Thursday, July 28, 2011

9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #2 Riding in Buckhead!

I have been encouraging fellow triathletes to ride in Buckhead for their triathlon training for years! I’m not talking about the busy streets of Peachtree Road and Northside Drive, I’m talking about the neighborhoods surrounding these streets. The scenery is beautiful with all the lovely old homes and their pristine landscaping. The terrain is challenging with plenty of hills, stop signs and stop lights.

This past Saturday, a group of us from Peachtree Tri Club rode a 40 mile route through Buckhead, affectionately known as the “Buckhead Butt Buster Ride”. I’ll admit it was a tough ride. In fact, it took us a little over four hours to complete the course! We took some rest breaks along the way to refuel and catch our breath. It was worth spending the time that morning because I felt great after that workout and I got a chance to know one of the club members better because we rode the course together!

In addition to the 40 mile route, there are routes for 24 miles, 21 miles and 13 miles. The 24 and 13 mile routes are known as the “Buckhead Bellyache” and the route is marked on the road with a white “B” and an arrow pointing at each of the turns. The 21 mile route is marked with a yellow lightning bolt pointed at each of the turns. The 40 mile route was previously marked with two orange beakers pointing at each of the turns. Some of the marks are faded and a few have disappeared with the recent paving of the roads. Click here for a cue sheet that has turn-by-turn instructions along with notes about the route.

If you live near Buckhead, Midtown, Sandy Springs or anywhere in town, check out one of the Buckhead bike routes! It is a nice change of pace from the flats of Columns Drive and the Silver Comet Trail. You won’t have to drive for an extended period of time like you would to get to Cartersville and Silk Sheets. In my opinion, the scenery is much better than Stone Mountain.

Enjoy your bike training this summer!

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