Former dentist's dream ride cut short

Former Yuba City resident Ollie Scheideman ended a planned 82-day cross country bicycle trip from Virginia to Oregon early after crashing on a downhill descent near Rosedale, Va.

Scheideman, retired from a 40-year career as a dentist in Yuba City, was fulfilling a lifelong dream of riding a bike across the United States while raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butte County. Instead, he crashed in late May and ended up in a trauma hospital in Kingsport, Tenn.

"I'm very disappointed I wasn't able to finish the ride," he said Monday from a friend's residence in Kingsport, not just for himself but also in the fundraising effort.

"The online giving site is still up and running," he emphasized.

All money raised is going to the organization that matches youngsters with adult mentors.

Scheideman, 67, of Chico, doesn't remember anything about the crash, according to his blog, www.acrosstheusa4bbbs.blogspot.com.

He spent 12 days in the trauma center after suffering 10 broken ribs, a separated right shoulder and a concussion. Both lungs collapsed with blood and air in the chest cavity, he said.

His wife, Pam, joined him at the hospital from their Chico home immediately after the accident.

Scheideman has been out of the hospital for about a week and is staying with family friends in Kingsport, Tenn. He and his wife plan to fly back to Chico when the doctors give him the OK to travel.

Well wishes can be sent to his home at 254 E. Shasta Ave., Chico, 95973.

Scheideman started his dream trip May 16 near Yorktown, Va., with a group ride coordinated by Adventure Cycling Association, a North America bicycle travel organization.

The trip was to end Aug. 5 in Florence, Ore., after traveling through Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

Scheideman still encourages donations to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butte County, part of the national organization. His goal on the trip was to raise $10,000.

Donations have already reached almost $6,000 as of Monday, said Kathy Barrett, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butte County. Donations can be made through www.firstgiving.comolliesbigrideacrosstheusa.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Leticia Gutierrez at 749-4722 or at lgutierrez@appealdemocrat.com