Overview of common mountain bike injuries
"Mountain
biking is inherently risky and could result in injury or death." IMBA, https://www.imba.com/
1. From:
"Pete Rissler" <peter_rissler@rissler.reno.nv.us>
Newsgroups:
alt.mountain-bike
Subject:
Re: Diskectomy/Laminectomy recovery anyone?
Date:
Fri, 7 Jul 2006 14:39:48 -0700
<bruce.edge@gmail.com>
wrote in message
news:1152291986.510124.100470@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> No,
disk, not dick....
>
> But
seriously, anyone out there still riding after something like an
>
L4/L5 diskectomy? I had one last September and can't seem to get back
>
into riding. Every time I try, even going out super easy just on the
>
road, it feels great for a week, then I start a slide back into
>
painkillers and it keeps getting worse for weeks after I stop again.
> I
was riding 4-5 times a week, probably around 10 hours a week. Then
>
came the sore back on long climbes that kept getting worse. Next was
> the
series of MRI's and epidural cortizone shots.
> I
sold my coiler as it was getting too heavy for me. Plonked down the
>
$$$$$$ for niota Ti frame. Even with a 24 lb rig I still couldn't cope.
>
Last was the surgery. A "minimally invasive laminectomy",
translation:
>
"Maximally screwed up". I've spent almost a year doing PT and stupid
>
recovery excersizes that don't feel like they do anything. My surgeon
>
says, "Well, I would have expected faster recovery, but we (ME you rat
>
bastard, not you) just have to wait..."
> I
didn't think I was ready to make the transition from hard core mtber
> to
fat old fart, but I guess we don't ever make that choice willingly.
> I
got on a scale the other day. I though the effing thing was broken,
> 30
friggin pounds since I quit riding.
>
>
-Bruce
>
>
P.S.Niota Ti, barely used for sale....
About 5
years ago I fractured a lumbar vertebrae (crashed on the MTB) and
for the
next two years my back hurt like shit whenever I rode. The pain got
so bad
that I finally went to see a chiropractor.
First thing he says is
you have
one leg shorter than the other and then you have almost no
flexibility. He worked on me for a couple of weeks but it
didn't help. I
finally
went to see an orthopedist. I got an MRI
and found out I had two
ruptured
lumbar disks, these were not just herniated but as the Doc put it,
they
were fully extruded. The extruded disks
were laying on nerves, one on
each
side. He says "no wonder your back
hurts, I can't believe you can even
ride a
bike" then he gave me some free prescription strength Viox, all I
can say
is they sure did work and look no heart attack.
Just an aside, he
wanted
to make sure that there was no nerve damage, so he hooks me up to a
machine
that sends a electrical current through my body. After flopping
around
on the table a couple of times he hooks me up one more time and sends
another
good jolt through and says "Huh, you're wired backwards, let's try
this
again." Well I guess if you've been
"wired" backwards your whole life
then
"you're really not wired backwards" you adapt. Anyway after one
epidural
(cortisone shot) and a shot of "I don't know what the hell it was
but it
sure made me sick " and 3 months of physical therapy (hint: find one
at your local Universities Sports Complex, these
guys deal with sports
injuries
all the time, and if you can scheduled it during the women's track
team
work out, mine had a view of the weight room, nothing like watching
sweaty
women pumping iron to pass the time). At
the end of 3 months my legs
were the
same length. I was given a stretching
routine to do twice a day
and was
told to try some yoga. Now after 5 years
my back still hurt after I
ride but
not as much, in fact I'm used to it but
extended hillclimbs can
put a
good hurt on the back. So my advice is
to do a lot of stretching,
find a
good yoga class and try do things that will lessen the strain on your
back,
i.e.. higher position on the bike, get out of the saddle every now and
then,
stop and walk around. It's either that
or as you found out become a
couch
potato.
--
Pete
2. Date:
Thu, 8 May 2008 14:08:52 -0700 (PDT)
From: Thayne Bolin <thaynebolin@yahoo.com>
Subject: Race for Tara Llanes
Hello, I was searching the internet for bay area mountain bike clubs and you
showed up. Last September 1rst. Pro Downhill racer Tara Llanes was invoved in a
career ending crash during the Jeep King of the Mountain series in Colorado.
The crash has left her with no feeling from the waiste down. I got a bunch of
local racers together as well as industry support and put on a benefit race at
Sandhill Ranch in Brentwood last November. When I was at the Sea Otter this
year the Giant bike people (Her sponsor) approached me about running another
race. I am just now starting to contact anyone and everyone in the bike
industry to make this one off the hook. Last year we raised about $7,000 that
went direcly to Tara's road to recovery fund. She is pushing her limits
everyday in an effort to not only walk again, but to get back on a bike. At
this point she has some leg movement and is allready doing things the doctors
told her she would never be able to do again. we are looking for volunteers to
help with track prep,donations and getting the word out about this race. Last
yaer we only had six weeks to pull it off and we did very well. We had support
from Santa Cruz Bikes, giant, fox Shox, Fox Racing, WTB. Mtbr.com, Michellin,
Kenda and huge support from Redbull. They all donated items for a raffle and we
sold over $3,000 in tickets. All totaled, we accumulated about $15,000 worth of
stuff including a fully built Superlite bike from Santa Cruz Bikes. I'm not
sure how involved in the sport you are, but if you could help spread the word
it would be greatly appreciated for sure. The race will be sometime early to
mid October and we will be running a four cross event and we also have a dual
slalom course and hope to run that as well. Feel free to contact me via
this e-mail if you have questions. Best regards,
Thayne Bolin.
3. Injured bicyclist airlifted at
Annadel
May 04, 2008
An injured mountain biker was airlifted by helicopter out of
Annadel State Park on Saturday afternoon after he crashed on a trail.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department said it used the department rescue
helicopter to locate the injured mountain biker, drop off a paramedic and then
lift them both out of the woods using a long evacuation line.
The man was identified as Dan Kimble, 41, of Berkeley, who was being treated at
Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for serious injuries.
The man apparently crashed his bike on South Burma Trail, but emergency ground
crews responding to a call for help had difficulty finding him in the thick
trees and rolling hills.
The crew of the Sheriff's Department helicopter, Henry One, located the injured
man in a remote area, but wasn't able to land. Officials said the paramedic was
dropped off nearby and tended to the man's injuries while the flight officer
prepared for a long-line evacuation.
