I don’t know if it’s just the salt or something else, but often after 8 or more hours on the bike I crave Bubbie’s Sauerkraut.

Today a recipe for my infamous vegan rice bars. It’s based on Allen Lim’s rice cakes. I often take 1-3 of these on brevets. It’s nice to have a break from packaged energy bars and Twizzlers.

Moist Vegan Rice Bars

• 1 c. sushi rice
• 3 c. water
• 1 Dr. McDougall’s “Chicken” Flavor Ramen
• 1 packet Miso Cup
• 1/2 pkg extra firm tofu, crumbled
• 1-2 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
• 1 tsp dulse flakes

I make this in a pressure cooker, as I’ve mentioned before, cook rice in your pressure cooker at your own risk.

Basically put all ingredients in the pan and stir well. Bring up the pressure. Cook for 12 min at 9000 ft, (probably 9 min at 5,000 ft, or 6 min at sea level). Turn off heat. Let pressure naturally release. When you open up the cooker the rice mixture will be pretty well compressed. Once it’s cooled, it can be cut into bars. Then the bars can be wrapped in foil. I don’t bother with forming the mixture into a rectangular pan. I’ve been able to get firmer bars by cooking everything together and not disturbing the mixture after the cooking is done. I just make a square in the middle, and usually cut 8 bars from that. Then piece together the halved, rounded edges to make 4 more bars.

You can experiment with the amount of water to make firmer, less moist bars. 3 cups makes a very moist bar, that still keeps it’s shape pretty well when cool. The ramen, miso and even tofu are absorbing some of the water, along with the rice. If you cook the rice first and then add ingredients and compress, similar to the way the Lim video shows, you’ll probably want 1 c. sushi rice to 1-1/2 c. water.

Also, some people may want more salt when they’re riding. If so you could add 1 tsp salt to the ingredients. You can also try other flavors and ingredients. Lim uses cheese in his. I’ve tried using Daiya in my rice bars and haven’t been very happy with that flavor during rides.

This video best shows Allen Lim’s foil wrapping technique, unfortunately he’s making ham, cream cheese, and jelly croissant sandwiches.

I’m not sure about other uses for rice bars. They are pretty tasty. They might make a good school or work lunch or after workout snack.

I knew when I registered that finishing HooDoo 500 in 50 hours as a Voyager would be difficult. I’m not fast enough to have much cushion for problems that seem to always arise during an ultra event. Also, in the last year, my ability to ride all night without sleep has drastically declined. I anticipated that my riding time would be 40-46 hours so things would have to go nearly perfectly to have any time for sleep within 50 hours.

I did extra bike prep; new cables, tires, rear derailleur. I even replaced my bottom bracket having read that the failure of that part caused tandem riders Pat and Charlie Jenkins to DNF in 2009. Being sick the week before the ride kept me home that weekend, and gave me some extra time to plan and reorganize my drop bags so I’d be able to change clothes and quickly get food and gear needed for each section without having to waste time thinking about it at stops.

I’d learned from my rides in Oklahoma, in temps up to 114F, that on the third day of riding in the heat I was able to deal with it much better. So my plan was to arrive in St George on Wednesday afternoon, do an easy ride that day and another on Thursday afternoon. Riding in the heat helped not only to acclimate me, but to give me a better sense of how my body reacted to the heat.

I sure hadn’t expected much rain in southern Utah in August, but fortunately I’d learned during High Country 1200 that I could ride in the rain without me or my bike melting, and gained some confidence in what clothes I needed to stay warm if it rained at altitude.

I woke a few minutes late on Friday morning. There was a problem with my phone alarm. Fortunately I’d set the hotel alarm clock as a backup. I checked out and headed toward the start line at the front of the hotel about 10 minutes ’til 5 AM along with the last few Voyagers. At “Go,” I dropped off the back to go my own pace, not wanting to waste energy in the “race” that always tends to happen at the start.

