When John Guyton hit a rough patch of dirt road during the 2024 BRAG ride, his bicycle tire developed a big, angry knot. At the next rest stop, as he struggled to figure out what to do, a fellow cyclist he’d never met before stopped to help. The stranger’s solution? Put a dollar bill inside the tire between the tube and the tire itself. It worked—John completed the rest of the day’s ride with George Washington literally keeping his wheel rolling. And he made a new cycling friend!
“It’s wonderful having Aztec on BRAG,” John adds, grateful that the mobile bike shop had a proper replacement tire waiting. But that moment of spontaneous help from a stranger perfectly captures what keeps John coming back to BRAG year after year: a cycling community where people look out for each other, where solutions come from unexpected sources, and where a simple dollar bill can save your ride.
From Spectator to Seven-Time Veteran
John has known about BRAG since moving back to Atlanta in the mid-1990s, settling in the Chamblee-Tucker area northeast of the city with his family. For years, he watched from the sidelines, his work schedule never allowing time off in June. But retirement changed everything. In 2019, he finally signed up for his first Big BRAG, motivated by the chance to “visit the various communities in the state of Georgia on my bicycle. Plus, I love the bicycle community.”
Since that first ride, John hasn’t missed a single BRAG. He’s completed every ride from 2019 through 2025, watching Georgia roll by from his bicycle seat in all kinds of weather—especially rain. He’s also expanded his BRAG family involvement, participating in multiple Spring Tune-Up rides, joining Team BRAG for the annual pilgrimage to Iowa’s RAGBRAI. John and his wife Lisa have also gone to BRAG Winter Ride and continue to cycle the world on BRAG International trips, like Riviera Maya and the Loire Valley.
The Rain BRAG and Other Memorable Moments
Ask John about 2021, and he’ll tell you about “the rain BRAG.” “It seemed to rain everyday that year, especially when I was setting up my tent,” he recalls. He waited out one storm in the baggage truck in LaGrange and another in a baseball dugout in Senoia, caught mid-setup after finishing the day’s ride. That experience earned him a spot in the unofficial BRAG veterans club—as he puts it, “You know you’re a real BRAGger when you get to set up your tent in a rainstorm after cycling 60+ miles that day.”
The 2025 route between Cartersville and Jasper brought different challenges. “The hills were incredibly challenging. I had to get off and walk a couple of the 15%+ grade hills,” John admits. But reaching Jasper made it worthwhile. “The town was very welcoming and I was surprised there was a whiskey distillery in Jasper where I found several friends having a beverage.” It’s quintessential BRAG—suffer through the hills together, celebrate at the destination together.
His favorite route remains the 2022 “Beaches to Peaches” ride. “I enjoyed visiting the communities on that route in a part of Georgia that I had not visited previously,” he says. Perry stood out for its hospitality, and exploring various farms along the route added an agricultural dimension to the adventure. It embodied what drew John to BRAG in the first place: discovering Georgia’s hidden corners from the unique vantage point of a bicycle seat.
Discovering Georgia’s Hidden Stories
Through BRAG, John has uncovered both natural beauty and profound history. The 2023 ride from Clayton to Clarkesville delivered stunning scenery. “Yes, it was hilly, but the roads around the various lakes were beautiful on a Sunday morning,” he remembers.
But it’s the historical discoveries that sometimes resonate most deeply. In Dublin during the 2022 ride, John immersed himself in Civil Rights history, visiting the church where a teenage Martin Luther King Jr. gave his first public speech in 1944. He also explored the site of a historic African-American hotel from the segregation era, now sadly in disrepair. These moments transform BRAG from a cycling event into a rolling education in Georgia’s complex, layered history.
Even the humorous moments reveal something about small-town Georgia life. In Senoia in 2021, camped at the high school near the main highway, a young man in a pickup truck drove by yelling at the cyclists to “get a job!” John laughs at the memory: “I realized he thought we were all homeless and camping on the baseball field.” It’s the kind of misunderstanding that becomes a cherished story, a reminder of how unusual BRAG must look to outsiders.
The Evolution of a Cyclist
John credits BRAG with making him a better cyclist. “I’m now riding longer distances each year and don’t stress about the hills,” he says. He’s also embraced technology, adding a GPS device to his handlebar setup. “It gives me confidence having the route loaded so I don’t get lost whether it’s on BRAG or a century ride.”
His preparation strategy revolves around his local cycling community, riding regularly throughout the year. Spring Tune-Up serves double duty: preparing for longer distances and testing camping gear. “I will also do longer rides in May to prepare,” he notes. His advice to newcomers is specific and practical: “Do several 50+ mile rides in mid-May. Short rides the week before, don’t overtrain that week.”
