Bicycle Ride Across Georgia announced its route for the upcoming 43rd Annual Big Brag event in June.
The event will follow a Lake and Libations theme where the route will begin its seven-day, 400-mile journey in the North Georgia mountains and end in Augusta.
“We’re going to go through a lot of lakes, some breweries, wineries, so you’re really going to see the different lakes and libation offerings that Georgia has to offer,” BRAG Executive Director Franklin Johnson said.
The bicycle tour will start June 3 in Clayton, where participants will stay overnight and visit nearby wineries, shops, and restaurants. The route then heads South to Clarkesville and will lead cyclists around Lake Burton, Lake Seed and Lake Rabun. Gainesville is the third stop, where riders will cross over Lake Lanier, and then head to Braselton for a layover. The route picks back up June 8 and heads to Madison for the night. Riders will then cross Lake Oconee, make their way east to Thomason, and will end the route June 10 in Augusta alongside the Savannah River.
“It sounds challenging, and it certainly is a personal challenge for a lot of people, but at the same time, it’s definitely very, very realistic and most people can accomplish it if they set their goals on [completing the ride],” Johnson said.
In between destinations, participants can choose to ride or stop and enjoy local libations. For example, once folks arrive in Braselton, they have the option to partake in a ‘century day’ where they can reach 100 miles on bike, or they may choose to spend a day with their fellow riders at Chateau Elan for wine, whiskey, and chocolate tastings.
“Yes, the ride is awesome, but more than that, our community of riders is just super supportive and friendly and you wind up wanting to spend more time with the people you’re riding with,” Johnson said.
The bicycle tour is open to people of all ages and will set participants back $475 for the week. That price includes fees for overnight camping, hauling luggage, showering, food, entertainment, and the shuttle system.
“If you want to do the first three days and the last three days, we have shuttles that can get you back to the midway point or the beginning [of the route],” Johnson said. “We also have daily, so if you want to come and ride one day, we’ve got a shuttle at the end of every day that will take you back.”
The best way to prepare for the 400-mile trek is to get in as many miles as possible on your bike and to focus on back-to-back days, Johnson said; however, he also suggested those on the fence to sign up for the BRAG Spring Tune Up Festival in April at Sunflower Farm in Rutledge. Riders at the Spring Tune Up follow a set route at their own pace and may ride anywhere from 20 to 100 miles.
“We have bands all day long, food trucks, and everybody stays on site and camps together, so you get that feel for the riding as well as the community and camaraderie,” Johnson said.
For more information or to signup for BRAG events, visit their website.
