The Salem Backroads Century is 100 miles and travels through some quiet and isolated country, with a few miles of rough pavement along Puncheon Branch Road. Mostly flat-to-rolling with a couple of steep but short hills. Directions to start:
This ride begins and ends at the Athens State University Library at 407 East Pryor Street in Athens, Alabama. From Huntsville, take Highway 72 West to Athens (about 15 miles from Huntsville). Turn right on South Clinton Street and travel North about a mile, turn right on Pryor Street. The library is about 0.2 mile on the left, parking just past the library.
Miles Turn  Description Leg
0.0 West  on Pryor Street 1.0
1.0 Right  on Hine Street 5.1
1.9 Continue  on Edgewood Road -
6.1 Left  on Fort Hampton Road 6.7
8.0 Continue  on Elk River Mill Road -
12.8 Right  on Cairo Hollow Road 2.4
15.2 Right  on Cottonbelt Road 3.2
18.4 Bear Left  on Salem Road 1.4
19.8 Left  on AL-99 0.1
19.9 Rest Stop  on right (next stop 9.8 miles) -
19.9 Right  on Salem Minor Hill Road 9.3
29.2 Right  on TN-11 0.5
29.7 Rest Stop  on left (next stop 23 miles) -
29.7 Left  on Puncheon Branch Road (rough pavement) 8.6
33.7 Continue  on Peach Road -
36.9 Continue  on Shannon Road -
38.3 Straight  on Pleasant Ridge Road 4.7
43.0 Left  at "T" on Shores Road
 (no sign)
0.1
43.1 Right  on Mayfield Road 0.5
43.6 Left  on Fall River Road 9.1
52.7 Rest Stop  at 4-way intersection
 (next stop 20.9 miles)
-
52.7 Right  on Old Florence Pulaski Road 4.8
55.5 Continue  on Old Florence Pulaski Hwy -
55.9 Continue  on Hurricane Creek Road -
Miles Turn  Description Leg
57.5 Right  on Lee Chapman Road 0.5
58.0 Bear Right  to continue on
 Lee Chapman Road
1.0
59.0 Left  at "T" on
 Johnson Branch Road (no sign)
0.6
59.6 Right  on White Road 1.6
61.2 Left  on Fall River Road 4.5
65.7 Right-Left  across TN-11 onto
Oak Grove Road
3.2
68.9 Right  on Charles Davis Road 0.6
69.5 Left  on J Black Road
 (sign around corner)
3.6
73.1 Right  on TN-11 0.5
73.6 Rest Stop  on right (26.5 miles to finish) -
73.6 Left  on Powell Road 1.2
74.8 Left  on Jackson Hollow Road 1.4
76.2 Left  at "T" on
 Puncheon Branch Road
0.2
76.4 Right  on TN-11 0.5
76.9 Left  on Salem Road 8.4
81.2 Continue  on Salem Minor Hill Road -
85.3 Left  on Easter Ferry Road 13.8
94.0 Continue  on Edgewood Road -
98.2 Continue  on Hine Street -
99.1 Left  on Pryor Street 1.0
100.1 Finish  at the
 Athens State University Library
-