In 2001, I was asked to be a
tandem bike captain for site-impaired cyclists at an annual event called Blind Bikers Across America (BBAA). My wife, Bonnie,
and I decided to attend and she agreed to take responsibility for providing support for a 240-mile multi-day ride. The ride
began at the Tennessee
River, west of Nashville TN,
and ended at Indian Creek Camp [for the blind], located just east of Nashville.
We went because we had a desire
to help others and we enjoy cycling. What happened was a life altering experience that we have repeated every year since.
It is not possible to convey with mere words what these camps are like. Just as it is not possible to articulate the experience
of visiting the Oklahoma City or Vietnam Memorials, you must experience it for yourself before you can begin to have any level
of understanding.
Sight-impairment exists in the
young and the old, the well adjusted and those who struggle with everyday life. Causes of blindness include genetics, disease,
accidents, and worst of all – Abuse. One young man who attended BBAA regularly was the victim of such abuse. He was very intelligent
and played the piano beautifully. He also lived with severe emotionally issues. To our deep sadness, David took his own life
early this year.
There are people who attend BBAA,
and other camps sponsored by Christian Record Services (CRS), who spend the entire year looking forward to the next event.
Many blind people have limited contact with the outside world and may have meager incomes. These camps and the many other
services provided by CRS make a tremendous difference in their lives.
What is it like to captain a
bike with a blind person riding as the stoker? It is no different from riding with a person who has full eyesight. Riding
a tandem is one activity that many sight-impaired people can do as well as anyone.
Most of the campers who attend
BBAA range in age from teenager through their early twenties. Some are runners and/or swimmers. Most have dreams of obtaining
a college degree and pursuing a career. I will never forget the conversion between
one of the stokers and myself before we began our first ride together. At the time, Jessica was about 17-years-old. We had
not previously met. “So,” she said, “Have you ever worked with blind kids before?” “No,” I replied, wondering where this conversion
was leading. The reply came without hesitation in the form of a question. “What did you expect?” Her rapid and direct questions
were almost rattling. “I expected to find a group of well adjusted young people,” was my honest answer. “Good,” she said,
“Because that is what we are. Now, let’s go!” I remember thinking that this young lady would probably meet the challenges
of life better than most of us.
I may have performed OK
as a bike captain and mechanic over the years, but that performance does not compare to Bonnie as the “SAG Lady.” The kids
absolutely love her. There are numerous clips of video footage where a voice in the background yells something like, “Yea,
Bonnie!” My favorite line from one of the kids is, “Bonnie rocks!”
What is BBAA all about? It is
about a lot of hard work, not walking a blind person in your charge into trees or other obstacles, and long days on the bike.
Most of all, it is about making a difference in the lives of others and understanding that that difference can mean all the
difference in the world.
For more information about Christian
Record Services and National Camps for Blind Children, visit www.christianrecord.org.
- David & Bonnie
