Blind Cyclist Races In Skiatook March Of Dimes Fundraiser

One of Oklahoma's Own races into the history books. Dozens of cyclists sped through Skiatook Sunday for a March of Dimes fundraiser.

But one rider wasn't like the others.

Tim Willison became the first blind man to compete in a sanctioned race in Oklahoma. The Tulsa man says he can see some shapes, but that's about it.

He uses a special tandem bike - and another cyclist called a pilot steers from the front.

"Well, we have a rule that no crashes are allowed, so that's the first thing we teach them," said Tim Willison. "But no, I feel pretty comfortable. All my pilots are experienced racers, and so I don't just get on the bike with just anybody. I make sure they know what they're doing."

"He can't see everything that's going on so I tell him when bumps are coming up, when we're turning left and right - speeding up, slowing down - shifting gears. So I look out where we're going, and he just pedals really hard," said pilot Bradford Gilson.

The two just started riding together a few months ago and practice about six days a week.