Fwd: Cheaha Chalenge Century Weekend 2010

[Carol Livingston]

I'll be riding this year and will stay at the "Piedmont Hilton" as usual ... let me know if you plan to go! 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr. Barry Nicholls, DVM <DrBarry...@amcvets.com>
Date: Tue, Dec 22, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Subject: Cheaha Chalenge Century Weekend 2010
To: "Dr. Barry Nicholls, DVM" <DrBarry...@amcvets.com>

Cheaha Challenge Weekend 2010

 

PLEASE HELP US SAVE PAPER BY FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO YOUR CYCLING AND CLUB EMAIL LISTS……….

 

We wanted to send a quick message to announce the 2010 Cheaha Challenge Century presented by Wells Fargo Advisors.  We have a new presenting sponsor and a new date for 2010!  We wish to thank Wells Fargo Advisors for supporting our event and hope you will mark your calendar for Sunday, April 18 and plan to join us in Piedmont, Alabama! 

 

We hope you will plan to make a weekend of it in 2010. We will again have the complimentary Animal Medical Center rooftop dinner for Cheaha riders and family/friends on Friday evening. Saturday will again feature the Noble Street Festival--a downtown Anniston family festival that attracts more than 5,000 attendees with great food in the Red Diamond Restaurant Tour,  multiple activities for children of all ages in the McWane KidZone, the Mellow Mushroom Mad Dash running race, and the Bike pARTs sculpture competition. Add live music and the nationally recognized and action packed Sunny King Criterium pro and amateur bike races on downtown streets and you have a festival not to be missed.  This family event has been selected a Top 10 Event in Alabama by the state's Tourism Bureau and has been featured in numerous magazines and publications, including Southern Living, Bicycling, and Velo News.

 

The Cheaha Crew wishes you a Merry Christmas and tailwinds in the New Year and we hope you will make our weekend a part of your ride calendar in 2010!

 

Visit

www.cheahachallenge.com (updates added daily)

www.noblestreetfestival.com (updates added daily)

 

 

Barry Nicholls

E-NEWS Editor, Northeast Alabama Bicycle Club

719 Quintard Avenue

Anniston, AL 36201

256-236-8387

Officers:

President Curtis Cupp acc...@bellsouth.net

VP Road Bobby Yancey   byop...@yahoo.com

VP Mountain Preston York choccol...@cableone.net

Secretary: Natalie Smith  natalie...@gmail.com   

Treasurer: Jack Plunk jack....@adss.alabama.gov

Trail Czar: Preston York choccol...@cableone.net

Community Relations: Mike Poe mike...@wellsfargoadvisors.com

www.neabc.org

Home of the Cheaha Challenge Century, the Cheaha Mountain Express Mtn Bike Race, and the Sunny King Criterium

 

 

[Carol Livingston]

Hello all,

 

I'm sending this again.

 

Concerning the Cheaha Challenge ... it is a straight out and back century with some of the MOST FUN rest stops you will ever experience on a supported ride.  I hate to ruin your fun by telling you what goes on at the rest stops, so I won't. 

 

If we want to get a group together (which hopefully will include some of the Mercury Race Team to ride in the Sunny King Criterium the night before), there is a new hotel in Piedmont ... HOWEVER, I've always felt that staying at the "Piedmont Hilton" was a necessary part of the Cheaha Challenge Experience.  The "Piedmont Hilton" is actually the local recreation center where they will let  your stay for free, provided you bring your own air mattress.  They have hot showers (bring your own towels), and they will feed you both a free breakfast and postride meal.  VERY friendly folks.  I've stayed there for years, sleeping in the weight room (which is the quietest). 

 

I have usually gotten there early to stake out my spot, then I drive down to Anniston to watch the crits and eat at the Nobel Street Festival.  Then drive back to Piedmont (about 20 minutes), pop in your ear plugs in case there are snorers nearby.

 

This ride is pretty flat for the first 22 miles.  After that, you climb a series of three one mile mountains, with Horseblock mountain being the second and the toughest.  After the first three climbs, you take a right and begin climbing Mt. Cheaha, which is the tallest mountain in Alabama.  It is a three mile climb, but it is not steep, so it is DOABLE.  After desecening the backside of Cheaha, you have one more one mile climb to the out and back turnaround point. 

 

Climbing back up Cheaha is not bad, as it is not steep and is actually shaded on that side.  I will be honest and say that the backside of Horseblock is the third hardest climb I ever do during the year ... and it will be tough after all the climbing you have done that day already.

 

However, the last 22 miles of the ride are back through the relatively valley to Piedmont, and there is always a tailwind ... last year there was even a tornado pushing me back ...  heheh.  I was SMOKING!!!

 

Send me a PRIVATE EMAIL if you want to give this a try.  Beginning at the start of February, I will begin a Sunday afternoon Cheaha Training regime which is yet to be determined, but it WILL involve hill repeats somewhere and gradually upping the miles ... maybe out on 334?   Is there a better hill closeby?  You are also welcome to train even if you won't ride Cheaha ... I gotta get in shape for my summer riding in any event.

 

Remember, the secret about climbing hills and mountains, in the words of a very wise man, "The faster you go up 'em, the faster you go up 'em!"