 2,850 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51510208

July 19 –  Sam-I-Am is hosting a lake party for Bubba at his in-laws (3922 Windward Lane ) in Sale Creek.  Elites will roll with Team Bubba at 9 am and follow their route until we get to Retro-Hughes where we’ll head down the mountain.  We can park on the streets around the party house — but no parking in the cul-de-sac or near driveways so that we don’t block anybody in.  The Team Bubba post the week of the 19th will provide details on the planned festivities.
44 miles and 3,500 feet. 1 mountain climb.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51523357

July 26 – To keep the distance to Elite standards,  we’ll roll at 8:30 am  from Ridgeland HS (park on the south side of the school) to ride to Lafayette.  Store stop at the Circle K in downtown Lafayette at mile 28.   For those wanting more, the start is 5 miles from the St. Elmo Food City via Salem Road.
54 miles and 2,700 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51519294

It’s summer cycling season!  Here are the Elite rides planned for Saturdays in June.  Watch this site early on the Saturday of the ride for weather related updates.

June 7 – Start  at 8:30 am from the Food City in St. Elmo to take on Sand Mountain via Murphy Hollow.   This route includes a second attempt to ride the rollers of McKaig Road into Trenton.  Store stop in the heart of Trenton at the Mapco at mile 27.
47 miles and 2,800 feet. Climb Sand Mountain.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51059172

June 14 – Here’s a route much like the one we did back in March, but in the opposite direction so we can assess the difficultly of the hill on Old Graysville Road up to the ‘drainpipe cannon’ from the US-27 side. Start at 9 am from the parking lot across from the Falling Water Baptist Church.  Store stop at the Country Mart at mile 31.
50.5 miles and 2,560 feet.  No mountain climbs.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51058867

June 21 –  Sure it’s a bit of a longer drive, but that’s where you find some of Tennessee’s best rural nap-of-the-earth roads with only light farm traffic. Start at 9 am (ET) from  the old Chapel Hill Methodist Church near US 127 for a ride to Pikeville.  Store stop at the Farmer’s Co-Op at mile 23 for a Coke and a conversation about the weather.
54.5 miles and 2,830 feet. No mountain climbs.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51058690

June 28 – Start at 8:30 am from the Food City in St. Elmo to ride the length of Chattanooga Valley to Mountain Cove Farms.   Water stop at mile 30 at the “Farm Store” with a real store stop at mile 50.
63 miles and 3,020 feet. No mountain climbs.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50191382

Do you have a favorite ride that you wish someone would post?  Let a ride leader know about it  in June, and we’ll get it on the list for July (which already has one Saturday reserved for a gravel ride starting at Camp Ocoee) or August.

 

If the rain finally stops as forecast, the ride is to a familiar destination by a different way. Start at Red Bank Elementary at 9 am to ride to Soddy.  Store stop at mile 28 at the Circle K.   Watch this site Saturday morning for any weather related updates.

May 31 @ 9:00 am from Red Bank Elementary
50 miles and 3,080 feet. Climb Mountain Road.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50970073

 

Memorial Day (Monday) – UPDATE – FORECAST SAYS IT MAY RAIN BUT SNAPPER SAYS THE RADAR IS “LOOKING GOOD.”   LET’S GIVE IT A WHIRL AT 9;00.

It’s the Elite holiday ride (with a holiday pace) from a different location.  Start at 9 am from the parking lot across from the Falling Water Baptist Church for the roads west of the river.   Back in time for lunch and an afternoon with family.  Watch this space for weather-related updates Monday morning.

Nature of this ride:  GROUP spin which means we’ll ride it as a group at the pace of the slowest spinner.  Use the relaxed pace to learn another Bubba’s real name and when he got out of the penitentiary.   If you want to show folks you’re really fit and finally ready for Cat 5 racin’ this ain’t the ride for you so go elsewhere.  (Boss is even older and grumpier than he used to be so don’t even think about bustin’ this one up!)

May 26, @ 9:00 am from the Falling Water Baptist Church
33 miles and 1,400 feet. Optional Hot Water climb.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50876023

 

Is the third time the charm?   We won’t know until we see the weather radar on Saturday morning.  Watch this site for updates.

The same route as posted the last two weeks.  Start at 9 am from  the Food City in St. Elmo for the traditional loop that cuts across the valley at Captain Woods Road.  Store stop at mile 40.

May 17 @ 9:00 am from the St. Elmo Food City
53 miles and 2,660 feet.  No climbs
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49895195

Saturday Morning Update: Light rain is coming from the South.  For those up to it, we’ll start at the St. Elmo Food City at 9 am and head North.  Likely to be damp at the finish.

We’re going to try again to ride in Chattanooga Valley.   It will be cool — but should be dry on Saturday.  Same route as posted last week.  Start at 9 am from  the Food City in St. Elmo for the traditional loop that cuts across the valley at Captain Woods Road.  Store stop at mile 40.

May 10 @ 9:00 am from the St. Elmo Food City
53 miles and 2,660 feet.  No climbs.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49895195

>>>>>  It looks like a washout.  Ride CANCELED.   <<<<<

It’s the first Saturday in May, so there must be rain in the forecast.  Start at 8:30 from  the Food City in St. Elmo for the traditional ride in Chattanooga Valley so that we can avoid George and his friends as they ride to the North.   We’ll be back in time for  those wanting to join BubOne at the Bluegrass Bash at Mountain Cove Farms.  Store stop at mile 40.  The route may change based on the weather — and please check this site Saturday morning for changes.

A tour of Bakewell and Mowbray Mountains is planned.  Roll at 8:30 from the parking lot across from the Falling Water Baptist Church to climb the mountain on Retro-Hughes road.  Depending on the weather forecast Saturday morning, we may change the route to attempt to avoid the rain.  Watch this site Saturday morning for changes.

April 26 @ 8:30 am, Falling Water Baptist Church
49.5 miles, 3,246 feet with 1 climb
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50474830

 

The forecast is for perfect spring riding weather.  Roll from Red Bank Elementary at 9 am to climb Montlake Road.  We’ll make a pit stop at the store at the top of Mowbray Mountain, go down Hot Water Road and head back on the east side of US-27 to complete a 51 mile loop.

April 19 @ 9 am, Red Bank Elementary
51 miles, 3,230 feet with 1 climb
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50284609

Getting out the gravel bike (even though it’s some sort of asphalt all the way and manageable on a road bike) for Mullen’s Cove Road.  Roll from River Drifters on Suck Creek Road at 10 am to allow the temps to come up a little. We’ll turn around at ‘Goat’s Bridge’ and do it a second time.  41 miles.

April 12 @ 10 am, River Drifters
41 miles, 2,330 feet. No climbs.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50284294