Touring Russian cyclist makes Midtown pit stop after friends’ jest turns prophetic

Midtown dentist Dr. Joel Benk recently filled the 'hole in the head' of touring Russian cyclist, all for a good cause and in the spirit of Southern hospitality.

By Margaret M. Jones When Russian cyclist Paul Grachev planned a round-the-world bicycle tour, some friends joked that he must have a hole in his head. In Midtown Atlanta, he admitted they were right. Paul and fellow athlete Alen Khayrullin left Russia and rode west from their home town of Kazan in Tatarstan into Western Europe. They planned to cover 12,000 miles and visit 13 countries before returning home by July 6th in time for the Opening Ceremony of the 2013 Universiade, an international multi-sport event for university athletes. Kazan, the thousand-year-old capital of Tatarstan (a Russian State), is the sixth largest city in Russia. Kazan has been called the “Sports Capital of Russia.” The pair entered the United States in late …

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Rolling Street Fest Heads to Midtown to Promote Cycling and Walking

Last spring, Atlanta Streets Alive event drew hundreds of walkers and cyclists to N. Highland Ave. In 2013, the event will take over a section of Peachtree Street.

  by Rebecca Serna At the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s Blinkie Awards earlier this month, Mayor Kasim Reed made a commitment of $50,000 to help bring Atlanta Streets Alive to Peachtree Street. As the executive director of Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, I cannot tell you how much this means, not only to members of our organization but to our city as a whole. Atlanta Streets Alive is an open streets initiative that the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition organizes for our community. Atlanta Streets Alive creates a vibrant experience of city streets for people on foot and on bike. This year, Peachtree Street will be opened to people and temporarily closed to cars, to celebrate human powered amusement and transportation. We are so excited to traverse Atlanta…

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Anna Varela

6:20 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2013

According to the Atlanta Streets Alive website, the event will span Peachtree from Ellis St. in the Downtown area through Midtown to Spring Street.   more ›

Letters to the Editor

Cycling for a Cause

Upcoming Crank It Up party and Spin for Kids offer great chance to help Camp Twin Lakes

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been an avid cyclist. The benefits are significant: cycling keeps me in shape and is a fantastic stress reliever. This fall, though, I will hit the road not for myself but for the kids of Camp Twin Lakes. And I'm hoping you will consider doing the same? The seventh annual Spin for Kids will take place the weekend of Oct. 20-21 and will feature several beautiful road bike routes through Madison and Rutledge, Ga., for cyclists of all skill levels, as well as a mountain bike ride at Fort Yargo State Park. Riders will raise funds by getting sponsors to donate money to support their involvement in the ride. All of the donations will go to Camp Twin Lakes, a nonprofit organization that offers year-round therapeutic …

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Bicycle Tours of Atlanta Announces Relocation Tours of Midtown Neighborhoods

Bicycle Tours of Atlanta is offering real estate tours for potential Midtown residents or anyone else who wants to explore the area's properties by bike.

Bicycle Tours of Atlanta (BTA) has announced a partnership with Atlanta Intown Real Estate Services to create a series of Relocation Bicycle Tours.  The tours are designed to educate people moving to Atlanta or anyone curious about the city’s real estate market. A representative from Atlanta Intown Real Estate Services will take part in the tours to share details regarding property values, schools, area amenities and lending options. The tours also allow prospective investors to get a feel of the many historic neighborhoods the city has to offer. “Being a native of Atlanta, I know how distinctively different our intown neighborhoods are and that each one has their own personality,” Robyn Elliott, founder and tour leader of Bicycle Tours of…

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