Latest News & Events

Yep, Labor Day Ride is cancelled.  Dad-burn weatherman.

Roll at 8:30 from Romeo’s house – 6532 Forest Park Drive, Signal.  Please park on Romeo’s lawn inside the gate if there’s room and it’s dry, and if not on Romeo’s side of the street as close to his drive as you can to keep neighbor complaints down.  (They’ll have enough to complain about when nekked Bubbas start roaming around.)  We’ll go through the Marshall Creek Gorge (Sawyer) then off the back of Signal toward Dunlap.  At the bottom decisions must be made.  Go right on East Valley for a metric and 5200 feet (ouch).   Go left on East Valley for a loop that shaves 10 or so miles for a total of around 52.   Both routes climb the back of Signal and go back through the Gorge.  Tough route with not much flat so it’ll be best if we keep restrictor plates on at least until the climb.      Here’s the full map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40680673

Here’s the 10-mile loop map – remember, turn left at the bottom instead of right like on the full map:   https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40677808

And for those wanting even more park at Red Bank Elementary  and ride up the W for the start!  Romeo’s house isn’t too far from the top.

WE’LL SWIM IN ROMEO’S CLIFFSIDE POOL AT THE END. (THIS WILL BE THE FIRST BATH SOME BUBBAS HAVE HAD IN MONTHS.)  SIGNIFICANT OTHERS AND KIDS WELCOME.  BRING WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DRINK IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE GET FROM NEEDLES HOMEBREW, AND GIVE ME CASH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RIDE IF YOU WANT PIZZA AT THE END – I’LL ORDER WHATEVER AMOUNT OF PIZZA WE HAVE CASH FOR SO NO CASH, NO PIZZA FOR YOU.

Roll @ 8:00 from St Elmo Food City.   Over the toe and then right to work with a climb up Elder/Raccoon.  (Stop whining – Elder is too steep for an old man with metal hips so I hate it too!)  We’ll do the loop up top, then descend Raccoon for the Cummings/Murphy Hollow stretch.   Only 58 miles (don’t panic MM) but 4400 feet and it’ll feel like much more because we all know what’s gonna happen on Cummings and Murphy Hollow.  Regroup at stop signs (that means everyone) and at the bait store at the bottom of the stairs even though it’s closed.  We’ll refuel at the store after Murphy Hollow.  Don’t regroup on Raccoon so that MM and the other sickos can ride down to the stop sign at Cummings then turn and ride backwards to regroup (should get em to the 60 mile mark so they won’ have to do too many laps at Food City). Lots of ways to short the route and you can even short the climb by heading down after Elder.  Those taking a more gentle approach climbing should ride the loop up top clockwise (turn left) until they meet the group.

Roll Sat from Mike’s Hole (Chilhowie lot please) @ 8:00  for some old and some new. (If you like the early start buy me something; if you hate it blame JJ and Fly.)   Head south for the old with a climb up 136 Trenton side.   The new is a bit of an unconventional way of getting there because Bub wants some adventure in his life.   As Slicker says, “If you don’t know where we’re goin stay off the front before you crash us!”   On top we’ll hit the Hinkle/Lula Lake stretch and let’s try to stay together for a least a bit so no one shuts down their kidneys. Should be 20 degrees cooler than the last few weeks so hopefully Steady’s organs are safe.  A metric and 3800 feet but lots of stingers so it’ll feel like more.   Please be careful and courteous going down Ochs at the end.

TB heads north this week giving our neighbors a Bubba cameo as we go.   Roll from Falling Water @ 8:00 (stop whining – it’ll feel like 96 by 12:00, and this was a compromise since The Fly wanted to leave at like 5:30).    North on some favorites with a climb up Leggett and then down Retro.   REGROUP AT ALL THE NORMAL  PLACES INCLUDING STOP SIGNS, TOP OF LEGGETT, STORE ON RETRO, AND AT THE BOTTOM OF RETRO.  Careful going down – although the tarmac is sweet expect gravel with all the rain.   A metric and 3500 feet.

We’ll stay south again this week and let our neighbors up north cool a bit longer although I’m not sure Bubba’s absence makes their hearts grow fonder.  Roll from the St Elmo Food City @ 8:00.  Toe, 299, Ladd, up Sand (good road), across the top, and down Slygo.  Regroup at all the normal places INCLUDING AT THE TOP OF THE BIG HILL AFTER THE TRUCK STOP, AT THE END OF 299, AFTER LADD BEFORE THE CLIMB, AT THE STORE ON THE LEFT AT THE TOP (REFUELING), AND AFTER THE DESCENT.   CAREFUL DESCENDING BECAUSE THOSE SWITCHBACKS MAY HAVE GRAVEL IN THEM AFTER ALL THE RAIN THIS WEEK.  A metric and 3800 feet.  Add the nature center loop or climb to Sanders for more up.

Lots of folks out this Sat (Dalton race, etc.) so we’ll field a group of rag tag Bubbas and hit an old favorite:  136 from Mable side (haven’t done it in a while and it’s shady).   We’ll then try to shave a few degrees by staying on top and head back on Scenic to Covenant (ouch!).    Roll from Mike’s Hole at 8:00 – don’t blame me fuss at Fly!  (Actually a good call because temps brutal Sat.)    Usual regrouping places INCLUDING after the climb at the beginning of Scenic.   A metric and 4200 feet but it’ll feel like much more as we’ll hit Dry Valley on the way out.  Lots of ways to short it and if the temps are too bad we may take one.  Here’s the map:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40272620