The ride's main climb (topo) is 2.7 miles long with a 7% average grade, beginning 3.7 miles into the ride. The climb starts out at a steady 8% for the first mile followed by a quarter mile at 10%, easing back to less than 6% over the next mile and returning to 8% for the last half mile.
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 (currently CLOSED) 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 returns south along 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 45 minutes from Huntsville in the small town of Princeton. From Huntsville take I-565 east to US-72...
Travel East on US-72 15.4 miles to AL-65 (two miles past Gurley, just as US-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, 250 feet down AL-3.
