Chattanooga, TN
Saturday looks like a hot one. Bubba will keep things mostly flat and head south from St. Elmo Food City.
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
Memorial Day is looking like a washout, so a variation of Bubba’s Holiday Ride will roll Saturday. AfterParty @ Bub1 & Sweetie’s w/ BBQ, BaconDogs, Blackberry Cobbler, Beer & Sides. (Please bring some cash to tip the hosts.)
BEWARE OF WHEEL-EATING OBSTACLE ON 3RD ST. BRIDGE!
Follows traditional Holiday Route until Battlefield.
WaterStop @ Battlefield Visitor Center (Mile 23.3).
Full StoreStop @ Mile 48.
When: 8:30 am, Saturday, May 24,2025
Where: 1546 Burnt Mill Rd. Flintstone, GA 30725
Stats: 61.1 Miles w/3115ft elevation
ridewithgps.com/routes/50860
It looks like the rain has been mostly taken out of the forecast for Saturday. Bubba will head south from St. Elmo Food City to check on the Iornman course. Store stops at mile 21.1 and/or mile 35.5 (and a possible reroute to Yanks at mile 49ish if needed).
Good luck to all Bubbas doing the IM 70.3 on Sunday!