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This image was uploaded with the post Athens to Atlanta A2A 2009 87-Mile Inline/Roller Road Skate in Georgia plus 38- and 52-Mile Routes.

This image was uploaded with the post Athens to Atlanta A2A 2009 87-Mile Inline/Roller Road Skate in Georgia plus 38- and 52-Mile Routes.

There's so much to say about Athens to Atlanta, but suffice it to say some of us are totally crazy about this event. We've participated since 1999, including the unofficial versions in 2005.

• http://a2a.net/results-durask.htm
• http://a2a.net/results-endur.htm

Locations

Gwinnett County, bisected by I-85 northeast of Atlanta with the modest water tower reading, Success Lives Here, or some such, is showing signs of wanting to be involved in local and regional pro cycling events. The Gwinnett Sports Commission is a cosponsor of the ten-event Georgia Cycling Grand Prix. According to the Gwinnett Daily Post report:

Our 9th official skating of the 87-mile Athens to Atlanta Roadskate (not including two unofficial traverses in 2005) was on a warm and sunny day one might have expected a month or so earlier. I knew I'd be feeling the muscle cramps in my quads eventually but that didn't stop me from being overly excited at some points early on.

The Texas Flyers had planned to send a team to 2005 A2A [which was canceled that year --roadskater].  I wanted to participate in the worst way.  I was too weak to skate at the time and started to ask skaters to go to A2A.  “Don’t wait ‘til you’re ready.  Go while the event exists.”

 

2008

Locations

Come join us for the grandskatey of them all, the Athens to Atlanta Roadskate from Athens Georgia to Atlanta GA. I'm a bit late putting this one on the schedule, ha, so I'll keep it short! We'll miss you if you're not there and be glad to see you if you are!

Does anybody have the total ascent or elevation gain for the 87 mile Athens-to-Atlanta (A2A) course kicking around somewhere in their GPS or training files? I have googled all sorts of term combos, as well as searched this site. Blake's A2A mapmyride entry shows highest & lowest elevation but doesn't add it up for me :-). I'm feeling a bit fuzzy headed today so it's entirely possible I overlooked it, but please post that figure if you have it!

I have been wanting to share this graph of Athens to Atlanta 2007 with everyone for some time now. In fact, I intended it to be the first graphic uploaded in the beta photos system, but the Specialized helmet won out. Maybe later I'll delete that one!

 

Deciding to do A2A was a very last minute decision. I kept hitting the website, read numerous stories and had a lot of friends tell me how hard it was! The more everyone told me how difficult it was, the more I wanted to do it.

 

Oh. Buzz buzz buzz buzz, 4:30 a.m. came so quickly after taking so long to arrive.

We got our jolt of hot water and I pondered whether to do some coffee or not. I think I decided not to, and that it would perhaps upset my stomach.

Here's a map for the Athens to Atlanta Roadskate A2A 2007. While writing my 2007 A2A review, I just couldn't resist looking at a few things in satellite and hybrid views. It was also interesting to see a different version of the elevation profile. Check it out! Make sure to view the map in mapmyride, as you'll have more options, such as hybrid view and elevation map view. Hope you love it! Skateylove, roadskater.

[Editor's note: I posted this for Jim after he sent the info at my request. I wanted this story to be in the 2007 A2A Journals collection we are building!]

After the Athens to Atlanta skate this year, the Herbsts, a couple who skated the 52 mile distance wanted to know more about the granddad-grandson team who skated the full 87 mile distance.  Here's what I wrote.  My wife and daughter-in-law took pictures at the rest stops and at the finish.   I've included those also.

This book is for adding your story to this 2007 chapter of the Athens to Atlanta History Project. Add it yourself using the Outline tab while editing to select "2007 A2A Journals" as the parent of your article, or don't worry about it and I'll gather it all up later. If your story is for another year which does not exist yet in our book, please contact me or leave it be and I will add a chapter for that year. Please add your stories from previous years as well. Skateylove and thanks. We hope you enjoy our Athens to Atlanta Roadskate stories!

A2A2007

 

Duane and I signed up for the 38 mile event toward end of the season. We had fond memory of the smooth pavement, chain-towing puppy, missing road, and gator back from our 2003 Texas Flyer team skate. I had vague recollection of the last 49 miles: insufficient hills, rough pavement, and a lot of traffic-basically things I can find in north Texas.