Using the line and rescue basket, the injured man and paramedic were moved to a
nearby field, where the helicopter landed and later airlifted the mountain
biker to the hospital trauma center.
-- Bleys W. Rose
5. All
I see is a game of "Russian Roulette" being played by
"very lucky or very stupid" mountain bikers in these videos, while they rip through
our fragile and natural places in BC:
http://www.injuryfreezone.com/
6. So much for "Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day"!
Mountain biking is not an appropriate hobby for young people: too dangerous and
expensive.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/south_of_scotland/7655440.stm
The
teenager was seriously injured after falling from his bike
A 15-year-old boy has been critically injured in a mountain bike accident on
a trail in south west Scotland.
The incident took place in Ae Forest in Dumfries and Galloway at about 1410 BST
on Sunday.
The teenager - who is from outside the region - was initially assisted by a
group of cyclists in the area.
He has now been taken to hospital in Edinburgh for treatment for a serious head
injury and his condition has been described as "critical".
A police spokesman confirmed they had been called to the incident along with
the ambulance service.
He said: "A 15-year-old boy from outwith the region was discovered to have
fallen off his bicycle.
"The boy was with a group of other cyclists when the incident took place.
"The group assisted the boy until paramedics arrived at the scene."
Regularly inspected
The teenager was initially taken to Dumfries Infirmary but has since been
transferred to Edinburgh.
Ae Forest is part of the 7stanes mountain bike trails across the south of
Scotland.
It offers routes of varying difficulty from entry level to a steep, downhill
course.
A spokesperson for Forestry Commission Scotland, which runs the trails, said it
had been notified of the incident by police but its assistance had not been
required.
"All FCS MTB trails have been subject to risk assessments and are fit for
the purpose that they are marketed for," he said.
"They are also inspected monthly and maintenance is carried out as and
when required.
"None of the trails in Ae have required any remedial work."
He added that the Forestry Commission always advised riders to check trail
information on site and wear the appropriate protective equipment.
7. http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=117171
Another
spinal cord injury ...
Strange
timing for the Wings of Life auction.
I haven't seen any mention of
it here, but a rider was injured up in the interior a few weeks ago: slipped on
a frosty ladder bridge and had a high cervical (neck) fracture, and is
unfortunately paralyzed. The level is high enough that he is on a ventilator to
breath. He was riding with buddies, and they kept him alive by breathing for
him for 2 hours until he was rescued. It's early yet, and we can only hope he
sees some recovery.
Be careful out there, everyone.
Always ride with a buddy.
Consider getting -- and using -- one of those braces, like the ones that the
Wings of Life is auctioning off.
I've been riding with one of the Leatt braces this year, and have found it
comfortable and don't find it gets in the way. The moto guys are using these a
lot.
Why am I using one? I didn't
find out about these until a week AFTER my son fractured his neck up on Boogie
Man. Fortunately, he survived, and with the help of NSMBA and others, is doing
well. Some of you know John.
Think about it. Costs a lot less than that next bike part you covet, and
will potentially avert a devastating injury.
..Mike
8.
Evolution in action! So much for the alleged "health benefits" of
mountain
biking!
Mike
http://icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk/tm_headline=biker-8217-s-sudden-death-at-loch-skerrow&method=full&objectid=22909131&siteid=77296-name_page.html
Bikers
sudden death at Loch Skerrow
Feb 12
2009
by
Stuart Gillespie, Galloway News
A
MOUNTAIN BIKER died after complaining of chest pains while on a trip
in the
Stewartry recently. Fifty-four year old Iain Bell, of Dumfries,
died
near Loch Skerrow on Sunday, February 1, while out cycling with a
couple
of friends.
The
group stopped at Loch Skerrow, which is near the old Paddy line
between
Mossdale and Gatehouse station, after the chain came off Mr
Bells
bike at around 1.45pm, at which point he took unwell.
Due to
the remoteness of the location, the Galloway Mountain Rescue
Team
crew from Castle Douglas, and the helicopter from HMS Gannet at
Prestwick,
were needed to help the ambulance crews and police get to
Mr Bell,
but, unfortunately, he had died by the time they arrived.
There
are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.
The
Castle Douglas branch of the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team were
out
again on Saturday when they, along with the police, were called
out to
find two missing walkers. The pair had got lost between
Gatehouse
station and Clatteringshaws and believed they were on the
Fell of
Fleet. They were found by the police on a road near
Clatteringshaws
in around an hour.
9.
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/mountain_biker_seriously_hurt_in_scotland_forest_crash_1_523575?referrerPath=home
Mountain
biker seriously hurt in Scotland forest crash
Last
updated 10:13, Saturday, 07 March 2009
A
mountain bike enthusiast from Annan suffered serious head injuries
after
being thrown from his bike in a forest in central Scotland.
Keith
Bell, of Hecklegirth, thought to be in his early 20s, was flown
by air
ambulance from the Carron Valley mountain bike trail to
Glasgows
Southern General hospital where he is being treated for head
injuries.
Keith
and his brother Chris where taking part in a 10.5km trail when
the
accident happened.
Other
cyclists and walkers rushed to help the injured man before an
ambulance
arrived.
10. Yet
ANOTHER Dead Mountain Biker
Birkdale
man, 40, dies of heart attack while mountain biking
Mar 13
2009 by Laura Jones, Southport Visiter
FAMILY
and friends of Stephen Birkby, 40, who had a heart attack while
mountain
biking said he died doing something he loved.
Stephens
friend and colleague Peter Burke, said: One of his friends
said to
me if Stephen had to write his way out of this life it would
be on
his bike, hill walking or sailing.
He was
fitter than all of us it happened very quickly and he
wouldnt
have known anything about it.
The
40-year-old was on a day out mountain biking with friends in Long
Mynd,
Shropshire, on February 21 when he died.
Stephen,
a former Our Lady of Lourdes and Christ the King pupil, was
an
active sailor and biking enthusiast from Birkdale.
Parents
Joanna and Michael, of Barrett Road, Birkdale, described their
son as
someone who loved life.
Liz
Akerstrom, his partner of nine years, met Stephen at Mason Owen,
where he
worked as a partner of the property firm.
