Friday, August 27, 2004

From Washington to Washington by bike

Valley cyclists ride cross-country


By MEGAN THOMAS
Express Staff Writer

Snaque Rollo of Hailey leaves on Saturday to bike across the country. Her ride benefits a breast cancer patient.

Two cyclists from the Wood River Valley are about to see the United States from sea to shining sea. That?s a lot of scenery on a bike, 3,200 miles to be exact.

Snaque Rollo, 60, of Hailey and Reuben Perin, 65, of Sun Valley leave from Seattle on Saturday, Aug. 28, for a 48-day bike tour across the country. The trek begins from the Space Needle in Seattle, traverses the country, and ends at the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. Perin?s prep-school room-mate from Massachusetts will join the ride.

?I?ve always wanted to ride across the country,? Rollo explained.

In 1997, Rollo and her friend, Judy came across the American Lung Association ride scheduled for June 1998. Although Rollo?s friend completed the ride, the timing of the 1998 race did not work with Rollo?s family obligations. But, the idea of a cross-country ride further ignited her lifelong dream.

?I said by the time I?m 60 I want to do the ride,? Rollo commented. ?I want to see what she saw.?

Rollo, now 60, plans to follow the same route taken by the American Lung Association riders, accompanied by her two fellow riders.

The cross-country ride happens a year later than Rollo and Perin originally planned. The two intended to make the trek a year ago. Last year, a training tumble left Perin with a broken hip and delayed the trip.

Luckily, Perin is back on the saddle, thanks to ?the good doctors in town and a lot of therapy,? he said.

With the delay, the two gained another year of training. Both ride regularly to Galena, Stanley, Carey and beyond.

?It?s a great place to train with the high altitude, a great bike path and good roads,? Perin said.

In addition to the physical training, Rollo also attended a weeklong bike mechanic school at the United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, Ore. Now, she can adjust or diagnose virtually any mechanical problem with a bicycle.

Both Rollo and Perin carry humble spirits ready to tackle an average of 80 miles a day.

Their spouses plan to help along the way. Perin?s wife Susan will drive the support Suburban, outfitted with flashing lights and a ?Bikes Ahead? sign. Rollo?s husband Ford will drive the couple?s RV, scouting for fishing and golfing sites along the way.

With the support of her family and friends, Rollo decided to support someone else through her bicycle adventure.

?My sister said I needed to do it for a cause,? Rollo stated.

The cause is Christine Shanto of Texas, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2004.

Rollo finds the cause close to her heart. Her mother died from breast cancer and both of her sisters are breast cancer survivors.

Donations on behalf of Rollo?s ride for Shanto, can be sent to the Christine Anne Shanto Fund, at P.O. Box 22, Henrietta, NY 14467.




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