A scheduling glitch will shake up the route for the 30th annual 3 State 3 Mountain bicycle ride. There will be no Burkhalter Gap climb to the top of Lookout Mountain this time.
It turned out that Dade County Sheriff Ray Cross scheduled a Sheriff's Benefit for the same weekend as the bicycle race.
Sheriff Cross told the Dade County Planet that by the time he had realized both activities were the same weekend - the first weekend in May - that he had already sent out fliers for the benefit.
He said his officers will be tied up with the benefit and could not also provide traffic control for the bike ride.
Instead of going up Lookout Mountain, this year's Century Ride will veer over to the Suck Creek area, Sequatchie Mountain and Sand Mountain.
Officials of the Chattanooga Bicycle Club said, "Unfortunate circumstances beyond the control of the Chattanooga Bicycle Club have forced a change to the routes of this year’s Litespeed Bicycles 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge. A late developing scheduling conflict in Dade County Ga., has resulted in traffic control and safety support being unavailable for this year’s ride.
"The Dade County Sheriff’s Department has been helpful in making our event as safe as possible for several years. We appreciate their assistance in the past and look forward to working with them again in the future. However, without their support this year, the state of Georgia will not issue a permit for the portion of the century course that occurs in Georgia.
"Therefore, the traditional routes for the 2017 Challenge have been modified. Sadly, the impact is greatest to the Century riders and their ascent of the infamous Burkhalter Gap, which will not be part of the century course this year. We appreciate your understanding."
The new route for the Century Challenge will feature 7,100 feet of climbing, while the Metric course will have 4,000 feet of elevation. The 25-mile route tours Tennessee with 1,400 feet of climbing.
This is a description of the new route by the Chattanooga Bicycle Club:
The Full Century Challenge takes riders up and down 3 mountains — Suck Creek, Sequatchie and Sand, in 2 states – Tennessee and Alabama. Riders leave Chattanooga heading north to the Northshore, Red Bank to Suck Creek Road. This is the longest yet least difficult of the climbs at 5 miles. The scenery is awesome! The descent comes almost immediately and is mostly quick and non-technical. There are a couple of sharp turns (check your road markings and signage) on the 5 mile descent.
Then comes the fast and mostly flat to gently rolling ride across the valley road to the right turn onto Ketner Mill Road and over to Valley View. A left turn and soon a right turn onto Sequatchie Mountain Road has riders on the 2nd climb. This is a very challenging climb with sections pushing 20%. This climb is the timed climb and will determine the KOM and QOM. After descending riders are back in the valley and will soon cross the new Hwy. 41 bridge over Nickajack Lake. (Century and Metric courses split here.) Century riders head up and over Ladds Mountain Road into Alabama toward the 3rd climb – up the character-filled goat path of Sand Mountain. A new descent of Sand into Tennessee has riders going up and over Ladds Mountain Road in the opposite direction (fast descent here!). A right turn onto Hwy 41 presents a stair-step climb. Riders will enjoy the next several miles — downhill and slightly rolling — along the water.
A couple of turns later, riders will travel around the toe of Lookout Mountain into downtown Chattanooga and to the finish line at Finley Stadium. Route: 100.1 miles
The weekend event gives riders a choice of 3 routes: a full century (includes 3 mountains and travels through 2 states), a metric century (includes 1 mountain and travels through 2 states) and a 25 mile route (no mountains and travels flat to rolling roads in 1 state).
All Century riders will be timed on their 2-mile ascent of Sequatchie Mountain. This year, both the fastest male and female will be awarded a Litespeed T5 frame.
Officials said, "All riders will be electronically timed. However, please remember the event is not a race, it’s a ride."
On Friday, May 5, of ride weekend there will be a Pre-Ride Dinner/Mingle at the Litespeed facilities, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Participants can purchase a ticket ($25) to attend. It will include a BBQ & fixin’s dinner with beverages and a tour of the Litespeed plant.