Liz
said: We spent more time together than the average couple, living
and
working together but never tired of one anothers company and
never
stopped laughing together, one of the things which drew us
together
in the first place.
He was
funny, kind and loving, totally supportive and very
protective.
I love
him very much, miss him terribly and am lost without him.
Steve
will also be missed greatly by my sons Sam and Tom to whom he
has been
parent, inspiration and friend.
The
boys credit Steve with helping them to achieve as much as they
have so
far and I am sure that his memory will continue to inspire
them in
the future.
Mrs
Birkby said: Weve had so many lovely cards saying he was
friendly,
principled, loved life and had a wonderful smile - its very
comforting
to us.
People
liked Stephen and thought that he was a special person - he
had a
real gift for friendship.
He
always wanted to live by the sea.
He had
been on sailing courses and often went out biking and sailing
with his
brothers.
Stephen
leaves partner Liz, her two children, his parents Joanna and
Michael
and brothers Andrew, Matthew and Nicholas.
11.
Another dead mountain biker....
St John
ambulance services fully committed over weekend
Home
News Queenstown Lakes
By
Marjorie Cook on Mon, 16 Mar 2009
News:
Queenstown Lakes
St John
ambulance services at Queenstown and Wanaka were under pressure on Saturday
attending emergency call-outs and covering major events involving tens of
thousands of people.
Queenstown
St John was called to three major incidents on Saturday afternoon:
About
12.30pm at Wanaka, a 57-year-old female mountain biker broke her ankle in
Sticky Forest, near Beacon Point.
About
1.30pm near Frankton, a small Isuzu truck and motorcycle collided on a private
road near Tuckers Beach Rd, causing serious facial injuries to the 19-year-old
male motorcyclist (police inquiries are continuing).
Later
in the afternoon, Jacob Schriek (55), of Riversdale, died of a heart attack
participating in the Motatapu Icebreaker mountain-bike ride between Wanaka and
Arrowtown.
The
woman mountain biker at Wanaka had her accident in a place that could not be
reached by a vehicle.
She was
carried about 30m on a stretcher by volunteers, mountain bikers and ambulance
staff to the Lake District Air Rescue Trust helicopter and flown to Dunedin
Hospital for further treatment.
St John
district operations manager Peter Graylands said while the Queenstown paramedic
attended to the Wanaka mountain biker, a Queenstown road ambulance crew was
sent to the Frankton accident, where the patient was "status two".
He was
transferred to Lakes District Hospital to be stabilised before the Otago
Regional Rescue Helicopter from Dunedin arrived to transfer the patient to
Dunedin Hospital, Mr Graylands said.
The
Motatapu death was dealt with by medics associated with the event and by the
time St John staff received information, their presence was not required.
Wanaka
police later flew to the scene to deal with matters on behalf of the coroner.
Mr
Graylands praised the efforts of his crews throughout Central Otago and
Queenstown Lakes district this weekend.
Two
Wanaka crews were kept busy transferring patients to Dunstan Hospital on
Saturday, while another volunteer crew was at the Upper Clutha A&P Show.
Queenstown
crews were busy at the New Zealand Golf Open and the Cromwell ambulance crew
was busy providing back up to Wanaka, Mr Graylands said.
"It
was just one of those days. I didn't finish work myself until 10pm. All our crews
were fully committed," he said.
He would
not be able to provide a tally of jobs performed this weekend until today or
tomorrow but confirmed the crews attended multiple incidents as well as
treating many minor injuries at the golf and the A&P show.
"My
crews did a good job on a very, very hot day. It was just one of those days,
and we relied very heavily on our volunteers. We were fully stretched," Mr
Graylands said.
12.
Another dead mountain biker....
http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=316349
Details released on mountain bike fatality
Forty-one-year-old Margaret Hahr of Munising died in the incident.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 12:47 p.m.
MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP -- We have an update on the mountain bike crash Monday, in
which a woman died.
State Police have released the names of those involved.
Forty-one-year-old Margaret Hahr of Munising died in the incident.
Hahr and 39-year-old Sidney Shaw, also of Munising, were riding their mountain
bikes on a Marquette Township trail, west of the railroad tracks on County Road
550 when the accident happened.
Shaw told police Hahr was behind him on the trail, when she fell and was
unconscious on the ground. He called police for help.
Hahr was taken to MGH where she was pronounced dead as a result of her
injuries.
The cause and circumstances surrounding the crash are still under review.
13.
Mountain Biker Breaks His Neck
So much
for the safe, family sport....
Mike
http://www.dgstandard.co.uk/dumfries-news/local-news-dumfries/local-news-annandale-eskdale/2009/06/24/doctors-miss-broken-neck-in-mountain-bike-fall-man-51311-23957967/
Jun 24 2009 by Iain Pollock, Dumfries Standard
Wednesday
A LOCKERBIE man was released from hospital after a horrific mountain biking
accident, despite having the classic symptoms of a broken neck.
Andrew Stevenson, 37, was injured during a day out with pals at the Scratchmere
trail near Penrith in Cumbria.
He was catapulted over the handlebars of his bike and landed on his head with a
sickening thud.
His wife Debbie told the Standard: He took the full impact on his head and
heard his neck crunch. Immediately his whole body was pins and needles.
He had a full face helmet on and his friends had to clean soil from his face.
They made sure he was totally immobilised and called the ambulance.
Medics put Andrew on a back board and fitted a head collar before bringing in
an air ambulance to transport him to the Newcastle General Hospital.
The father of two was given a CT scan but released from the hospital the same
day.
Debbie, who works for the NHS in Dumfries, added: Because he was getting out we
thought he was okay.
I even pulled a jumper over his head because they had cut all his clothes off
apart from his cycling shorts. I just assumed he had a trapped nerve that was
making his hands nippy because they told me he had a CT scan and there were no
breaks.
Andrew, who works as a community policeman in Moffat, was in such pain that he
went to the accident and emergency department at Dumfries Infirmary the next
day.
He had an MRI scan which identified a prolapsed disc putting pressure on his
spinal cord, but doctors suspected there was more severe damage masked by
swelling.
They said he had the classic symptoms of a broken neck, Debbie added.
Andrew was taken by ambulance to the spinal injuries unit at the Southern
General Hospital in Glasgow last Tuesday ... three days after the accident on
June 13.
He has been immobilised on a bed since as doctors wait for his condition to
improve.
