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http://maps.google.com/maps?q=young+harris,GA&ll=34.949463,-83.842826&spn=0.094360,0.154086&hl=en
this is close.
thanks!
Are you riding up on Saturday?
I’m taking my bike over and believe I’ll be able to see a couple different sections of the race and then double back and do the Brasstown climb before the riders get there.
I havent thought that far ahead yet. Im picturing a giant clusterf#@k of people all with the same idea and me not even being able to park. Any insight on logistics?
. . . I 'm planning on riding from Dahlonega out to Woody’s Gap, watching them come by the first time, doing a couple of repeats while they ride Neel’s and Wolfpen, watch them again on Woody the second time, then hit it back to Dahlonega behind the race. I’m pretty psyched because my bike training for Gulf Coast has been for shit this year, so at least I’ll have one big blowout ride in my legs, 15 days pre-race. If the weather is like it is today it’ll be perfect!
I hear Brasstown is a zoo near the top, but awesome to see on the steep final pitches.
T
Last year, there were 35,000 (expect 50,000 this year) people lining the 5k climb. About 1,000 of those spectators were cyclist. I parked about 100 yards from the bottom of the climb because I arrived about 3 hours earlier than the expected race completion time. But, people that got there later parked as much as a mile away.
There were cars that were allowed to park at the top of the climb as much as an hour before the racers arrived. If you park at the top, you are committed to stay there until late that day as you have to wait for 35,000 people to walk down the climb and get in their cars before you can even begin to think about leaving. But, the top is like a party event, so its not so bad.
The climb is extremely difficult and is a great workout. If you bring your bike, bring a lock. They don’t allow you to get your bike anywhere near the finish line and you have to leave it in a parking lot with a 1,000 other bikes.
I’m likely going to park in a town called Blairsville and cycle to Brasstown Bald climb base and then continue on a little farther to see the riders go by on another climb. After they pass, I’ll have about 90 minutes to get back to Brasstown and do the climb before the riders arrive. Remember, you’re likely to be climbing at 4 mph, at best. This damn thing is nearly 18% the entire way.
If you want to cycle together, let me know. I was hoping to get about 50 miles in prior to the climb.
Come on up and do Brasstown with us. Its a blast cranking up that climb when the roads are lined with all those people.
We should pick a time for the ST’ers to meet and then do the final climb together.
My plan is just like yours. Since the stage route that day is a big loop, I plan on cycling back and forth inside that loop trying to watch in as many places as possible.
Let me get back to ya on that one, sounds like you know what your doing!
. . . I’d love to, but the in-laws are coming in this weekend and the list of home-improvement projects is long. Easier to ditch work responsibilities on Fri than home responsibilities on the weekend.
Plus, I’m sneaking in the Emory Aquathon on Sat., my traditional first race of the year.
Take some photos and we can post after the stage.
T
question for you…I’m planning on coming down for the day with the 49,999 other people. Your directions on where to go are good thanks. What is parking like? On grass? Where ever you can find it? If I decide not to bring the bike can a walk a bunch of different places or are we talking miles after miles? ( I do need to get in a 13 mile run this weekend what does it matter if it’s over 6 hours, hehe!) I’m leaning on getting to where you say way early and hanging out with a book, music, warm clothes, etc. Maybe go out and try those major hills on the new FSA compact cranks. I’d love to finish wiht a walk up to the top even if it’s after they come by. Is that doable or just way to long? I’m actually coming from the opposite direction like Robertstown way. Know anything about coming up from that direction? Any advice would be helpful. Unfortunately this year I have to do the trip by myself so I want to plan it out a bit.
ANother question is about food and access to bathrooms. Are there stores around or should I come stocked with all I need. And being a girl I do prefer some sort of toilet/portajohn vs the woods but just need to know if I need to be prepared for the woods.
Thanks again
There are some vendors at the top of Brasstown Bald and bathrooms, but other than that, its pure wilderness.
I take a backpack with enough food/water/etc. Be prepared to use the woods for nature break. And be prepared for any weather conditions, including cool temps and rain. Last year was hot and dry, but you never know in these mountains.
The road leading to the Brasstown climb is hiway 180. You can park on both sides of that road as long as your car is completely in the grass. Its like a big linear parking lot with cars parked on both sides of the road. Plenty of parking, but you’ll just have to walk farther if you get there late.
Many people get there several hours early and just put a chair on the climb hillside and wait while having a picknic, etc. There is a grassy shoulder on both sides of most of the climb. (Grassy, is a generous description. They cut it down very low, but its not real soft grass. brink something to sit on.)
If you go to Brasstown, you’ll only see one part of the race that day. So, if you are walking, just stake out a spot on Brasstown climb and wait. However, if you have your bike, you can ride to at least one other section about 6 miles away, watch the riders go by, then get on your bike, ride back to Brasstown to watch the climb. At least, that’s my plan.
You can probably do your run on the semi-hilly section of 180 before the climb.
The climb is only about 5k. (more like 3.2 miles to be exact). But, it is hard, real hard. Your quads will be cooked in the first half mile. But, you can easily get off your bike and walk, recover, and ride again. 99% of the riders do it that way. Only a few make it without walking.
I’ll likely get there early and park on the grass as close to the start of the climb as possible and then either do some running or riding around the area. But at about 1pm, I’m going to ride (about 6 miles away) to hiway 17-75, the base of the Unicoi climb and watch the riders go by. The riders come by about 2:30pm. Then I have to get back to the top of Brasstown by 4pm to see the riders on that climb and the finish line.
Thanks for all that info! What road gets you to HWY17/75? I’m assuming you don’t mean HWY 348. I htink I just need to go get a good map of the area.
i agree with southern tim–start from dahlonega OR park at the base of woody gap if you can. another idea is to park in helen and go up hogpen–it’ll hurt like hell, but the pace up hogpen is “slow” enough so that you see more than a blur. brasstown is going to be a zoo–would love to be there if i didn’t have to work.
good luck–hope you make it out there ok. last year two of my friends and i rode halfway up hogpen to watch. we stood on one side of the street and left our bikes on the other side–well sure enough, after watching the oln coverage, our BIKES were on oln. i was so proud 
ha ha, same thing happend to me last year. I left my bike on the right side of the road and crossed over because Armstrong typically rides on the left side of the peleton. I got a close up picture of Armstrong, but my bike was the only thing that made the OLN coverage.
And you are right, Hogpen is a beast of a climb. Its the hardest climb in the Six Gap Century ride.
hogpen is a great training day just by itself!! i can’t imagine those guys hitting it after a couple hours in the saddle. barely survived the 6 gap century–i hit the top of hogpen, sat down, ate cookies, and didn’t want to leave! i think hogpen is second only to brasstown as far as spectating. the roadside is never too crowded and, like i mentioned before, they are going at a pace you can follow. last year we hung out by the “false” top by turn-off. hopefully lance and co. will pick the same side of the road so we can get a close-up. good luck to anyone heading out there this weekend.