The weather will be good and the leaves will be at their height Saturday at 9:30 when we depart the McMinnville Public Square for the 1850's resrt town of Beersheba Springs. The scenic Collins River valley will provide the route up the plateau for this 50 miler. There are multiple store opportunities and one significant 3 mile climb to the old hotel. The grade is steady but not steep, and in my opinion, is the best plateau climb and decent anywhere. I have no GPS route and I changed the route from the early spring ride to shorten the distance and make improvements. The route is as follows:
South from the Square across 4 lane to Depot Bottom,
L on Bridge Street by Cemetery and across Barren Fork River,
R Old Beersheba Road ( no dogs last week but...)crossing Shellsford to
Zera Hillis Rd,
R on Hwy 56,
R on Northcutt Cove Rd,
L on Dry Creek Rd,
R on Hwy 56 (Irving College store on right), continue south into Grundy Co.
to regroup at Tarlton Church on right. The porta-john there is cleaned
annually. Depart for a 3 mile climb to the top,
R on Armfield Ave (past rock spring house near the top) stop at hotel,
continue on Armfield past historic homes to Hwy 56 (store on right for
supplies) 23 miles.
Return Leg: 25 miles
R on Hwy 56 past Gen. Polk's home and down hill run to
R on Hills Creek at Irving College,
L on Turners Bend after crossing Collins River and before large Indian mound
L on Meyers Cove at Collins River bridge, regroup at Smyrna Church of Christ
R Hwy 56,
L on Lera Hillis Rd and continue across Shellsford on Old Beersheba Rd,
L on Bridge Street,
R on Depot Bottom to the Square and lunch at Collins River BBQ