This tour begins with a day in downtown Atlanta in the vicinity of the MLK National Historical Park and Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and ends with an afternoon/evening/morning stay in downtown Birmingham at the historic and elegant downtown Tutwiler Hotel, just blocks from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the 16th St. Baptist Church. In between we'll ride the beautiful Silver Comet and Chief Ladiga Rail Trails, which together stretch almost 95 miles across western Georgia and eastern Alabama, among the longest paved pedestrian paths in the country.

These two trails are rich with tributes to the glorious age of passenger rail, with three trestles and a railroad tunnel integrated into the trail designs, as well as numerous train depots restored as resting places for trail users. Both are remarkably flat and smooth,and pass through small towns that embrace the trail with welcome centers, ice cream and sandwich shops, as well as long stretches of protected wilderness and alongside enchanting wetlands. where you may spot fox, deer, and numerous species of birds.

We'll cover 94.5 miles in 3 days of riding on the Silver Comet & Chief Ladiga Trails; the mileage in Atlanta and Birmingham will depend on your desire for cycling on trails/local streets vs. touring museums and memorials in the area. 

Tour Leaders: Tony Palmer & Barry Pettry

Senior Cycling does NOT have E-bikes available for rent, but you are welcome to bring your own Class 1 (Pedal-assist only) E-bike on this tour.  

On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being most difficult, this tour is rated a 3.5 due to the distances of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday's rides: 31.4 mi., 36.4 mi., and 37.5 mi. respectively. 

Please  Please review Senior Cycling's Cancellation Policy here.  

And, Please purchase trip insurance. Especially at our age, even though no one expects or wants it, health issues arise and accidents happen.  At Travelinsurance.com you can get quotes for coverage from several different providers and get all your questions answered about different levels of coverage, such as "Cancel For Any Reason (COFR)" polices and Pre-Existing Condition waivers. Allianz Travel Insurance and TravelGuard by AIG are also well-known companies with reasonable rates. Please check it out and protect your travel investment.

Meet riders in Atlanta at our starting hotel, the Hampton Inn Atlanta NW Cumberland for our introductory meeting and social hour. Then we'll go to dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Today we will van all participants and bikes into downtown Atlanta to the vicinity of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum. From there, bike path possibilities include the Freedom Park Trail, the Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail, and Stone Mountain Trail, with destinations including Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, MLK's Birth Home, the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Piedmont Park, Freedom Park Bird & Butterfly Garden, and Stone Mountain Park which offers a Summit Skyride.

31.4 miles - We will set out directly from our hotel on the Silver Comet Cumberland Connector and then get on the Silver Comet Trail heading west. Our destination will be the lovely family-owned Three Strands Winery & Vineyard in Dallas GA. After enjoying lunch and some wine tasting, we'll backtrack to the town of Hiram to spend the night at the Best Western Hiram Inn & Suites

36.4 miles - We'll hit the Silver Comet Trail again heading west and stop for lunch in the little creekside town of Rockmart, where you can explore and choose from several options for lunch. Then we'll continue on to the town of Cedartown, where we'll load into the van and head for our evening's lodging at the Hampton Inn Jacksonville-Anniston.

37.5 miles - After a full hot breakfast, we'll van back to Cedartown to complete our ride on the scenic Chief Ladiga Trail. After a lunch, we'll pack up and van into downtown Birmingham for our overnight stay at the elegant and historic Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Tutwiler. We'll have time to begin exploring Birmingham or just relax and enjoy the accommodations.

On our final day, we'll spend the morning with a ticketed visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, a tour of the nearby 16th Street Baptist Church, then have a quick lunch and get back in the van and return to our starting hotel.