I am pretty sure the wind blows from the south and west more than 50% of the time in this part of the world, but Friday morning, as we headed east to Kanab, it was, of course, blowing right into us. The wind wasn’t terrifically strong, but I’d guessed that Friday, when the route went east and north, was our best hope for some time saving tailwind. As Murphy’s Law would have it, shortly before I made the left turn a few miles before Kanab, the wind changed direction and started blowing from the north.

En route to Saint George Wednesday, I’d made a visit to Laid Back Larry’s, the Kanab Time Station. It’s a great little store with vegan lunch, but I saw they had limited services and it would waste too much time to order food there during the race. I also knew I’d need most of a bag of ice to fill my bottles and Camelbak so I stopped at a gas station before I checked in at TS1 to use the bathroom and get ice.

There are plenty of places along the first two sections to get water, but I’d decided to carry my (much despised) Camelbak the entire ride because it saves time to stop less frequently. Even with the Camelbak, the heat after Kanab forced me to stop near Orderville, and again at the intersection of 89/14, for more ice. There were rain clouds ahead. For once, I was hoping it would rain, and it did, for about 20 miles near Hatch.

The Red Canyon Bicycle Trail along Highway 12, was one of the highlights of the ride. It’s not very long, but definitely worth stopping and getting your bike out of the car if you’re a cyclist and in the area. The scenery is stunning and the pavement is beautiful.

At TS2 in Bryce it was raining lightly again and I felt cool standing at the exposed summit. I put on light arm warmers for the descent, guessing a jacket would be too warm once I lost a little altitude. The descent to Cannonville was fun and fast, followed by a nice climb into Capitol Reef National Park. Not long after dark I arrived at TS3 Escalante.

When I’d first looked at the HooDoo route, I thought the best plan for me would be to take a nap in Escalante and again in Panguitch. In the meantime, I’d grown increasingly nervous about the 50 hour time limit. So, even though I’d made good time up to that point and calculated that I could take about 6 hours of sleep time at my current pace, I decided to press onto Loa. That turned out to be a big mistake. I spent one of the most miserable nights of my life struggling up Boulder Mountain. My knees felt unusually good and my legs felt better than I’d have expected at that point in the ride, but I was very nauseous. I’m not sure what caused it. Maybe some combination of the day’s heat, drinking too much water, sleep deprivation, and the soup I’d eaten in Escalante not agreeing with my stomach. Between stopping to puke, I tried riding slowly, walking, sitting and lying on the side of the road to try to let my stomach settle. A mile or two from the summit, I thought there was no way I’d be able to finish the ride and decided to stop and rest until I felt better, then I’d make my way to Loa and figure out how to get back to Saint George. I lay down on a rock and started shivering. So, I pulled out my required emergency bivy bag, that I’d imagined would NEVER be used, and crawled in. After a few minutes the sky started to lighten and a pickup drove into the pull out. I just lay there half hoping they would come offer to drive me to Loa.

The rock was pretty comfortable, but after a few minutes more I was ready to continue. I managed to stuff my now uncompressed bivy back into my bag. One of the sportsmen from the pickup came over to ask if I was OK. While I was talking to him, I saw Kurt Searvogel drive by in his van. It’s a good thing he didn’t see me. If he’d stopped to ask how I was at that moment I would probably have asked him if he could give me a lift to Loa.

I was glad the sun was up when I started the descent. There were lots of cows on the road and many deer flitting across so the going was slow. I stopped at the grocery store as I rode into Loa and finally checked into TS4 about 1.5 hours later than than my slowest estimate. At that point, I hadn’t eaten anything that stayed down in about 16 hours. I figured there was still an outside chance I could finish and decided I’d try to eat and sleep a little in Loa and see if I could go on.

I lay down for only a few minutes without falling asleep and decided if I was going I needed to get on the road. The longer I waited the hotter and windier it would be and sleepiness wouldn’t be a big problem during the day. The climb from Loa reminded me of climbing Holman Hill from Mora towards Taos, only much shorter and not as steep. That was followed by a very short, fast descent to Koosharem Where I stopped for ice and food.

