Fifty Plus (50+) - Who's going to ride up Brasstown Bald with me?

tour de Georgia 2008 - April 21-27, 2008
April 26, 2008 - Blairsville to Brasstown Bald.
http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=91&Itemid=183

Let me know when you come to my backyard. I live in Buford, about 1 hour south of the mountain. I have done both three gaps all around the bald and all of my riding partners have done the Bald. I will do it at least a few times next year. I did it on foot during the tour two years ago and love the wall section. We ought to get a group of guys who want a challenge and meet, ride and have a few beers at the top. Just a note, everybody needs to be careful coming down. I saw a pro flip his bike on the descent and in 2007, an amateur died blasting down the hill.

BD, I have a daughter ... and three grand-daughters ... who live in Cartersville. Is Cartersville anywhere in the neighborhood of the riding events?

Donegal,
Definitely! I usually stay at my sister's house just up the road from you in Flowery Branch before the BB stage. This year I should be able to easily access several stages from there. I was on Brasstown Bald working as a marshal in 2004 and 2005. I rode up on my bike in 2006 and 2007. A beer at the top would have been wonderful.
There has been a bad bike crash by a non-racer at least 3 of the 4 years they raced up the Bald. I saw the EMTs working on the guy who crashed while I was riding down after the race this year. I'm surprised it doesn't happen to more people the way some of them fly down that thing.

BD, I have a daughter ... and three grand-daughters ... who live in Cartersville. Is Cartersville anywhere in the neighborhood of the riding events?

The race came close to Cartersville when the race came to Rome each of the first 5 years, but it will be 50-60 miles away at closest this year.

I rode up BB many years ago. Cap'n Dan Henry beat me to the top and I'm pretty sure he was older then than I am now. I had forgotten about the descent til y'all mentioned it. Not many descents scare me but that one did and I was young and stupid then!

I' m going bald with you--or without you.

Garysol1, has invited me to come along with him this year, I like the idea of meeting and riding it together. Who will be the BF KOM?? Stay tuned and find out! So how do we coordinate this thing?

In '06 the stage started in Blairsville like '08 will. My son and I parked at the start, watched that and then rode directly to Brasstown Bald to watch the climb. We had plenty of time to get there, climb the mountain and ride back down to a good viewing spot. I think it was about 18 miles.

I will keep this date in mind. I've been down and ridden several of the "gaps" but not BB! I've managed to aggregate about 10 pounds since September and unless some of that melts away I don't see this old fat guy going up anything like that anytime soon!!!

Only if you provide a long bungee cord for hauling me up that mountain:eek:

I attended for a couple days in 2005 and loved it. Unfortunately I had to return home before they reached this point.

Garysol1, has invited me to come along with him this year

This will be my second year going. What a treat. Every cycling fan should experience the circus that is
Brasstown at least once.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c342/garysol1/Picture081.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c342/garysol1/Picture123.jpg

Here area few shots from my 4 visits to the circus.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/th_BBrace05RyderHesjedal.jpg (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/BBrace05RyderHesjedal.jpg)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/th_BBSantagetsahand.jpg (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/BBSantagetsahand.jpg)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/th_LAandJV.jpg (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/LAandJV.jpg)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/th_017_14A.jpg (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/017_14A.jpg)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/th_Mrshl0067.jpg (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/Mrshl0067.jpg)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/th_Mrshl0065.jpg (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/Mrshl0065.jpg)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/th_Mrshl0064.jpg (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/06%20Tour%20de%20Georgia/Mrshl0064.jpg)