When it comes to essential gear, John doesn’t believe in one magic item—he lists several: tuned-up bicycle, helmet and mirror, GPS device, solar collapsible lantern, and sunscreen. But his most important rookie mistake warning is hilariously specific: “Pay attention to when the last shuttle bus returns to camp!”
He learned this lesson the hard way during his first BRAG in Covington in 2019, when he stayed at a hotel and joined a large group for dinner. “We had so much fun talking, we barely made the last bus back to the camp. I didn’t realize that the buses stopped running to the hotels.” He ended up riding back to the hotel in the dark without lights. “Fortunately my bike was at the camp and I rode to the hotel in the dark w/o lights. I was able to make it back to the start next because I had packed my gear in pannier bags.” It’s the kind of adventure-turned-cautionary-tale that BRAG veterans love to share.
A Master of BRAG Logistics
Over the years, John has refined his BRAG routine to near perfection. He aims for a 5:30 AM wakeup to make the 7:00 AM mass start—a goal he takes seriously. “I used to want to be far away from others but I now realize I’m so tired I can sleep next to anyone and getting on the road by 7 am is important because of the heat and riding with the group.”
His strategy involves camping near the luggage truck to minimize morning distance. “I like to take my time to get everything packed in an organized way,” he explains. Breakfast, always on-site if possible, fuels the morning routine of tent breakdown and careful packing.
Evenings follow their own pleasant rhythm. After setting up camp, John marvels at “how easy it is to find a group to go out to dinner with at BRAG.” It’s this effortless community connection that defines the BRAG experience for him—friendships that materialize organically around shared meals and stories from the day’s ride.
The Friend-Maker
John has a remarkable gift for connection. He makes friends wherever he rides—on BRAG routes, at Spring Tune-Ups, on RAGBRAI in Iowa, and on international adventures. “It’s interesting how I see some of the same folks each year,” he reflects. “We don’t stay in touch outside of BRAG but it’s great to see them again.” Some connections have deepened into regular riding partnerships that extend beyond BRAG.
He’s particularly impressed by the diversity of the BRAG community. “I’m always impressed with those who ride on bicycles which are not the most high-tech and might be an old 25+ year old model that a parent had, but it works for them.” This appreciation for all riders, regardless of equipment or speed, reflects the inclusive spirit that makes BRAG special.
His wife rode one day on BRAG over a decade ago and declared that was enough—”too many hills!” But she remains “very supportive of my week-long BRAG adventure,” understanding that this annual journey has become essential to John’s well-being.
The Perfect Vacation
For John, BRAG represents “the perfect vacation for those who want to get away from their normal day-to-day routine and take a break from social media and the news.” When he’s not cycling, he stays active with continuing education classes throughout the year, volunteering with organizations including Free Bikes 4 Kidz and AARP Tax-Aide, and traveling on bike trips across the USA and internationally.
But BRAG holds a special place. “The cycling community on BRAG is amazing. Everyone is in a great mood and very positive,” he says. “Plus, you get to see the state of Georgia up close from a bicycle. After the week is over, you feel a great sense of accomplishment.”
This sense of accomplishment has given him confidence to tackle other week-long rides. “I’ve gotten to know the BRAG team personally which is why I have taken several of their International trips,” he notes. What started as a retirement bucket-list item has evolved into a lifestyle, with BRAG serving as both the cornerstone and the launching pad for broader cycling adventures.
Party Time
If BRAG had a theme song, John’s choice would be “We’re Having A Party” by Buckwheat Zydeco—a perfect reflection of the celebratory atmosphere that defines the event. His advice to anyone considering their first BRAG is simple and emphatic: “Just do it! You’ll be glad you did afterwards. The end-of-ride celebration makes it all worth it.”
He’s still got items on his BRAG bucket list, particularly routes east of Augusta to Savannah and along the Georgia coast. But with a perfect attendance record since 2019 and adventures that span from rainstorms to whiskey distilleries, from dollar-bill tire repairs to missed shuttle buses, John Guyton has become exactly what BRAG needs more of: someone who shows up consistently, embraces both the challenges and the joys, and makes friends wherever the road leads.
After all, in the BRAG community, you never know when a stranger might stop to help you with a tire problem and teach you the dollar-bill trick. And you never know when that stranger might become the friend you look forward to seeing every June, ready to ride together into another week of Georgia adventure, ready to have another party on two wheels.
