2007 Cheaha Century Challenge Comments
"Very nice ride; excellent support from rest stops to intersection control, to officers and race personnel on course. It's by far as well run a ride as there is. Thanks. Danny"
Danny Feldman
Homewood, AL
"Mike, NEABC and Volunteers, Thanks for another great Challenge. You guys amaze me with your ability to organize and put on such a high quality ride. And you even have the ability to hold off the rain!!!! Unbelievable!! If you could only work on the humidity next year! Thanks again. You guys are amazing."
Matt Nelson
Aurora, Colorado
"Thank you so much! The ride was amazing and everything was incredibly organized. Especially loved the Tour de France themed rest stop #3. I'll recommend this ride to all cycling friends. See you next year. Thanks!"
Bill Dobbins
Birmingham, AL
"After about five years of throwing up in my mouth a little bit when I said "Cheaha Challenge", this year I finally bit the bullet and did the whole 102 mile option. My hubby had done it years ago and kept telling me how "fun" it was..... which of course prompted more sickness and anxiety attacks. My son Carrick was killed in a car accident on the day of Hurricane Katrina at the age of 16 and since then I have been escaping life on the bike. What better way to run from sorrow? So this year was the year! I would cycle away from grief on the Cheaha Challenge! I rode with my great buddies Kristi, Christy and Connie (we were the girls with the flowers in our hair). My husband rode with my 10 year old son, Liam on the 47 mile option. We all had THE BEST TIME! The rest stops were amazing! I have to thank "Jacque" from Tour de France stop for being so precious and bringing me a chug of chooolate milk. Jacque, that milk is the reason I finished! What a great day! What a fabulous ride! Thank you to my dear friends for every day you ride with me! Cyclists are truly the best people on earth! Kimra Herb"
Kimra Herb
Chelsea, AL
"The ride was awesome and the support was amazing!! This was my first organized ride in the states and I loved it! Rest Stop #3 was a hoot - cant wait to see pictures!! I did not make it to #4 or #5. maybe you saw my husband on the stokerless tandem?? The friendly people and the great food were fantastic!! a special thanks to the guys in the jeep for being right there when we needed them! (twice! - darn chain!) We will be back next year!! Thank you for everything!"
Shannon
Montgomery, AL (Maxwell AFB)
"3rd time to ride the route. This year, as always, volunteers and SAGS were great. Love the Tour De France ladies. But, it's Tuesday and my legs are still fried. It will take several days or weeks to look back on the ride itself and remember anything but the hills, that went on and on and on... "
Parker Edmiston
Scottsboro, AL
"In 2006 I turned back at RS3 but I didn't forget how clever. This year I went to the end...because it didn't seem fair to claim a yellow jersey after only 32.88 miles...only to discover that the podium was disassembled and the beautiful young women were gone by the time I got back. Still a precious memory of RS3. All of you at breakfast, the start, every stop, and the finish were eager and helpful. Particular thank you to the young man on a motorcycle who fixed a bike for us at the fire station late in the day. SAG vehicles and highway patrolmen were highly visible all day. That helps!"
Larry Gies
Orlando, FL
"The CCC has become one of our group's favorite rides. The Tour de France was a great touch this year -- my cycling buds were totally smitten by the podium girls!"
Mike Jones
Atlanta, GA (Anniston originally)
"This was the first year me & my friends have do the Cheaha Challenge and we had a great time. We came over for the festival Saturday night and had a wonderful time enjoying the food and watching the races. Then Sunday we went to work and I have to admit I think this is one of the toughest rides I have done but it also was a lot of fun. All the Volunteers were great and very helpful. I loved Rest stop #5 with the tour de France theme, that was great. We hope to make this an annual event."
Bill Semmendinger
Bremen, GA
"Will b back again next year with a compact crank! It was one of the funnest and challenging rides i've done and was the best supported hands down. Thanx."
