Nut Roll returns to Albany area roadways Saturday

ALBANY — The spinning wheels of bicyclists will return to southwest Georgia this weekend for the 17th Pecan City Pedalers Nut Roll after the event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Riders from Georgia and at least three other states will travel through parts of Dougherty, Lee, Terrell, Sumter and Webster counties in the four riding categories that range from 32 miles to a century ride that is actually 104 miles and will take riders from Chehaw Park to Plains and back.

Through Wednesday, about 200 riders had registered and another 40 or so were expected to join later this week or on the day of the ride.

Prior to the pandemic, about 400 riders took part in the group’s annual signature ride, but some of those who have participated in the past still are not ready to return to large events, Roger Haggerty, president of the Pecan City Pedalers cycling club, said.

“We had back and forth this year and figured if we ask people to mask and social distance up until the time of the start” we would be OK, he said. “We’re following all the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines.”

In previous years, there was a social at the Pretoria Fields Collective Brewery the night prior to the ride. This year, participants will eat a box lunch on the Chehaw Park grounds.

Although some regulars expressed reservations this year due to the pandemic, Haggerty said he expects those riders will return in the future.

Registered riders range from teenagers to those in their 80s from Georgia as well as Alabama, Florida and South Carolina.

This year, law enforcement officers with the Dougherty County Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department and Georgia State Patrol will be on the roads along the route as another safety measure, Haggerty said.

There also are several rest stops along the way where riders can get a snack and a drink.

Proceeds from the ride go toward promoting bicycling and raising awareness of the presence of cyclists on roadways, including the placing of “Share the Road” signs. Registration is $50 prior to Saturday and $60 on the day of the ride.

Club member Rachelle Bitterman said drivers can expect to see a large number of riders on the roads and reminded them to respect the riders’ space on roadways. Georgia law allows riders to travel two abreast and requires giving at least three feet of space between passing cars and bicyclists.

The riders will take Philema Road to Jefferson Street, then turn on Lovers Lane Road before splitting off for the rides of 32, 45, 64 and 100 miles that will take them to their various destinations of Bronwood, Leesburg and Plains.

“One of the main things is letting motorists know there’s going to be a lot of riders on these roads,” Bitterman said. “We really do have a lot of people coming in from all over. Saturday is looking like it’s going to be gorgeous, so we’ll probably end up hosting 250 riders.”

Early ride package pick-up is from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday at Chehaw. Riders usually start arriving at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, and the ride starts at 7:30 a.m.

Riders can register by visiting www.registernutroll.com.

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