Blind Childrens Center
4120 Marathon Street, Los Angeles, California 90029 (323)664-2153
A family-centered agency serving children with visual impairments
Burbank Leader Weekend
March 2-3, 2002
By Molly Shore
Hillside District
Rick Plath spends many hours on a stationary bike to train for the Acura L.A. Bike Tour, the cycling portion of Sunday’s Los Angeles Marathon.
However, unlike his sighted counterparts who will participate in this event, Plath is totally blind and has been since birth.
Plath, 53, a former student at the Blind Childrens Center in Los Angeles, is riding in the Bike Tour to help raise money for the center and to make a statement.
“I’m cycling to support an organization that knows being blind doesn’t mean being helpless,” Plath said.
Although he realizes blind or partially slighted children have many challenges ahead of them, Plath said he wants to help the center show them, the way it showed him, they can be happy and successful in life.
His years at the center, which caters to those from 3 to 5, were a good experience, Plath said, adding the center was also beneficial for his parents who had to adjust to having a blind child.
Being sightless didn’t prevent him from living a normal life, he said. As a member of the Eagle Scouts, Plath hiked and rode horseback.
“And, I rode a bike a lot as a kid, up and down the driveway,” he said.
Plath has cycled in other marathons, but this will be his first time in the local marathon. He will complete the two-hour ride on a tandem bike, courtesy of H & S Bicycles, behind his sighted guide, Mark West, 45, of Northridge, who is a center board member.
Although the men have not previously ridden together, Plath is looking forward to the tour.
“I’m prepared for it and ready to I go,” he said.
“It’s quite fun, and it’s not that difficult,” West said.
But, he joked with Plath, telling him, “I hope you can pedal uphill better than I can.”
Blind Childrens Center
4120 Marathon Street
Los Angeles, California 90029-3584
(323) 664-2153 • Fax (323) 665-3828
©2008 Blind Childrens Center
All rights reserved.
Burbank resident Rick Plath, left, will participate in Sunday’s L.A. Bike Tour — the cycling portion of the L.A. Marathon — with the help of Mark West. Plath, who is blind, is riding to help raise money for the Blind Childrens Center in Los Angeles. Plath will compete in the race with sighted guide West, board member at the center. Though Plath has competed in other marathons, this will be his first L.A. Marathon.