newb roads from ITP

[scienceiscool]

Hey guys -

I've got a couple of friends just starting riding. They've got basic street skills down and I want to take them on a saturday afternoon ride. The trouble is that they don't feel ready for highway so my usual mountain destinations are too far. I'm looking for some little country roads (or suburban roads), not too far out - we're starting from the Va-Hi area. I was thinking of the area around stone mountain park, but that would be tourist traffic hell on a weekend this season. Anybody got any recs?

[mking]

You might look into the roads between Cambellton, Palmetto, Newnan, Whitesburg, Roscoe, etc. This is due west of Atlanta and should be pretty easy to get to - people get there via bicycle. Usually very little traffic out there. No cops. You can take 154 south into Palmetto, then left on "Tommy Lee Cook" (just south of Palmetto) over to Jim Starr Rd then south on 70 into Newnan. This whole area is filled with quiet, pretty 2 lane country roads. Not a lot of places to stop, or eat or whatever except Nana's Country Kitchen in Palmetto.

Another area is...
http://www.quellet.com/bike_routes.htm
and click on "45 mile ride from the Budweiser Plant". But I don't know of a good way to get to Cartersville without getting on I-75 or going through a lot of stop and go crud.

[surlyanddogmatic]

Since I'm just an ignorant southsider and not ITP--where is the Va-Hi? If I knew, might be able to point you in the right direction.

[surlyanddogmatic]

Finally figured out Va-Hi--Virginia Highlands--duh---still asleep when I first posted.

I would suggest a newb ride just out Hwy 78 to Athens. Nice roads, nothing that should give them any trouble. Just make sure that UGA does not have a home game if you go on a Saturday. Ride out enjoy a meal and then head back.

Then you can go out 78 and then take 83 or 11 south to Monticello. Both nice rides. Take one down and one back out. Also taking 81 south off 78 is a good ride too.

Avoids all the interstates and these are all nice two lane roads.