Join Special Olympics Georgia and other BRAG cyclists to create the 2013 Team Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA)! Team SOGA is a group of Special Olympic athletes, their coaches and their supporters participating in BRAG. SOGA invites you to join this amazing team, by sponsoring our Olympians.

With your support, our athletes can continue to participate in Special Olympics at no cost to them or their families. You can help Special Olympics Georgia achieve its mission by donating to Team SOGA. Riders who collect/donate $100 will become official members of the 2013 Team SOGA.

The BRAG Dream Team will have kids and mentors from Milledgeville riding with us this year.  Please be sure and give them encouragement along the route each day.

Confirmation packets along with bus confirmations were mailed Wednesday, May 15th. You should have these in your hands by now.

We will see you on Sunday, June 2, in Cordele, GA, at the beginning of BRAG!

Come join in the fun and help stuff 1,100 goody bags for BRAG 2013! The fun will begin at the BRAG office on Thursday, May 23, 2013, at 4:00pm. The BRAG office is located at 1835 E. Park Place Blvd., Suite 113, Stone Mountain, GA 30087. If you can't make it then, you can join us anytime. You will stuff 1,100 bags and BRAG will stuff you with pizza and Cokes.

Bubba's PAMPERED Pedalers does everything but ride your bike. Supplies a top quality Kelty tent with daily set-up and take-down. Fully inflated thick air mattress for your sleeping enjoyment. Cold drinks and snacks served under the shade of a pavilion while you are sitting in a deluxe camp chair. Charging station for your electronics. Baggage delivery to your tent daily.  Find out first hand what Bubba means when he says, It's ALL Good! http://www.bubbaspamperedpedalers.com

Cycling Logistics is a concierge service that caters to cyclists who prefer to set up their own tent during BRAG. In doing so, cyclists can save on expenses, but still get all the added perks that are most popular - coffee in the morning, a place to charge your electronics, a dedicated icehole to put your drinks in, a bike rack to hang your "steed", floor pumps for tires, potable water to fill your bottles before each day's ride, and a shaded canopy to get out of the sun.  You can bring your own camp chair from home and stow it in the chair cubbie along with your gear. Your baggage is kept in our trailer until you come for it, eliminating the worry of getting into camp and dealing with wet gear. Additionally, if you have medications that need to be kept chilled, we have a cooler for that, too. We do not commandeer a specific place in the tent camping area, so if you decide you want to get away from the crowd or even into the indoor camping area, we have a hand truck (Dolly Llama) that can aid you with your bags.

Blake Ramey, owner of Cycling Logistics, has been in business since 1999. In that time, the business has engendered a dedicated following. But note: the number of customers that can sign up for the service is limited to 56. In doing so, we get to know our customers as individuals, not just numbers. Cycling Logistics prides itself on humble service to its customers and forming lasting friendships. We maintain a website www.cyclinglogistics.com where you can register and pay for our service, not only for BRAG, but other rides in the Southeast. We also have a Facebook presence. If you haven't before, Let the Llama Lug Your Load!

Rosie's Services provide a freshly laundered towel each day for our riders. These are Large, 100% Cotton Towels. Ride into camp, get set up, pick up your towel, take your shower, drop the towel back to us, next day repeat. We launder the towels daily, so you always have a clean towel in camp. $20 per week for this service.

We also rent nice camp chairs, with or without foot rests. We transport the chairs to each campsite, all you do is pick up the chair from us, and return it before retiring for the evening.  $20 per week for the chair, plus a $20 deposit returned to you the last night in Camp.

Cash and checks accepted. All monies collected on registration day. Email us at: kampingkomforts@yahoo.com to make your reservation today.

As BRAG's official "rolling bike shop," Cycleworks will once again be with us all week providing tech support and a variety of cycling accessories & apparel. You'll see Cycleworks at the start and finish of each ride and at various spots along the route working hard to make your ride easier! They can help with everything from fixing major mechanical problems to fine-tuning your bike for more enjoyable riding.
 
And speaking of enjoyable riding...Cycleworks will be stocked with everything you need to have a great time on your bike.  Stop by their tent for cycling computers, mirrors, sunglasses, clothing, water bottles, chamois cream, helmets and much more. If you need to ship your bike to BRAG, Cycleworks can help with that too. Just send your bike via UPS or FedEx to Cycleworks in Duluth, Georgia and retrieve it at the beginning of the ride. Cycleworks' transportation space is limited, so reserve your spot soon. Email mark@cycleworksinc.com or call (770) 476-4949 for details and cost.
 
Are you planning to get a new bike for BRAG this year? Check out this offer from Cycleworks! Cycleworks is the official technical support crew for BRAG 2013 and will be with you every pedal stroke of the way from Cordele to St. Marys. Cycleworks has an offer you can't refuse!  Check out the details.

