The countdown is on to one of the biggest cycling events in Georgia, and Northeast Georgia is a big part of it.
This year’s Bike Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) kicks off June 3 in Clayton. Dubbed “Lakes and Libations,” this seven-day statewide cycling event will travel from Clayton to Augusta, with roughly 2,500 riders averaging about 55 miles per day.
Along the way, the riders will rest during overnight stops in Clarkesville, Gainesville, Braselton, and Madison before heading into East Georgia. They’ll spend the last night on the road in Thomson before pedaling into Augusta on June 10.
BRAG in the ‘sham
Habersham County will host the riders on the campus of the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center during their overnight stop in Clarkesville on Sunday, June 4. Early the next morning, there will be a shotgun start for cyclists at 7 a.m.
This cycling event will cause some disruptions due to the sheer number of riders who are expected to participate.
It’s expected to take the riders and their entourage more than an hour to clear the area near the Aquatic Center and Administration Building on Jacob’s Way as they leave town. As a result, the Habersham County Administration Building will delay opening until 9 a.m. on June 5.
“Anyone arriving to do business that morning is asked to have patience and drive safely as they navigate through any stragglers, crews, and campsites on Jacob’s Way,” says county PIO Rob Moore.
Habersham was a BRAG stopover in 2018. It injected tens of thousands of dollars into the local economy through visits to restaurants and shops.
If you want to know whether BRAG will be passing by you in June, read on.
Clayton to Clarkesville route
Cyclists will travel from Clayton to Clarkesville along the winding, two-lane roads that dot the Northeast Georgia landscape. They’ll leave Clayton on South Main Street/Old US 441 and proceed through Tiger and Lakemont. The route will then proceed along Lake Rabun Road to Seed Lake Road, Bridge Creek Road, Murray Cove Road, and Charlie Mountain Road to US-76 West.
Riders will pick up GA 197 South at Lake Burton and follow it to Shoreline Trail. From there, they’ll travel to Burton Dam Road, Raper Mountain Road, and Watts Mill Road before reentering GA 197 South for their final trek into Clarkesville.
The riders will pass by North Georgia Technical College en route to Washington Street.
They’ll have four rest stops along the way at The Beach Store in Lakemont, LaPrade’s Marina on Lake Burton, Hickory Flat Pottery on GA 197 South near Batesville, and the Clarkesville Veterans Memorial and Gazebo in downtown Clarkesville.
BRAG riders will arrive in Clarkesville between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on June 4. From the Clarkesville square, they’ll travel to Rocky Branch Road, where they’ll cut across Toccoa Highway/Hwy 17 to the Aquatic Center.
Clarkesville to Gainesville route
On June 5, departing riders will travel south on Highway 17 to West Louise Street/Old Historic US 441. They’ll proceed south into downtown Demorest to College Drive, then onto Maine Street, Palmer Alley, and Demorest-Mt. Airy Highway.
The riders will cross through the intersection at GA 365 on their way to Camp Creek Road.
They’ll follow Camp Creek to Chase Road and continue onto Wyly Street in Cornelia. From there, the BRAG ride will travel onto Summit Street and Front Street, then onto Rosa Parks First Street in Cornelia.
Riders will make their way to Grant Place, then follow Clarkesville Street and Irvin Street to Industrial Boulevard, where they’ll move onto Duncan Bridge Road.
BRAG cyclists will travel the Gainesville Highway/Willingham Avenue to Apple Pie Ridge Road, turn onto the Highway 441 Bypass, and to Rock Springs Road on their way south toward Gainesville.
The riders will travel Yonah Homer Road to Old Cornelia Highway, which they’ll follow into Lula. Once in town, they’ll turn onto Athens Street, Wall Street, Cobb Street, Main Street, McLeod Street on their way to GA-52 East, Cagle Road, Julian Baugh Road, Cagle Mill Road, Whitehall Road, Greenway Road, Simpson Road, and back onto Whitehall.
At Whitehall Road, riders will cross over GA 365 onto Kubota Way, then head onto Gateway Centre Parkway and White Sulphur Road. From there, the ride will travel down Beverly Road to Lakeview Drive, Park Hill Drive, and continue onto Riverside Drive/Ronnie Green Parkway.
The ride will end at the Gainesville City Park on Glenwood Drive near the Gainesville Civic Center.
There will be three rest stops on this leg of the journey at the Historic Cornelia Depot at Grant Place, Homer’s Pool Room and Café on Yonah Homer Road in Lula, and at the Lula Train Depot on Wall Street.
On June 6, the bikers will leave Gainesville for Braselton, where they’ll spend the night on June 6 and 7 before the last leg of their Northeast Georgia journey to Madison.
Drivers are urged to use extreme caution when traveling through Rabun, Habersham, Hall, and Madison counties during BRAG.
For more information about BRAG and detailed route information, visit the BRAG website.