I felt awful, my throat and sinuses were sore from being sick the night before. The wind was picking up, and what should have been a fast, mostly downhill, 70 miles to Panguitch was a struggle against the blast furnace. I kept thinking of John Ellis’ quote about there being a bad part of every long ride, but this bad part was lasting a really long time.

I probably should have left as soon as I arrived in Panquitch, but my main motivation for riding there was the promise of a nap. Again I couldn’t sleep and started worrying about time. I got up and started getting ready figuring if I was going to go, I should leave early enough that if things went well I’d have a possibility of finishing in time. I’d have only 11 hours and 10:15 was the very fastest I thought I could ride the last 144 miles, but I still had my “finish” soundtrack in reserve and the wind seemed to have died down for the day. I changed clothes, got my gear together, and as I was rolling my bike away from the hotel at 9:00 PM, Tom walked out of the Time Station, handed me his phone and asked me to talk to the race director. She asked me to wait until morning to leave. She didn’t think it was worth the risk of a steep descent with of wildlife on the road since I was unlikely to finish within the 50 hour time limit. In one sense it was a disappointment, not to know how fast I could finish, but it was also a relief. I hadn’t slept in 42 hours.

When I left at 4:15 on Sunday morning it was sprinkling, but I thought the rain was just ending, not just beginning. As it turned out I was riding up the mountain into a rain storm and a (surprise) headwind. I knew that at home, a similar climate, the rain nearly always stops by sunrise. The effort of climbing was keeping me warm enough so I kept on through the rain. Shortly after sunrise I made it to the summit of Cedar Breaks. From there is a screaming descent to Cedar City. Unlike Boulder Mountain there weren’t cows or wildlife on or near the roadway, and it was better protected with barriers. A rock slide was starting about halfway down, but I went through in the one clear lane and didn’t stick around to see what happened.

The descent from Cedar Breaks was a blast! I arrived at the Cedar City at 9:30 and loaded up with ice. I could already tell it was going to be hot and the wind was picking up. I was able to bypass Newcastle and stopped for more ice at Enterprise hoping I could get to the finish without having to stop again so I could make it in under 12 hours. Snow Canyon was another beautiful, fast descent. It was a very hot day near Saint George, but most of the remaining miles were downhill and I still had cool water in my Camelbak. I arrived at the finish at 3:45 Sunday afternoon, 8 hours and 45 minutes hors delai.

Photos near Snow Canyon

Map and profile from old website
Photos from old website

Route on RideWithGPS.com

Results updated throughout the race. – No direct link. May be delays because of remoteness of route.

1. Go to HooDoo500.com
2. Click on “Webcast” under “Results”

Because I was riding without a follow crew, I started two hours earlier than the other solo riders. That had some advantages. I paced myself better in the first section, arriving at Medina a few minutes slower than 2010. I enjoyed the climbs on the way to Leakey accompanied by much less motorcycle traffic. I’d kept my stops brief, and though I made a big error by not refilling water bottles at Camp Wood, my time to Rock Springs was a little faster than 2010, and I’d gotten through the hottest part of the route before the day’s high temperature hit.

After Rock Springs, stopping to resupply at time stations, as compared to my super-efficient 2010 crew, started really affecting my time. I was gradually, but unalterably, falling behind last year’s pace.

I’d planned to stop for a sleep break at Llano to make sure I was awake enough to continue alone, and was off my bike there for a total of 4 hours. I felt good for the windy, 30-mile, ascent to Fredericksburg and kept up a decent pace on the bike. The sun rose soon after I turned onto Old San Antonio Road and it was nice to see the scenery I’d missed riding this section in the dark last year.

The climbs to Kendalia seemed much easier; probably due as much as anything to knowing the route and expecting rollers all the way to the end. Edge Falls Road was a peaceful respite before 17 miles of heavy traffic on 3551.

