TB heads north this week to see if Link will come out to play. Roll from Falling Water promptly @ 9:00 to visit an old friend. We’ll also visit a few other friends along the way – Old Dayton, Stormer, etc. – as we make our way to Brayton Mtn. It’s a metric and 3700 feet but it’ll feel like much, much more. Carry what food you need – we’ll get water at the church on top but there may not be a store stop.
TB 2/25
UPDATE (6:50 a.m.): FUTURECAST SHOWS RAIN STAYING NORTH OF TOWN AFTER A SHORT BURST AROUND 7:30. RIDE STILL ROLLS AT 9:00! (Fly says the weather is always better south of town…………..) WE’LL UPDATE AGAIN AROUND 8:00 IF THINGS CHANGE.
Roll from Steady’s Campground (St Elmo Food City) at 9:00. South via Creek to the foot of Burkhalter and we’ll then wind around to Byrd’s Chapel and Back Valley before making our way back to Trenton and then climbing up Sand. (Remember to take a right at that bad intersection going up or we’ll never see you again!) A metric and around 4000 feet – yep, I cheated a bit at the end by doing a loop down Broad to get it to the magic number. May be some route changes once Fly and King have time to study what I’ve done so wait a bit before you load it into your computers!
TB 2/18
Roll from Mikes @ 11:00 (when we should be close to the magic temp #). South over the toe and wind our way around to Creek Rd and Morganville Ridge. RIGHT ON SLYGO and then the left to get back to the foot of Sand where we’ll climb up to the sweet new tarmac on Murphy Hollow. Murphy to 299, quick stop at the store at the bottom of the stairs, and then the stairs (via BeezleBub’s side road) and back. Lots of ways to short it including: (i) staying on Slygo back to 299 should put it in the 40+/- range (I’m guessing here); and (ii) turning right on 299 after Murphy should put it in the 50+/- range and avoid the stairs and those nasty rollers on Cummings. As mapped 60 miles. 3500 feet.
TB 2/11
Roll from Mike’s at 9:30 and head north AGAIN. I know, I know, some of the same roads but we’ll reverse direction and add some twists so it isn’t exactly like last week’s route. (Wind out of the NE and really blustery so fingers crossed hugging Signal and Mowbry will block some of it – the route is similar to the “Wind Barrier” route we’ve done in the past on windy days.) Up Montlake, down Hotwater, and then north a bit to tie into Armstrong where we’ll finally have the wind at our backs. Lots of ways to short this one if the wind is too bad or I start thinking about that bacon sandwich I’m gonna get at Mikes. A metric and 4200 feet as mapped.
TB 2/4
We’ll stick with the plan of rolling as early as we hit 40 degrees. Roll from Mike’s at 11:00 for basically the summer Tuesday night loop. (Okay, okay, it won’t be 40 yet but the sun will be out and it’ll get to 40 soon after we roll.) Tough to be creative this time of day with the traffic particularly on the climbs so it’s familiar roads with a few twists as we head north for a climb up Hotwater. Down Montlake and back for 52 miles, 3500 feet. (Those needing the magic number can add the loop up top (Mowbry Pike/Henson loop) or perhaps a loop at the bend to get there.) We’ll keep it moving since some will need to get back with one quick stop after the Montlake descent. Should be back by 2:30 or so.
TB 1/28
Roll at 10:00 from Steady’s Campground (St Elmo Food City) for a trip to the Cove and optional climb up Daughtery. (Low winds which is always key for this one.) Full route with the climb 71 miles and 4200 feet, but if you skip the climb it should put it right at a metric. For those wanting the climb but not the extra miles a good place to jump on would be the DolGen where we cross 193.
TB 1/21
Roll at 10:00 from Falling Water for a trip across some old favorites. While the planet warms Bubba will stay hot on the rollers of Armstrong, Lee (Bubba will be downright toasty when he gets to the house with the big fence………..), and Stormer, before making it back with a climb up Hotwater near the end. (Should be 45 or so on top by the time we climb and we’ll be back to the cars soon after the descent.) As mapped there’s a 10 mile loop on top that those with less time may cut off or we can cut if it’s too cold up top (we can add back the 10 once we get off the mtn if need be). As mapped a metric and 4000 feet.
TB 1/14
We don’t hit 40 until Sat afternoon so Roll from Mikes @ 1:00. Creek Rd (remember it’s neutral as we pass the chalk outlines of Mighty Mike, Lowrider, and Steady Eddy), up 136, straight across and down to regroup at the store at the bottom in order to squeeze a few degrees instead of stopping on top. Marble Top back. 58 miles, 3700 feet.
TB 1/7 – THE BEAST
Primary route rolls tomorrow from Mike’s at 8:30 for The Beast. Not intimidated by it, folks wanted more miles so once on top we’ll try to stay warm with another stoopid Pump Hillz Route before we finally drop off and head back to Mikes. 53 miles, 4500 feet, and yep Mighty Mike will add a bend loop at the end to get to 60 for anyone wanting more. Lots of ways to short this by heading back down at various points. Route a bit jumbled as to avoid coming down Taft since it’s down to one lane. Here’s the map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41728145
Alternate route also rolls from Mike’s at 8:30 but comes up the W and then heads to the top of The Beast to meet the survivors. Folks are encouraged to take this Alt so we cut down on the # of folks climbing The Beast. This route will have even more vertical than The Beast Route since it not only climbs the W but then also climbs out of the Marshall Creek Gorge to meet survivors. Here’s the map to get to the top of The Beast to join up: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41728215
TB 1/2
The vote was to kick The Beast down the road until Sat, so tomorrow (Monday) Roll from Mikes at 9:00 for a repeat of the Winter Warmer route we did a few weeks ago but this time we’ll try to take the correct turns. 57 miles, no climb. We’ll keep it moving with one quick stop in Soddy and hopes of being back by around 12:30. Lots of ways to short it, and we’ll be passing lots of climbs for those who need to add one.