They were here for less than 24 hours, but that was long enough to enjoy the hospitality and small-town southern charm of Clarkesville and her neighboring cities.
Over 1,000 bicyclists, tricyclists, and skaters wheeled their way out of Habersham County on Monday en route to Gainesville.
It was the second day of their week-long Bicycle Ride Across Georgia, and already a few of them were suffering the effects.
RELATED BRAG pedals (and skates) into Clarkesville
A few broken bones and lots of determination
According to BRAG Executive Director Franklin Johnson, Day 1 from Clayton to Clarkesville resulted in four individuals being injured in mishaps along the route. One rider reportedly ran into a ditch near Raper Mountain Road.
Johnson did not have details of all the incidents, but he did say one person suffered broken ribs, another had a head injury, and another rider broke their collar bone.
Many of the riders camped overnight at the Habersham County Recreation Department in Clarkesville. Most left the rec department in a mass start at 7 a.m. Monday, as they headed south to Gainesville. They passed through Demorest, Mt. Airy, Cornelia, Baldwin, and close to Alto along the way.
While most riders are traveling on bicycles, trike riders and skaters are also participating.
Caleb Smith from Des Moines, Iowa, is one of two skaters Now Habersham caught up with during the Habersham layover. Smith has been rollerblading since he was 5 years old. He’s been skating at cycling events for the past six-and-a-half years. This is his third BRAG.
“I absolutely love it,” he told Now Habersham as he and his skating buddy, Arnav Shah of Queens, New York, skated up the steady inclines of Yonah Homer Road in Lula.
Fourth time in 43 years
This marks the fourth time in BRAG’s 43-year history that Habersham has hosted the bike tour overnight. Riders camped in Clarkesville in 1984, 2018, and this year. They spent the night at Habersham Central High School in Mt. Airy in 2009.
They’ll spend the night at the Gainesville Civic Center before leaving out Wednesday morning for Braselton.
People of all ages from all over the world are participating in this year’s event. The oldest cyclist, according to BRAG organizers, is 84. One of the youngest riders Now Habersham encountered is 11.
Two people traveled from Paris, France, to participate in this year’s event. Others traveled from New York, Chicago, and points in between.
BRAG ends on Saturday, June 10, in Augusta, Georgia.
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