Debbie said: The doctors have no doubt that its broken but because of the
swelling they cannot see it. He is due to have another scan on Monday when they
will decide what to do. He could be released with a neck brace or they may need
to operate.
In March the Standard revealed that Laurieston weather consultant Geoff Monk
walked about for a month with a broken neck after a fall. He was also taken to
the Southern General Hospital for treatment when the extent of his true
injuries was realised.
14.
ANOTHER Dead Mountain Biker....
Brian
Johnson was on a mountain bike ride last week - the regular Wednesday night
ride in Invermere, BC - and, sadly, did not make it home.
It was his last ride.
Drew Bragg, one of Brian's good friends in Invermere, and one of the BC Bike
Race family as our MC and voice of BCBR, phoned me last Thursday to tell me the
sad news.
The guys on the regular Wednesday night ride, a very tight group of guys in a
smallish town in the East Kootenays who've been getting together every week for
many years, found Brian on the ground beside his bike, apparently in the
process of fixing his chain. They are not sure what caused his death.
15.
"Everson man dies in Colo. mountain biking accident"
http://www.lyndentribune.com/node/4637
Submitted by the Tribune on July 15, 2009 - 7:54am. News
TELLURIDE, Colo. An Everson man died Saturday in an accident while mountain
biking in the Telluride Ski Area.
Rittner Ritt Lewis, 51, was biking down a steep hill along a popular trail when
he hit a rock or bump and flipped his bicycle, said San Miguel County coroner
Bob Dempsey.
Lewis broke his neck but was killed by the head trauma he suffered even though
he wore a helmet, Dempsey said.
Lewis, a widower who owned Bellingham-based Stone & Clay, leaves behind
children.
Ritts wife, Karen, passed away in January 2008 after a long battle with cancer,
according to the company Web site.
Mark Reimers
16. 15-year-old Has Serious Mountain Biking
Accident
http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20090719/NEWS/907199990/1079&ParentProfile=1067
Grand
County's Emergency Medical Services have been kept busy with calls this summer
some days compounded more than others.
On Wednesday, emergency responders experienced four calls nearly simultaneously
one at Rocky Mountain National Park and three in other areas of the county,
according to EMS Director Ray Jennings. The day also brought emergency
transfers to Denver and at least two 911 calls.
On Thursday, EMS was busy again, with one transport to Kremmling Memorial
Hospital for a Flight For Life pick-up, another to Granby Medical Center for a
Flight For Life.
A 15 year old extreme mountain biker practicing for the USA Cycling Mountain
Bike National Championships at SolVista Basin last weekend suffered a cervical
neck injury when he flipped his bike, according to the Granby Police
Department.
Two other competitors experienced less severe injuries on Thursday, requiring
medical transports to Granby Medical.
Also Thursday, there was a chance that a multi-car accident on County Road 10
had caused injury to seven victims. Upon arrival, EMS learned that no one had
been hurt.
There were three other emergency calls during the day, another three transports
out of the county, and that night, Grand County EMS had two emergency
transports to Denver, one at 1:30 a.m. and another at 5:30 a.m.
Summertime, it's that way, said Jennings, saying Wednesday's and Thursday's
activity volume was typical for Grand County in July.
EMS generally runs 10 to 15 calls a day, he said.
Our population increases tremendously, with people spread out all over the
county from the backcountry to the resort. It goes to show the dedication of
our staff to take care of the community.
The county has the capability to run eight ambulances during the height of
winter and summer. The entire EMS staff, he said, is qualified to attend emergencies,
creating a department that can expand and contract with the needs of the
community. Everybody on staff has an EMS certification from EMT all the way to
Paramedics, Jennings said. It allows us flexibility to run multiple calls
simultaneously.
- Tonya Bina can be reached at 970-887-3334 ext. 19603 or e-mail tbina@skyhidailynews.com.
17.
ANOTHER Dead Mountain Biker! So much for the alleged "health
benefits" of mountain biking....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/5955043/Holiday-Briton-60-dies-after-300ft-fall-from-bike-track-in-French-Alps.html
Holiday Briton, 60, dies after 300ft fall from bike track in French
Alps
By Alexandra
Williams in Chamonix
Published: 12:36PM BST 01 Aug 2009
The fall occured near Chamonix-Mt-Blanc, one of the world's most popular
mountaineering areas
The body of the man, from Brighton, was discovered on Friday afternoon by
police in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.
He hired a bike on Friday morning and went for a ride alone along the Balcon
Nord track, a popular mountain biking and walking trail.
Hikers discovered his bike impaled on a tree just below the track and alerted
police.
A search by helicopter located the man's body 330 feet below the track.
A spokesman for the Mountain Police in Chamonix said: We do not know why the
man fell. We are waiting for the results of a post mortem.
The man hit several trees and fell a considerable distance 100 metres. It is
very steep in this section.
We believe he was on his own. He was on holiday with friends but he was the
only one who went biking that day. There are no witnesses to his fall.
The Balcon Nord is a popular route and technically it is not too difficult.
18.
ANOTHER Dead Mountain Biker!
But he
was doing what he loved to do. That makes it okay? "This is the third
death on a bike in the area in less than a month."
Mike
http://www.telluridenews.com/articles/2009/08/05/news/doc4a78fbcd13539554804810.txt
Published:
Wednesday, August 5, 2009 5:19 AM CDT
A doctor who worked to set crooked spines straight died of an apparent heart
attack while riding his mountain bike on Prospect Trail Monday afternoon.
Alexis Shelokov, 55, lived in Plano, Texas, most of the year, but had a house
in Bachman Village. He was an orthopedic surgeon and the medical director of
the Baylor Scoliosis Center in Plano.
Shelokov leaves behind his wife, Georgiana, who is a radiologist, and two
children: a boy aged 13 and a girl aged 11, reported San Miguel County coroner
Bob Dempsey.
Shelokov had already been to Telluride three times this summer, said his friend
Ed Roufa, mostly to mountain bike, which he loved.
It was a horrible accident, said Roufa, but he was doing what he loved to do.
Ed Roufa was with Shelokov when he died. They had ridden the Prospect Trail
almost to the bottom, and Shelokov was ecstatic.
I cant tell you the exclamations we were using as we were doing the downhill,
Roufa said. Then Shelokov suffered his attack.
