Augusta 70.3 Bike Route Review (kinda long)

OK....
Just back from riding the Augusta 70.3 Bike Route (1 loop, 56mi.)
Right off the bat, let me say this. I have been doing Tri's for 5 years now and have lived and trained in Georgia for those 5 years, so those people reading this from other states please remember I write this from a "Georgia" training on hills, point of view.
People who live and train in Georgia are going to LOVE this course. Its nothing you haven't seen or trained on already. Let me say that again, ITS NOTHING YOU HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE!!
On a Georgia difficulty scale of 1-10, I gave it a 5!!! Fun, challenging, but wont kill you.
If you have done the West Point Lake Oly, that 24mi course is HARDER then this one.
Who ever laid out the route, Congrats!! There is something for everyone. Flats, short leg burner climbs 6-8%, longer grinder climbs 2-3%, slight downhill sections to max out the big ring -1-4%, etc.
I did the ride with my wife Ann and she is still building for Augusta as this will be her first attempt at a 70.3.
So we just took it easy and made it an enjoyable ride/day.
We stopped twice. Once at the Hot Spot on Whiskey Rd at about mile 24, and again at the quickie mark on Pine Log at about mile 40.
Time: 3:38:52
Total Distance 55.28mi (from transition at the rowing club)
Avg Speed: 15.1
Avg HR 119
Max HR 153
Now for some details:
* Your first real climb isn't until mile 17.2!!
* Heading out of T1 its mostly flat and Old Jackson Hwy is mostly flat and big ring funable. Only a few slight 1-2% rollers. But don't take it out to fast suckers!!!!
* First climb is once you turn on Rt 1 at 17.2 miles. Short 1/4mi climb at about 5-6% Then again at about the 20mi mark.
* Rt 1 is also a bit chippy road surface wise.
* It's mostly flat/rollers thru Whiskey Rd, Old Whiskey Rd, Cherryville Rd, and Woodland.
* Your next hills begin on Gray Mare Hollow, couple of nice grinders at 3-5%, about 1/4 to 1/2 mi long.
* Once you make the turn off Gary Mare onto Silver Bluff there is a good grinder at about 6-8%, short 1/4 mi. Wife threw the chain downshifting.
* On Boyd Pond I say open it up. Nice downhill, twisting sections of - 3-5%. You can easily hit 40mph.
* Biggest longest grinder is on Horse Creek, 2-5% that goes on and off for 2-3 miles.
* New blacktop on Herdon Dairy, nice and smooth.
* Pine Log is mainly flat and can be Hammered. But it is also choppy surface wise with lots of little bumps. We had a slight wind in the face.
* There is a nice, short, downhill section on Pine Log JUST before you hit Atomic. Take advantage of it as it ends into a BIG grinder of 8-12% for about 75-100 ft.
* The first 1-1.5 mi on Atomic heading back into T2 is on rollers then it flattens out and you can really Hammer it or use it as recovery time before crossing the bridge back into Georgia.
* From miles 49 thru 56 is a drop of about 300 ft in elevation.

So there you have it.
Print it, copy it, study it and come prepared!
Also, there are a lot of cool little restaurants in downtown, 2 blocks from the Marriott.
Its going to be packed and I can tell the vibe is going to be great, cant wait.

FM