PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles native who raced a bicycle across the country in less than 12 days last month will speak about his adventure in his hometown Monday.
Rob DeCou will share stories and answer questions about the 3,000-mile Race Across America at 7 p.m. Monday in the Upper Room, 112 N. Lincoln St., Port Angeles.
DeCou, 34, finished the solo race from Oceanside, Calif. to Annapolis, Md., in 11 days, 21 hours and three minutes.
The California man accomplished the feat in honor of fellow 2000 Port Angeles High School graduate Christina Jo (Ahmann) Nevill, who died of brain cancer in 2014.
Along the way, DeCou and his supporters raised $21,870 for brain cancer research through 3000 Miles to a Cure, according to www.3000milestoacure.com.
“Interest in hearing from Rob has been at a high level,” said Jo Dee Ahmann, Nevill’s mother, in an email.
“People have been very curious about the logistics and details of pulling off a race of this magnitude.”
Billed as the world’s toughest bicycle race, the Race Across America, or RAAM, requires finishers to cross 12 states and climb more than 170,000 vertical feet.
Ahmann, who was part of DeCou’s traveling support team, said 3000 Miles to a Cure is now making a donation to the Captain Joseph House of Port Angeles.
Betsy Reed Schultz and a team of volunteers are converting the former Tudor Inn bed-and-breakfast on Oak Street into a refuge for grieving families of fallen service members.
The Captain Joseph House and its nonprofit foundation are named for Schultz’s son, Capt. Joseph Schultz, who was killed while serving as an Army Green Beret in Afghanistan in 2011.
“Rob feels like he would like to reinvest in this community after Port Angeles gave so much to 3000 Miles to a Cure,” Ahmann said.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