EMTs arrived within minutes, Roufa said, but were unable to revive Shelokov.
Valley Lawn Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
This is the third death on a bike in the area in less than a month. A visitor
from Washington state died after a solo crash on Telluride Trail July 12, and
local Captain Jack Carey died July 17 while road biking on Lizard Head Pass.
Shelokov grew up in Glenwood Springs, Roufa said, an avid skier and ice
climber. He got his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Sciences
Center in 1982. He had owned a home in Telluride for at least 12 years, Roufa
said.
Shelokov straightened out the spines of adults and children with scoliosis, the
malady of a crooked, S-shaped spinal column, and he received some raves from
former patients on scoliosis.org
and vitals.com,
where doctors are rated.
I love him, wrote one woman.
Wrote another patient: I have never met anyone so attentive, caring,
compassionate and very professional and honest at the same time.
In an interview on Ivanhoe.com,
Shelokov talked about how patients with scoliosis would confide to him that
they felt different, they felt deformed.
There are times that I describe my practice as one of being a psychiatrist with
a knife, Shelokov said. Its an odd way to put it, but any time youre doing a
procedure that changes the way a person looks physically and the way they feel
physically, you cant do that effectively without dealing with the patient
emotionally, dealing with them as a person rather than just a collection of
bones.
He said he was working to correct the misperception that theres nothing to be
done for adults with scoliosis. He told them: You can be made straight. A man
who loved to ride his bike, Shelokov even helped a woman get on one. An online
story from Baylor tells about a woman whose scoliosis got progressively worse
as she grew older. Then, at age 31, she met with Shelokov, who told her there
was help. After surgeons at Baylor fused five vertebrae in her lower back, she
went out and bought a mountain bike. And now that Ive tried it, she said, Ive
fallen in love with the sport.
It seems fitting that Shelokov would find a way to help other people get into
the sport he loved.
He was the essence of Telluride, Roufa said. A great friend and a great rider.
E-mail: reilly@telluridedailyplanet.com. Phone: 728-9788
ext. 11.
19. ANOTHER
Dead Mountain Biker!
There
seems to be a pattern here....
Mike
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705305265,00.html
Published:
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 4:31 p.m. MDT
Authorities are investigating a man's death along a popular mountain-biking
trail in Washington County.
Sheriff's deputies said it happened in the Little Creek area, where Joseph
Manning, 40, of Avendale, Pa., had been mountain biking with friends when he
became separated from them.
"He was later found by his friends near a pool of water. His friends
started CPR on him until assistance arrived," Washington County Sheriff's
Chief Deputy Rob Tersigni said Tuesday. "Medical personnel took over but
were unable to revive him."
Manning's body has been sent to the state medical examiner for an autopsy, but
Tersigni said there were no obvious signs of foul play. Temperatures in the
area were nearly 100 degrees, prompting the Washington County Sheriff's Office
to warn anyone hiking or biking in Utah's red-rock country to be prepared.
"With any type of activity, your body can overheat quickly, causing you to
go into distress," Tersigni said.
Ben Winslow
20. ANOTHER
Dead Mountain Biker....
http://www.velonews.com/article/92239/pro-racer-steve-larsen-dies-of-heart-attack-during-running
By Steve Frothingham
Published: May. 20, 2009
Steve Larsen, probably the only professional who competed and won major races
as a mountain biker, road biker and triathlete, died Tuesday evening after
collapsing during a running workout.
Larsen was 39 and he and his wife Carrie Larsen have five children.
"He was doing a track workout and he collapsed. They did CPR immediately
and an ambulance arrived quickly, but they weren't able to save him," his
friend Michael Nyberg told VeloNews
Another friend of the family confirmed Larsen's death, saying that an autopsy
is pending, but that he apparently suffered a heart attack.
Larsen began racing in the 1980s and was on the Motorola team for three years
in the early 1990s, racing the Giro d'Italia and other major European events.
He then moved into mountain biking, winning the NORBA National Cross-Country
title in 1997 and 2000.
In 2001, he switched to triathlon, qualifying for the Ironman in his first year in
the sport, and finishing ninth at the Hawaii event. He also competed in XTerra
offroad triathlons. He was reportedly the only American to compete in the world
championships for road, mountain bike, track, cyclocross and triathlon. He was
a member of the 1993 U.S. world road championship team that helped Lance
Armstrong win his first world title.
Larsen at the 2003 Tour de Georgia
Photo: Casey B.
Gibson
Larsen grew up near Davis, California. For several years he operated a bike and
triathlon shop there, called Steve Larsen's Wheelworks. He retired from
professional racing in 2003 and opened a real estate agency in Bend, Oregon.
He still competed in triathlons for fun, finishing 70th at the 2008 Ironman
World Championships with a time of 9:19:25.
21. Another
Death Caused by Mountain Biking
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10513114:
Boy killed in crash loved his bike
5:00AM Thursday May 29, 2008
Doctors told Frazer McKinlay-Storey's family that he had suffered the worst
neck injury they had ever seen. Photo / BOP Times
As teenager Frazer McKinlay-Storey was about to slip into unconsciousness, he
managed to utter four words to his mother: "I love you, Mum."
Frazer drifted off, on board a helicopter heading to Auckland's Starship
hospital. He didn't wake, and died two days later. He was just 13.
Last Thursday, about 4.15pm, a mountain-biking accident at the Tauranga BMX
Club track at Sulphur Pt left him with a shattered neck.
The Tauranga Boys College student, who lived in Matua and had a passion for
mountain biking, fell and hit the ground at such an angle that his neck
shattered on impact.
"It wasn't a stunt or a jump ... it was just a berm that he was riding
around and didn't realise there was a drop off on one side," Frazer's
stepfather, Ross Bond, said yesterday. Frazer was to visit his father in
Auckland the next day and was having a last blast around the track.
He was equipped with a brand-new crash helmet, but no protective gear could
have saved him, Mr Bond said.
After the fall, a friend of his ran to get help and dialled 111. St John
Ambulance staff arrived shortly afterwards.
Frazer was conscious for 12 hours after the accident.
"The doctors there were saying it was the worst neck injury they've seen
on anyone because most people who have had that sort of accident would have
been killed outright. So for him to have been conscious for 12 hours was quite
something," Mr Bond said.
