9 Bridges Century (166K Populaire)

New for 2026!

This imperial century is, well, interesting. The theme is simple…how many covered bridges can we easily pass in 100 miles or thereabouts? The actuality is a route with a lot of adventure front-loaded in the first half.

Adventure? What’s that mean?

In this case, it means:

• Several stream crossings (as in, expect to hike-a-bike and get your feet wet) in the first 5 miles.
• Road surfaces cover the gamut: smooth pavement, gravel, dirt, oil and chip, rock shelves at the aforementioned stream crossings.
• Lack of cell service at several points.
• No services for the first 50 miles.
• Climbing which is never terribly steep, but rarely relents…there’s almost no flat riding on this route.
• A strong recommendation for tires in the 32mm+ range. I wouldn’t suggest 23 or 25mm slicks unless you are a masochist with solid bike handling skills; I intend to be on 36-40mm.

Sounds dreadful, right? In actuality, there are a lot of positives to go with it. Traffic is *very* low volume…the vast majority of the roads in the first 40 miles lack paint. Lots of wilderness, lots of wildlife, and a scenic view or two. After the first 40 miles, it’s fairly smooth and pleasant…after the rest stop at the travel plaza near West Alexander, there’s only one stretch of gravel road until the end of the route, as well as a couple of opportunities for refueling.

Scouting Notes, June 06 2026

At mile 20 (on Plum Sock Rd/231), there’s a road closure posted ahead. Casual inspection at the time suggests it’s quite passable, assuming no active construction is ongoing. If not, there are two options, both of which involve turning right on Pie Ridge Rd.

1. Shortly up the hill, there is a slightly scary-looking unmarked dirt road bearing left. In theory, this connects to Olas Lane, which connects to Weir Cole Rd, which will take you back to 231. It is not scouted, and looks more like someone’s driveway…on the far end at Weir Cole, there’s a sign mentioning that it might be flooded. So, Ye Have Been Warned.
2. Alternatively, you can continue uphill on Pie Ridge to a left on Weir Cole, which will bring you back down to a right on 231 to resume the route. That will add a couple of miles and some climbing, but has been scouted and verified to work.

The stretch from mile 98.5 to 102.1 is unscouted, due to a poorly timed windstorm and (literally!) dozens of downed trees blocking all of the roads in the immediate area.

Caveats and suggestions

• Bug spray will be as important as sunscreen, if not more so. Lots of creekside wooded riding.
• For the first 40 miles, and especially for the first 10, riding with a buddy is recommended. Deep wilderness, no habitation, and poor road surfaces mean having a comrade is a good safety measure.
• Carry plenty of supplies. There’s no real opportunities to refuel for the first half of the route.
• Be aware that cellular service is sketchy. In most places, you’ll be fine, but there’s a few stretches where it’s real questionable.
• For the first 40 miles, the road surface varies so much that you cannot rely on the cue sheet to tell you what it will be. Take comfort in the sure knowledge that it will change shortly, and that it’s mostly smooth pavement in the second half 🙂

Registration closes: Thursday June 18th

Inspection opens: Saturday June 20th 6:30 AM

Requirements: current RUSA membership, signed waiver

Ride start: Saturday June 27th 7:00 AM (11:08 time limit)

Route: