Cross-Country Cyclists to Take Low Road Through the South

The ninth Race Across America will take a new, southern course.

After the race begins today in Irvine, the cyclists will ride in a pack to Corona, where they will re-assemble for the official start.

From there, the racers will pedal to Palm Springs before heading onto Interstate 10 and toward the Arizona border. The route then heads north into southern Utah, east into Colorado, then south to New Mexico before entering Texas.

The riders then will travel south to Snyder, Tex., then east below the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The route continues east to Shreveport, La., across north Louisiana and into Mississippi at Vicksburg, site of the battle that changed the course of the Civil War.

Once in Alabama, the course follows the route taken by civil rights marchers from Selma to Montgomery.

The riders will cross into Georgia, the last of the 10 states on the trip, at Columbus, continue east on the state’s back roads to the finish at Rousakis Plaza in downtown Savannah.

The race covers 2,922 miles, and except for a short stretch on I-10 in California, sticks to state and county roads.

Past RAAM routes have gone from Orange County to New York City, Atlantic City and Washington.