Not a
native of the area but I suggest you rolling North past B'ham on I-59 to I-24 at Chattanooga. Head South a mile or so on I-75 exiting at US41 (Exit no 1). US41 South(Ringgold Rd) to Ringgold staying on 42 now known as Chattanooga Rd to Georgia Rt 52 at Dalton GA. 52 piggy backs with 41 and US76 into the Northern bypass round Dalton. Exit 52/76 at GA rt 52A (52 Alt). Take 52A to Chatsworth (Fort Street) where just under 1 mile East of US76 you will enter the Chattahoochee NationalForest. From there you will ride GA rt 52 into Dahlonega.
I have always wanted to ride 52 West of Chy's and this Rally I will. Beautiful road on the East side of Dahlonega I know,
and I have heard tell that 52 from it's Western terminus at Whitfield (Dalton) to Dahlonega to be spectacular.
I can't speak about I-59 either. The call is yours of course but like you I dislike strongly any road that has the name Atlanta associated with it.
PS: I may very well indeed have rolled the West side of 52. It's just that if I did, it was way back in 2003 35 degrees out with the sun still below the horizon...
