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CNN Sunday Morning

Stuck in Reverse

Aired August 10, 2003 - 07:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Curran Wright is no Lance Armstrong, but he's biking the USA, half of it anyway, and he's doing it the hard way. Chris Nagus of KCCI found Wright in Des Moines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CURRAN WRIGHT, CYCLIST: Move over, move over.

CHRIS NAGUS, KCCI CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is no camera trick. Curran Wright is riding the right way, but he's doing it all wrong.

WRIGHT: I am entitled to have my own lane.

NAGUS: At least to you and me.

WRIGHT: Riding backwards does catch people's attention. It is not easy.

NAGUS: He's riding from Wichita to New York.

WRIGHT: I am in the bigger cities now.

NAGUS: Reaching Des Moines means 400 miles are behind him. The traffic's always in front of him.

WRIGHT: I'm entitled to the lane, too.

NAGUS: It's a journey filled with frustration and plenty of purpose, Curran is riding in memory of a childhood friend who died of leukemia. He's raising money along the way.

WRIGHT: I know his spirit is alive because when I'm out there riding I can feel him with me.

NAGUS: Also with him on the trip, plenty of applause, but more than not, stares from people who don't quite understand. But Curran doesn't mind. He says he comes from a long line of people who do strange things. His father, for one.

WRIGHT: He holds the world record escaping six 25-foot chains, six padlocks, two pairs of handcuffs and a straight-jacket. And my uncle holds the world record for blowing fire from his mouth.

NAGUS: For Curran, his claim to fame will be this.

WRIGHT: Cruising along.

NAGUS: Riding backwards on city streets in towns across the country. Every mile is a challenge.

WRIGHT: My arms get numb, my hands get numb, you get dizzy seeing everything backwards.

NAGUS: Meeting people and keeping a memory alive move him closer to the finish. Even if his wife back home thinks he's nuts.

WRIGHT: Yeah, she thinks I'm crazy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired August 10, 2003 - 07:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Curran Wright is no Lance Armstrong, but he's biking the USA, half of it anyway, and he's doing it the hard way. Chris Nagus of KCCI found Wright in Des Moines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CURRAN WRIGHT, CYCLIST: Move over, move over.

CHRIS NAGUS, KCCI CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is no camera trick. Curran Wright is riding the right way, but he's doing it all wrong.

WRIGHT: I am entitled to have my own lane.

NAGUS: At least to you and me.

WRIGHT: Riding backwards does catch people's attention. It is not easy.

NAGUS: He's riding from Wichita to New York.

WRIGHT: I am in the bigger cities now.

NAGUS: Reaching Des Moines means 400 miles are behind him. The traffic's always in front of him.

WRIGHT: I'm entitled to the lane, too.

NAGUS: It's a journey filled with frustration and plenty of purpose, Curran is riding in memory of a childhood friend who died of leukemia. He's raising money along the way.

WRIGHT: I know his spirit is alive because when I'm out there riding I can feel him with me.

NAGUS: Also with him on the trip, plenty of applause, but more than not, stares from people who don't quite understand. But Curran doesn't mind. He says he comes from a long line of people who do strange things. His father, for one.

WRIGHT: He holds the world record escaping six 25-foot chains, six padlocks, two pairs of handcuffs and a straight-jacket. And my uncle holds the world record for blowing fire from his mouth.

NAGUS: For Curran, his claim to fame will be this.

WRIGHT: Cruising along.

NAGUS: Riding backwards on city streets in towns across the country. Every mile is a challenge.

WRIGHT: My arms get numb, my hands get numb, you get dizzy seeing everything backwards.

NAGUS: Meeting people and keeping a memory alive move him closer to the finish. Even if his wife back home thinks he's nuts.

WRIGHT: Yeah, she thinks I'm crazy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com