Cyclist makes Colfax stop in 48-state trip

Steve Laskey said this is his last big tour and after 7,500 miles, who could blame him.

Laskey, 52, who lives in Foxborough, Mass., stopped for an overnight stay in Colfax Friday on the third day of his trip across the United States to raise money for the Make A Wish Foundation.

His goal is to set foot in all 48 states in the continental U.S.

Laskey flew into Spokane May 19 and started his trip May 21. He headed east via the Centennial Trail to make a stop in Idaho and then went south and stayed overnight in Spangle.

In Colfax, he obtained permission to camp at Schmuck Park for the night.

Laskey carries his own gear, more than 100 pounds, which includes a tent, food, lap top computer, cameras to document the trip and a journal.

Laskey said he’s taken two other tours, one in 1995 from California to Massachusetts, and the other in 2008 from Alaska to Florida.

“I could do another tour, but it would be something out of my reach,” he said. “It must be a challenge and would mean something to me.”

He said this was his first time in the Palouse and the hills were proving to be a challenge. He did not train specifically for the ride, but he said he would condition himself along the way. He said he will try to do 50 miles a day and estimates he will be back in Massachusetts by Thanksgiving.

“I don’t push,” he said. “I listen to my body.”

From Colfax, he planned to head south to Walla Walla, then into Oregon and on to northeast California. He plans to spend a long time in Nevada, travel to the Four Corners and then on to Denver. From Denver, he’ll go north to the Dakotas, then Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and then backtrack to the south.

“My route changes every day,” he said. “I have to adapt to the weather. And I don’t know what’s 10 miles down the road. It’s a mystery. I have to be very disciplined.”

Laskey said it’s a real commitment for him to leave his job as a park ranger for several months.

“It doesn’t prepare you for these hills or the Rocky Mountains,” he said.

He said his boss approves of his temporary absence.

“It’s a lot of self-sacrifice,” Laskey said. “When I get home, there will be no money in my bank account, and I’ve missed six months of work. But looking back on my other two tours, I wouldn’t trade them for any amount of money.”

Laskey works at a five-star RV and camping resort that caters to families. He’s been there for the last seven years. He’s also been an audio technician, a motel manager and was a high school wrestling coach for 16 years.

“I have a lot of people watching back home,” he said.

His friends have coined a phrase for the trip: “Where is Ranger Steve?”

He has a website, bikesurvivorusa.com, that he checks into almost every day and updates his journal.

He encourages people to go to the web site to make donations.

His goal is to raise $25,000 for Make A Wish, which grants wishes for terminally ill children.

“Each donation pushes me down the road,” he said.