HANCOCK COUNTY — A record number of cyclists turned out for the sixth annual Hancock Flat 50 on Saturday, August 27.
All but 50 of the 729 riders who registered turned out for the event, which was held under sunny blue skies on Saturday, August 27 on various Hancock County roads.
Riders ranged in age from 7 to 82 years old, said Teri Gottschalk, an education navigator for Healthy 365, the nonprofit which founded the event in 2016.
The turnout was a huge jump from the previous year, which drew a record 540 riders at the time.
A new pre-party called Flat 50 Friday @ the Bear was held Friday night outside Wooden Bear Brewing Co. in downtown Greenfield, featuring live music, food trucks and a cornhole tournament.
The race started and ended on North Street just west of the brewery Saturday morning, when hundreds of riders and bicycles filled the street.
An after-party was held in the Living Alley following the event, which organizers said went tremendously well.
“I thought it was great. It was the biggest event we’ve had yet, and I feel like we had the least amount of issues. It went very smoothly,” said Mitch Doran, owner of the Family Bike Chain shop in downtown Greenfield and a founding member of the Hancock Flat 50 planning team.
His shop was busy all day Saturday as cyclists stopped in to shop or get minor repairs done to their bikes.
As both a local business owner and avid cyclist, Doran thinks the annual bike race is a huge boon for Hancock County.
“It definitely has the potential to keep growing,” he said.
While registration fees and expenses were still being tabulated as of Monday, Gottschalk said approximately $15,000 in proceeds will be donated to the Hancock County Trails Master Plan.
“This will bring the total donated over the six years of the event to $56,000,” she said.
The trails plan was designed with the hope to one day connect trails and parks throughout the county, which Doran feels would be a tremendous benefit to county residents and guests.
“Everything I’ve heard about the (connector) trails so far has been very positive. I think everyone loves them,” said Doran, of the new Greenfield trails that have recently connected Beckenholdt Park to the city trail system and the Pennsy Trail to Brandywine Park.
“Having everything connected will be really nice. I think a lot of people are really looking forward to it, and they appreciate the Hancock Flat 50 even more” because part of the proceeds support the trail efforts, he said.
Registration is already open for next year’s Hancock Flat 50, which will be held on Saturday, August 26. Those who register by Sept. 30 this year will receive $10 off the $50 registration fee.
For more information, visit HancockFlat50.com.