Brian Baack
Gastonia, NC
"Once again great job by all!!! After missing out on last year's ride I was delighted to make this my 5th Challenge. Although I did not spend any time at the rest stops, I heard from riders who did that the Horseblock summit was very entertaining. This kind of extra effort doesn't go unnoticed. I'm one of those nuts who run this course as personal time trial and as such, I really appreciate the ICE water bottle hand-outs. This was the first time I noticed that all of the caps were left on the bottles - it made them easier to grab on the run and allowed us to store them in our pockets, a very nice improvement. Other than scheduling this on a day where there will always be a 20 mph tailwind pushing us back home, the only change I would dare to suggest, would be to program the traffic signals in town - blinking yellow for the cyclists, and blinking red for cross traffic. After pushing for 101 miles, some of us nuts are very reluctant to yield the right-of-way to a slow moving car. Thanks again for another great day. Paul Tuscaloosa, AL"
Paul Weaver
Tuscaloosa, AL
"I want to thank the club and all the wonderful volunteers for helping to make this ride such a great experience for me. I must say it was the toughest 100 mile ride I have done (including Six Gap). Your climbs were terrific challenges and the downhills were perfectly thrilling. I drove my car up the route the day before and wondered what the heck was I doing. I really questioned whether I was ready for the challenge. When it was all over I realized I had done something I could feel good about. And I do. Thank you to everyone involved for making that possible. Joe Mizereck"
Joe Mizereck
Tallahassee, FL
"Once again the volunteers made the ride awesome. I really appreciate all of the cooks, course marshals, workers at the sags, etc. etc. But most of all, I really got a kick out of going to France. The ladies who allowed us to have a picture taken with them while we were on the podium was really awesome. I can't wait to see the picture (and then see my wife's face when I show her the same!!)."
Vic McMurray
Baton Rouge, LA
"Great ride!! Great support!! This was the most well organized and supported ride that I've done. A big thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible day."
Jay Holland
Birmingham/Chelsea, AL
"You need to change your slogan "Toughest Ride in the South" (it was indeed tough) to "Best Supported Ride in the South." I've never been to a ride that had better support, friendlier people, a user-friendly atmosphere, you name it! From top to bottom, it was Southern hospitality at its finest. I would like to make a couple of suggestions. You should make it known in your literature and on your Website that indoor and outdoor camping is available at the Civic Center the night before the ride. I'm on a limited budget and this option really helps me out. Also, you should make available poster-sized topo profiles of the course like it one that was displayed at the entrance to the Civic Center. Price them in the $8 to $10 range and suitable for framing, and I think that cyclists would buy them to show friends what a challenging ride Cheaha really is. An added feature (unlike the jerseys) is the posters that are not sold would easily carry over to the next year (as long as the course doesn't change). Mailing costs would be low too. If you make these available, I want to be your first customer. Again, thanks for all the extra time and effort everyone puts into this event. I can't wait til next year! George Hiscox"
George Hiscox
Jackson, TN
"What an awesome ride! Couldn't have asked for better weather! Overcast for about the first 3 hours. Perfect! When I got to the top of Cheaha, one of the volunteers (wish I knew her name--I'd send her a tip!) came up to me before I even parked my bike, took my water bottles and asked me what I wanted in each one. She filled them up while I took a nature break. What service! The rest stops were loaded down with food. I'll definitely be back next year. Now if you could only reverse the headwind on the way back in... Jill"
Jill Prestridge
Birmingham, AL
"This was my first CCC. Some folks I was riding with kept saying, "this is the last big hill", over and over. Also,it seemed like somebody moved the Civic Center. I could have sworn it was a lot closer to that last traffic light. I now know what it feels like to be 80 years old."
Ronnie Sivell
Hogansville, AL
"Vive la France!! Great folks and such a fun ride. I will be back."
Steve Timms
Wetumpka
"My husband and I both loved the ride! We had a great time! The route was challenging, the sag stops were well stocked (especially loved #3), and the volunteers were great. We will be back next year."
Trish Albert
Smyrna, GA
"Great ride!! It was tough but a lot of fun and senic. I know it's hard to feed that many folks but the lunch was sub optimal. Maybe try chicken burgers or hot dogs. I will be back next year and I hope I can do the 88 or 100. Great job folks. Ken"
Ken Kennamer
Vestavia Hills, AL
"Another great Cheaha challenge! This ride is my favorite century ride of the year. Many thanks to the friendly support staff. Everyone (including drivers on the roads) was very nice and supportive. We especially liked the Tour de France sag stop. I laughed out loud when I saw the devil man running along side my bike as I was approaching the sag. Good stuff!"
