Tour de Georgia Anyone?

[J.M. White]

Are any of you planning to attend the TdG? I'm taking my 10-year old out of school for three days so that we can see Stages 2-5. If a dad ever needed brownie points, I guess that I'll be racking them up now.

[700 x 23c]

Sounds like fun....will not be attending. I do with that the domestic scene got more press coverage. Enjoy.

Years back I used to go to the Thrift Classic in Pittsburgh and had a blast.

[kestrel]

I'll be the fat old guy on the Serotta Ti with red decals trying to climb Brasstown Bald the morning of that stage. Ha,ha, me and about a hundred other old fat guys that will probably have the same idea!

[J.M. White]

I'll give you a push. I'll be about 200-300m from the summit. Good luck getting up that monster!

[kestrel]

I'll give you a push. I'll be about 200-300m from the summit. Good luck getting up that monster!

Look for the white moustache and the white sweatband sticking out from under the helmet, but whatever you do don't stop pushing....!!!!!! :bike:

[BumpyintheBurgh]

Look for the white moustache and the white sweatband sticking out from under the helmet, but whatever you do don't stop pushing....!!!!!! :bike:

Kestrel, are you doing the SABA 36 mile "Circle the Bald" ride in the morning before you go up Brasstown Bald? I'll be there, also on a Legend Ti with red decals, lookin for your white moustache. We can push each other up. Already switched to my 12-29 cassette and expect to do a lot of spinning.

Went on a club ride this past weekend that features some of Pittsburgh's steepest hills to see if I was in shape for the Bald. Five minutes into the ride going up Rialto Street, one of Pgh's steepest at 24% grade, the guy in front of me lost his battle with gravity and started rolling back down the hill and crashed into me. Trashed my front wheel, Campy Neutrons, so my ride was over. Had to carry my bike back down the hill and go home. Fortunately , I have another wheelset, so I'll be ready for the Bald. If you want to hook up and ride together let me know. Shaved my moustache off years ago but it would be white now.

[kestrel]

Kestrel, are you doing the SABA 36 mile "Circle the Bald" ride in the morning before you go up Brasstown Bald? I'll be there, also on a Legend Ti with red decals, lookin for your white moustache. We can push each other up. Already switched to my 12-29 cassette and expect to do a lot of spinning.

Went on a club ride this past weekend that features some of Pittsburgh's steepest hills to see if I was in shape for the Bald. Five minutes into the ride going up Rialto Street, one of Pgh's steepest at 24% grade, the guy in front of me lost his battle with gravity and started rolling back down the hill and crashed into me. Trashed my front wheel, Campy Neutrons, so my ride was over. Had to carry my bike back down the hill and go home. Fortunately , I have another wheelset, so I'll be ready for the Bald. If you want to hook up and ride together let me know. Shaved my moustache off years ago but it would be white now.

Bumpy,
I'm going with a couple of friends who've been before. This is my first trip to Brasstown Bald. We are staying in Toccoa, Ga. at the Country Hearth Inn. I think one of the guys is going to sag to the top early in the morning, and the remaining two of us are riding up from wherever he drops us off. The guy that's sagging is about to undergo back surgery, so he volunteered to drive. We will be at the finish of the stage friday night, then drive into Toccoa after dinner and try to get a dawn start on saturday. Don't know much else, wish I did. I guess that's what I get for letting others make the plans for me. One of them said something about riding Ceasar's Head late friday morning on the way in.

Red decals on a Serotta Ti sounds just like mine. You really have me worried now, I'm using a 13-25 with a 53x39 on the front. I'll bet I'm gonna suffer. I think I'm going to change my Looks for some MTB SPD's so I can walk if need be.
Small world, about 20 years ago, I used to spend weekends with a friend from Pittsburgh. If I remember correctly he lived in Morningside, a few blocks from a reservoir. Highview Street or something like that. We stayed with his Mother, and did some barhopping before driving back to NC on sunday nights.

[BumpyintheBurgh]

Kestrel,
Sounds like you had some good times in the Burgh. I know the area you mentioned.
I'm ready for Brasstown Bald, that 12-29 is on a triple so it will be spin city for me and I always wear Frogs. I'm sure you'll be able to grind it out on your double but I'm getting too old to punish my body that much.
I'm staying a little farther north on Chatuge Lake. The Southern Appalachian Bicycling Association (SABA) group ride, 'Circle the Bald' starts near Hiawassee, GA, at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds at 8:00AM Saturday morning. On site registration is $25 which includes a t-shirt, goody bag and SAG. www.sabacycling.com
The ride goes on part of the race course and past the road entrance to Brasstown Bald but not up the mountain. After the group ride you'll still have plenty of time to tackle the mountain and find a place to watch the race since the estimated arrival time for the pro riders is around 4:00PM.
I'll catch the start of the final stage on Sunday in Blairsville, then head home.

[Jeffie]

Just as a data point for all of you attempting to ride up it...

I'm a slow Cat 3 and I almost walked it last year while riding a steel hardtail mountain bike with a triple. One of my riding buddies did walk.

It is brutally steep and a very long climb. Wouldn't even consider riding up it without a triple.

A 39x25 is going to be very hard to turn up that climb...let us know how it goes.

I'll be on an Ibis Silk-Ti mtn. bike this year...trying not to walk.

Happy riding,

Jeff

[RABikes2]

39x25...you are NOT going to be a happy camper. :no:
I'd reconsider and go a wee bit more (heck, I'd go a lot more if you can).
Been up there, done that, and you will be smiling more if you decide differently. ;)

RA

[kestrel]

Jeffie,

You really have me re-thinking the whole ride up Brasstown Bald idea. On my best day I was a slow Cat. 3, and I haven't seen my best days in twenty years. I regularly do Marion To Mt. Mitchell in a 23 or 25, which is almost 30 miles of climbing. I also ride Beech Mountain in the same gear. Beech is a very short steep climb, I have no experience with Brasstown. I'm in no hurry, the hill record is safe with me. I still think I'll put the SPD's on tonight, so if I decide to do some walking I will have flat bottom shoes for the task.

I do have a triple on my mountain bike..... hummmm................

Bumpy, I'm printing your reply so we have the information if we decide to get there early enough for the ride. I guess every time I see a guy with a Serotta I'll hollar Bumpy. If they hollar not too bad, the pavement's a bit rough, but not bumpy I'll know it's not you. If they hollar Kestrel I'll stop and chat.

Like we stand a chance of seeing each other with 100,000 people up there that day.

[kestrel]

Update on my saturday at Brasstown Bald. Got there at 9:45 AM and the Bald had a NO VACANCY sign up. We didn't want to ride the shuttle and be stuck at the top for 6 or 7 hours in the cold and snow. We went to the next KOM climb, Hogpen Gap. Parked about 40 feet before the KOM line, and unloaded the bikes from the red truck. We rode down Hogpen Gap, then turned right and went to Cleveland, Ga. Then we turned around and came back to the truck. The 39x25 was just right for the 7 mile Hogpen Gap climb. Never walked, passed several people, and only got passed once by a guy half my age, and skinny enough to look good on a bike. We spent the next three hours socializing at the top, and finishing the beer, cookies, pastries, coke, and fireballs while occasionally "watering" the various flora and fawna on the Appalachian Trail behind us. Lance came into view about 4:18, and led the small break across the top of Hogpen Gap. The riders all zipped up and went out of sight onto the descent. For the next 20 or 30 minutes riders kept coming by in groups of 2, 6, and 10 till the Broom Wagon blew it's horn and disappeared into the fine sleet and misty snow that was falling.
How about a report on the SABA Circle the Bald groups?