A similar ride that doesn't climb Grant is the 76-mile Road to Nowhere ride, it includes several out-and-back options as well.
The route is a great ride without any of the optional climbs, add them only if you're looking for an especially hard workout; all the climbs come within a short six mile span. This ride usually finishes with a mild headwind the last 20 miles, due to the prevailing westerly winds.
The route travels thru some beautiful quiet farm country on top of Grant (Gunters Mountain). In the winter you can see Lake Guntersville from the Cottonville climb, and the two miles along the ridge after the climb has some great views on both sides. Most of the roads are lightly traveled with good pavement but there are two 2-mile sections of rough pavement: New Hope Highway South (a small two lane road after crossing Highway 431 from Guntersville Dam Road that parallels Highway 431), and Butler Mill Road. The route includes two short sections on Highway 431, a high-speed 4-lane highway, but timing and use of merge lanes and shoulders can keep the drama to a minimum.
The (non-optional :-) 0.9 mile climb up Grant on Cottonville Road (topo) has an 8% average grade with a couple of steep switchbacks. The descent is possibly the fastest in the area, Babe Wright, but watch out for gravel in the gentle turns at the top. It finishes with a straight drop on great pavement.
The ride's three optional up-and-back climbs:
- Simpson Point - 1.0 mile with a 10% average grade
- Merrill Mountain - 1.1 miles with an 8.8% average grade
- Bishop Mountain - 0.7 miles with a 10% grade
The Cove Park ballfields near Hampton Cove:
If traveling over Monte Sano on Highway 431 (east on Governors Drive): go 4.8 miles after passing Monte Sano Boulevard and turn Left at Old 431/Sutton Road. Travel 1.6 miles and turn right onto Old 431. The ballfields are on the right.
If traveling over Cecil Ashburn Drive: continue straight on Sutton Road for 0.7 miles and go straight across Highway 431. From the intersection go 1.6 miles and turn right onto Old 431. The ballfields are on the right.
