French triathlete nears end of 2,800 bike ride on Donner Trail

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1999 | 11:27 a.m.

Joel Steve, a triathlete from Nice, France, was hoping to pedal into Sutter's Fort at Sacramento by the end of the day.

Steve, 37, took off from Springfield, Ill., on Aug. 26. He's been averaging about 100 miles a day.

"The wind has been in my face since Nebraska," he said.

Steve cleared Donner Pass on Tuesday. He said he became interested in the Donner Party after he saw a documentary on television in France.

"It's a fascinating story," Steve said. "It's not my history, but it's still an amazing story of determination and endurance."

The Donner Party wagon train crossed the continent in 1846 but got stranded in the mountain snow along the California-Nevada border. Most of the survivors stayed alive by eating the bodies of their dead companions.

Steve, a salesman for the French electric and gas company, has entered Iron Man competitions all over the world. He currently is ranked eighth in the world among amateur triathletes who compete in the event involving swimming, running and biking.

"I started getting flat tires in Wyoming and so far, Nevada has been the worst state for flat tires," he said.

"I've learned that out of their cars, off the highway, Americans are very friendly and helpful. But on the highway, it's very dangerous and no one wants to stop and help."