I loved the hills and luxuriously, smooth pavement on Cross Mountain Road. Once at the top, I emptied the tank and pedaled hard on the last few miles to the finish.

As always, George Thomas, hosted a fun, well-organized event. Hill Country 600 is a nice spring ride and a good way to start the season!

Dist: 375 mi / 600 km
Ascent: 13422 ft / 4081 m

Pros:

• rural roads
• great scenery
• challenging climbs
• well organized, fun event

Cons:

• heavy traffic along 4-lane road for about 16 miles near the end of the ride
• road construction near Sisterdale in 2010 (surely this is finished now)
• waterway crosses OVER roadway in many locations

Vist the Hill Country 600 website for map, profile and more information about the race.

UMCA Managing Director: John Ceceri
UMCA Records Coordinator: Drew Clark
Officials: Susan Walker, Larry List, Bill Moore
Crew: Ann Williams, Laura Cramer, Cindy Puterka, Ruthie Loffi
Press Release Copywriter: Erica Rice
Sponsors and Supporters: 3 Feet Please Campaign, Budget Car and Truck Rental of Stillwater, OK

This record belongs as much to my officials and crew as to me. In every sense, this was a team, not an individual, effort.

I woke on the morning of October 20th thinking it was a strange time of year for my allergies to be kicking up, then realized the scratchy throat and itchy nose were not allergy symptoms, but the start of a cold. The irony was that 18 hours earlier I’d sent off an application for an Oklahoma West-to-East record attempt with a requested start date in just over three weeks. I wasn’t sure I was recovered from the 508. Now I’d find out if my body was too stressed. I took mega-doses of Vitamin C, multivitamins, and a few naps. The next morning I felt better. That gave me confidence that I could handle another 500+ mile event a few weeks after the 508.

Once Drew Clark, UMCA Records Coordinator, had received my record attempt application, and I’d contacted my main crew members; my mother Ann Williams, and sister Laura Cramer, things started happening fast. 

Finding officials would be the biggest challenge. I have several family members and friends in Oklahoma who I thought might be willing to crew, but officials are not supposed to be closely related to the rider. I contacted the current North-to-South and South-to-North, Grand Masters record holder, Don Norvelle, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, to see if he knew area cyclists who would be willing to officiate my attempt. He sent a message to the Stillwater Bicycle Club, the Red Dirt Pedalers and I immediately got a response from Susan Walker. Susan had worked with Don at the RAAM time station when the route went through Oklahoma so she had experience helping with ultracycling events.

Larry List of Dallas, TX, is interested in ultracycling and was excited for the opportunity to participate as an official. Bill Moore of Stillwater, was also recruited. Two other Stillwater residents, my cousin, Cindy Puterka, and friend and runner Ruthie Loffi rounded out the crew.

Since no West-to-East or East-to-West Oklahoma record had yet been established it was up to me to choose the endpoints. I first looked at a northern route going through Ponca City and Bartlesville. When I realized that getting across Grand Lake would require a lot of extra miles, I compared the mileage to endpoints for a more southern route. It was only 5 miles longer and had several advantages:

1. The paved west-east road in the southern panhandle, OK-3/US-412 has a wide shoulder, and passing lanes on hills. The west-east road to the north, US-64, from Hooker to Ponca City, and US-60 from Ponca City to Vinita, is mostly two lane with no shoulder.
2. A section of US-60 between Pawhuska and Bartlesville has a few blind corners and I was afraid it could be dangerous for both myself and my crew.
3. There’s no direct route across Grand Lake and it can be very congested at certain times of the year.

The southern endpoints weren’t perfect. It would require routing around or through Tulsa and riding about 50 miles of Highway 51 west of Stillwater which is two lane with no shoulder. But in my view, a slightly southern endpoint east of Stillwell, offered better cycling routes without adding significant distance. I also liked that using southern endpoints I’d travel through Jim Thorpe’s home town of Yale, and Tahlequah, the capital of the Cherokee Nation.