Jay Miller
Orlando, Florida
"The ride was great and enjoyed it very much, except perhaps for the headwind going back to Piedmont the last 22 miles! Thanks for putting on such a good ride. I ordered one of the 2007 jerseys, and just wanted to make sure you got the order info. Thanks, Jim"
Jim Collawn
Birmingham, AL
"What a ride!The NEABC should be very proud. This century is the best supported, best run of all the centuries I have participared in, it is a pleasure to be a part of. The ride will,let us say"see if your heart is pumping blood or p#*&"
Steve C.
Pinson, AL
"Everything about the entire race from registration, to the course, the reststops, the support personel, to the finish was first class. This was my first century, and I cannot immagine a better one. I particularly enjoyed the prerace festivities such as the "Mexican Dinner" on the Friday before. Great Job!!! Banyon Allison"
Banyon Allison
Oxford, AL
"Great Ride...Great support, Great Stops. I at especially liked the podium at the Malliot de Jeune and the devil on the top of Alpe the Huez. Great motivator, just wish he was the there for the return ride back down. ANyways, I crashed last year on mile 78 and sailed right past it this year without difficulty. Had a great time, and need to come back again to take pix of the great scenery for my family."
Keith Landry
New Braunfels, TX
"What a ride! 102 miles of the toughest climbing you will ever experience. The support was fantastic and the volunteers were the nicest folks that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The festival in Anniston was great-- good food, fun and some good racing."
Dwain Tollie
Bristol, VA
"This was the first time I rode in the Cheaha Challenge, but not my first century. Wow! What an experience. The support was truly spectacular. Every mile of the course was well policed and supported. I actually observed a bike wreck occur ahead of me and support got to the site before I did. Going out to Adams Gap, I was passed by a group of motorcycles traveling at a very high rate of speed. Within minutes, I saw the same group of motorcycles in retreat driving quite slowly and under state trooper escort. The rest stops were manned by friendly and informed volunteers. I was very gratified by the quality of the support provided. In my several bike events, I have not seen anything close to the Cheaha Challenge. Clearly, it sets the standard by which all Southern centuries should be measured. Great Job! Going out."
Charles C. Turner
Anniston, AL
"First year doing the Cheaha Challenge and I found it to be a very well organized event. The Sunny King/ Noble St. Festival was an added bonus and made for a most enjoyable weekend. Even with the threat of rain on Sunday, the cycling gods blessed us with near perfect weather for one tough century. The steep climbs are merciless and the route sometimes deceiving, but with a group of volunteers second to none providing support/encouragement, this is a must-do ride. Hats off for a job well done!! I plan on marking my calender in the coming years so that I may once again enjoy true southern hospitality mixed with just the right amount of pain/suffering. Kudos! Did I mention breaking the 50mph barrier on one certain descent made my suffering all worth while?"
Mark Angel
Knoxville, TN
"Another spectacular CCC+! I must admit I completely forgot the steep pitch of Horseblock once I caught a glimpse of the podium girls! It was all the fanfare of Le Tour except everyone was so nice. The volunteers all along the route and Piedmont once again rose to the occasion making this event one of the best...now if we could only get that scenic highway repaved."
Matt Crouse
Tallahassee, FL
"Thanks for organizing a fun and exciting ride! I only did the 48 mile route this year but next year I'm going for the full 102 miles. Thanks for all your hard work in putting this event on! "
Adam Ricks
Vestavia Hills, AL
"Thank you so much to all the volunteers and organizers of the event. Everything about the ride was well done fro the spport to the food at the rest stops and the breafast and lunch. The best thing I appreciated along the ride was the placement of the rest stops, they were exactly where I needed them to be. Also, the enthusiasm and friendliness of the volunteers at the rest stops was especially encouragingand supporting. Thank you for a great weekend."
Zan Schriver
Knoxville, TN
"This is one of the toughest rides I have been on. The staff/volunteers were friendly well organized and professional. We will definitely be back next year!"
Mike Rincon
Kennesaw,GA
"This was my 3rd Cheaha Challenge and my wife and 14 year old daughter's first. They both completed their first mountain centuries. My daughter's time was 6:12 which made her the first female century finisher. She also won the Junior's female gold in Anniston on Saturday morning. The weather was beautiful and the ride (and support staff) was scenic. Thank you for a wonderful weekend spent with my family. We'll definitely be back because my daughter wants to do under 6 hours next year!"
