Sturgis, Team Laughing Dog ready to Race Across America

SANDPOINT — For the fifth straight year, a team of cyclists from Sandpoint are set to traverse the United States, pedaling more than 3,000 miles as part of the annual Race Across America.

But this one is extra personal.

Sitting in the bike saddle at the start line tomorrow morning in Oceanside, Calif., will be Sandpoint 70-year-old Dave Sturgis, who will have a little extra motivation as he helps Team Laughing Dog pedal its way nonstop to Annapolis, Md.

Sturgis is the grandfather of local 8-year-old Henry Sturgis, who has Cystinosis and for whom the organization 24 Hours for Hank is named. Six years ago, grandpa made a promise to Hank that he has every intention of keeping.

“When Henry was 2 years old, I made a commitment to do everything I could to help him,” said Sturgis, who has been a crew member on two previous RAAM adventures before deciding to ride for the first time. “That kept coming back to me, I made that promise. It made sense to take on the event.”

Sturgis will join locals Arlene Cook and Kirk Johnson, and California resident Bob Robinson, 71, in the fifth iteration of Team Laughing Dog, which will once again be riding for 24 Hours for Hank, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for the rare genetic disease Cystinosis.

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Sturgis has set a goal of raising more than $150,000 to contribute to research, which will help offset the cancellation of 24 Hours of Schweitzer, the annual winter Cystinosis fundraiser. Good friend Mel Dick, who along with Brandon Peterson will co-crew chief the ride, was a driving force in getting Sturgis to tackle the challenge.

“Mel has always been committed to 24 Hours, his family has supported it from day one. He said ‘I really want to help you find a cure.’ He said ‘you’re going to have to ride,’ ” recalled Sturgis, who says a cure for Hank is getting closer. “They have a day of hope, and at the last event they announced that in 2016 a clinical trial will move forward with a genetic reverse of the disease.”

To prepare for the rigors of the round-the-clock ride, where the four riders hope to average somewhere around 400 miles a day, Sturgis has been riding between 30-40 miles a day in training. Dick has helped him along the way, and Don and Sue Helander gave him a free membership to train at the SWAC all winter.

Sturgis, a former college football player who tried out for the New Orleans Saints back in the day, was tipping the scales at 260 when he started, and the pounds and sweat have been flying off ever since.

“The other day I was 208 pounds,” claimed a proud and fit Sturgis, looking nothing close to his actual age. “I can tell you it’s a lot easier to ride a bike.”

Johnson, 43, has been a part of the crew for all of the previous four rides, including as crew chief last year. He said part of the RAAM adventure lies in the variability of weather. Will the team be helped by a tail-wind and cool weather, or hurt by a brisk headwind and strength-zapping heat? Only Mother Nature knows.

After being tasked with handling the myriad logistics as crew chief, and they are many as 12 crew members help make the cross-country journey possible, this year Johnson will get a completely different perspective, swapping a car seat for a bike seat.

“Participating in the Race Across America, but seeing it through a different lens,” described Johnson, who loves the freedom of being on a bike. “It’s kind of a Zen state, especially road biking. In mountain biking, you’re constantly evaluating things. Here, you just keep pedaling.”

John Hatcher was one of the riders last year, and sees the chance to crew this year as a way of paying it back, especially for Sturgis and Johnson, who were part of Hatcher’s crew. Part of his duties will be spending 12 hours a day driving the follow van, following the riders at around 20 miles per hour, the front line of safety while pedaling America’s highways through 14 states in roughly eight days.

“I really want to help them get across,” said Hatcher, who said getting sleep is the toughest challenge. “Riders can train and train, be physically ready. But last year I went almost three days without sleeping. You can’t train for that.”

Fred Colby, owner of Laughing Dog Brewing, has been a staunch supporter of all five rides, seeing it as a great way to give back to a community that has given him so much. After riding last year, Colby will be one of the crew this year, and he knows the toughest part of the journey is West Virginia. Why? Because that’s where much of the more than 100,000 feet of elevation gain on the ride will take place, with roller coaster-like geography.

“When we hit the Appalachian Mountains, it’s brutal. You’re already tired, been riding for five to six days, and you’re suddenly in mountains that are relentless. But riding across the United States in eight days, how bad ass is that?” said Colby, who marvels at what Sturgis is doing for his grandson. “To me, it’s incredible what he’s doing for his grandson. He’s an incredible human being.”

Cook, 54, brings a wealth of experience to the team, having already ridden twice and crewed once. She said making sure both the riders and crew are getting ample sleep is the toughest part of RAAM, and much tougher than it sounds.

She also knows full well the rigors placed on both the four riders and dozen crew members, and also the exhilaration of finishing and knowing you helped a great cause.

“Riding is more physical, crewing it you have to be mentally on it. You just focus on one thing, leave everything else behind,” said Cook, a Sandpoint native. “The reason I’ve done it from beginning to now is the team, the crew and the cause.”

For more information, visit www.teamlaughingdog.com. To make a donation, visit www.24hoursforhank.org.