The RUN FOREST RUN
More information
Fitzpatrick Bridge over the Tallapoosa. The final 550 yards!
Lodging near the finish
The race will finish in Tallassee, Alabama. A small town in east central Alabama, located between Montgomery and Auburn. The Tallapoosa River runs right through the middle of town. The race will finish at the east end of the Benjamin Fitzpatrick Bridge, pictured above.
The shuttle will be at the library just across the bridge in East Tallassee. As soon as you come off the bridge, the library will be on your left. Parking will probably be in the field behind the Methodist Church across the street from the library. The shuttle will leave precisely at 9:30 AM for Mobile. Remember, anything you take on the shuttle, you will have to carry with you during the race or throw it away.
Motels - Tallassee: There is a “Travel Inn” motel in Tallassee, 2.5 miles from the race finish. Read the reviews before reserving a room! But it’s cheap.
Hotel - on I-85 in Shorter: There is a Days Inn located 12.5 miles from Tallassee on Interstate-85 at exit 22, the Shorter exit. The reviews seem pretty good. I have never stayed there and know nothing about it. It is located on the course at mile 308.
Hotels - Montgomery: There are several major hotels at Exit 11 off I-85 as you are entering Montgomery from the east. They are about a 25-minute drive from Tallassee. Most will include breakfast in the room fee.
Lodging in Mobile
Official Hotel: We have not yet set up an “Official” RFR hotel near the start. We plan to use the use the Hampton Inn, off I-10 in Tillman’s Corner. Hampton Inns are usually nice and not too expensive, about $100 per room. The hotel is 16 miles, 22 minutes from the race start in Bayou La Batre. There is a Walmart Supercenter one mile from the hotel. The shuttle will make a supply run before, or after the dinner, for those that need to buy “what you left in your car!”
Pre-race dinner in briefing: We plan to have the meal at the “Grand Mariner Restaurant and Marina,” on the Dog River. It is only 8 miles from the Hampton Inn. When I lived in Mobile many years ago, I kept my sailboat at the Grand Mariner, and this was my favorite restaurant. And the setting can’t be bear.
The Trip South - Tallassee to Mobile
At this time, all details are tentative. However, we have driven the course from end to end. We have evaluated the route based on distance between towns, distances between gas stations, traffic, availability of restaurants and hotels. We have also thrown in some interesting places and amazing scenery. The course will follow the Gulf Coast and bays for the first 128 miles. That’s 40% of the course.
The shuttle will not follow the course heading down to Mobile. That would take too long, and we know everyone would like to get to the hotel early to rest and “unwind” before dinner. We will drive straight down I-10, stopping in Evergreen at the Bates House of Turkey (founded 1923) for lunch about 11:30 AM. We may need to place orders in advance. They are always busy.
We should arrive in Mobile about 2:30 PM. We will make arrangements with the hotel for early arrival. We will likely have the pre-race briefing in the hotel lobby, if that’s ok with the hotel, probably before dinner. We will also plan on making the Walmart run after returning to the hotel from dinner. Anyone wishing to go, just let us know.
Breakfast at the Hampton Inn is served starting at 6:00 AM. We will plan on leaving for the start no later than 6:30 AM. That should give everyone time to eat before we leave. We will start the race at 7:00 AM “IF” possible. If we are late, we will adjust the ending cutoff to match.
This is the start location.
The course was precisely measured starting exactly at this power pole.
Along the Course
Bayou La Batre on Shell Belt Road
Heading to Dauphin Island
On Dauphin Island
The ferry ride across the bay
Fort Morgan to Gulf Shores and beyond.
Sunset on Mobile Bay, from Jesse’s, on the Ft Morgan Road.
Gulf State Park
The trail along Ft. Morgan Road
Please do not fish if alligators are present.!
If you want a good night’s sleep your first night on the road, I highly recommend the Gulf State Park Hilton. It’s just steps off the course. Their breakfast is worth the hike over to the hotel.
Two photos I took at Gulf State Park in 2024. Watch your step while watching the sky.