More than 1,000 cyclists will spend the night in Statesboro Friday as part of the 44th annual Bicycle Ride Across Georgia.

Cyclists taking part in the 2024 ride are stopping in communities along the Georgia Hi-Lo Trail. The "City to Sea" ride began in Atlanta last Saturday and takes cyclists through several towns situated along the proposed 211-mile Hi-Lo Trail. 

After stopping in Sand-ersville and Tennille in Washington County, the group will spend the night Thursday in Swainsboro. Riders will head through Twin City, and then stop in Statesboro for the night on Friday. Saturday, the final day of the ride, takes cyclists through Effing-ham County and onto Guyton, Bloom-ingdale and Savannah for the finish.

“Events like Bicycle Across Georgia and the Athens to Savannah Ride bring bicycle tourism to our communities and confirm what we have known,” said Becky Sanders, president and CEO of Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau. “These visitors are a good fit for Statesboro. They don’t just bring tax dollars. They help drive awareness for our community and the Georgia Hi-Lo Trail mission, which boosts support to complete our segment of the trail. We are so pleased to see Statesboro included in BRAG’s route this year!" 

While in Statesboro, the cyclists, some community leaders and local press are invited to attend screenings of the documentary film “Searching Hi & Lo.” The film explores the mission behind the Georgia Hi-Lo Trail and will be screened at 5 p.m. in the RAC Seminar Room of Georgia Southern University. 

Bike Across Georgia has grown into an annual event and offers multiple experiences each year, boasting an audience of over 3,000 riders. The week-long ride is a curated experience highlighting routes along Georgia's diverse landscape that include local sites, entertainment, activities, food and beverages. 

"We are ecstatic to help host BRAG and showcase Georgia Hi-Lo Trail communities," said Mary Charles Howard, Founder and Executive Director of Georgia Hi-Lo Trail, Inc. "Our team works in these communities, and we see the beauty and hospitality they offer. Drawing an event like BRAG is not just validation. It will be a tremendous boost for the local economies."