John Classen, Course Master for the Motorcycle Cannonball, has had his share of problems with strategizing his way through Stage 5. With road closures, heavy traffic, road construction and logistic headaches, John spent the day driving, rethinking the course, and finding a better route than the original, tentative plan. This is the reason for driving the entire route, a task he will repeat again in July, before our riders embark upon their transcontinental trek in September. With an eye on safety, our Course Master is doing what he does best; laying out the most pleasurable, and practical, course for our historic journey.

STAGE 5 - From Chattanooga, TN to Tuscumbia, AL

Tuesday, September 14

The course for this stage still includes some curvy, uphill climbs and includes many miles along the banks of the Tennessee River. Our journey will take us across the river twice, once along a dam and 2 locks, and once again over an old super structure bridge.

We’ll follow the route of the 3-mile Crow Mountain Hill Climb (an automobile event), and will cover many 2-lane, gentle mountain hills as well as some twisties.

Our riders will pass yet another nuclear power plant and some busy 4-lane highways. Lunch on the road will be hosted by Rocket Harley-Davidson dealership in Huntsville, Alabama and Foster H-D in Tuscumbia, the city where we will be overnighting, will provide dinner. We’ll travel a total of 210 miles of the day, 1008 cumulative miles, and will have passed through the Eastern Time Zone, into the Central Time Zone, thereby gaining an hour.