Cycling – Road Route – Monroeville Lenox Loop

Monroeville is, admittedly, a bit off the beaten path. It takes a very good reason to pull a visitor more than 30 miles from the nearest freeway, but Monroeville offers that reason. If you visit Monroeville, you are more likely to be involved in pulp mills, lumber, a fan of famous homegrown authors Harper Lee and Truman Capote or attending the Alabama Writer’s Symposium in May, than to be cycling. If you are in town for one of these reasons AND a cyclist, then you are in luck. Or for the cyclist looking for a great ride away away from any large town, this is your route.

A small group of local cycling enthusiasts have been riding the area for a number of years and have put together a number of loops that take advantage of the lightly traveled roads for some rides that show off Alabama’s own remote “Big Sky” country.

The two rides featured here offer a little something for everyone. The Monroeville-Lenox Loop is a fine road loop of 41 miles with just enough stores along the way to remind you that people actually live out there. The terrain heaves gently with enough profile to keep the scenery in constant flux and the ride interesting. You return to town on scenic Experiment Farm Road and cut over to Mount Pleasant Street, taking in the historic homes of Monroeville before finishing on the square at the old courthouse made famous in Harper Lee’s novel and the film To Kill a Mockingbird.

The Literary Symposium Lunch Tour is designed to sneak you out of the annual Alabama Writer’s Symposium Awards Luncheon at Alabama Southern Community College for a quick dash into town for a real hamburger at Mel’s Dairy Dream on South Alabama Avenue. For lit fans and writers, a gut bomb at Mel’s is a fitting tribute to Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird), as the old diner is built on her childhood home site. Next door is the site of the Faulk House, where Lee’s childhood buddy, Truman Capote, lived with his cousins. Swing around the famous Courthouse Square and have dessert at the Mockingbird Grill. The route follows Mt. Pleasant St., with its historically significant homes, back to the college before the end of the awards luncheon. Don't worry if you are in town at a time other than the Writer’s Symposium , the ride is great anytime.

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Skill Level:

Monroeville-Lenox Loop – Intermediate/Advanced – The route traverses a long stretch of US 84, which can be a bit busy and fast. It is wide enough to accommodate both cyclists and cars, but the closing speeds may make new riders feel a bit uncomfortable on this road.

The Literary Symposium Lunch Tour – Beginner – This is an easy cruise into town to dine and dessert at two local eateries significant to Alabama literati. It is a bit hilly on South Mt. Pleasant, but it is otherwise a very easy route.

Afterward:

Here are some great dining options:

Dining on the Square

Courthouse Café – 251-575-3675
Mockingbird Grill – 305 North Mount Pleasant (one block north of the square), 251-575-2276

Clark’s BBQ – 44 Highway 84 East, corner of Highways 21 and 84, near BP station. 251-575-5069
Mel’s Dairy Dream – 216 South Alabama Avenue, 251-743-2483. (At the childhood home site of Harper Lee.)
David’s Catfish House – Hwy. 84 East, 251-575-3460

Notes:

The turn onto Experiment Farm Road from US 84 is a bit hard to spot, because the road is not marked with a street sign. The road splits off from US 84 to the right 4.3 miles after Repton. Look for the sign for New Home Church on the right side of the road at the turn.

For more info:: None

Contact any of the following for additional information:

Alabama Writers Symposium: Street Address:
Alabama Southern Community College
Monroeville, AL 36461
Phone#:(251) 575 - 3156
www.ascc.edu
American Cancer Society Monroeville to Orange Beach bike ride: Street Address:
N/A
Wetumpka, AL N/A
Phone#:(251) 575 - 4173
Grand Bay Welcome Center: Street Address:
P.O. Drawer 626
Grand Bay, AL 36541
Phone#:(251) 865 - 4741
Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center: Street Address:
64 North Mount Pleasant Street
Monroeville, AL 36461
Phone#:(251) 743 - 2879
www.monroecountyal.com