# What are your favorite Southeast Cookie/Century/Gran Fondos?



## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

Going through a t-shirt drawer I found an '06 Cherohala Challenge shirt which prompted these questions...

Which are your favorite rides and which are on your bucket list?

My faves are Mt Mitchell, Cherohala Challenge, and the Hincapie GF.
Bucket list rides are 3-state, 3-mtn and Bridge-to-bridge but heard that one is gone.
Which are on your lists?


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

OK, Ill start.
Mt Mtichell has so much history behind it and with many 'big' names riding it throughout the years it remains a stalwart. It's gone through some changes but remains the same for the most part, the last 25 or 30 miles pretty much go up, no way around it.

Cherohala Challenge I did once, basically a 'rest' stop for me between Upstate SC and Oklahoma City at the time. What I remember is great food at the rest stops and friendly people. Of course the 'Tail of the Dragon' is historic in its own way but the Cherohola Skyway is pretty epic in itself.

Hincapie GF is a great ride, also with tons of history (the route used to be used as the Marquis de Sade of the Mt Mitchell training rides) but now has a former Worldtour rider, and several other VIP's, riding the route many of us ride. 
Hang on as long as you can then settle in at your own pace should be the motto here.
Food selection at the stops and at the end are first-tier.

So is the Bridge to bridge still a ride? If not, is there an un-official/sanctioned one?

How is the 3-state, 3-mtn ride compared to any of the ones above?


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