1995 Gainesville Cycling Festival

Santa Fe Century Report

As the morning dawned, a thin cloud cover kept the hot sun off the riders charging down Millhopper Road behind the Saturn pace car, ably directed by Robert Barnhill. Ride Director Bear Bryan's Alachua County Sheriff's Deputies cleared the way (and even handed out a couple of speeding tickets to errant drivers!). The pace was fast enough that the volunteers were just unloading at each rest stop as the lead peleton approached. Most of the lead group stopped at Myrtis, but a half dozen continued on to Worthington Springs to avoid the crowd. After "resting in the back" for most of the ride, Ralph Schlief sprinted past workhorse Sean Nickerson to finish first. Total riding time was 4:29, with about a 5 minute stop.

Most riders went at a more civil pace, and thus were able to enjoy the outstanding rural scenery along the route, and partake of the well-stocked rest stops. The sun came out in the afternoon, allowing riders to work on their tans, though temperatures did not approach those of 1993.

Horse Farm Hundred Report

It was the turn of the Gainesville Police Department to shine, as Officer Henry Langston led the peleton out from Morningside Nature Center. It became rapidly apparent that the challenge of a tougher course and a Triple Crown Century had brought out more horsepower to drive the group. This lead to the inevitable, as just south of Micanopy several smaller groups formed. Reports from the field vary, including some ebb and flow, some (gasp!) cutting the course short, but all pointed to a great effort by Gainesville's Mike Gann, who finished first, off the front, in about 4:45 riding time, with a short stop at lunch.

Mike Gann

A large number of riders have discovered the wonderful Horse Farm Tours leaving from Calawood Campground. These rides provided a relaxed tour through the most scenic roads of the Horse Farm Hundred, but without riding to and from Gainesville. The facilities supporting this venue are great, including indoor showers, a swimming pool, a shaded rest area, and a petting zoo for the kids.

Gainesville Cycling Festival

By The Numbers

We had 370 persons register this year, up from last years wet 327, but below the record of 418 in 1993. Of these persons, 324 actually rode one of the rides; 59 rode on both days. Despite our great weather, we had record no-shows of 30 registrants.

The Santa Fe Century had 184 riders, 122 doing the century, 59 the half, and the other 3 didn't tell. About 50 persons ate breakfast and around 150 had the Fazoli's spaghetti dinner.

The Horse Farm Hundred drew 194 riders to the start line, 106 at Morningside to do the century, and at Calawood, 58 for the half and 25 for the quarter; 5 didn't tell.

Including the police and ham radio support for the Horse Farm Hundred, the GCC handed out around 50 volunteer T-shirts--it takes a lot of people to pull off an event of this magnitude smoothly! Thanks to one and all! As always, the lunch stop was one of the most popular places in Marion county--most riders spent lots of time sprawled on the lawn atop the scenic hill, devouring the best rest stop spread in the state. Plan now to ride or volunteer for next year's Horse Farm Hundred, October 6, 1996.

HOMETOWNS OF GAINESVILLE CYCLING FESTIVAL RIDERS

Alachua FL                2
Altamonte Springs FL      7
Apopka FL                 2
Archer FL                 2
Beverly Hills FL          1
Boca Raton FL             1
Bonita Springs FL         1
Bradenton FL              2
Brandon FL                2
Citrus Springs FL         1
Clearwater FL             2
Clermont FL               6
Cocoa Beach FL            1
Crystal River FL          1
Deland FL                 1
Deltona FL                2
Dunnellon FL              3
Earleton FL               2
Englewood FL              1
Eustis FL                 2
Ft Lauderdale FL          1
Ft Myers FL               1
Gainesville FL          139
Gulfport FL               2
Hawthorne FL              2
Hernando FL               1
Indialantic FL            1
Indian Harbour Beach FL   1
Jacksonville FL          24
Jensen Beach FL           2
Keystone Heights FL       1
Lake City FL              1
Lake Mary FL              1
Lakeland FL               2
Largo FL                  3
Lecanto FL                1
Lighthouse Point FL       1
Lithia FL                 1
Longwood FL               3
Lutz FL                   2
Maitland FL               3
Mayo FL                   1
Melbourne FL              1
Melbourne Village FL      1
Merritt Island FL         5
Miami FL                  3
Micanopy FL               6
Murdock FL                1
Naples FL                 1
New Port Richey FL        1
New Smyrna Beach FL       1
Newberry FL               2
Ocala FL                  1
Ocoee FL                  2
Orange Park FL            4
Orlando FL               18
Palatka FL                4
Palm Bay FL               5
Palm Harbor FL            1
Perry FL                  2
Plant City FL             2
Port Orange FL            2
Riverview FL              1
Rockledge FL              1
S. Merritt Island FL      1
Safety Harbor FL          1
San Mateo FL              1
Sanibel FL                1
Sarasota FL              10
Satellite Beach FL        1
Sebring FL                2
Seminole FL               2
Spring Hill FL            1
St Augustine FL           2
St Petersburg FL          8
Tallahassee FL            5
Tampa FL                  7
Tavares FL                1
Temple Terrace FL         1
Titusville FL             3
Venice FL                 3
Williston FL              3
Winter Garden FL          1
Winter Haven FL           1
Winter Park FL            4
Winter Springs FL         2
Atlanta GA                1
Dunwoody GA               2
Savannah GA               1
St Simons Island GA       1
Valdosta GA               2
Charleston SC             1
Mechanicsville VA         2