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Header Photos Courtesy of Milesphotos Natural Light Photography
  October 2011
IN THIS ISSUE
The BRAG Centurion Club

BRAG WinterRide 2012

Spring Tune-Up Ride

VHCS Pine Mountain Challenge

30th Annual North Florida Tour

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gbfGeorgia BikeFest 2011   

 

GA BikeFest 2011
The 20th annual Georgia BikeFest was held October 14-16, 2011, in Columbus, GA. There were 575 cyclists during the weekend. Thanks to the City of Columbus and the local volunteers for hosting an exciting weekend. A great time was had by all.

You can view and order photos from Georgia Bikefest at www.biketourphoto.com (photos courtesy of Jim Harris at biketourphoto.com).

Please take a moment and complete the GA BikeFest 2011 survey.  We appreciate your comments and suggestions to help the ride become even more successful.   

bragBRAG 2012

 

BRAG 2011BRAG 2012 will be June 2 - 9.  The tentative, unconfirmed route is to begin in Chattanooga, TN, with overnight stops in Dalton, Cartersville, Roswell, Winder, Cornelia, and end in Clayton.  You can download a registration form and mail it in or register through Active.com. The Early Bird Registration is valid until December 31, 2011. Don't procrastinate. Mail your Early Bird registration now.

 

(Photo courtesy of Miles McClelland) 

centuryThe BRAG Centurion Club

We had 14 riders earn the Centurion Hat for 2011. These riders completed all three BRAG century rides during the Spring Tune-Up, BRAG, and the Georgia BikeFest.

Congratulations to all! Make plans now to earn your Centurion Hat in 2012.
winterBRAG WinterRide 2012

St. Mary's WinterRide

(Ride/Hike/Boat Adventure)

February 21 - 26, 2012

 

BRAG's third annual WinterRide will start in beautiful St. Marys, Georgia. The dates are Tuesday, February 21, 2012, through Sunday, February 26, 2012. The average high temperature this week in St. Marys is 65ºF. St. Marys is 350 miles from Atlanta and takes about 5 hours to drive.    
    
This would make a great Valentine's Day present for the sweetie cyclist in your life. Non-riders are welcomed also.

Here's the schedule, subject to change due to availability of venues.

Tuesday, Feb. 21.  Arrive at Cumberland Inn and Suites. Arrive early enough and bike 3 miles to the St. Marys Submarine Museum and the Cumberland Island Museum in downtown St. Marys.

Bring a bottle or two of your favorite wine or beer for our nightly happy hour. Option dinner together at a local restaurant.

USS BancroftWednesday, Feb. 22.  Ride the 33-mile St. Marys Loop Ride, led by local cyclists. Visit the oldest church in Georgia, a War of 1812 site, the U.S. Navy Submarine Base, including the USS Bancroft Memorial, the Sugar Mill tabby ruins, and Crooked River State Park. Come back to St. Marys for the nightly happy hour and optional dinner together. After dinner, we'll go next door to the general store deli for sandwiches for tomorrow's adventure (the hotel room will have refrigerators).

Thursday, Feb. 23.  We will take the ferry to Cumberland Island. Bikes are not allowed on the ferry, but you can rent one on the island if you want to. Or just plan to walk the 5-mile recommended leisurely hike on the island.

You may take the 9 am ferry if you want to spend the day on the island, rent bikes and see the northern end of Cumberland, including the little church where JFK, Jr. was married. Or take the 11:45 am ferry, have a picnic lunch, tour the Dungeness ruins, and have a 5-mile hike along the beach. Either way, the ferry leaves Cumberland Island at 4:45 pm. Don't miss it!

Cumberland Island is one of the most beautiful places on earth and is a photographer's paradise. February is the time to see it, without the heat and the bugs. Back at St. Marys, we'll have happy hour downtown, then optional dinner together. 

Friday, Feb. 24.  Ride your bike to downtown St. Marys. Then take the ferry to Fernandina, FL, another photographer's paradise. Bikes are allowed on this ferry. At Fernandina, we will have optional lunch at the Gourmet Gourmet restaurant, then head out to visit Ft. Clinch. There are small fees to enter the park and the fort.

After Ft. Clinch, we will bike to the Atlantic Ocean for a beachfront snack. We will then regroup at The Palace Saloon, Florida's oldest saloon. Then make our way back to the ferry for our return trip to St. Marys. Total mileage today is 33 miles.
 
Saturday, Feb. 25.  We pack up this morning and head by car to the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge and Okefenokee Adventures. We will tour the historic homeplace, the walking trails, lookout tower, and boardwalk by bike. Then it's time for lunch, included in the fee, and an overview of the swamp by Okefenokee Adventures' owners Chip and Joy Campbell. Then we start paddling the swamp by canoe or kayak on our guided tour of this third photographer's paradise of the week.

After our tour, we will continue by car to Waycross, GA, where we will spend the night at the Jameson Inn, one of BRAG's sponsors. Happy hour and optional dinner together.

Sunday, February 26.  After breakfast at the Jameson Inn, check out and head home to BRAG about your week's winter adventure in Georgia.  

For more information, including cost and directions, email Jerry Colley at Jerry@brag.org.
springSpring Tune-Up RideSpring Tune-Up

Mark your calendar now for the 19th annual Spring Tune-Up Ride, April 20 - 22, 2012. The ride will be in Madison, Georgia. There will be various mileage options each day with a fully-supported Century Ride on Saturday. More details to follow.
vhcsVHCS Pine Mountain Challenge

Come join other cyclists from the surrounding areas for the Pine Mountain Challenge in Pine Mountain, GA on Saturday, October 29, 2011. The route options are 35, 65 or 100 miles. Catered after-ride meal provided. For more information, visit www.valleyhealthcolumbus.com.
connect30th Annual North Florida Tour

Come to the North Florida Tour sponsored by the Southern Bicycle League, November 3-6, 2011, for 3 days of cycling, kayaking, swimming, fishing & exploring. This adventure will be held at Camp Cherry Lake in Madison, FL. For more information, visit www.northfloridatours.com or contact Margaret Bokros at marg@margaretbokros.com.

connectConnect With BRAG

BRAG has a Facebook page. Get in on the action now. Join other cycling enthusiasts and veteran BRAG riders as they discuss the upcoming BRAG events. See what you have been missing by not riding BRAG.

Facebook
Click here to go to THE BRAG Page on Facebook.
If these links do not work for you, please log onto Facebook and search for "Bicycle Ride Across Georgia".
Questions? Please contact us at news@brag.org or 770-498-5153