Join us in
Thurmont, Maryland again this year for the cycling event that has everything --
famous historical sites, breathtaking scenery, low-traffic roads, and
well-marked routes designed for every ability level. As in the past, you
can visit the South Mountain and Antietam or Gettysburg battlefield sites -- or
all three of them if you elect to ride the full century -- while cycling through
some of the most beautiful countryside east of the
Mississippi.NOTE:
Check-in for registered riders begins at 7 a.m. and continues through 10:30 a.m.
for riders on the shorter routes.A ride for everyone: We offer five
rides ranging from long and mountainous to short and rolling. All routes are
well marked, cue sheets are provided and maps are available at the rest
stops.
Civil War
Century (103 miles) -- Our most popular and most challenging route visits
all three Civil War battlefields offering breathtaking mountain vistas along the
way.
This hilly ride has about 6,900 feet of climbing with four
mountain climbs, but if you get tired, you can bail out at 65 miles, skipping
Gettysburg (and the last mountain climb) in favor of a scenic nine-mile descent
back to the start/finish.
Gettysburg Three-quarter Century (75 miles) --
This route is
for those who want a more challenging ride to Gettysburg, but who don't want to
tackle the full century. With about 4,700 feet of climbing, you'll scale four
mountains en route to the battlefield. If you get tired, don't worry -- you can
avoid the last big climb and bail out at the 37 miles, cruising nine miles
mostly downhill back to the start/finish.
Gettysburg Metric Century (63 miles) --
On this ride
you get to look at the mountains, not climb them, as you meander along pleasant
country roads through the lush rolling farmland of the Monocacy and Carroll
Valleys to Gettysburg and back. As a bonus, you'll cross 4 covered bridges on
this route while doing 2385 feet of climbing.
Gettysburg Half Century (50 miles) --
This ride takes
a rolling route to Gettysburg, but there are some hills after leaving
Emmitsburg. You'll be riding along most of the same pleasant country roads as
the Metric Century while doing 1996 feet of climbing and crossing two covered
bridges.
Covered Bridge Quarter Century (25 miles) --
On this rolling
ride (1,153 feet of climbing) you won't visit any battlefields, but you will get
to cross three covered bridges that were used repeatedly by the troops of both
sides in the Civil War.