Brian Burke
Dawsonville, GA
"Great ride, support, rest stops. Everything was the best. Besure to bring back the girls in YELLOW next year!!"
Jeff Harrison
Birmingham, GA
"This was a great event, well hosted, organized, and staffed by good men and women. Rest stop #3 "Alpe De Horseblock" was awesome. The french Tour De France theme was a great idea, and getting your picture on the podium with the pretty girls in yellow dresses, holding the yellow jersey like the Tour De France was like "icing on the cake" that made it even more special. Thanks for a very memorable ride."
Lance Nichols
Oxford, AL
"This was my third attemt to finish the 102 mile ride. Imay have been third from last.....:0 but I finally finished it. Absolutely great job of supporting the ride. Special mention to Fun Wheels of Oxford Alabama for replacing a blown rear tire."
Mike Menard
Monroe, GA
"I came ill prepared this year and so I paid for it on the HWY 9 return. I was honest with myself and finished only the 66 mile ride. I am hearing several stories about a few wrecks and a few people who pushed themselves harder than they trained. I hope that everyone makes a full recovery and we will see you next year."
Robert Ray
Weaver, AL
"Great ride.I would have loved to see a clock at the finish line at the century.Also, just a suggestion, A speed clock at the start and finish line of the criterium would have made it more interesting to watch.I am always curious about how fast the riders are going.I think the public would appreciate the effort of the cyclist if they could see their speeds.Mike Poe did a great job!I really appreciate all the sponsors and volunteers that helped to make this event a success.I had a good time."
Athena Naugher
Southside, AL
"I couldn't have picked a better event for my very first organized ride. Great course and great support from organizers and volunteers. I'll be back next year."
David Oliver
Atlanta, GA
"It was a beautiful and TOUGH ride. I want to say to all you volunteered and promoted thid event - it was one of the most organized rides I have ever been on. Thanks!!"
Steve Rogers
Alexander City, AL
"Top notch event!!! Best rest stops and course marshalling I have ever witnessed."
Greg Casteel
Lenoir City, TN
"Great ride, incredible support. A first class century. See ya'll next year."
Neal Williams
Oneonta, AL
"this is the best thing that this town could have . the volunteers was get and the cheer team really keep you going . i enjoy this ride and i will keep doing it thanks alot jeromy watts"
Jeromy Watts
Piedmont, AL
"You guys are great - some of the friendliest and most helpful working a ride I've ever met. I owe Billy Bean of Vicious Cycles a six pack. After a broken spoke before mile 12 he loaned me a wheel - couldn't catch back up with the fast guys but did get to complete an otherwise DNF event. I'll be back!"
George French
Chattanooga, TN
"Last year I choose the Cheaha Challenge as my first ever even in cycling. Since last year's ride, I have particapated in several events and none of those could compare to the orginization and support that this ride had to offer. The volunteers were absolutely wonderful!"
Jennifer Parris
Carrollton, GA
"Loved rest stop #3! The ride was well organized, volunteers were friendly and encouraging, and the course was brutal today. Well done NEABC."
Doug Sizemore
Jasper, AL
"This was my first century. Wow, what a way to start. The support staff was great and the race was very well organized. Thank you to all involved and I plan to do it again next year."
Todd Strong
Vestavia, AL
"Great ride.... loved the road in the park (didnt like hwy 9).... of course I also didnt like the pavement in the park (excluding the wonderfull butter smooth pavement on back side of cheaha!) Excellent sags and volunteers. Loved the French border!"
Jamie Dore
Norcross, GA
"Thanks for a great day of riding in Alabama! The weather was perfect, the support was unparalleled and the podium photo op, complete with "podium girls", at the top of Cheaha was a special treat. I'll be back next year!"
David Shope
Atlanta, GA
"There must be as many volunteers as there are riders. From the state troopers to the rest stop volunteers to the Ham radio operators to the emergency personnel to the people cheering on the side of the road to the Tour de France podium girls and devil at #3 (was that really Didi Senft?). That very cold water I was handed as I rode past the last rest stop was the best I have ever had and about the only bright spot in the last 20 miles - except for the finish line. An event like this doesn't just happen. Thanks to all who make it possible. Oh yeah, the breakfast and lunch were great as well."
Sherman Pitts
Birmingham, AL