Frazer's condition deteriorated on Friday _ his mother Charlotte McKinlay's
birthday _ and he was put on a ventilator before being prepared for the trip to
the Starship. He spoke to his mother before being sedated for the 5pm flight.
"The last thing he said was, `I love you, Mum'. He never woke up," Mr
Bond said.
At Starship, an MRI scan showed the severity of his injuries and Frazer passed
away peacefully on Sunday.
The family are devastated. "We're getting through it all, ups and
downs," Mr Bond said.
Frazer's passion for mountain biking was ignited when he bought a bike at the
beginning of the school year, his first at Tauranga Boys College. It was the
first he'd bought out of his own pocket.
"He lived for it. He'd come in and have breakfast wearing his
helmet," Mr Bond said. "Anywhere he wanted to go ... we had to
dismantle his bike and put it in the car to take it with us."
Mr Bond said Frazer would be remembered as "a complete joker, bubbly,
outgoing and very generous."
"[He was] an absolute gem to be around, wise beyond his years. He was a
really good kid."
Tauranga Boys College Principal Robert Mangan said Frazer had been making good
progress and had just been moved up a class. "Our thoughts and condolences
are with the family in what is a very tragic accident."
Tauranga BMX Club President Ash Rawson said the next club meeting on the track
would be in Frazer's honour.
Frazer's funeral will be in Auckland at Romaleigh Funeral Home, 31 Oceanview
Rd, Northcote at midday tomorrow.
- NZPA
22. ANOTHER
Dead Mountain Biker!
Evolution
in action....
Mike
http://austriantimes.at/news/General_News/2009-08-07/15364/German_mountainbiker_dies_in_Tyrol
By David
Rogers
A German man died from a heart-attack yesterday (Thurs) as he cycled in the
Tyrol.
The 58-year-olds wife who was with him at the time said he keeled over as they
rode from Mittenwald, Bavaria, into Austria to cycle to the Karwendel Haus near
Scharnitz.
An emergency doctor called out by the woman said he had died immediately.
The
Associated Press
BEAVER, Pa. - Police believe a Maine man was killed when his mountain bike
crashed on a steep hill in western Pennsylvania.
Brighton Township police Chief Howard Blinn says a jogger found the body of
44-year-old Robert Anderson about 3:15 p.m. Sunday.
The chief says it appears Anderson, of Long Island, Maine, was thrown from his
bike and hit his head on a rock a Brady's Run Park.
Blinn says Anderson was in the area visiting his mother, who was watching his
6-year-old daughter when he was killed.
Brady's Run is owned by Beaver County and is about 25 miles northwest of
Pittsburgh.
,,,
Information from: Beaver County Times, http://www.timesonline.com/
24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/south_of_scotland/8218546.stm
The
injured man was airlifted to hospital from the Dalbeattie forest trail to
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
A mountain biker has been airlifted to hospital after crashing on a trail in
the south west of Scotland.
The accident occurred on the 7Stanes route at Dalbeattie Forest in Dumfries and
Galloway at about 1100 BST.
Friends treated the man - who had serious head and neck injuries - before
emergency services arrived.
Due to the difficulty in accessing the area by road a Royal Navy Sea King
helicopter was scrambled to take the injured man to Dumfries Infirmary.
A Scottish Ambulance Services spokesman said: "The place where the
accident took place was deep in the forest near Kippford Caravan Site.
"Our ambulance was not able to negotiate the rough tracks and to speed up
the rescue operation we called in a Sea King helicopter as our own air
ambulance was on another call at the time."
The injured man has not been identified.
The Dalbeattie mountain bike trail is one of seven linked tracks operated
across the south of Scotland.
8:47am
Monday 24th August 2009
RESCUE teams were called to a Bolton park after a mountain biker suffered a
serious leg fracture.
The 38-year-old rider had been out with his brother and a friend in Moses Gate Country Park, Farnworth.
He had fallen from his bike and damaged his leg. Crews from the North West
Ambulance Service were called out.
Paramedics splintered his leg and waited for the arrival of a Bolton Mountain
Rescue response crew.
He was put on a stretcher and carried around half-a-mile to an ambulance, which
had parked behind the Rock Hall information centre after struggling to get into
the park due to a height restriction barrier.
A squad of 13 members of Bolton Mountain Rescue went to the park at 10.40am
yesterday, using two Land Rover Mountain Rescue ambulances.
Team member Dave Marsh took one of the mountain bikers and the three bikes to
the home of one of the bikers friends in Clifton.
The injured rider, from Swinton, was taken to hospital at 11.30am accompanied
by his brother.
Team leader Garry Rhodes said: His leg was seriously fractured and we were
called to help ambulance crews gain access to the site and to assist in the
mans evacuation by stretcher.
The mountain rescue crew was also called to Winter Hill following reports at
11.42am yesterday of a 35-year-old walker having sustained a suspected
dislocated shoulder in a fall.
The man managed to walk to the ambulance without assistance, however, and the
mountain rescue services were not needed.
Martin
Knoll, a 51 year-old Austrian, was touring in a group when he lost his balance
and plunged about 50 metres in the Engstlenalp area near Innertkirchen in
canton Bern, the company's website announced on Sunday.
His body had to be recovered by helicopter after the accident, which occurred
on Friday.
The area of the accident is popular with mountain bikers but police describe it
as "challenging". On the exposed stretch where Knoll fell, notices
advise bikers to dismount.
Knoll had been with McDonald's since 1993 and headed the business in
Switzerland and Liechtenstein since 2003.
8:47am
Monday 24th August 2009
RESCUE teams were called to a Bolton park after a mountain biker suffered a
serious leg fracture.
The 38-year-old rider had been out with his brother and a friend in Moses Gate Country Park, Farnworth.
He had fallen from his bike and damaged his leg. Crews from the North West
Ambulance Service were called out.
Paramedics splintered his leg and waited for the arrival of a Bolton Mountain
Rescue response crew.
He was put on a stretcher and carried around half-a-mile to an ambulance, which
had parked behind the Rock Hall information centre after struggling to get into
the park due to a height restriction barrier.
A squad of 13 members of Bolton Mountain Rescue went to the park at 10.40am
yesterday, using two Land Rover Mountain Rescue ambulances.
Team member Dave Marsh took one of the mountain bikers and the three bikes to
the home of one of the bikers friends in Clifton.
