The giant peanut. A delightfully overcast day with a nice breeze. A mostly flat route. A father and two daughters on a triple bicycle. Showering in a steamy hot truck after standing in the hot sun for 30 minutes. Chatting it up with long-time buddies I only see once a year. And the quote of the day, from a new friend from Alabama: “I prefer my fruit in pie form.” BRAG is definitely on.

A highlight of today’s ride was our rest stop at the Crime and Punishment Museum in Ashburn, GA. It was the county sheriff’s residence, with the county jail upstairs. It includes the Last Meal Cafe, decorated with lists of various prisoners’ last meals before execution (not in this jail) – including one who had liver and onions.

Now I’m chilling out with my friend and best riding buddy Doug, listening to live music and swatting away gnats. With that nice mellow post-ride feeling, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

At the start of BRAG 2013 — the traditional starting-line photo