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I've been riding this route since I've lived in Birmingham, but since I'm new to the forum, I've not yet posted. It's basically Alabama Highway 25 from Leeds (right off I-20) south to Vincent. There's website that mentions a 9-mile ride from Leeds to a biker joint called "29 Dreams" (which has since changed ownership and names and is now "Courtyard 25". I've never stopped, so I can't vouch for it. But if you stop or turn around at that location and head back north, you miss some more great riding from there on south to the junction of US Highway 231 (and the continuation of AL Hwy 25 S) in Vincent.
I live in a southern 'burb of Birmingham, so I take Lakeshore Parkway until it turns into Shades Creek Parkway and then turns into Mountain Brook Parkway (which is a nice rode with good scenery) - same road, different name - and wind through Mountain Brook, then make a right onto Overbrook Road, then a left onto Cherokee Road (Jefferson Co. Rd 64) and a slight right onto Old Leeds Road (still Co Rd 64). Old Leeds Road is a fairly long stretch with rolling hills and horse barns, etc. Pretty good scenery, but no real twists and turns... that comes later.
Take a right off of Old Leeds Road onto Grants Mill Road (a few good twists and turns). It crosses over I-459, the Cahaba River and crosses Lake Purdy on a newly emplaced bridge that still maintains some of the charm and character of the old iron one. It runs to Cahaba Valley Road (Alabama Hwy 119) - take a left. This is another fairly staright stretch of rolling hills and farms, fields, barns, etc. Near a power substation look for Elliott Lane and turn right. It's easy to miss, but plenty of other side roads to turn around (or you can run all the way in to Leeds and hit AL Hwy 25 there).
Elliott Lane dead ends into AL Hwy 25 - take a right and go south and stay on that road all the way to Vincent and the US Hwy 231 junction. This is the up-and-over-the-mountains-twisty-turny road and it is a lot of fun. Fairly recent re-paving is really nice. At the US 231 junction, I turn around and run the same route back. That makes it about an 80-mile round trip with varying road types, scenery, etc. A lot of fun.
At the US 231 junction (which, remember is also the continuation of AL Hwy 25) you can also take a right and go through Vincent and continue on over to I-65 through several small towns. This stretch is more or less large sweeping curves and a nice stretch. Can't recall the distance on that right off.
Enjoy if you're ever in the area!
I live in a southern 'burb of Birmingham, so I take Lakeshore Parkway until it turns into Shades Creek Parkway and then turns into Mountain Brook Parkway (which is a nice rode with good scenery) - same road, different name - and wind through Mountain Brook, then make a right onto Overbrook Road, then a left onto Cherokee Road (Jefferson Co. Rd 64) and a slight right onto Old Leeds Road (still Co Rd 64). Old Leeds Road is a fairly long stretch with rolling hills and horse barns, etc. Pretty good scenery, but no real twists and turns... that comes later.
Take a right off of Old Leeds Road onto Grants Mill Road (a few good twists and turns). It crosses over I-459, the Cahaba River and crosses Lake Purdy on a newly emplaced bridge that still maintains some of the charm and character of the old iron one. It runs to Cahaba Valley Road (Alabama Hwy 119) - take a left. This is another fairly staright stretch of rolling hills and farms, fields, barns, etc. Near a power substation look for Elliott Lane and turn right. It's easy to miss, but plenty of other side roads to turn around (or you can run all the way in to Leeds and hit AL Hwy 25 there).
Elliott Lane dead ends into AL Hwy 25 - take a right and go south and stay on that road all the way to Vincent and the US Hwy 231 junction. This is the up-and-over-the-mountains-twisty-turny road and it is a lot of fun. Fairly recent re-paving is really nice. At the US 231 junction, I turn around and run the same route back. That makes it about an 80-mile round trip with varying road types, scenery, etc. A lot of fun.
At the US 231 junction (which, remember is also the continuation of AL Hwy 25) you can also take a right and go through Vincent and continue on over to I-65 through several small towns. This stretch is more or less large sweeping curves and a nice stretch. Can't recall the distance on that right off.
Enjoy if you're ever in the area!