The injured rider, from Swinton, was taken to hospital at 11.30am accompanied
by his brother.
Team leader Garry Rhodes said: His leg was seriously fractured and we were
called to help ambulance crews gain access to the site and to assist in the
mans evacuation by stretcher.
The mountain rescue crew was also called to Winter Hill following reports at
11.42am yesterday of a 35-year-old walker having sustained a suspected
dislocated shoulder in a fall.
The man managed to walk to the ambulance without assistance, however, and the
mountain rescue services were not needed.
28. http://radiology.rsna.org/content/219/2/427.abstract
+ Author Affiliations
PURPOSE: To sonographically investigate
whether mountain bikers have a higher prevalence of scrotal abnormalities
compared with that in nonbikers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-five male mountain bikers (mean age, 25
years; age range, 1745 years) and 31 healthy nonbikers (mean age, 24 years; age
range, 1537 years) were examined for scrotal findings at ultrasonography (US).
Only male subjects with a history of extensive off-road biking ( 2 h/d 6 d/wk;
covered distance, >5,000 km/y) were assigned to the group of mountain
bikers, whereas the control group did not engage in bicycling. In addition to
clinical evaluation, US examination of the scrotum was performed by using a
linear-array transducer operating at a frequency of 8.0 MHz.
RESULTS: Eighty (94%) mountain bikers had abnormal findings at scrotal
US. Thirty-nine (46%) had a history of intermittent scrotal tenderness or
discomfort but no severe scrotal trauma. Abnormal findings at US included
scrotal calculi in 69 (81%), epididymal cysts in 39 (46%), epididymal
calcifications in 34 (40%), testicular calcifications in 27 (32%), hydroceles
in 24 (28%), varicoceles in nine (11%), and testicular microlithiasis in one
(1%). In the control group, abnormal findings were noted in five (16%), all of
whom had epididymal cysts. The overall difference in the number of scrotal
abnormalities in bikers compared with the number in nonbikers was significant (P
< .0001, 2 test).
CONCLUSION: US shows a significantly higher prevalence of
extratesticular and testicular disorders in these mountain bikers compared with
nonbikers.
29. Acute injuries from mountain biking.
T K Chow, M D Bracker, and K Patrick
Department of Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, CA 92354.
See commentary "More on mountain biking." on page 708.
This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.
Abstract
We questioned members of 2 southern California off-road bicycling organizations
about injuries associated with the use of all-terrain bicycles. Cyclists were
asked about riding and safety habits, the kind(s) of injury sustained with
their most recent accident and whether they sought medical treatment, and the
circumstances of the accident. Of 459 mailed surveys, 268 (58.4%) were
returned. Respondents (82.8% of whom were male) ranged in age from 14 to 68
years. Of these, 225 (84%) had been injured while riding all-terrain bicycles,
51% in the past year. Although most injuries were characterized as minor, 26%
required professional medical care, and 4.4% of those injured were admitted to
hospital. Extremity injuries--abrasions, lacerations, contusions--occurred in
201 (90%) cyclists with 27 (12%) sustaining a fracture or dislocation. High
levels of helmet use (88%) may explain the low occurrence of head and neck
trauma (12%). Frequent riding and riding on paved terrain were associated with
increased severity of injury, although most accidents--197 (87.6%)--occurred
off paved roads. These results suggest that, compared with regular bicyclists,
all-terrain cyclists have more, but not necessarily more severe, injuries. Clinicians
and emergency medical personnel should be aware that the increasing popularity
of off-road cycling may change the frequency and nature of bicycling injuries.
Full text
Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Get a
printable copy (PDF file) of the complete article (689K), or click on a page
image below to browse page by page. Links to PubMed are also available for Selected References.
145
146
147
148
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references
from this article.
30. http://bjsm.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/35/3/197
British Journal of Sports Medicine 2001;35:197-199;
doi:10.1136/bjsm.35.3.197
L M Jeys1,
G Cribb1, A D Toms1, S M Hay1
1 Trauma Unit, Orthopaedic Surgery Department, Royal Shrewsbury
Hospital, Mytton Oak Road, Shrewsbury, UK
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to: Dr Jeys, 27 Newton Park Road, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 9XE,
UK lee.jeys@btclick.com
Abstract
BackgroundOff road mountain biking is now an extremely popular
recreation and a potent cause of serious injury.
AimTo establish the morbidity associated with this sport.
MethodsData were collected prospectively over one year on
all patients presenting with an injury caused by either recreational or
competitive off road mountain biking.
ResultsEighty four patients were identified, 70 males and
14 females, with a mean age of 22.5 years (range 871). Most
accidents occurred during the summer months, most commonly in
August. Each patient had an average of 1.6 injuries (n = 133) and
these were divided into 15 categories, ranging from minor soft tissue
to potentially life threatening. Operative intervention was
indicated for 19 patients (23%) and several required multiple
procedures. The commonest injuries were clavicle fractures (13%),
shoulder injuries (12%), and distal radial fractures (11%). However,
of a more sinister nature, one patient had a C2/3 dislocation
requiring urgent stabilisation, one required a chest drain for a
haemopneumothorax, and another required an emergency and life saving
nephrectomy.
ConclusionThis sport has recently experienced an explosion in
popularity, and, as it carries a significant risk of potentially life
threatening injury across all levels of participation, the use of
protective equipment to reduce this significant morbidity may be
advisable.
31.
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/697496.html
FATAL: Yakima man dies in mountain biking mishap
YAKIMA A
Yakima man died today after he apparently lost control of his mountain bicycle
while descending a steep hill and was thrown from the bike, Yakima County
authorities said.
The body of the 42-year-old man was found in a small canyon north of the
Terrace Heights area around 1:30 p.m., not long after he was reported by his
family to be three hours overdue from his ride, the Yakima County Sheriffs
Office said.
His body was spotted by an acquaintance, authorities said. The victim was
wearing a helmet and gloves, the sheriffs office said.
The Yakima County Coroner's Office plans an autopsy to determine the cause of
death. The mans name was not released.
devon.editorial@archant.co.uk
01 September 2009
A MOUNTAIN bike enthusiast was left with two broken wrists after falling in a
crater on Lympstone Common.
Exmouth firefighters were on Monday afternoon called to woods near Pines Ridge
car park to help move the injured man to a waiting ambulance.
