Bedazzled Route Notes 1996
Hi There Websters. Larry Christie lured me into his hotel room to write a little note about this year's BAK. You never know what goin' to happen out here and this year wasn't an exception. At the starting line in St. Francis we spoke with the parents of a 14-year-old rider named Chad who was riding BAK for the first time -- and away from home on his own with the exception of his sponsor riding with him.
Chad's mom was wringing her hands with separation anxiety telling us she was feeling guilty she couldn't ride along with him, and worrying about how he'd make out on the ride.
About twenty minutes later, we were riding along and saw a ultra light aircraft had made an emergency landing on the highway the bikers were traveling on. We pulled over, and saw a silver haired man from Denver -- he said his name was Dave Nixon -- who told us he ran out of gas a few miles before the airport. Next thing I knew he was pushing the red and white plane out onto the highway for take off.
With his engine roaring, he veered onto the highway without noticing two bikers coming straight at him on the opposite shoulder. Nixon didn't see them and turned west into the wind. The wingspan of the ultra light was long and would have beheaded the two riders if they hadn't ducked swiftly just in time. Talk about close calls.
We walked over the two riders shaking from their close call and who were they? Chad and his sponsor.
That night at the meeting Chad was recognized for his brush with near disaster, and awarded a reflective strip to wear for the remainder of the ride.
Apparently this wasn't the first time a BAK'er nearly got beheaded by an airplane.
"During the early eighties Jeff Horlacher and I were attacking a hill," said Thom Toben, this year's Bedazzled Route Director. As we reached the summit, I was in front and I see this crop duster flying ten feet above the ground coming straight at us. I screamed at Jeff and we jumped off our bikes or he would have slammed us."
That was the Bedazzled Route's only near casualty so far, and hopefully there won't be any accidents. It does make you sit back and wonder when your time is up. I guess the BAK God was watching over Chad that day, and listening to his mother's prayers.
Lenny Savino
(Fourth BAK and traveling with the Mrs., and two of our young'ins -- Simone, 7, and Keith, 5. We're from Long Island, New York.)
