DUBLIN, Ga. — Hundreds of bicyclists pedaled into Dublin Tuesday for the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia, or BRAG ride. Cyclists from across the country will camp at Stubbs Park for three days.
Jane Bedingfield says she remembers swimming at Stubbs Park when there was a pool there. Now, she's making more memories, but not on her own.
"One of the neat things about Dublin, though, is that we were born here, so we have a sweet connection with Dublin," Bedingfield said.
For Bedingfield, the BRAG tour is a whole family affair. Her sister Judy Rice says they've been biking together for more than 15 years.
"There's five siblings. One year, we even had our 90-year-old mother get pulled into one section of BRAG," Rice said.
With every passing mile, they say they feel like their cycling family grows.
"It's almost like a family -- you meet so many people. You get to know a lot of people. It is great exercise," Bedingfield said.
The theme of this year's weeklong summer BRAG tour is "Peaches to Beaches," a tour of Georgia's farms.
The 2022 route takes cyclists from Columbus to Brunswick. Jim Parker is from Newburyport, Massachusetts. He says this is his first bike ride across Georgia.
"With a whole bunch of people who like these bikes. We ride a recumbent called a Cruz bike, so for a long ride, they're really comfortable," Parker said.
Parker and Bedingfield agree cycling has lots of benefits, and they'd like to see more people pick up the hobby.
"I want to see more people out there riding. It's such a healthy way to go, there's no gasoline," Parker said.
"You want to make sure that it continues. Would love to be able to see a lot more young people get into it as we age out," Bedingfield said.
BRAG routes change each year, providing cyclists the chance to experience all of Georgia on two wheels. BRAG also hold rides throughout the year.