GREENFIELD — While it might seem daunting to some, 70-year-old John Rihm hopped on his bike and rode over 25 miles Thursday evening.
To the Greenfield retiree, there’s no better way to end a summer’s day than by whisking past the cornfields and breathing in the fresh air.
The avid cyclist is among the hundreds of people who are looking forward to the Hancock Flat 50 bike race on Saturday, Aug. 26.
This will be the seventh year for the annual event, which started in 2016 but skipped a year due to COVID.
Rihm has ridden in it every year.
“I did the whole 50 miles the first few years, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve been doing the 25-mile,” said Rihm, a retired teacher who serves on Greenfield’s park board and school board.
It’s the camaraderie with fellow cyclists that he enjoys the most.
“I like to ride with other people, so I have friends who sign up and I ride along with them. I also enjoy the health benefits and the scenery,” he said.
“Pretty much anybody can ride 25 miles. You don’t need to go out and buy a $1,000 bike,” said Rihm. “If you go further than that you might need a better bike and a little bit of training, but it can be done.”
He encourages newcomers to join a weekly riding group that meets just south of the Hancock County Annex at 6 p.m. Wednesdays.
Cyclists disperse in two groups — one does 25 miles while the other does 16. The latter is a “no drop” group, which means if someone slows down, someone else will slow down with them.
The allure of the open road is largely what keeps riders coming back to the mostly rural Flat 50 each year
Last year’s event had 729 registrants and 679 checked in.
“There are currently 600 riders registered this year, but I anticipate a spike in registrations over the next few days. We anticipate close to 750 riders this year,” said Teri House Gottschalk, who helps organize the event hosted by Healthy 365.
The Flat 50 is know to have a nationwide draw for cycling enthusiasts.
“We currently have riders from Indiana and 10 other states — Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee and Texas,” said Gottschalk, adding that a few tweaks have been made to this year’s event.
“There has been a slight alteration to the route to provide a smoother ride for participants,” she said, “and we have also increased signage with support from the Community Foundation of Hancock County.”
Signage will go up this weekend along the more rural parts of the route to alert homeowners and motorists to the hundreds of bikers coming through on race day.
“We wanted to provide advance info about the increase in bike traffic that will occur on county roads, and also hopefully help remind people to be mindful of animals who typically roam,” said Gottschalk.
“Additional traffic control points will be manned by officers from the Greenfield Police Department, Hancock County Sheriff’s Department and authorized (Emergency Medical Associates) to keep riders and motorists safe at key intersections.”
Gottschalk said added activity has also been planned for the night before the race on Friday, Aug. 25, “to provide opportunities for riders coming from out of town to explore more of what Greenfield and Hancock County have to offer.”
Children can gather in the Hancock County Annex parking lot at 5 p.m. to select decorations for dressing up their bikes. Advance registration is not required, but participants will need to sign a waiver before the ride.
Downtown Greenfield will also be abuzz with activity that night, with food and activities along North Street and the Living Alley from 6-9 p.m. Vendors will include Tyner Pond Grill, the Snowy Bus, a Wooden Bear beer tent, Penny Lane photo bus, Nine13 Sports, as well as live music by Craig Moore and a cornhole tournament by Indy Cornhole. Organic Robot will also be doing on-site printing for Flat 50 items.
The after-party on Saturday, Aug. 26 will also be packed with fun, said Gottschalk.
North Street and the Living Alley — where the race starts and finishes — will feature live music, food and drinks from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors will also be on site, along with a recovery area sponsored by Hancock Health Wellness Centers.
To register for the Hancock Flat 50, visit HancockFlat50.com or email [email protected] with questions.
The current cost to register is $50 but will jump to $65 Aug. 22. Same day registration is available at an additional cost.
