The ride's main climb (topo) is 2.7 miles long and begins 3.7 miles into the ride. The grade starts out at 8% but eases after the first mile to around 6%, for a 7.2% overall average grade.
After the climb (and a couple of bonus hills) there's a convenience store at the AL-79 intersection to regroup, then the route heads north on top of the Cumberland Plateau for 22 miles, into Tennessee and to the next rest stop (a convenience store that includes a fast-food restaurant), before descending down into the farmland below.
After the descent the route heads west over rougher country roads just south of Winchester, with a few short steep hills. Most of the turns on the course are concentrated in this area, leading to a rest stop in downtown Huntland, Tennessee.
From Huntland the route heads south over one of the most isolated and beautiful roads in the area, rising and dropping alongside the Larkin Fork Creek (which eventually feeds into the Paint Rock River), winding its way back to the high school.
The Paint Rock Valley High School is located about 40 minutes from Huntsville in the small town of Princeton. From Huntsville take I-565 east to HWY-72...
Travel East on HWY-72 15.4 miles to AL-65 (two miles past Gurley, just as HWY-72 curves to the right) and turn Left/North
Travel North on AL-65 14.5 miles to Princeton. The high school is located on the left, just past the Princeton Post Office, about 200 feet down AL-3.
