Nashville JDRF Ride Information Please keep in mind that as we continue to finalize plans, some details may change. Here is an idea of what to expect for the first‐ever Ride to Cure Diabetes in Nashville, Tenn: The start/finish line details are still being finalized; however, the ride will start/finish in the vicinity of Vanderbilt University. The first nine miles are spent getting out of town. From the campus to residential areas, there are two lanes, and sometimes a shoulder with good pavement. Traffic should be low on Saturday morning. There are a few hills (mostly down), but for the most part a nice easy start to the day. At the nine (ish) mile mark the route enters Percy Warner Park, which is where you will encounter the first challenges. In this beautiful (and BIG!) park nestled in amongst two golf courses and a Nature Center, the road is a scenic drive with one ‐way traffic. There are some short, steep climbs ‐ usually followed by fast curvy descents. The road surface is good, but the road is narrow and there are no guardrails on the curves. This is a place to practice safe cycling! The outbound leg of the park is approximately three miles. There will be another option for those preferring to bypass the park. Upon leaving the park the road goes through several horse farms and neighborhoods. There are two moderate climbs along this section as well. These are longer than the climbs in Percy Warner Park but not as steep. Burlington, Tahoe and Death Valley veteran riders will be reminded of the last climb in Vermont, the final mile of Spooner Pass in Tahoe or a mile of Jubilee Pass in Death Valley. The 20 mile mark finds you riding the ramp up onto the Natchez Trace Parkway, which you’ll travel to the turnaround. The Trace is a two‐lane country road that is closed to commercial and truck traffic. Since it's not the fastest way to get around, the only travelers using it are doing so for the scenery. We saw very few cars during our time on it. The road surface is good and the course rolls and winds for the next 30 miles. There are several bridges ‐ one of which spans a gorge 300' above the river! The scenery is gorgeous with plenty of woods and wildlife. The turnaround (break point) is at a scenic overlook and the view is just amazing. And then of course, we head back! To sum up: this is going to be a challenging century ride! There is more elevation gain here (4420') than any other JDRF Ride. (Death Valley & Tahoe are #2 with approximately 2700‐2800’) Unlike La Crosse, where all the climbing is out near the turnaround, in Nashville there is no way to avoid the climbing on this route, even for the shorter routes. Our impression was that advanced riders would find it challenging and worthwhile; intermediate riders would likely find it one of hardest rides they had done; and more than a few beginners would find themselves in over their heads. This may not be the ride for your first century. There are multiple options available and the course will be set up based on our standard 32, 62 and 100 mile options. Since it is an out‐and‐back course, you can also turn around at any point. Preparing for this route and "taking it seriously" is going to be the key to a fun and successful Nashville ride. Work with your coach(es) to make sure that your goal is appropriate and your training sufficient and you'll be singing Nashville's praises! Be sure and reach out to your Chapter Coaches or email us at [email protected] should you have any questions. Click on the following link for more information on the Nashville ride: https://vimeo.com/57298243 Also, below are the links to the course map and the elevation map: http://jdrf.org/files/General_Files/Get_Involved/JDRF_Nashville_Map.pdf Course Map: Elevation Map: http://jdrf.org/files/General_Files/Get_Involved/Nashville_Elevation_Profile.pdf Regardless where you chose to ride, we are looking forward to seeing everyone at a 2013 Ride to Cure Diabetes!