Passion for BMX drives Badia to keep going
Like the Energizer bunny, Christopher Badia keeps on going. He is a one-man show dedicated to getting a BMX course in Pahrump for the kids. For the past three to four years he has been like a broken record, hitting up every person that would listen to him and telling people that Pahrump needs a BMX course for kids.
Badia is a professional BMX bike rider at 36 and has been riding since he was a kid.
“I am chasing a dream of mine,” he said. “I never give up on something. I still want a new skateboard park for the kids that includes a BMX course. I never get tired of doing this. This is my life. This can be big.”
The course never came, due to lack of funding but Badia persists on trying to get something going.
This year is a little different. He still wants a BMX course in Pahrump, but he is trying to put on a BMX jumping event in Pahrump at the new fairgrounds to promote a new course.
The dirt jumping event involves the construction of jumps from which riders perform tricks. Badia said the riders will be awarded prizes for their efforts and the proceeds made from the riders will be going to a worthy cause in town.
“I want to have a BMX jumping event at the Pahrump Fairgrounds in August,” he said. “We want to have both professionals and amateurs riding. I started out with a small event and now the event has just grown.”
Badia said all the dirt is being donated, along with the heavy equipment to move the dirt by an anonymous donor. Along with the dirt donation, Badia has secured numerous other sponsors but people backing his project is not the problem.
Badia has a lot of Nye County bureaucracy before his August event is even held, said Pahrump Department of Building and Grounds director Matt Luis.
“We are all for what Christopher is trying to do,” Luis said. “He has passion and I appreciate that. But he just can’t push together some dirt and hold an event. He needs to get this approved by building and planning and through the county. He has not done this. And there is insurance too.”
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com
