Ride

Ride with the King Elvis

January 12 2025

Greenville Georgia USA

Unconfirmed

Distances: 18, 35, 50 miles

Difficulty: Gently rolling terrain with one or two short hills

Believed to be the largest ELVIS’S BIRTHDAY RIDE in the world. Three courses: 50, 35 or 18 miles. Pavement surface is mixed: some rough county roads, some excellent state asphalt. Automobile traffic is light. There will be dogs!

Jelly donuts for all. Sideburns optional. Wear helmets, please!

Doug Mote, the original ride organizer, writes in 2008:
Elvis Birthday Ride began in 1989, when Scot Angus, Ron Cole, Glenn Kersey, Doug Mote and Pat Murphy were looking for a reason to ride on the first weekend of the new year. We stated a ride for that Sunday afternoon. The ride needed a name. It has always troubled the rest of us, that Glenn knew that Elvis birthday was that weekend. The name stuck.

The first year had the smallest number of riders: the five named above. Twice we have had 94 riders: 2005 and 2008. Five out of the last six years we have had sunny and very warm weather. But, take note: THIS RIDE GOES NO MATTER THE WEATHER CONDITIONS! In 1996, only the ride leader showed…there was three inches of snow on the ground. In 2002, there was rain until ride time and the temperatures never went over 43 degrees.

DIRECTIONS TO GREENVILLE, GA:

FROM AUBURN AND OPELIKA
I-85 North, some 40 miles, to GA exit 18. Turn right on GA HWY 109. East on GA 109 for 15.5 miles until the Greenville courthouse is in your way. Turn right onto Talbotton St. One block to parking on the left. About 55 miles total.

FROM COLUMBUS
I-185 North 36 miles, to exit 46. Turn right on Upper Big Springs Rd. East for 0.33 miles unitl a church is in the middle of the road. Turn left on Knot Rd. Go east 0.25 miles. Cross railroad tracks. Now straight 1.8 miles to a stop sign. Go straight at stop sign. The road is now called Thrash Rd. 3 miles to another stop sign. Turn right onto GA HWY 109. In 10.8 miles the Greenville courthouse will be in your way. Turn right onto Talbotton St. One block to parking on left. Some 54 miles total.

--OR-- MORE SCENIC, BUT SLOW
Go to Pine Mountain and pick up GA HWY 18 N. Follow it for 16 miles until the Greenville courthouse is on your left. Go ¾ around the courthouse to Talbotton St. Parking one block on left.

FROM NEWNAN, ATLANTA, AND POINTS NORTH
From the Moreland exit on I-85, go south on US 29 & US Alt 27 for 3.1 miles. Follow US 27 south for 5 miles to Luthersville. Continue on US 27 S. Go 13.1 miles to the Greenville courthouse. Go ½ around courthouse to Talbotton St. One block to parking on the left. Some 21 miles from Moreland.

ROUTES

Review these directions ahead of time. The King is not known for proof reading.

VIRTUAL RIDERS MEETING

First and last: there are cars out there, lots of them. Be careful!
Same courses as always.
Please note there are no course markers going around the courthouse. That is because we go out and come back around the courthouse. It could be confusing having both markers all in the same place.
There are at least two markers painted on the road before each turn and at least two markers after the turn to confirm that you are on the course.
Ride at your own pace. Some riders will go fast, some will go slower.
THE 15 MILE RIDE

The 15 mile course follows the green Elvis guitars.
Circles the courthouse and heads west on GA HWY 109.
A designated ride leader will lead the group away from the courthouse.
The 15 mile course leaves town, does a 12.2 mile loop, way out in the country, and heads back to town.
15 milers will encounter serious dogs at 11.9 miles, near the top of a hill.
THE 35 AND 50 MILE RIDES

The 35 and the 50 mile courses follow the white Elvis guitars.
The 35 and 50 will leave the courthouse traveling north on GA HWY 100.
Ride leaders will be designated to lead the groups away from the courthouse.
The first 5 miles will have light but fast auto traffic.
Turning left at the Brown Jug you will be in the country for the next 8 miles.
At mile 7.2 you will encounter some serious dogs on the left!
At 14.6 miles you will turn right onto GA HWY 109. Be careful here!!! There will be heavy truck traffic at high speeds. Single file!! You are only it for 0.6 mile.
Be careful turning left off of HWY 109 onto Mountville-Big Springs Rd.
At Big Springs you will cross the first of three railroad crossings. This is a good crossing; the next at mile 25.2 there are dogs on the right.
Mile 25.3 there are railroad tracks at Stovall and are at a bad angle - be careful!!
At 29.3 miles the 35 and 50 mile rides split. The 35 stays straight, the 50 miler goes hard right.
At mile 32.2 the 35 milers will encounter serious dogs near the top of a hill.
…FINISHING THE 50 MILE RIDE

Takes a hard right at mile 29.3 and does a 21 mile loop around Greenville, to near Woodbury and comes back into Greenville from the east.
At mile 34.1 the third railroad crossing is the worst!!! Tracks are at a bad angle!
Again, when all courses come back into town, there are no course markers. Find your way around the courthouse back to the cars.

Start Located At: Greenville, Georgia

Registration Fees

Free, Jelly donuts for all.

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