Fenner Ride

October is a great time to get outside, enjoy the cooler temperatures, reconnect with nature, and enjoy all that life has to offer. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, along with the West Florida Wheelmen Bicycle Club present the annual Fenner McConnell / Matt Wantz Memorial – Blackwater Heritage Century Ride, a chance to ride through the beautiful Blackwater State Forest.

Also known as the Fenner Ride for short, this cycling event is dedicated to the memory of Fenner McConnell and Matt Wantz. Both men were avid cyclists and former members of the West Florida Wheelmen. Dr. Fenner McConnell, a medical examiner for a four-county district in the Panhandle, was killed in 1998 by a hit-and-run driver as he rode his bicycle across the Bob Sikes Bridge, which connects Pensacola to Santa Rosa Island. Matt was tragically killed while working in a local bike shop.

The ride takes cyclist from the historic city of Milton, all the way to the woodlands of the Blackwater Forest, and back again. Along the way, the winding course gives a unique chance to experience Northwest Florida’s native wildlife, natural environments, and beautiful scenery. A ride for all cycling levels, you choose 18, 42, 62, or 100 mile routes.  All routes offer the same peaceful nature experience, and are part of the Beaches to Woodlands Tour that occurs in Santa Rosa County, Florida each year.