Tuesday (June 7th) was day three of the 2011 Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG). Everyone was looking forward to the ride from Milledgeville to Dublin. First, the ride was only 48 miles, the shortest of the first three days. Second, most of this ride consisted of true rolling hills so I amend my earlier post where I used that term, as the previous two days were mountains. Lastly, the only riding done tomorrow (Wednesday) is optional. And I’ve already optioned out.
We rolled out again around 6:20. About 5 miles into the ride, we passed the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery before skipping the first rest stop at 8 miles. There was a good climb just past this rest stop so it seemed like a good time to let my group get out ahead of me. Another climb at the 12-mile mark reinforced that I had made a good decision earlier to let them go. After this climb, the next 10-miles were comfortable and fun, ending with a nice decline into the town of Toomsboro and the second rest stop.
Bob, Buck and Rip were getting ready to leave when I rolled in so Doug and I got ready to move out when Lee and Teresa pulled up. The four of us left together and rode most of the way together before getting to the last rest stop at 37 miles.
We regrouped after the stop and tackled the remaining two climbs before hitting a headwind for the last 5 miles or so. Doug pulled us through the wind while racing with another rider as neither one seemed to want to ride behind the other.
Our last turn was on Shamrock Drive, which I thought was very appropriate as we were in Dublin. We arrived at Dublin High School at 10:15 which was too early to check-in and too early to find a place serving lunch. We sat in the car cooling off while a few folks walked over to the vendor area and looked around. Eventually we made our way to Johnny’s Pizza for lunch and then on to the Hampton Inn where Lisa dropped me off and left in search of new stores to explore.
This was the first night that most all of the Michael’s Ultimate Mission team stayed in the same hotel so it made it possible for all of us (with the exception of Buck, George, Kathy and Mary Katherine) to get together for dinner at Longhorns. We made it challenging for the staff as we had a group of almost 20 but they did a decent job and only one of our merry band didn’t get to eat as the grilled chicken on her salad came out sushi grade, which isn’t good when you’re talking about chicken (sorry Sandy). But at least Sandy received a dessert as the day before she rode her age on her birthday.
All in all a good day. Really looking forward to two nights in the same room.