7TH ANNUAL CHQ GRAN FONDO
2021
Mayville, NY — The seventh annual Chautauqua Gran Fondo took place on Saturday, August 21, 2021, with sultry summer temps under perfectly sunny skies. In the early morning on the day of the event, over 500 cyclists of varied ages and skill levels gathered at Mayville Lakeside Park to participate in this end-of-summer community event.
THE RIDE
Designed for cyclists of all ages and skill levels, the Chautauqua Gran Fondo has three beautiful routes — all with scenic rolling hills and amazing lake views.
The 20-Mile route, designed for social riders, featured a trip across the lake on the historic Bemus Point-Stow Ferry. This gave riders a unique opportunity to relax, enjoy refreshments (provided at the nearby aid station) and take in a lake breeze before making the return trip to the park.
For fitness enthusiasts, the 40-Mile route brought cyclists on a full loop of Chautauqua Lake, where they pedaled past Midway State Park, through Bemus Point and on to Jamestown, Celoron and Lakewood on the south end of the lake. This year, there was a detour due to construction just outside of Dewittville and Camp Onyhassa graciously accommodated our riders with a path back to our regular route.
The 60-Mile route, a special challenge designed for experienced cyclists, features a climb over the Chautauqua Ridge through historic Westfield and up to Lake Erie’s Barcelona Lighthouse before returning to Chautauqua Lake to complete the loop.
This year, fully stocked aid stations were located at points around the lake including the Barcelona Lighthouse, Crosby’s in Hartfield, Bemus Point Golf Club and Tap House, Lucille Ball Memorial Park - Celeron, Group Ther-Happy - Lakewood, Hadley Bay and at the entrance to the Bemus Point - Stow Ferry.
THE PARTY
Following the ride, cyclists returned to Mayville Lakeside Park for lunch provided by Sticks & Bricks Wood Fired Pizza of Erie and Mayville’s own Big Inlet Brewing was on hand to provide cold beer and refreshments.
Family and friends were welcome to enjoy the celebration under the canopy of trees at the park with beautiful views of Chautauqua Lake and the breezy sounds of summer with DJ Campbell Dawson.
CHARITY
This event, hosted by the Chautauqua Region Music Alliance (CRMA), raised over $3,000 in support of local charities including The Creche, The Bemus Point - Stow Ferry and the Mayville Library.
Event organizers agree that the Chautauqua Gran Fondo is an amazing community event and we are thrilled to see participants returning year-after-year. This event, designed for riders of all ages, is such a great way to promote tourism around Chautauqua Lake while raising funds for local charities.
We are grateful for the support and dedication of our volunteers, sponsors and event partners that work tirelessly to make this a safe and memorable event for all to enjoy.
SAVE THE DATE
The eighth annual Chautauqua Gran Fondo is scheduled for Saturday, August 20, 2022 and will once again take place at Mayville Lakeside Park. Early registration is now open, with $10 of every registration going straight to charity.