 

After Rolling in Randolph's 50 very hilly miles, I knew I had better get some last minute work in on my skate boots (more on this later). After some smoothing with stone grinding bits, I used marine epoxy and black silicone to do the best I could to put my old Verduccis back in shape...a reasonably smooth footbed shape, that is. Once I finshed that, or thought I had, I set my mind to another obsession...decorating my skate frames.

Here's my video from Athens to Atlanta 2007. For best results you may want to turn the sound off and go make some coffee, or pause the video while it loads for awhile. Once it has played to the end, subsequent plays should be glitch-free. I'd like to hear what system (win/lin/mac) and browser (ie/ff/op/saf/etc.) you are using and whether it worked for you. I hope you like it enough to leave a comment!

The Athens to Atlanta Roadskate took place on October 7, 2007, and it was a warm day especially for those not in the lead group. Temperatures in the upper 60s even an hour and a half into the event quickly rose from 70 at 9 am to 80 in ATL by 1 pm, five and a half hours along. For those finishing later, temps rose to 82 and stayed there until all finishers were through.

Check out my photos here:

My 2006 A2A story: (a bit long-winded, but fun to remember anyhow.)

***Before reading this story, please note that I skated the A2A on quads, not inlines. This might help explain some of my equipment 'issues'.

2000 was the 19th Anniversary Edition of the Athens to Atlanta Roadskate.

Please add your 2000 A2A story to this chapter of the Athens to Atlanta History Project! After you've written and posted your story, use the Outline tab to select "2000 A2A Journals" as the parent of your article. If your story is for another year, contact me or leave it be and I will add a Chapter for that year.

2001 was the 20th Anniversary Edition of the Athens to Atlanta Roadskate.

Please add your 2001 A2A story to this chapter of the Athens to Atlanta History Project! After you've written and posted your story, use the Outline tab to select "2001 A2A Journals" as the parent of your article. If your story is for another year, contact me or leave it be and I will add a Chapter for that year.

2002 was the 21st Anniversary Edition of the Athens to Atlanta Roadskate.

Please add your 2002 A2A story to this chapter of the Athens to Atlanta History Project! After you've written and posted your story, use the Outline tab to select "2002 A2A Journals" as the parent of your article. If your story is for another year, contact me or leave it be and I will add a Chapter for that year.

2004 was the 23rd Anniversary Edition of the Athens to Atlanta Roadskate.

Please add your 2004 A2A story to this chapter of the Athens to Atlanta History Project! After you've written and posted your story, use the Outline tab to select "2004 A2A Journals" as the parent of your article. If your story is for another year, contact me or leave it be and I will add a Chapter for that year.

In 2005, several iterations of the A2A took place. The club version was the Outlaw, and three Roadskater.net skaters did the course on the originally planned day, calling that the Sidekick. Another Roadskater.net member provided support. The effort was to make sure that there was a 24th Anniversary Edition, and the two groups each tried to ensure that by skating the course for 2005. Other successful attempts followed the Outlaw and the Sidekick.

I actually posted this on my personal website, but thought it might be appreciated here. Hope you enjoy it!
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I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.
A2A 2004

Welcome to the Roadskater.net Athens to Atlanta A2A Book. You can be part of this project if you would like, adding your stories from the road to the History Project, advice on training to the Training Guide, and hints for survival or other glory to the Strategy Guide.

Here's a place to keep hints and tips for strategy on the big day when you actually skate from Athens to Atlanta, Georgia. Weekend preparations and other advice is suitable here, as well as notes on the course, and anything else that would help a racer or a tourer make their way along with maximum speed, safety and pleasurable pain.

In 2006, the weather was light rain before the event, wet roads in the first thirty miles or so, with sunshine most of the day. The temperature in Atlanta was 60 at start time, rising to 74 by noon, reaching 80 by 2 pm and 82 degrees by 4 pm. Winds were light in the morning and from the south, rising to around 10 mph from the west at midday, dropping then peaking again to 10-12 in midafternoon from the north. Please add your story to this chapter of the Athens to Atlanta History Project! After you've written and posted your story, use the Outline tab to select "2006 A2A Journals" as the parent of your article. If your story is for another year, contact me or leave it be and I will add a Chapter for that year. Blake

This is the Athens to Atlanta History Project, where we hope to gather stories from the actual days of the event over the years. At first, this will be for 2006, I'm sure, but we want your stories from any year you can remember! Please add your story by joining the site, then blogging or adding your post to the AthensToAtlanta.com forum.