This route is brought to you by Ali Whittier, one of our 2022 Route Ambassadors and competitive gravel cyclist from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Photo Credits: Ali Whittier
This route is very rural which means not only does it feel peaceful and secluded, but car traffic is also quite light.
You can expect easy and fast travel time with dirt roads that are pretty smooth and an elevation profile that's relatively flat. (This makes a gravel bike the perfect choice for this ride too!)
Fyffe has lots of agriculture, so riders will pass many farm animals and wide open fields.
Most dogs we encountered were kept in fences or pens, but in a few instances, they did run out on the road. (If you have a fear of loose dogs bring a small airhorn or pepper spray gun.)
The route will take you on a paved (but cracked and bumpy) county highway. Cars were polite, however, the change in landscape is dramatic.
If you are looking for a fun place to have food or drinks afterwards, you won't find much besides fast food in Fyffe. (The local main street bakery looks cute but is closed on weekends.)
Do this ride if you want a flat, fast country gravel ride in northeast Alabama.
We parked at Fyffe High School where there was plenty of parking. There are bathrooms near their ball fields, but don't count on them to always be unlocked.
There's a "bridge out" sign at mile 15 (pictured), but that only applies to cars. The bridge is safe for pedestrians and cyclist.
At mile 21 there's a gas station if you should need to pick up a snack or top-off water bottles.
2022 Ambassador: Ali Whittier
Ali was born and raised in Iowa before moving to the Southeast after college. Now a competitive cyclist in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Ali uses her weekends free from her corporate job to explore surrounding National Forests and Wilderness Areas by bike to train with other Chattanooga female cyclists for upcoming endurance adventures across the U.S.
In 2020, Ali completed the infamous Trans North Georgia Adventure, a bike packing race across the state of Georgia, with two of her closest female friends, which is unheard for a mostly solo event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMFdO-1z8No:
You can also hear more about Ali's journey, and how she transformed from a dancer and team sport athlete to runner and endurance cyclist on the Day Fire Podcast.
For more info, check out her website: https://withthewhittiers.com/
