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Monroe cyclist racing across country

Robert Kash, 75, and his septuagenarian team stops in Middletown on way to Maryland.

john bombatch Monroe resident Robert Kash is competing in a 3,000-mile Race Across America.

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By John Bombatch, Staff Writer 11:26 AM Thursday, June 25, 2009

Despite a cold, rainy ride through New Mexico, Monroe bicyclist Robert Kash says this could be his best run in the 3,000-mile Race Across America.

Kash, 75, rolled through the Middletown portion of the cross country race Wednesday morning, June 24. He and his Great Grand PAC Masters team of Lew Meyer, 75, of Berwyn, Pa., Lee Mitchell, 73, of Woodland, Calif., and Chris Stauffer, 77, of Fort Wayne, Ind., made a stop in front of the Middletown Kroger parking lot on Ohio 73.

The team, which is gunning to become the first and only group of riders averaging 75 years of age to complete the RAAM event, was greeted by Kash’s daughter, Dianna of West Chester Twp., and his sister, Maggie Porter of Middletown.

John McKinley of Waynesville and his wife, Ann, are members of the team’s 14-person support crew.

Porter waited in the Kroger parking lot facing Ohio 73 for nearly four hours in hopes of seeing her brother pass by. Three hours into the wait, Kash’s daughter Dianna, joined her.

Robert Kash guessed that he’s done at least 20 cross country races since 1994. He told his sister that this might be his last race, but now he’s not so sure.

“It gets in your blood, I guess,” he said, while resting inside the support van. “What the heck. When you’re retired, mowing grass ... sort of loses your interest after a while.”

The raceacrossamerica.org Web site estimates the team should cross the finish line in Annapolis, Md., shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, June 26.

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