Second Edition of Mississippi’s RED BLUFF Gran Fondo Announced
Experience the Challenging Bluffs, Hills and Historic roads in the Deep South next March in 2020
Starting and finishing in downtown Monticello, Mississippi on Saturday March 7, 2020, the Red Bluff Gran Fondo presented by Entergy features three routes to suit cyclists of all abilities.
RED BLUFF proudly showcases the scenic, piney wood landscapes of southwest Mississippi, on seriously quiet, scenic roads that will give you the impression of what Pioneer Travelers experienced in the Mississippi Territory over 200 years ago.
RED BLUFF’s Gran Fondo and Century roads are very classic Deep South from smooth to very rough; from narrow with no center line to highways with rattle traps. Be prepared.
To quote Jack White who rode last year: “I felt like I was back riding the roads, bergs and pave in springtime Belgium.”
The Gran Fondo course includes River Road and St. Stephens Road, some of the oldest roads from the Mississippi Territory days. Both roads were constructed ca. 1806 and 1814.
One of the other attractions of the RED BLUFF can be the weather conditions in March in Mississippi. Weather is variable, transitioning to Spring with trees budding and flowers beginning to bloom, with average highs of 72 Fahrenheit.
The routes pass by the famous RED BLUFF Scenic Overlook, dubbed the “Grand Canyon of the Mississippi”, a geological formation created by millions of years of erosion from the west bank of the Pearl River is one of the most beautiful places in Mississippi.
You will have the option to take a short detour from the Gran Fondo and Metric Century Courses to see the Red Bluff Scenic Overlook.
Fully Supported
The 38 mile Petit Fondo and the 65.1 mile Metric Century each boasts three Rest Stops while the 103.5 Gran Fondo has four Rest Stops to keep everyone fuelled (there’s even a few quaint local village stores on routes too).
The Bike Crossing will provide a rolling Neutral Support vehicle.
Skin Sake will provide a Broom Wagon vehicle.
Every participant is expected to be self-sufficient in case of a puncture.
Lawrence County Fire and EMT will provide Corner Marshals.
There’s food and drink available after the ride too.
The RED BLUFF Petit Fondo will provide riders with an easier option of 38 miles that includes a moderate 1,400 feet of vertical climbing. The Petit ventures into the northern parts of Lawrence County on the West and East side of the Pearl River and through the towns of Silver Creek and New Hebron.
The RED BLUFF Metric Century provides riders with a shorter event option of 65.1 miles that still includes 3,400 feet of vertical climbing. Starting and Finishing in Monticello, Mississippi, the Metric Century uses the same scenic and challenging first 53.7 miles of the Gran Fondo option, the metric Century will travel on the West side of the Pearl River through the RED BLUFF Region in Lawrence, Walthall and Marion Counties. The route includes the 3.74 mile RED BLUFF KOM Strava Segment. The Metric Century event will provide the same epic experience as the Gran Fondo in a more compact route.
The RED BLUFF Gran Fondo distance of 103.5 miles includes challenging roads winding through the gruelling RED BLUFF and St. Stephens regions. The Gran travels first on the West side of the Pearl River and returns on the East side. Cyclists will ride approximately 5,000 feet of vertical climbing. The route consists of 17 bluffs and hills including the 3.74 mile RED BLUFF KOM Strava Segment. Also, the Gran travels River Road and St. Stephens Road, two of the oldest and most historic roads in Mississippi.
Awards
For the more competitive riders, there are awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for both male and female riders on the Petit Fondo, Metric century and Gran Fondo routes.
The awards include:
Free EVOQ.BIKE Power Analysis of Historical Data, a $99 value
Free EVOQ.BIKE Month of Coaching, a $199 value
Understand your power production verses the theoretical values derived from the Power Duration Curve. This information can be used to highlight areas for focused improvement.
Learn how you compare to your peers based on W/kg to highlight strengths and weaknesses.
See how your training is progressing with Performance Manager Charts.
Review your Season’s goals and see if your training aligns.
EVOQ.BIKE will help you so that you are successful and crushing your goals.
LEZYNE KOM of the Day 3.74 mile Strava Segment Award
1st Place Male LEZYNE KOM of the day
Will receive a Mega C GPS Limited Red Edition, a $200 Value
1st Place Female LEZYNE KOM of the day
Will receive a Mega C GPS Limited Pink Edition, a $200 Value
To be eligible for the LEZYNE KOM of the Day awards, you must be a member of Strava and have your computer synced.
You also must have your file uploaded to Strava immediately upon crossing the RED BLUFF finish line.
Location and Accommodation
Founded in 1811, Monticello is one of the oldest towns in Mississippi and is the county seat of Lawrence County. Located approximately 60 miles south of Mississippi’s state capital Jackson and 150 miles north of New Orleans. If you're looking for a place to get away, look no further than Monticello. Whether you're planning to stay for a night or for the week, Monticello and Brookhaven have accommodations options to fit every need. While in Mississippi, enjoy The Natchez Trace Parkway with Ridgeland as your base.
The closest two domestic airports are:
52 miles: Hattiesburg, MS (PIB / KPIB) Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport
60 miles: Jackson, MS (JAN / KJAN) Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport
The closest International airport is:
140 miles: New Orleans, LA (MSY / KMSY) Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
For more information, please visit: https://www.redbluffgranfondo.com
Benefiting the Lawrence County Volunteer Fire Departments
All proceeds from the ride goes towards supporting the Lawrence County Volunteer Fire Departments.
The Lawrence County Volunteer Fire Department Training Center is a place where not only volunteer firefighters from Monticello will be able to train under certified instructors, but also firefighters throughout the counties contiguous to Lawrence County including: Copiah, Jefferson Davis, Lincoln, Pike, Simpson, and Walthall Counties. Additionally, the Training Center will also be available to not only these counties but to all of Southwest Mississippi. This region includes 13 counties and a population in excess of 243,000. In Lawrence County alone, there are 13 fire stations and 169 volunteer fire fighters.
In 2019, The Red Bluff Gran Fondo was able to present a $10,000 donation to the Lawrence County Fire Department Training Academy.
In 2020, we hope to exceed this total with your help!
Acknowledgements, References and Links
For 2020, we are proud to announce our new RED BLUFF presenting sponsor: Entergy. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
RED BLUFF could not happen without the generous support of all our sponsors:
Thank you to our Mississippi Communities:
Monticello and Brookhaven, Mississippi
Ridgeland, Mississippi and the Natchez Trace Parkway
RED BLUFF is a benefit for:
The Lawrence County Volunteer Fire Department
Please visit our new website: www.RedBluffGranFondo.com
For updates visit: www.Strava.com/clubs/Red-Bluff-481122
For updates visit: www.Facebook.com/RedBluffGranFondoandCentury