My original interest in attempting an Oklahoma record was primarily driven by a little birth-state pride; “Oklahoma is a perfectly good place to ride a bike. Why has no one established a West-to-East or East-to-West record?” I thought when I saw that there was no West-to-East or East-to-West record. I also thought that the West-to-East or East-to-West endpoints should include the panhandle. That was three years ago. More recently, my sister made the mistake of telling me she’d love to crew for me if my events were only closer to where she lives. “How about an Oklahoma cross state record?” I said. I’m certain when she said, “OK,” she did not imagine that she’d be following me across the state a few weeks later.

My experience riding in rural Oklahoma has been that Oklahoma drivers are very considerate of cyclists. Still, far too many cyclists have been killed while riding in Oklahoma in recent years and I wanted to support Oklahoma bicyclists as part of my record attempt. Knowing that like Colorado, Oklahoma has a 3-feet-to-pass law, I thought that trying to bring more awareness to that law would be a good contribution. I contacted Joe Mizereck of 3FeetPlease.com, he was very supportive and enthusiastic about helping me with that aspect of the ride. My friend, Erica Rice, spent many hours writing a press release for the ride, and distributing it. I also contacted the Oklahoma Bicycle Coalition who helped get out the message.

Temperatures in Oklahoma in early November normally range from the mid 70′s to mid 40′s (F) and I was looking forward to sunny skies and warmer temperatures than I’d been experiencing at home in southern Colorado. I arrived in Stillwater just after midnight on November 11, to “balmy” 50 degree temps. I certainly wouldn’t mind riding at night in this, but I knew that a cold front was predicted to sweep through before the start on Friday. A gray Thursday morning, turned to a drizzly Thursday afternoon, and rainy Thursday night. We were tentatively planning a 4:00pm start at the Oklahoma/New Mexico state line on Friday. Hourly weather forecasts looked like that was feasible since the rain was predicted to clear out by 2:00pm leaving sunny skies and gusting winds.

After the official vehicle inspection, I left Stillwater at 9:40am on Friday, with official Susan Walker, and crew Laura Cramer and Cindy Puterka. We arrived at the state line on EO200 west of Boise City, Oklahoma, just before 4:00pm. It was sunny with gusty winds from north northwest. I got dressed and got my bike ready while Laura and Cindy set up the van and Susan completed the bicycle inspection and made sure the crew had all the vehicle signage and lighting correct. I touched the fence line with my bicycle for the official start at 4:37pm on November 12, 2010, then carried my bike back to the road and started riding. 

The wind was moderately strong from the northwest, changing to the west, and eventually calming to 7-10mph. The ride to Boise City was flat (actually slightly downhill) on chip sealed rural roads with very little traffic. The crew was startled when two antelope ran across the road directly in front of their vehicle. We scooted through town as the sun was setting and after a graveled railroad crossing turned west onto OK-3/US-412. 

What beautiful pavement! From Boise City to east of Guymon the highway had been resurfaced and was in great condition. The shoulder looked like it had been swept recently. Even at intersections with gravel roads there was little debris on the shoulder. The terrain to Guymon is mostly flat with long gentle rollers, a hint of things to come; as the state gets increasingly crumpled as one goes east. The temperature was dropping quickly. Water in my bottles turned to slush after a few minutes and we had to swap bottles frequently. I added another layer under my “3 Feet Please” vest and tried to keep moving, knowing that slightly warmer temperatures had been forecast farther east.

We made a quick pit stop as we skirted Guymon, and then started the long haul to Woodward. I’ve driven this road many times in the past 20 years and know that it seems interminably long even when traveling at highway speeds. Mentally I was prepared to feel like I wasn’t making much progress. I also anticipated the longish climbs between Fort Supply and Woodward. Some sections of the road were bisected with expansion cracks. In others the pavement was in need of repair. But between the wide shoulder and passing lanes on hills there was plenty of room for other vehicles to pass us safely. We encountered fog and damp roads before Fort Supply. I worried that we might catch up to the storm, but clear, starry skies reminded me that was unlikely.

