November 2026

Here are the Elite rides for Saturdays in November.  Start times could change during the week of the ride for forecast colder or warmer conditions.  Watch this site early on the Saturday of the ride for weather related cancelations and updates.


November 7 – Start at 9 am from the (now closed) Food City in St. Elmo to climb Sand Mountain via Murphy Hollow.   This route includes the  rollers on McKaig Road.  Store stop in the heart of Trenton at the Mapco at mile 27.
47 miles and 2,800 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51059172 

November 14 – Ride from Red Bank Elementary at 9 am  for a clock-wise loop up to Soddy and back.  Store stop at the Circle K at mile 25.  The ride will split in Soddy so that those wanting more can climb Hot Water Road.
49 miles, 2,500 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53153791

November 21 –  Start from the paved parking lot across from the Falling Water Baptist Church at 9 am to ride to Sale Creek.  Store stop at the Country Mart at Mile 27.
49 miles with 2,500 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51962277

Friday, November 27 – Morning Holiday Ride.  Something like the map below.  Details TBD.
41 miles, 2,400 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/57772631

November 28 –  Thanksgiving means the official start of  the winter riding season with shorter rides .  We’ll start from the old Food City in St Elmo at 9 am to take US-41 to Haletown and return via GA-299 and Murphy Hollow.  Those wanting to reduce the ride by 5 miles, can stay on 299 and to avoid the Murphy Hollow – Creek Road loop.
41 miles and 2800 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/57772892


December 5 – Start  at Red Bank Elementary to climb Mountain Road.  Time TBD.

Saturday 10/31 – Fredonia

It’s time! Fredonia XVII. Here are your options:

 

Full Freddy
When: 8:30 a.m.
Where: River Drifters
Stats: 80.1 miles and 7,141 ft
Store stop at mile 50.6 at Palmer Market in Palmer, TN

 

Freddy Lite aka, The Elite Ride
When: 9:00 a.m. ET
Where: Powell’s Crossroads
Stats: 57.0 miles and 3,892 ft
Store stop at mile 39.9 at Palmer Market in Palmer, TN

 

Saturday 10/24

This week we will do a loop down to Mtn. Cove in North Georgia from St. Elmo. No major climb on the route, but there is the option to climb Dougherty Gap at the turnaround if you can’t live without a climb. After party at Tap House.

When: 9:00 a.m.
Where: Old St. Elmo Food City

Stats: 65.7 miles and 3,592 ft
Store Stop at The Cove Store, mile 33.9

October 2026

Here are the Elite rides for Saturdays in October.  Watch this site early on the Saturday of the ride for weather related cancelations and updates.


October 3 – The Cycle Sequatchie fall ride.  There are 50 and 80 mile road options and 40 and 64 mile gravel options.
See: https://www.cyclesequatchie.com/

October 10 – Some call it the “drain-pipe cannon” ride which you’ll see at the ride’s peak elevation.  Start at 9 am from the paved parking lot across from the Falling Water Baptist Church  for a loop north.  Store stop at the Dollar General in Sale Creek at mile 33.  Those wanting more can climb Hotwater Road on the way home.
50 miles and 2,600 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50119282

October 17 – While it seems like this favorite surfaces every few weeks, we haven’t done the Chattanooga Valley ride to Captain Wood road since May.  Start at 9 am from the old Food City in St. Elmo.  Store stop at mile 40.  Map shows return via Burnt Mill — but we’ll stay on Old Chattanooga Valley to avoid the dogs.
53 miles and 2,700 feel of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49895195

October 24 – It’s time for the Fall ride down the Tennessee River Gorge on Mullins Cove Road.  Start at 9 am from the grass parking lot across from River Drifters on Suck Creek Road. We used to call this a gravel ride, but with all the road improvements it’s now more of  a road bike ride — with a few rough spots. The map shows the turn at “goat’s bridge”.  However, the last few time’s we’ve done it, the large majority of riders have gone the extra 3 miles to turn around at TN 27. Also, the option to return by riding up Sequatchie Valley and over Suck Creek Mountain.  There are no stores in this neck of the woods.
40 miles and 2,330 feet of climbing. (Seems short, but your body will tell you otherwise.)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50284294

October 31 – Another October tradition is the Halloween season “Freddy” ride.  Elites will start from Powell’s Cross Roads at 9 am. to ride to Dunlap and climb Fredonia mountain.  Park in front of the Town Hall that’s right at the cross-roads. Store stop in Palmer at mile 39.
Update to avoid bridge: Even though we’ve walked over the under-construction bridge this past summer,  the new map below takes us on Stone Cave Road to go on the west side of Dunlap and avoids it entirely.  About 1 mile longer than our normal route.
57 miles with 3,900 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/57740132   new map !


November 7 – Start in St. Elmo to climb Sand Mountain via Murphy Hollow.  Return Creek Road. Time TBD.

September 2026

Here are the Elite rides for Saturdays in September.  Watch this site early on the Saturday of the ride for weather related cancelations and updates.


September 5 – Start from Red Bank Elementary at 8:30 am to ride to Soddy.  We make the turn to head back south at Highwater Road. Store stop at the Circle K at mile 25.
49 miles and 2,500 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53153791

September 7 – HOLIDAY RIDE.  We will be joining TB .  See their post.

September 12 – Ride start changed to Red Bank Elementary at 9 am.

September 19 – We’ll start from Ridgeland High School at 9 am to ride to Lafayette.   Park in the large parking lot on the  south side of the school.   Store stop at the Circle-K at about mile 31 in Lafayette.  The map below has been updated since this route got good reviews when we last did it in June. The map now shows us starting by looping over to McFarland rather than tackling the climb up Turner Ridge Road.
58 miles and 2,800 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51519294

September 26 –  We’ll start at 9 am from the old Food City in St. Elmo to ride up Lookout Valley to climb Lookout Mountain on 136.  Store stop near Plumb Nelly at about mile 23.  Return by descending Nick-a-Jack Road.
45 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54475101


October 3 – The Cycle Sequatchie fall ride.  There are 50 and 80 mile road options and 40 and 64 mile gravel options.  Registration closes September 28. See: https://www.cyclesequatchie.com/

Labor Day Milligan College Cycling Tragey Memorial Ride

Please consider making a donation even if you are not riding (donation information below).
 
Revised Start Location: Old St. Elmo Food City
 
Team Bubba will start from the old St. Elmo Food City at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. We will roll towards the battlefield at a respectful and somber pace. Team Bubba, Southern Velo, and Chattanooga Bike Club will meet at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center for a group photo around 9:00 a.m. Then, we will go our separate ways. The Team Bubba route, including the ride to the battlefield, is 40 miles. After the group photo, the ride will proceed at holiday pace. No store stop is planned. Post-ride festivities at The Tap House in St. Elmo.
 
When: 8:00 a.m.
Where: Old St. Elmo Food City
Stats: 40 miles and 1,960 ft
 
Donation Information
If you are able to contribute please use the following link to access their general contribution page: https://support.milligan.edu/give
 
Select “Cycling Tragedy Support Fund” from the dropdown menu located below the “Designation” header on that page. If anyone has any questions or needs more information from Milligan University, please call them at 800.447.5922.
 
In an effort to track our respective clubs contributions we ask that you identify your club in the “Comments” section of the Milligan donation page, i.e., “Team Bubba”.
 
Thanks to everyone in advance for their generosity toward the Milligan Cycling Team.