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Published Friday, July 04, 2008 in Close-Up

Glad to be part of BRAG

By Amanda Zechiel

The Times-Herald

A few years ago, if someone had told me that I would be biking 413 miles, I would have laughed out loud. This summer, heading into my senior year in college, I did just that -- I biked across Georgia.

The Bike Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) is a non-profit organization that coordinates family-oriented bicycle tours around the state. Each summer, they have a large, week-long trip that stretches across Georgia. BRAG 2008 began in Oxford and ended at St. Simons Island, 413 miles later.

For the past few summers, I've come back to Newnan from Ohio Wesleyan University and enjoyed biking through the county with my dad on the weekends. When he suggested last fall that we participate in BRAG this summer, I agreed, happy to get some exercise and try something new. To be honest, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

BRAG 2008 began at Oxford College on Saturday, June 7, where approximately 1,800 participants gathered to register before departing on their bicycles the next morning. The seven-day trip had us riding about 60 miles a day across the Georgia countryside, with routes sticking mainly to back roads with little traffic and pretty scenery.

Each morning, my dad and I were up at 5:15 a.m., and we weren't the first, by far. Everyone was in a hurry to beat the sun, our biggest competition of all, and some cyclists were on the road before it was daylight. Still, no later than 6:30, we on our way, equipped with full water bottles and plenty of sunscreen.

Our route across the state was clearly marked along the way with arrows and signs, so our job was just to keep peddling. There were BRAG Official Rest Stops every 10 to 15 miles along the way, fully equipped with water, Powerade, snacks, and port-a-potties. For the sake of sanity, I mentally committed to only these small distances, just aiming to get from one stop to the next.

On Sunday, our first day of riding, the thermometer we carried with us registered around 120 degrees in the sun. Our only hope was just to keep riding and enjoy the breeze we got when going downhill. It was a daunting start to the week, but thankfully temperatures dropped slightly as the week continued.

Each afternoon, we arrived at the host town where we spent the night at the local high school -- and darted for the air conditioning. After giving ourselves some time to cool down in the AC of the gymnasium, it was time to pitch our tent.

Yes, that's right-- we were tent camping in 100 degree weather after biking 60 miles. It was, as my father liked to remind, an adventure, to say the least.

Not everyone, however, opted to pitch a tent in the yard of the high school. Many cyclists stayed in nearby hotels, often with the luxury of a family member driving the route to transport their baggage. Others made their bed on the floor of the cool gymnasium at each school we stayed at, lining up like sardines across every inch of the floor and hallways. While it did cool down enough at night to make tent camping bearable, my afternoon naps were on the bleachers of the gymnasium, as there wasn't a foot of extra space on the gym floor after noon.

Our overnight stops were in Griffin, Macon, Dublin, Hazlehurst, and Jesup, and each town had its own character and way of welcoming BRAG riders. In Griffin, a Beatles imitation band called The Return entertained riders downtown in the evening, and in Hazlehurst, local groups created an almost carnival-like setting with food vendors, entertainment, and volunteer welcoming staff. We spent an extra "layover night" in Dublin, giving cyclists the option to ride 0, 45, 56, or 101 mile loops that ended back in Dublin.

My dad and I were absolutely thrilled to choose the zero mile ride, spending the day by the pool, out to lunch, and at the movies. It was just what the doctor ordered to give us the strength we needed to complete the 2nd half of the ride strong.

And we did just that. With each day that passed, I felt stronger and more capable. The distances became less daunting as we got closer and closer to the finish, and I couldn't believe that I was biking all the way to the coast. When we arrived at Saint Simons Island on Saturday for the end of the road party, it was hard to fathom how far we'd come.

While the physical and personal accomplishment of BRAG was monumental, the greater reward was the unique opportunity to meet such a wide variety of people from all around the state and country who share a common interest. Some cyclists travel the world by bike, confident that "it's the only way to see the world." Others travel the country, doing state-wide rides across almost every state. Still others were just like me, looking for some exercise, a change of scenery, and some time on the bicycle.

We met cyclists of all ages -- in fact, most of the riders seemed to be well above 50. Many families and parent-child duos were on the trip, often riding together on tandem bicycles (bicycles built for two). The friendly atmosphere of the event was contagious, and there was no shyness about chatting with fellow riders over the course of the week. Meals served in the school cafeterias (sometimes more edible than others) created opportunities to get to know new people, and rest stops were a time for encouragement and smiles all around.

Still, the best thing of all about biking across Georgia was doing it with my dad. We both agree that we couldn't have done it alone; we depended upon the other to keep us going when the sun got too hot or the hills too step. Miraculously, we weren't even driving each other crazy by the end of it! Above all, it was a week of adventure -- thunderstorms in the tent, port-a-potties, 80's bands, and the Georgia countryside -- that we shared together.

It's something I never could have imagined doing, and while I'm giving myself a little break from the bicycle to recover, I'll always be glad to have been a part of BRAG 2008.