Sisters resident will cycle coast to coast

Elizabeth Renner is ready to roll... Photo by Jon Renner

Elizabeth Renner has been thinking about biking across America for at least the last 15 years. She has decided that this is the year to do it.

Renner will begin her trip from Los Angeles with a group of cyclists on Saturday, May 10.

She and her fellow cyclists will start their adventure with the traditional ritual of dipping the rear wheel of their bike into the Pacific Ocean. Each cyclist will fill a little jar with sand from the Pacific and sprinkle a little sand on each state line.

When they get to the East Coast, June 28, they will sprinkle the remainder of their sand and dip the back wheel of their bikes into the Atlantic Ocean.

The 3,500 mile adventure will last 50 days with only five days blocked out for rest.

Renner will be one of 30 riders from all over the country making the trip and is the only rider representing the state of Oregon. The riders vary in age from 20 to 80 and at 54 Renner says her age is the average.

"I started researching the trip about a year ago," Renner said. "The timing to me was very important. I wanted something that would be done when Jon (Elizabeth's husband) was through with school. CrossRoads Cycling Adventures Company fit my calendar."

Renner was very pleased with her research on CrossRoads.

"They'll have a mechanic and a support vehicle on hand the entire trip," she said. "They'll also have a rider at the front and rear of our group at all times."

Elizabeth was never involved in sports in school.

Renner says she did ride her bike during college for recreation and at age 40 rode across Oregon with friend and coworker, Sue Beck.

"We trained all summer and then rode from Hell's Canyon in Idaho to Reedsport on the Oregon coast," said Renner. "It was so bad I swore I'd never do anything like that again!"

With some coaxing Elizabeth was encouraged to ride again and was assured she'd like it. Renner did just that. She took a different route and made another trek across Oregon.

Renner knew her trip across America would be very tough physically and that she would need to prepare.

In July of 2002 she began a intense 10-month training program through Sisters Athletic Club.

"They have people there that know how to train for endurance sports," said Renner, "And that's what I needed. I met with Rich Hummell and he designed a program of weights and cardio vascular exercises all designed to get me across the United States with a smile on my face."

Her trainer wasn't the only one instrumental in preparing Elizabeth.

"I wouldn't even have considered the trip without the support and encouragement I got from Jon," Renner said. "He's as excited about this as I am. Day after day he's the one who's fixing food to keep me healthy and is encouraging me to get out on the bike even when I don't want to.

"It's a lot of time out of our lives trying to fit 15 hours of training into our daily work schedules."

Renner put herself to the ultimate test this past Sunday, April 27 when she did a "century" as part of her training.

She said, "For bike riders, if you can do a century (100 miles) it elevates you to a higher level of esteem. It's a benchmark. It's a mental thing. There are eight days on the trip where I'll have to ride 100 miles or more. I've done it now and know I can do it again!"

For the first time in Renner's life she's thinking of herself as an athlete.

"I'm more fit than I've ever been," she said. "But more than being fit I think of myself as an explorer. I think it's important for kids to know you can have adventures and be an explorer your whole life."

Check on Renner's daily progress at her site www3.outlawnet.com/bikelizabeth/.