ROME REDUX REDEMPTION RIDE | Wheelhopper #320 | *3/20 - 3/21, 2010 | Rome, Ga. | Hare: Puff'n'Stuff | *CAMP OUT WEEKEND and Sunday-only ride

HARE: Puff'n'Stuff and ultra secret super special guest co-hare.

Get your mountain bikes ready ONCE AGAIN to ride through and throughout northwest Georgia's City of Seven Hills, Rome, Ga.; where the rivers meet and mountains begin.

No more broken neck and elbow, busted ankle and heavy heart --- Puff'n'Stuff's back in action.

Arrive Saturday March 20, 2010, after 11 a.m. (EST) if you're planning to camp.

If you're not camping then just come up Sunday by NOON for the main ride.

It's free to camp and will be on private property (actually a three-acre front yard of sorts about a mile outside Rome city limits and about a mile south of Darlington School upper campus).

BYOB Saturday and you may want to bring food/booze/snacks for the bonfire and any grilling/cooking accoutrements for Saturday evening or breakfast Sunday a.m.

Space is limited to 20 tent campers so the first 20 posts here to confirm their camping status are definitely in; otherwise you'll need to message the email addy below for a space update or check the FACEBOOK WHEELHOPPER FORUM frequently as it will be updated throughout the week.

The official ride will jump off at HIGH NOON SUNDAY March 21: beer/water stops, scenic views, creek crossings, single-track, and all the other twists and turns you can expect to find on an out-of-town Wheelhopper adventure.

Expect a good mix of road and off-road. And NO crazy 10-mile climbs or anything like that.

If you're out of practice or hung-over then you'll get through this one with no problems.

For the campers: expect a locally-led lung buster ride Saturday afternoon; perhaps sections of the Pinhoti near Summerville or surprise singletrack outside greater Rome.

****IMPORTANT NOTE*****

NO DOGS. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Not that we're hating on canines, but the property owner has a pack of dogs himself and coyotes galore at nighttime.


Directions to the REEVES RANCH (Trip time appox 1 hour 30 mins):


1. Take I-75 north out of Atlanta to exit 290 toward Rome.


2. Exit at 290. At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn left at the traffic light onto Hwy-20 NE/Canton Hwy/GA-20 (heading west and back under I-75 going toward and past Cracker Barrel).


3. Take Hwy 20 past Cracker Barrel and Shoney's until it dead-ends/T-BONES at a traffic light just past the Cartersville hospital and Wal-Mart. There will be a gas station right in front of you. Take a left at that light and then an IMMEDIATE right onto the ramp that curves sharply to the right up the hill onto Hwy 41/Joe Frank Harris Parkway/GA 411 northbound.


4. Take Hwy 41/Joe Frank Harris north past the QT gas station to Hwy 411 west toward Rome (you can't miss the green DOT sign at the exit "ROME" and there should be a Lamar billboard there with a hotel advertiser (Hawthorne); although knowing Lamar it's probably blank by now. You may want to get fuel there if you're running low because once you're on 411 ahead it's no-man's land.


5. The on-ramp to ROME curves around to the left which puts you on Hwy 411 proper (split-lane highway) headed straight for Rome. THIS IS A HAUL so don't freak out if the drive seems endless because it's like that stretch of GA 16 south of Macon en route to Savannah that seems to go on forever.


6. Finally, passing over Spring Creek bridge, you'll enter Floyd County/Rome where you'll begin to see the roadside signs and you'll pass a Wal-Mart on your right.


7. Not far ahead, you'll approach an interchange of sorts.


8. STAY to the LEFT and continue south on 411 which will at that point morph into US-27. Keep going past Darlington Drive/Lindale exit.


9. A couple miles ahead you'll intersect Walker Mountain Road (there's a traffic light and convenience store there on the right).


10. Turn right at the light onto Walker Mountain Road and then take an IMMEDIATE right onto Cave Spring Road.


11. Take Cave Spring Road about a mile and 1/2 and look on the LEFT side of the road for a rancher-style fence with iron gate, duck pond, red boat house, and row of mailboxes.


You're there, dude....


THE PROPER ADDRESS IS: 1710 Cave Spring Road, Rome, Georgia 30161


ATTENTION: This address is spotted wrong on Google maps. So pay attention to the directions above and all landmarks in the descriptions.


For any other inquires, email riderwriter@yahoo.com (THE ONLY WAY TO REACH THE HOST with guaranteed receipt).


FOR ALL OTHER INFO, including what to expect on a Wheelhopper ride (helmets required, etc) check the forum again at: http://www.facebook.com/l/e1e6e;www.wheelhopper.com

ON ON!