Again This Year

On Friday afternoon, we will have a DJ and free Happy Hour beer party downtown at the air-conditioned Conference Center, complete with DJ Ned Mountain. Ned has been spinning mountains of tunes for years at SBL dances. He knows exactly what bike riders want to hear after a long day in the saddle. We'll also have some Cokes, Dasani Water, and snacks to go with the beer. Bring your ID for the beer party. We will be checking them.  
 
Also back this year: Free Pimento Cheese Sandwiches at one lucky rest stop each day of the tour. We're not just BRAGing about our PBJs anymore!
 
We will also have Happy Hour Saturday afternoon, 4pm - 6pm. Location TBA.

THURSDAY, APRIL 3.  Outdoor camping available at Heritage Park after 3:30 p.m. (not before). BRAG headquarters open from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. NOTE: Camping is NOT allowed at Heritage Park on Wednesday, April 2. No alcoholic beverages are permitted at any time at Heritage Park.

FRIDAY, APRIL 4.  The Brer Rabbit Ride. 58 miles (or 30 or 11). HQ open 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.  Café Campesino on site with optional coffee, juices, muffins, and bagels. Ride to Eatonton. Optional lunch restaurants in Eatonton will be noted on the route description. Back at camp: hot shower at shower trailer, walking or biking tour of historic Madison, including African-American museum. Downtown Happy Hour from 4pm - 6pm at the Conference Center with DJ Ned Mountain and free beer. Dinner at one of 14 restaurants downtown. Campfire on site with S'mores. No alcoholic beverages are permitted at any time at Heritage Park.

SATURDAY, APRIL 5.  The Oreo Cow Century Ride. 101 miles. Social Circle, Rutledge  Loop.  FULLY SUPPORTED. Free STU 2014 Century Ride Bandanna to the first 100 finishers, or The Blue Willow Ride 57 miles (or 32, 10, or shorter miles). HQ open 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Café Campesino on site with optional coffee, juices, muffins, and bagels. Ride through rural Good Hope and Social Circle, GA. Optional lunch at The Blue Willow Inn, voted Top 5 "Bodacious Buffets" in America by the Food Network. Back at camp: Walking or biking tour of Historic Madison. Happy Hour from 4pm - 6pm. Location TBA. Ned Mountain will be back spinning your favorite tunes. Dinner at one of 14 restaurants downtown. Campfire at Heritage Park with S'mores. No alcoholic beverages are permitted at any time at Heritage Park.

SUNDAY, APRIL 6.  The Rock Eagle Ramble. 62 miles (or 39, 21, 15, or shorter miles). HQ opens at 7 a.m. Café Campesino on site with optional coffee, juices, muffins, and bagels. Ride to Rock Eagle for the optional Spring Sunday Lunch Buffet. Get back to camp in time for a hot shower. HQ and campsite close at 3:00 p.m. Note: Camping is not allowed at Heritage Park Sunday night. No alcoholic beverages are permitted at any time at Heritage Park.

NOTE: If riding short options, a vehicle may be needed to get to the lunch stops.

Meals

Café Campesino will be back to jump start your morning with BRAG brew coffee. Optional breakfast items such as bagels and muffins will be available for purchase. For dinner, you can eat at one of the 14 restaurants in downtown Madison.  
 
BRAG Spring Tune-Up 2014 will begin and end at Heritage Park in Madison, Georgia. At on-site registration, you will receive your obligatory BRAG Spring Tune-Up wristband. You will also receive your maps and route descriptions. You can purchase BRAG merchandise at the registration area. There will be a bike shop available to provide bicycle repair and technical support. A portable shower trailer will be on site to provide hot showers after each day's ride.  

All outdoor camping for the weekend (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights) will be at Heritage Park. RVs are welcome, but no hookups are provided. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on Heritage Park property. There is no indoor camping at Heritage Park. See below for Directions to the Start/Finish.

Rest stops will be located every 15 to 20 miles along the route. There will be a fully-supported optional Century Ride on Saturday, April 5. Shorter ride options will be offered each day.

On-route lunch options are available all three days. Friday's ride features several restaurants in Eatonton. Saturday's route goes by The Blue Willow Inn, and Sunday's route goes to the Rock Eagle Spring Sunday Lunch Buffet. Short option rides may not go past the lunch stops. If you ride a short option, you can ride your bike back to camp, get your car, and still make it to the lunch stop to meet your friends. All rest stops will offer PBJ sandwiches. One rest stop each day will also offer pimento cheese sandwiches.

All BRAG rides are "Show and Go." There is no organized group start. It's a ride, not a race. There will be Newcomers' Meetings each morning at 7:30 a.m for first-time BRAG riders.

If you prefer to stay in a motel, Madison has several motels to choose from, including our sponsor, the James Madison Inn downtown. There are also several Bed and Breakfasts in the Madison area, including the Brady Inn. For more information on accommodations, visit http://www.madisonga.org/index.php?page=area-lodging.

The James Madison Inn in Madison has again joined BRAG as a sponsor of the Spring Tune-Up Ride and will award one lucky rider with a free night's stay at the Inn. A registration will be chosen at random from all the Spring Tune-Up registrations received by March 15, 2014. This free night's lodging may be used during Spring Tune-Up, subject to hotel room availability. Register now for the Spring Tune-Up Ride and get your name in the drawing. For more information on The James Madison Inn, please visit jamesmadisoninn.com/. This room is a $234 value. They are offering a 20% discount to BRAG riders staying with them during the ride. When making reservations, make sure you tell them you are a BRAG rider to receive the discount.

To confirm your ride registration, check the web site for the updated weekly registration list.

SOME EVENTS, ATTRACTIONS, AND MILEAGES ARE TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS WE CONTINUE TO PREPARE THE BEST POSSIBLE SPRING TUNE-UP RIDE. ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND UPDATES WILL BE POSTED ON THE BRAG WEBSITE:  www.brag.org

Do a Google.com map search for Old Buckhead Rd. and Brown Ln., Madison, GA  30650.  Madison is about 70 miles east of Atlanta.

• Take I-20 to Madison, GA (I-20 East from Atlanta).  Exit at Exit 114, US 129/US 441, Madison-Eatonton Exit.
• Go north on US 129/US 441 at the traffic light.  If coming from Atlanta, this is a left turn off the exit ramp.  If coming from the East, this is a right turn off the exit ramp.
• Go approximately .8 mile and turn right on the Madison Bypass (US 129 Bypass/US 441 Bypass) at the traffic light.
•  Travel 3.1 miles on the Bypass and then turn right onto Old Buckhead Rd. at a traffic light.
• Continue .1 mile and turn left onto Brown Ln. Madison Heritage Park is .1 mile ahead on the left. BRAG headquarters is located in the picnic pavilion on the left.

There are a few spaces left to join the WinterRide 2014, February 18 - 23. This is a biking, hiking, and kayaking adventure in St. Marys, GA. Take a break from the cold weather and come to St. Marys where the average temperature during this week in February is 65ºF. St. Marys is 350 miles from Atlanta and takes about 6 hours to drive. This is a great late-Winter escape, a relaxed multisport event suitable for all levels of bicycling. Non-riders are welcomed also. For detailed information and registration, visit our website.