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Summerville is due south of Chattanooga. |
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85d 20' 48.12" W,
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SUMMERVILLE: Where's Summerville? It's in extreme northwest Georgia between Rome and LaFayette in Chattooga County. It's 40 miles south of Tennessee, 13 miles east of Alabama. It's a small town.
From Atlanta, take I-75 north to exit 306, Georgia highway 140, "Adairsville." Turn left (west), across the bridge. Stay on 140 until it ends, approx 15.7 miles. Turn right (north) onto US 27, a 4 lane, and go another 17 miles to Summerville. Do not speed on US 27, Law Enforcement loves it. Just before the first traffic light in Summerville, turn right on University Avenue to get to the loading zone. If you cross the tracks you've gone too far by 100 feet.
From Chattanooga, take I-75 south to exit 348, Georgia highway 151, "Ringgold." Turn right (south), do not cross I-75. Stay on 151 until it ends, approx 23.8 miles. Turn left (south) onto US 27. Use extreme caution at this intersection; it is well known for wrecks amongst the locals. Follow US 27 south. You will cross the tracks twice, after the second turn left on University Avenue beside the city park to get to registration / set-on. Alternate route: take US 27 south from Chattanooga to Summerville.
From Birmingham, take I-59 north to exit 321, Alabama highways 40 & 117, "Hammondville - Valley Head." Turn right, do not cross I-59. Follow 117 towards Hammondville and Valley Head. Watch the jog about 1 mile after the interstate; follow the signs for Mentone. After 11.6 miles you cross into Georgia and the road becomes Georgia highway 48. Keep going on 48. 24.4 miles after I-59 you will be in Summerville and Ga. 48 ends at US 27. Turn right. Go across the tracks and turn left on University Avenue beside the city park to get to registration / set-on.
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Summerville is due south of Chattanooga. |
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85d 20' 48.12" W,
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From Summerville:
Kensington is 28 miles from Summerville. Allow 45 minutes. From
Summerville head north on US 27 approximately 18 miles to Lafayette.
Lafayette starts around milepost 7 in Walker County. At milepost 7.5,
as you come down a hill, turn left onto US 27 Business. At the first
traffic light turn left onto GA 193. Signs point the way to Davis
Crossroads. Note mileage at this intersection. The tracks you cross
after a few blocks are the ones we were on Saturday. Just after the
tracks is a Citgo on the right, this is your best chance for
drinks/snacks/gas. After 5.5 miles slow down for sharp turns and
switch backs when the road comes down Pigeon Mountain. After 8 miles
there is a 4-way stop, go straight. At 8.7 miles turn right onto
Kensington Road. The set-on is 1.2 miles ahead, just past the fire
station.
Should you miss the turn onto US 27 Business, you'll come to GA 193 at a traffic light. Turn left and follow 193 through town.
From Lafayette:
We assume you're staying at the Day's Inn or Key West north of town.
Turn right out of the motel parking lot. This is US27 and a couple of
other minor highways. After 1/2 mile US27 turns left onto a bypass,
you stay straight, following Business 27. At the town square you pick
up GA 193. A block or two after the town square, turn right,
following GA 193. Signs point the way to Davis Crossroads. Note
mileage at this intersection. The tracks you cross after a few blocks
are the ones we were on Saturday. Just after the tracks is a Citgo on
the right, this is your best chance for drinks/snacks/gas. After 5.5
miles slow down for sharp turns and switch backs when the road comes
down Pigeon Mountain. After 8 miles there is a 4-way stop, go
straight. At 8.7 miles turn right onto Kensington Road. The set-on is
1.2 miles ahead, just past the fire station.
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Kensington is west of LaFayette. Take GA 193 from LaFayette. The intersection of GA 341 is a 4-way stop. Go 0.7 miles past the 4-way and turn right onto Kensington road. Set-on is 1.2 miles ahead. The squiggles on 193 near Estelle are sharp switch backs (downhill), heed warning signs. Estelle is a ghost town, nothing there now. The observant will spot the old TAG roadbed starting before Marsh crossing (now just the entrance to a quarry), look for it on the left. The tracks go through Pigeon Mountain, some say right under the switch backs. Sorry, but that part is abandoned now and we don't get to do it. |
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At Kensington, there is a latex plant called Reichold. The directions are based as though you came out of their driveway. South is to the left, north is to the right.
If your rig is pointed south (i.e. turned left out of Reichold, crossed the tracks, went up the steep hill)
To Birmingham / Nashville
Continue south on Kensington Road to
the dead-end at GA 193. Turn right. Go approximately 5 miles to the
intersection of GA 136. Turn left (west) onto 136, headed towards
Trenton where you can get on I-59. Go south for Birmingham, north to
I-24 for Nashville. This route will take you over Lookout Mountain.
Watch for sharp turns and switch backs, heed the signs about speeds.
Approx 20 miles to I-59.
To Knoxville.
Continue south on Kensington Road to
the dead-end at GA 193. Turn left. At the 4-way stop turn left onto
GA 341. After 3 miles there is a 4-way stop-intersection for GA 136.
Turn right (east) onto 136 towards Lafayette. About 6 miles (and just
after some RR tracks) turn left (north) onto US 27 and follow it to
Chattanooga and I-24. Approx distance 32 miles. This route avoids
downtown LaFayette and the uphill climb over Pigeon Mountain.
To Atlanta:
Continue down Kensington Road to the
dead-end at GA 193. Turn left. Follow 193 as it winds through
Lafayette; left at third traffic light, right 2 lights later. When
you reach the 4-lane (BP station on left) keep straight. You are now
on GA 136. Follow 136 to I-75. Attention: 136 makes 3 turns after
Lafayette; a left at a dead-end, a right about 1.5 miles past that,
and a left 1 mile after entering Gordon County. Approx 37 miles to I
75.
If your rig is facing north (you turned right from Reichold and went away from the tracks and steep hill.)
Towards Birmingham and Nashville.
Continue north on Kensington Road
until it hits GA 136. Turn left. Follow 136 to Trenton, where you can
get on I-59. (South to Birmingham, north (8 miles) to I-24 west for
Nashville.) This route will take you over Lookout Mountain. Watch for
sharp turns and switch backs, heed the signs about speeds. Approx 20
miles to I-59.
Towards Knoxville.
Continue north on Kensington Road
until it hits GA 136. Turn right. Follow 136 to an intersection with
US 27, turn left. You will cross RR tracks (the line we were on
Saturday) 1/4 mile before 27. Turn left (north) and follow 27 to
Chattanooga and I-24. Take I-24 east to I-75. Approx distance 32
miles. There are no mountains on this route.
Towards Atlanta:
Continue north on Kensington Road
until it hits GA 136. Turn right. Follow 136 to I-75. Note: 136 makes
several turns. Before Lafayette, it turns right, then left. After
Lafayette it turns left at a dead-end, a right about 1.5 miles past
that, and a left 1 mile after entering Gordon County. Approx 36 miles
to I-75.