Everyone was guessing before the start that the second crew/official shift would take over around 7am west of Woodward, but my unspoken goal was to get to the other side of Woodward before 6am. The first shift was already putting in long hours with the drive from Stillwater to the start, and I wanted to get them as close to home as I could so they’d have a shorter drive once they were relieved.

We stopped a few minutes before 6:00 am, about 20 miles southeast of Woodward on OK-3, because I was shivering and needed to warm up and take a short rest. Soon after we stopped, shift two arrived; official Larry List, and crew Ann Williams and Ruthie Loffi. I was a little sad to see shift number one so jubilant to leave, but I definitely could relate to their fatigue. Shift two was wide awake and full of enthusiasm. As we turned off OK-3 for a backroads route to Okeene, the sun was just starting to lighten the sky. The grass was covered with frost as we traveled towards a brilliant orange sunrise, past farms and fall foliage.

When we turned onto 51A, I noted that the road was in good condition and had decent shoulders, unlike the much busier, OK-51. We entered Blaine County where my grandfather spent most of his youth on a farm near the Canadian River, and a few miles later arrived in Okeene. The crew made their first stop for fuel. I stopped too and ate some food, while peeling off a couple of layers and changing from tights to knickers. 

Oh, Highway 51 to Stillwater! How I’d been dreading this road! Two lanes, lots of traffic, increasing rolling hills as one gets closer to Stillwater. There were also moderate crosswinds coming from the north. It was not nearly as bad as I’d imagined. Drivers were polite and patient, even on the small hills where they had to wait a minute or more before they could pass. There were even a few friendly honks and waves. My bigger problem on this part of the ride; I was starting to feel fatigued and very sleepy. In retrospect it was probably due to a lack of calories, but I decided to stop and take a nap when I got to Stillwater hoping not to start the second night too sleepy. 

The third shift took over at the Stillwater Courthouse at 6:30pm; official Bill Moore, crew Ann Williams and Laura Cramer. I enjoyed the ride through Stillwater. Though I did not particularly enjoy all the stoplights, it gave me several opportunities to stop and chat with the crew. East of Stillwater, OK-51 has a shoulder, and as Susan had told me, most of it is good for riding. However the section before Yale was covered with debris. Susan had mentioned she frequently gets flats in this area. Even though I was sure I was tempting fate by continuing to ride the shoulder I did. Until my rear tire flatted. Actually both tires were damaged. Because I ride tubeless with sealant, neither went flat immediately. There was a strange squeaking noise from the rear of my bike, which I later decided was sealant, squirting onto the pavement. I finally realized my rear tire was low a mile or two later and stopped at Yale to fix it. We tried to air it, but it didn’t seal immediately, so I replaced it with my heavier “training” wheel. My front tire had sealed right away and didn’t need any attention.

We crossed Keystone Reservoir, which is more like crossing a creek at this part of the lake, and continued the rollers into Sand Springs. The rollers got steeper as we made our way into Tulsa. About 3/4 of the way across Tulsa, I stopped again for food. One of the problems I encountered on this ride was that temperatures both nights required me to wear my heavy gloves. That made it difficult to get food in and out of my back pockets. Combined with reduced intake of Perpetuem the second night, I wasn’t getting a regular stream of calories. I’d ride for a while, feel faint, drop back and ask my crew for food, or stop to eat again. In retrospect, I should have had my crew make a Hammer Gel solution in a water bottle to carry on my bike. That would have allowed me to get more calories while I was moving. 

The crew needed a pit stop as we left Broken Arrow so we stopped again for a few minutes. Knowing there were only 60-70 miles left, I felt confident about finishing in spite of the cold. The roads are mostly flat between Broken Arrow and Wagoner, and I was happy for a short break from the rollers. We crossed Fort Gibson Lake. Fortunately, it was early morning, because there was a lot of ongoing road repair and several long single-lane sections where it was impossible for vehicles to pass us. The few vehicles who did catch us were patient, and we pulled over to let cars pass whenever there was an opportunity.

