Former Batavia resident wants to bike 2,500 miles for a good cause

Robert Marincic started his cross-country trip by dipping his bike's rear tire in the ocean in San Diego, and he plans to end it by dipping his front tire in the waters of Miami.

The 61-year-old former resident of Batavia is on a 2,500-mile journey on his bicycle from California to Florida to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. The death of his cousin and biking buddy John Prazen inspired him to tackle the trip, Marincic said.

Marincic, a retired air traffic controller who now lives in his native Oglesby, Ill., flew to California Sept. 19 and set off on his journey Sept. 21. He plans to arrive around Nov. 9 in Miami, after biking through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. He will celebrate his birthday Oct. 19 somewhere on the road.

Speaking Thursday from the side of the road in Superior, Ariz., Marincic said it had been a tough 22 miles that day, mostly uphill and with 20 mph head winds, with another 32 miles to go to reach Globe, Ariz.

All Marincic carries with him are 200 ounces of water, a pair of shorts, one T-shirt and his biking outfit, which he washes nightly. “This is bare bones because the more weight you carry, the more you have to pedal up the hill,” he said.

Marincic said he was in good spirits. “I actually feel pretty strong.” But then he added, “I kind of miss home already, and it's been 10 days.” His wife might fly to Dallas to see him.

Marincic has been staying overnight in motels or with relatives or friends, has been keeping a blog and has been tracking his whereabouts with his iPhone, said son Derek Marincic of Pingree Grove.

“He is definitely adventurous. You never know what he's going to come up with next,” said Derek, who talks to his father every other day and can't help but worry about him.

The journey almost started disastrously, as a sudden tooth pain led Robert Marincic to a dentist's office as soon as he landed in San Diego. Inspired by the cause, the dentist gave him a free root canal, and Marincic set off without a hitch.

Biking cross-country had been a fleeting thought over the years, Marincic said.

“I always thought this is something (my cousin) would be interested in. Then I got busy after retirement, and the next thing you know, he dies. I waited too long,” he said.

“I don't want to be 80 years old and look back and say, ‘Why didn't I do that?'”