This ride is HARD and intended for experienced cyclists. There is a lot of climbing for early March.  Speaking of early March... weather and course conditions can be wildly unpredictable, think spring classics!  This is Gran Fondo, not a race, riders must obey all traffic laws.

An epic day on the bike, riding a well thought out, well marked course.  A super cool Heaven of the South souvenir, and well stocked aid stations to refuel at. Times of all finishers will be posted for bragging rights.

Our idea of heaven may be just a touch hellish, and 85 miles and 6300' of climbing, the legs will be burning for sure, especially this early in the season.  Things get real just 10 miles in with a couple of Tri Cities' classic (gravel) climbs, Badger Cyn, and McBee.  You will recover from those efforts as you "float" through the Horse Heaven Hills on a series of punchy on again and off again gravel climbs.  Save some juice in the tank for the final deciding climb up Jump Off Joe, followed by a fast paved downhill back into town.  Aid stations at approx mile 27 and 60. Course Map Here

With 45 miles and 4000' of climbing, this ride is legit, especially for March.  The long opening climb up Clodfelter is a Tri Cities favorite. After that, you'll be floating on the clouds of Horse Heaven Hills, though you may have a different sensation on those punchy gravel climbs.  Save some juice in the tank for the final deciding climb up Jump Off Joe, followed by a fast paved downhill.  Aid station is at approx mile 20. Course Map Here

Oh so many choices!  Well, for starters, Heaven of the South features fairly smooth rolling gravel.  Fast guys and gals will be running a racy set up like 30-32mm tires on an "endurance road bike".  Most will opt for a bit more comfort and be on a dedicated "gravel bike" with a 36-38mm tire.  And for others, comfort and self reliance are king, they'll be running a touring/bike packing bike with everything they need to be out for a day (or a week) on 40+mm tire.  The other big variable is weather in March, the average is around 50 degrees, but anything goes this time of year, pay attention to the forecast.  Leg/arm warmers and a packable wind jacket can add a lot of versatility to your kit.  Nutrition: most will throw a bar in their pocket, have couple water bottles on the bike, and use aid stations to refuel as needed.  Some will need more or less than what is  available on course and should plan accordingly.

Registration is limited, opens Feb 1 and closes March 7.  Sign up for the series to save money, get a sweet 6pack shirt, and be eligible for The GRIT List, a general classification of all grande finishers and their cumulative ranking across the series.

Up to 30 days out?  No problemo.  Less than 30 days?  Ok, we’ll do a 50% refund.  Two weeks out?  Come on man, you’re killing the vibe, we’ve committed our efforts and resources already at this point, no refunds.

We can't think of a better way to kick off the 2024 riding season than a brand new event!  Just the right mix of big climbs, fast gravel, and rolling country roads, we're confident this one will earn its place on the Vicious Cycle calendar.