Grainger Headed in Right Direction
A few months ago, Michelle Grainger of Portland, Ore., came to Southern California to ride the first 200 miles of the 2,922-mile bicycle Race Across America.
Her goal was twofold. She wanted to get a feel for riding in the desert heat, and also get to know that part of the course.
The way things are now, her plan seems to have worked well. Grainger is in second place after 2 1/2 days of the race. Grainger trailed first-place Kay Ryschon of Omaha, Neb., by about 5 hours before finally taking a sleep break Tuesday night. Ryschon had covered almost 730 miles as of 9 p.m. (PDT).
But, the truth be known, Grainger’s placement is more because of riding almost 40 hours without a break longer than 30 minutes.
Despite all her planning, Grainger’s start Sunday morning was a calamity.
She joined a group of local riders helping out instead of the racers as everyone left Yorba Linda Park.
Grainger ended up lost along the Santa Ana River bike trail and was sure of only how to get back to the Irvine Marriott.
She headed back to the hotel where the race celebration had taken place earlier that day and hoped to get some help.
Race officials at the hotel decided to drive her to the actual starting line in Corona.
“I really don’t know how it could have happened,” race director John Marino said. “That’s the reason we keep everyone in a pack, so no one gets lost.”
Grainger arrived at the line in Corona 2 hours after the start.
“I had seen the course before and I knew I was lost,” Grainger said. “I wasn’t devastated, but I was (angry). I figured it would be a few days before I started to see anybody.”
But Grainger, a 29-year old RAAM rookie, began passing riders in the first 125 miles.
“I guess it (starting late) gave me more motivation to rip up the road. I really don’t know what happen at the start. I just rolled out and was lost all of a sudden.”
Now, her late start has become the early talk of the race.
“People have asked about it at every time station,” Grainger said. “But I guess that’s good. At least they know who I am.”
Rich Fedrigon of Chicago has taken the lead in the men’s division. he passed time station 13 in Durango, Col. at 7:30 p.m. (PDT) and was about 20 miles past that at 9 p.m. (PDT), 864 miles into the race.
Bob Fourney of Denver is second, eight minutes behind the leader. Rob Kish of Port Orange, Fla. is third, 41 minutes behind.
Jim Penseyres of San Juan Capistrano is in 14th place, 7 hours behind.
Premananda Childs of Greenwich, Conn., who was among the top riders for the first two days, dropped out Tuesday because of nutrition problems.
The tandem team of Lon Haldeman of Harvard, Ill. and Pete Penseyres of Fallbrook have opened up a 2-hour lead over Bob Breedlove of Des Moines, Iowa, and Roger Charleville of Cincinnati after about 580 miles.
Grainger was one of many riders who used vacant Navajo Indian selling booths, which dot Arizona route 160 through the Indian reservation, as rest stops.
The tables offered the riders a spot out of the sun to lay down and get a massage, sleep, eat or all three.
AUG. 7 STATUS:
Temperature: 90 degrees
Conditions: partly cloudy with light winds
Leader: Rich Fedrigon, 38, of Chicago
Location: 22 miles east of Durango, Colo., 864 miles into race.