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FULL CENTURY - 100 MILES
The full century route for 2006 event begins at Finley Stadium in downtown Chattanooga on the south side. It turns left at 4th Street and crosses the Tennessee River by the Ogiati Bridge on the exit/entrance ramp lane of Hwy 27. It takes the next exit off the bridge onto Manufacturers Rd and then turns left onto Cherokee Blvd. Do not cross on the highway at any time other than the actual event. (The above cue sheet has you going by the Tennessee Aquarium and crossing the river on the Walnut Street Bridge, a historic landmark restored as a pedestrian bridge. This is the more scenic and enjoyable route but for the actual challenge with the mass start and the police escort, the highway bridge is more practical. The Walnut St Bridge exits onto a busy road. Turn left here. Work your way thru this busy area; it clears out soon. Stay right on Cherokee Blvd at the fork.) Work your way over to Signal Mountain Road by going through the tunnel. Just ride steady through the tunnel (don't attempt to use the sidewalk - it is too narrow to walk or ride a bike on.) Signal Mountain Road is very busy so be careful. Just before starting up Signal Mountain (we actually miss one mountain) take Suck Creek Road to the left. It follows the river for about 5 miles then starts up Suck Creek Mountain. This climb is relatively gentle but very long, so take it easy. The ride down is fun, but usually cold as it is still early in the day. There will be a sag stop at the bottom at Powell's Crossroads. Private sags will not be allowed along this portion of the route. Either leave well before the riders and get across the mountain before they start or we will provide alternate route information. After you get off the mountain, you just coast on in to Powell's Crossroads. The first sag stop will be here. Turn left here and keep going until you see the sign to Ketner's Mill. Follow the signs to the mill. This mill is still operational and a neat place to look around. It is also the site of a large craft fair each year. From Ketner's Mill, follow the markings to Marion County Park and the next sag stop. Now is the time for a decision. From here, you cross the Tennessee River via the "Blue Bridge", then choose. The metric riders continue straight - the 100 milers turn right and head on to Sand Mountain. Oh, just to be sure you don't feel cheated, Ladd's Mountain is a small mountain you get to go over on the way to Sand. Follow the markings to the road up Sand Mountain. The route does not go up the highway but takes a much less traveled county road up the mountain. There may be some rough pavement but the route is much more pleasant and the view around the top of the mountain is spectacular. This climb is shorter than the one up Suck Creek, but a little steeper. Eventually this route joins up with the highway to Bryant, Alabama where you will find a more than welcome sag stop. Stock up well - the best is yet to come. Private sags - please take the highway up the mountain. The event route is narrow and windy with very little motor traffic. You can meet your riders where the event route joins the highway at the top. After leaving Bryant, you have a fairly lengthy ride across Sand Mountain and along the east brow (approx 17 miles) until you go down the mountain. (Do not go down the mountain at White Oak Gap - turn left at that intersection instead.) At the bottom of Sand Mountain, follow the markings through New England to Burkhalter Gap Road. Now the fun begins. Up, up, and really UP! (Don't be afraid to walk it you need to). Then crash at the sag stop at the top! You've got it made now! A few more rolling hills on top of Lookout Mountain in Georgia with a really fun roller-coaster crossover road in the middle and you are headed down the mountain and back to Chattanooga, Finley Stadium, and pizza. Note: I get a lot of questions concerning the gradient of the mountains. This is a hard question because I get so many different answers. This is the best guess that I can figure from the various information I've been given. The mountains increase in difficulty. Suck Creek is long and gentle - around 5 miles at a 4-6% grade. Sand is shorter and slightly steeper - 2.5 miles at a 6-7% grade. Lookout is by far the steepest - 2.3 miles at a 8-10% grade with a 14-17% grade at the top. The total climbing is somewhere between 6000 and 9000 ft. I've come up with over 9000 ft using two different topo software programs but the folks recording it say they only get between 6000 and 8000 ft.
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