West of Hulbert was another construction area that I’d been fearing. For about 1/2 a mile there was single lane, lined with Jersey barriers used by both directions of traffic. Access was controlled by a stoplight. I didn’t know how the stoplight was actuated and worried that cars going the opposite direction would be allowed in before we exited the “tunnel.” As it turned out my fears were unwarranted. No other traffic, in either direction was nearby while I we negotiated this construction zone. I stopped briefly in Hulbert and put on a thinsulate layer over my three wool layers and a non-breathable shell. I also added a pair of cross-country ski pants over my bike tights. I wasn’t warm, but at least I no longer felt like I was icing over along with my water bottle.

More climbing into Tahlequah. I had ridden this road in 2009 and had a vague memory of it. For some reason there is comfort in even a little familiarity. We then cut through Tahlequah. The sun was beginning to rise as we left town and headed onto Eldon. The winding descent from Eldon on the foggy, fall morning was a blast. Worth the 500 mile ride to get there. More rollers to Stillwell.  I’d been focusing all morning on trying to finish in under 40 hours. When I saw the sign announcing “State Line 7 mi,” I knew we would do it.

After some gentle rollers I saw the back of what I thought was the Oklahoma welcome sign. After I’d turned the corner I could see the Arkansas welcome sign east of Stillwell on OK-51. I was very emotional to have completed the trek across the state. I was both happy and relieved to cross briefly into Arkansas as I rolled past the sign, at 8:20am on November 14, 2010.

Oklahoma Record Attempt from Cathy Cramer on Vimeo.

Most of this was shot at one frame every 10 sec. Playback speed varies in towns, and straight, flat roads at night. We only got the first 267 miles and last 60 miles. Camera was accidentally turned off in the middle of the ride.

STILLWATER, OK—Ultracyclist Cathy Cramer of La Veta, Colorado, is attempting a record setting ride across Oklahoma. Starting west of Boise City, Oklahoma, on November 12, Cramer will ride non-stop, averaging 250-300 miles per day, to her final destination, east of Stillwell, Oklahoma. Cramer will ride more than 520 miles on Oklahoma state highways and county roads. Pending certification by the UltraMarathon Cycling Association (UMCA), her successful effort will establish the Oklahoma West-to-East cross state record (http://ultracycling.com/records/staterecords.html).

Cramer and her crew of 4, along with 3 officials, are supported by The “3 Feet Please” Campaign (http://www.3feetplease.com). The Campaign has one goal; to save cyclists’ lives. According to the website, 3feetplease.com, the campaign explains that it, “is critical that we help motorists understand that with or without a 3 foot law they need to give cyclists at least 3 feet clearance when passing them from the rear.”

Currently, 16 states and the District of Columbia have a 3-foot laws: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.  “I want to bring more awareness of 3-feet laws to drivers and cyclists,” says Cramer. “Letting people know how to safely share the road is important to the cycling community and road safety.”

In 2010, Cramer has ridden 10,000 miles, and competed in cycling events including the Furnace Creek 508 (http://www.the508.com/), Ring of Fire 24 Hour Time Trial (http://www.raceacrossoregon.com/roftt) 24 Hours of E Rock (http://www.elephantrockride.com/24_index.html) and the Hill Country 600k (http://www.raceacrossoregon.com/hillcountry).

Other sponsors and supporters include Budget Car and Truck Rental of Stillwater, the Stillwater Red Dirt Pedalers (http://www.reddirtpedalers.org), and Cramer’s friends and family. “With the time and energy generously volunteered by my family, friends, and the cycling community, I am able to make this ride happen,” says Cramer. “I’m excited to see the results of our shared motivation to bring attention to the 3-Feet-Law.”

For more information about 3-feet laws and bicycle safety, visit Three Feet Please campaign (http://www.3feetplease.com), Oklahoma Bicycling Coalition (http://obc1voice.org) or Bicycle Colorado (http://bicyclecolo.org).