'Ride, eat, sleep, repeat'

SANDPOINT — Four Sandpoint women are eager to tackle a monstrous challenge, cycling around the clock from the West Coast to the East Coast as the 2012 Race Across America kicks off today in Oceanside, Calif.

For the next week or so, the team members will pedal more than 3,000 miles, passing through 12 states and climbing more than 170,000 feet en route to the finish line in Annapolis, Md.

Their goal is to finish the race in seven days, which requires that each rider churn out more than 100 miles of asphalt each day, while also trying to raise as much money and awareness for the cause of autism as possible.

Crew chief Judy Thompson put the rigorous demands of the race in a unique perspective.

“Ride, eat, sleep, repeat,” described Thompson, who will manage not just the four cyclists, but also an 11-person support crew. “If you’re lucky, you can shower.”

Prior to one of the biggest challenges of their lives, each rider was asked what they were looking forward to most, and the answers varied as much as the cross country terrain, which starts and ends at sea level and peaks at 10,856 feet.

“I just want to ride my bike,” said Julie Nye.

“The starting line, I’m excited to just get there,” answered Kathi Riba Crane.

“The finish line; isn’t that what you look forward to most in any race?” asked Arlene Cook.

“I just want to start,” said Gina Pucci-Deprez. “I think I’ll calm down once I start.”

After listening to all four riders answer, Thompson offered her own viewpoint, spoken like a true crew chief.

“I want to have day one in the rearview mirror, just know that we’re out there,” she said. “We want to have fun, be safe and get there in a timely manner.”

The team’s modus operandi is to have Cook and Riba Crane alternate 30-minute rides for six straight hours, before Pucci-Deprez and Nye take their six-hour pull, only to repeat the cycle again and again. If all goes well, the pair not riding can get some much-needed sleep as each rider will ultimately crank out more than 100 miles per day.

Getting enough sleep — not just for the riders but also for the crew — was one of the main things this year’s team gleaned from last year’s initial incarnation of Team Laughing Dog. Wayne Pignolet, Mike Murray, Al Lemire and Jacob Styer finished the 2011 race and helped lay the groundwork for this year, when four intrepid women decided to pick up the torch.

Team Laughing Dog is one of 25 four-person teams registered, of which only two are female. While only four women will be doing the actual pedaling, each acknowledge the importance of the entire crew, without which the undertaking simply wouldn’t be possible.

Weather will no doubt play a factor, from head winds and rain to the oppressive heat and humidity that is sure to be waiting in the Midwest.

“We’re used to the wind, rain, snow and all of that,” said Riba Crane. “But we’re not used to the heat.”

While finishing and posting a fast time is important, it pales in comparison to the team’s effort to raise funds and awareness for autism. The team set a goal of raising more than $40,000, money that will change the lives of many North Idaho residents dealing with the effects of autism. With the help of scores of community members, they’re well on their way to hitting the goal.

The money raised from last year’s team helped the Panhandle Autism Society purchase nine iPads for Bonner and Boundary County families. The iPads are a valuable learning tool for kids on the autism spectrum. Cathy Kowalski, a board member of PAS, said the money has a direct impact on services provided in the area.

“Because of Team Laughing Dog and their incredible effort, nine children are given a tool to help with their wants and desires,” said Kowalski, who is moved by the fact that none of this year’s riders have loved ones with autism. “It’s easy when you have that connection, but these women have a desire to give back to people they don’t know. They’ve been training so hard, pushing their mind and body to the limit, because they want to help people.”

For more information, to follow the team’s progress or to make a donation, go online to www.teamlaughingdog.com.