Want to know more about Cycleworks?  Find them online at www.cycleworksinc.com and www.facebook.com/Cycleworksinc

Have you ever thought about how you will get your luggage to motels on BRAG? Well, no worries. Larry Black & Brother John Luggage Service will tote your bags to nearby motels for you. Do it the easy way. Check us out today. www.brojohnluggage.com or email Larry@brojohnluggage.com

Café Campesino, for the thirteenth year in a row, will be offering its delicious fair trade organic BRAG Brew and House Blend Decaf coffees at BRAG. This year Geoffrey went to Guatemala to purchase the "All You Can Drink" bracelets, which you can purchase. They provide unlimited access to this gourmet hot coffee. The bracelets can be purchased on the Meal Order Form or on-site at the Café Campesino tent in Cordele for $18 each. Café Campesino will also be selling Pure Bliss® whole food bars, Dr. Smoothie 100% Crushed® Fruit Smoothies and their famous iced mochas in the afternoons for an extra charge. Be sure to ask about the work that Cafe Campesino is doing for coffee farmers around the world while you are sipping your morning cup!

Remember to smile each day while riding along the route. Miles McClelland, BRAG 2013 photographer, will be back to snap the once in a lifetime photo! You can purchase his photos during the ride or check out the BRAG 2013 online photos after the ride.
www.milesjohnphotos.com or email milesjohn@aol.com.

BRAG 2014 Dates

The 35th annual Bicycle Ride Across Georgia will be held June 8 - 14, 2014. The tentative route will be announced at BRAG 2013 on the Early Bird Registration. Get a jump on next year and mark your calendars now to attend.

Brag about BRAG! Get your new BRAG moisture wicking t-shirt by Sport Science Smarter Performance Wear. Dri release. Fresh Guard. The cost is $20 plus $5 for shipping and handling, and the sizes are Small to XX-Large. Made in the USA. You can download a merchandise order form and fax it to BRAG with your VISA or MASTERCARD information or mail it to the BRAG office with your check. You may also buy this shirt on-site in Cordele, while supplies last.

Safe Riding for Leisure, Commuting or Training

This course helps new and seasoned road cyclists understand and practice the principles of safe cycling. A certified League of American Bicyclists instructor with years of experience leads the class. Topics covered include:

• Cyclists responsibilities and rights under Georgia Law
• Rider predictably, visibility and awareness
• Potential hazards and dangerous scenarios
• Crossing multiple lanes for left hand turns
• Crash avoidance and emergency maneuvers
• Quick right and left turns in the event a car turns in front of you
• Dodging objects while maintaining control
• Basic maintenance and tire changing

For additional details and registration, visit: www.bikeroswell.com/education

Smart Cycling - 2013 Class Schedule

Saturday, June 15, 2013
9:15 am - 2:00 pm
Roswell Area Park - Bill Johnson Community Activity Building

Saturday, July 20, 2013
9:15 am - 2:00 pm
Roswell Area Park - Bill Johnson Community Activity Building

Saturday, August 17, 2013
9:15 am - 2:00 pm
Roswell Area Park - Bill Johnson Community Activity Building

Saturday, Sept. 19, 2013
9:15 am - 2:00 pm
Roswell Area Park - Bill Johnson Community Activity Building

The Ride of Love, Saturday, May 18, leaves Tuscaloosa, AL with an impressive escort provided by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Department. The ride travels 150 miles to the shores of Lake Martin in Alexander City, AL. It is a long day of 10-12 hours of pedaling...always remembering the pain and suffering of the children you are riding for. Upon arrival at Camp Smile-a-Mile, you will be welcomed by the screams and cheers of the children and families affected by cancer who are there for the first Family Weekend of the year. Pedaling into Camp with the Sheriff's escort sirens blaring is an experience you will never forget and has seen many a grown man cry! For more information visit www.campsam.org/rideoflove.asp.

The Atlanta 2-Day Breast Cancer Walk is looking for volunteers to help with the Bike "Bra-gade" - the bicycle crew that supports and assists walkers along the route. The event is October 5 - 6, 2013.

The bike crew members ride back and forth along the Walk route making sure Walkers are safe, calling for sweep vans to pick up injured Walkers, and tracking the lead Walkers and the tail end for the coordinators. Bicyclists will ride about 35-45 miles on Saturday, and 15-20 miles on Sunday. Bicyclists don't have to raise money, but there is a registration fee of $150 to cover expenses.The registration covers all meals, plus one overnight stay at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta.

For more information, email Barbara@bekatzlaw.com or to register for the bike crew visit http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1043037