Cyclists crossing ride off bucket list by BY LAUREL BLACK lblack@paducahsun Jun 20, 2013 | 133 views | 0 | 41 | | Don Clucas has been dreaming of a cross-country bike ride for more than 20 years. Now, he’s putting that dream into action. The 74-year-old Paducah resident began pedaling May 9 with a group of five cycling enthusiasts in San Francisco, he said. Some of the cyclists dropped out of the trip for health reasons, leaving Clucas and biking partner Murray Richman, 60, of Maryland to complete the trip. The two stopped in Paducah for a weekend with Clucas’ family, and will start the last leg of their trip June 24. “It’s just really been an experience,” Clucas said of the 2,300 miles he’s covered in the past few weeks. “California was neat. Nevada was neat. Utah was really neat.” The two spent a large portion of their ride on Highway 50, which Clucas said is known as the loneliest highway in America. The cyclist said the road lives up to its name. “It’s even hard to find a place to eat or sleep (there),” Clucas said. Clucas, who’s been cycling for the past 30 years, said the most challenging part of the ride has been tackling the mountains of Colorado and Nevada. A close second was finding safe bike routes through all the construction projects, he said. A typical day for the cyclists starts around 8 a.m. They don’t adhere to a rigid schedule, Clucas said, but average about 60 miles a day. Clucas and Richman travel with Richman’s wife, Nancy, 59. Nancy Richman drives a support vehicle, providing the cyclists water and snacks every five or six miles. She’s also helped with planning the route and finding places for the group to stay. The cyclists have between 700 and 900 more miles to cover, depending on where they choose to end their trip. Right now the likeliest spot is Virginia Beach, Va., Clucas said. Although he’s enjoying the trip, Clucas said he doesn’t plan on crossing off any more items on his bucket list anytime soon. “I’m scraping the bottom of the bucket on this one,” he said. The cyclists have met many curious onlookers during their travels, Clucas said, and most of them have the same question. “A lot of them will ask, ‘Are you doing it for a charity?’” Clucas said. “Of course, we have to tell them the truth.” For Clucas, the ride is all about the feeling of achievement it brings him. “Not many people have done it. There’s a sense of accomplishment there,” he said. During his stop in Paducah, Clucas — former owner of Cole Lumber Company — will celebrate grandson Andrew Farmer’s birthday and attend the baptism of granddaughter Reagan Farmer. Contact Laurel Black, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8641, or follow @LaurelFBlack on Twitter. Read more: The Paducah Sun - Cyclists crossing ride off bucket list
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 23:51:44 +0000
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