This Sheffield mixed terrain route covered freshly laid buttery tarmac, chunky gravel, loose small gravel, fine groads, overgrown double track, sand, pine needle covered trails, multiuse paths and more!
We started at 8am on a Sunday and the roads were wide open with crisp morning air…Fall is coming! 🍂🍁
The route starts and ends on the Silver Comet Trail which is easily rideable from Atlanta and nearby suburbs for those looking to add a little extra mileage to the ride.
We detoured to a gas station at mile 17, which felt too early to refuel but necessary as we all ran out of water by the end and didn’t pass other businesses en route. Be sure to bring enough water and fuel for the entire ride!
Do this ride if you are looking for a knobby-tire, intermediate mixed-terrain ride within day-trip distance of Atlanta and have good bike handling skills.
The length and elevation of this ride were very manageable, but the terrain made this route way more challenging with rocky descents and overgrown single track paths.
Exercise caution in Sheffield as we enter hunting season; stay on the road and wear brightly colored clothing.
We encountered loose dogs at miles 19 and 25.
This route goes through the Sheffield Wildlife Management Area which allows dispersed camping and could make for a fantastic bikepacking route especially with an optional 8 mile out and back to Corley’s Lake.
This route starts at the McPherson Church Road Trailhead/Silver Comet Trail.
Guest: Kelly Fletcher
Kelly Fletcher is an avid gravel cyclist and bike adventurer based in Atlanta, GA. She is an Specialized Women’s Ambassador and is passionate about building a gravel cycling community that is inclusive and welcoming to womxn of all socioeconomic and demographic backgrounds. Although Kelly is relatively new to cycling, she is thriving in gravel and CX racing, taking 2nd overall in the 2019 Cat 5 Georgia Cyclocross Series, 19th in the women’s open in 2020 Southern Cross gravel race, and 4th in the women’s open in 2019 Mulberry Mayhem gravel race. She hopes to race a double century gravel event and host more womxn-friendly gravel events in 2021.
