:::SummerRide :::

Hills can be conquered, especially if your bike has a granny gear.
There's no shame in getting off your bike to catch your breath.
A breeze under a shady tree in August has the amazing ability to recharge your legs.

For those of you who missed it, Jasper is vying to be a crown jewel of cycling in Georgia. It may not be flat, but there's something to be said for the exhilaration of swooping down a hill at speeds upwards of 40 m.p.h.

Rest stops were staffed by volunteers from the Jasper Middle School Tip-Off Club, including the coach, who stopped his pick-up truck to make sure I was okay. A little old lady in a big white car stopped to check on me, proving that folks up there know the meaning of Southern hospitality.

BRAG veteran Kevin Fitzgerald said he was "shown some fine goodwill along the way."

"Near the scenic view noted on the pavement on the Saturday ride, a guy driving a big truck flagged me down and gave me a cold bottle of Dasani water!" Fitzgerald said. "And on the Sunday ride, one of the antique store owners gave me another bottled water!"

Along the way, breathtaking glimpses of blue mountains in the distance, and a visit to a small museum of Georgia marble, where I discovered that both the Lincoln Monument and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s tomb are made of Georgia marble. In one town, the street curbs were made out of pieces of marble.

One rider said "the scenery in this part of Georgia is truly a sample of God's work."

"It was a great couple of rides. The support was very able and ready. The food and SAGs were off the charts great," said a rider on the message board.

At the end of each day's ride, the riders were served a catered meal. Evening entertainment included cloggers, an auto show and a terrific live Southern rock band.

BRAG intends to sponsor this ride again, so if you missed the inaugural ride, you'll have a chance to redeem yourself next summer.

SummerRide Logo

Mtn City

About BRAG l BRAG Staff l Contact BRAG l Home