"The partnership of BRAG and Northside Hospital brings together two highly respected Georgia institutions, who now are able to promote health, fitness and community involvement throughout the state," said Lee Echols, vice president of marketing and communications at Northside Hospital. "BRAG has a legacy of success and advocacy that Northside Hospital is proud to join."

Northside Hospital was founded in 1970 and has grown to become one of the country's leading health care organizations. It consistently strives to provide exceptional patient care by attracting and retaining top-quality physicians and nursing staff; developing strategies to offer more services closer to people where they live; and investing in innovative facilities and future technologies.

The hospital and its affiliated patient care facilities:

• Deliver more babies annually than any other hospital in the United States
• Were recently awarded a nearly $6 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to expand cancer services throughout Georgia
• Have the best survival rates in the United States for blood and marrow transplant patients
• Perform more overall surgery than any hospital in Georgia
• Conduct more robotic surgery than any hospital in the United States
• Have the largest single medical staff (physicians) in the Southeast
• Diagnose and treat more cases of breast and gynecologic cancers than any hospital in the Southeast
• Treat more prostate cancer cases than any hospital in the country.

Northside Hospital is committed to nurturing strong community relationships - it is the preferred health care partner of the Atlanta Falcons and a major sponsor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race.

"For more than 35 years, BRAG has set the example of how to celebrate cycling and community," said Echols. "It has enabled thousands of people to explore our state and see what we're all about. Northside Hospital is privileged to be a part of this celebration."

We are only a few days away from the 23rd annual Georgia BikeFest in Columbus, GA, October 10 - 12, 2014. Just think, 3 days of autumn fully-supported cycling and 3 nights of camping next to the Chattahoochee River in the cool Fall air. Café Campesino is looking forward to seeing everyone and brewing up the BRAG Brew to get people fueled up for the ride. A shower trailer will also be available beginning Friday, October 10, at noon.

If you are not sure you are up to riding long distances each day, there will be various mileage options available along with a fully-supported Century Ride on Saturday. Friday, 10/10:  The Lake Oliver Ride, 49 miles, or 36, or 10 miles. Saturday, 10/11:  The Tour de Muscogee and Harris Century Ride, 100 miles, or 60, 41, or 22 miles. Sunday, 10/12: The Welcome Home Hooah Ride to Ft. Benning, 41 miles, 27, or 16 miles.  

Uptown Columbus is planning an exciting weekend for BRAG riders. Happy Hour both Friday and Saturday, 4:00pm - 6:00pm, at Picasso Pizza in Uptown Columbus, 1020 Broadway, $1 off all drinks. Friday evening in Uptown Columbus on Broadway, Deeper Shades of Soul Band, will be playing from 7:00pm - 10:00pm. Back at camp, you can make S'mores around the campfire.  Saturday is full of activities, including Market Days on Broadway, from 9am to Noon, and the Uptown Drum Circle on Broadway Saturday evening starting at 6pm. No drum? No problem! Drums will be on site for you to borrow for the evening. While in Columbus you can try your skills on the new Zip Line featuring a 1200 ft. zip across the Chattahoochee River or raft down the World's Longest Urban Whitewater Course! Show your BRAG wristband and get 20% off.

You may register on-site in Columbus at BRAG HQ throughout the weekend. We accept cash, check, or credit cards, VISA, MC or Discover.

BRAG HQ will be open the following times: Thursday, October 9, 5:00pm -7:00pm; Friday, October 10, 6:30am - 7:00pm, Saturday, October 11, 6:30am - 5:00pm, and Sunday, October 12, 6:30am - 3:00pm.

BRAG riders who are veterans of the U.S. Military have been invited to march in the 33rd Annual Atlanta Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 8, 2014, at 11:11 am in downtown Atlanta. We will walk beside our bicycles, not ride, in the parade because parades go too slow for us to ride bikes. Jerry Colley will lead a group of cyclists from the city of Stone Mountain to downtown (16 miles each way). We will probably have lunch together at the German Biergarten downtown after the parade.  
 
You don't have to be a BRAG rider to march with us. You do have to be a veteran. Your family and friends are invited to join us for the bike ride and for lunch after the parade. They can cheer us on during the parade.
 
Other cyclists may want to ride together downtown from other areas of town.
 
If you are interested in participating in the parade as a bicycling veteran of the U.S. Military, please send an email to Jerry Colley at Jerry@brag.org and let us know we can count on you. Also, email Jerry if you have any questions about this event. Plan to wear a jersey or cap to identify you as a veteran. Exact meetup location and time will be provided closer to the event date.