Reliance, TN / Hiwassee River Gravel Ride 5/12/18

Cherokee NF Gravel Ride – Reliance, TN

What: 34 – 60 miles of gravel in the Cohutta Mountains
Where: Hiwassee River State Park Boat Ramp

                115 Ellis Creek Rd, Reliance, TN 37369

 

When: Saturday 5/12/18 @ 8:00 AM.

Riding from Reliance again this Saturday. All pavement or gravel except the bridge at Apalachia. Going to try for A and B group rides again. The longer ride will be ~60 miles with roughly 7000' of climbing (average climbing VAM ~599 Vm/h) and the shorter loop is 40-50 miles (out and back section turnaround will be set to reach around 4.5-5 hours total) with an average VAM around 500 Vm/h. Both loops will roll out together on ~ 5 miles of pavement mostly along the river and will be on the same route for the first ~9.5 miles. Food and Brews at Flip Flop Burgers afterwards!

60 Miler will go up the Kimsey Mountain Climb and then over to Buck Bald and back via Fingerboard Rd (hopefully we can sneak across the bridge construction site again, if not we might take the easier way back from Buck Bald) and has no good refueling stop options. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27446374?privacy_code=ThW81N0NgVuW49WE

The 5 hour ride will do loop out and over the Apalachia swing bridge, an out and back on McFarland Rd, then back via Lost Creek Road. This will pass the start / stop point at ~ mile 34.5 if anyone needs to stop early or for water/food refill. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27446632?privacy_code=0YXXxZNSf8k8qmXe

If you are coming, please comment on if you will be riding the 24 or the 47 mile loop and PM me here so I can give you contact info.

Keep in mind that this is a self-supported social ride, completely without outside support. You are responsible for you.

Notes:
- If you come via Hwy 411, don't speed through Benton!
- They are starting construction this week on the drainage / paving work on Hwy 30 between 411 and Reliance, so might be better to come Hwy 30 from the Ocoee / Hwy 64 end even though I doubt they will be working on Saturday.
-There is very little to no cell coverage once you get off Hwy 411 or past Ocoee Dam #1 on 64, so if you have the audacity to be late and expect us to wait, let us know before 7:00

This sounds great.

I saw this post and could not make this particular ride but am interested in rides like this through the summer. Please keep posting.

I'd love to do something like this and am looking forward to exploring new routes and areas.


-Tim-