Onlookers said the man had been riding his mountain bike up a steep ridge of
earth when it flipped over, sending him over the handlebars onto his
outstretched arms.
33. Another
Mountain Biker in a Coma
Meanwhile,
the "fun" sport of mountain biking continues unabated....
Mike
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 11:47:04 -0700
Subject: [BTCEB Info] Gala Ride 9/12 ; Adriana's Crash
From: Cyril Manning <cyrilmanning@gmail.com>
To: btceb@googlegroups.com
List-Unsubscribe: <http://googlegroups.com/group/btceb/subscribe>
Gala Ride -- NEXT SATURDAY, SEPT 12 on Mt. Tam
The next Gala ride is September 12 at Mt Tam.
Join us for our monthly group ride at 9:30 am the 2nd Saturday of
every month for a casually paced social group ride at one of the many
great parks in the east bay. This no-drop ride is always fun for all
levels!
Meet at Mill Valley Plaza, 87 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley ~ 9 a.m.
We ride at 9:30!
Note that Mt. Tam is where a much loved member of our community,
Adriana Ospina, had a terrible crash last weekend, putting her in a
coma. We will certainly ride with Adriana in our thoughts, and anyone
who wants to help her and her family with the huge burden this tragedy
is sure to have can bring cash or check donations for the trust that
has been set up for her.
----------------------------------
Check out our blog lately?
http://btceb.org/blog/
Are you a fan yet?
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bicycle-Trails-Council-of-the-East-Bay/126341979240
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To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
BTCEB-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
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34. Bike
accident means Edison principal Chuck Tansey will miss school opening
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/09/bike_accident_means_edison_pri.html
KALAMAZOO
-- While students at Kalamazoo's Edison Environmental Science Academy will
return from summer vacation on Tuesday, their principal won't be able to join
them until at least two days later.
That's because Chuck Tansey, 36, is recuperating at his Kalamazoo home from a
broken right wrist he suffered Aug. 23 when he crashed his mountain bike during
a race at Fort Custer. Since then, Tansey said he's been through three
surgeries at Bronson Methodist Hospital and was hospitalized for two days this
week when he spiked a fever.
He's been told by doctors he can return to work at Edison on Thursday but won't
get a final OK until after a doctor's appointment scheduled for Wednesday,
Tansey said. This school year marks Tansey's sixth as the school's principal.
"This has been my second major accident, and I pretty much told my wife
after the first one that if it happened again, I would stop racing," said
Tansey, who is an avid mountain biker.
Tansey said the crash in which he broke his wrist occurred not long after the
start of the bike race at Fort Custer. He said he rounded a corner fast, struck
a tree stump on the ground and went over the handle bars of his bike. When he
struck the ground, he landed on his wrist, said Tansey, who was wearing a
helmet.
"I heard a little snap and looked down ... and you could see it was messed
up," Tansey said of the compound fracture, which he described as a
"Steven Seagal break ... kind of what you see in the movies."
Tansey's wife, who was with him at the race, drove him to Bronson, where
doctors put metal plates in his wrist. The area of the break was too swollen,
so doctors weren't able to close Tansey's arm after the surgery, he said.
He said he returned to the hospital Aug. 26, but doctors were still unable to
close the arm because of swelling. They were finally successful during a third
surgery a couple of days later, he said.
Tansey said he paid another visit to Bronson and was admitted to the hospital
on Tuesday when he began running a high fever. He was released from the
hospital Thursday evening. He said doctors weren't able to determine what
caused the fever.
Tansey said he doesn't plan to race mountain bikes again, but he is going to
give road biking a try, as well as some triathlons. As he continues to recover,
Tansey said he has received immense support from his family, staff at Edison
and Kalamazoo Public Schools administration.
"This support has allowed me to focus on getting well," he said.
35.
Prospective Doctor Paralyzed from the Chest Down Due to Mountain Biking
If THIS
doesn't move people to oppose mountain biking, nothing will!
Mike
Date: Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:11:44 -0700
From: Monica Craver <mecraver@shaw.ca>
Subject: Re: Another Mountain Biker Dies from a Heart Attack
The insanity never ends --- sounds like this doctor-to-be's dream has been cut
short by mountain biking, too. It is such a waste, isn't it.
http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?p=2230681#post2230681
Rider Down-Healing Vibes
Just talked to my dad and received some sad news.
10 days ago the son of a family friend had a bad crash on Whistler Mountain.
Blake Jameson is paralyzed from the chest down apparently and is heavily
sedated.
Skid will know who this is. As Blake is working to be a doctor, and was
volunteering with the bike patrol on Whistler for the last 2 seasons.
36.
Injured mountain biker airlifted to hospital
What an
expensive sport (for everyone involved, including the taxpayers)!
Mike
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=162903
10/09/2009
6:00:01
An elderly man has been airlifted to hospital after coming off his mountain
bike in the Marlborough Sounds.
The man in his 80s from Kenepuru Heads was reported overdue from a trip to the
Queen Charlotte track at 2pm yesterday. Police search and rescue members found
him on the track with hip and leg injuries.
Nelson's rescue helicopter was called in at 11pm because of the remoteness of
the steep, bushclad location. The crew used night vision goggles to spot him
and a St John advanced paramedic was winched down. The man was treated on the
spot and was then winched out.
37.
Mountain biker lucky to be alive after crash
http://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/news/Mountain-biker-lucky-to-be.5639325.jp
Published
Date: 11
September 2009
Friday, 10am - A MOUNTAIN BIKER is lucky to be alive after a crash helmet saved
his life whilst on holiday in Scotland.
Nigel Wainwright, a flight engineer from RAF Cranwell, had been cycling an
advanced 'red run' in Dalbeattie when his front wheel dug into the rocky
terrain and threw him off his bike.
Landing on his head and neck, Nigel knew from his military training what he had
to do.
He said: "As I landed on my head it felt like I had been hit with a
hammer. It didn't even feel like I had the helmet on. I felt my neck compress
and I knew it was important not to move."
Luckily, Nigel was not cycling alone and other members of his party alerted the
emergency services.
He said: "The first ambulance could not reach me, so they called in the
Air Ambulance. They were unable to move me safely over the rough ground, so
they had to call in a Sea King helicopter to winch me off the mountain. They
were extremely professional and calm in what was a very difficult situation.
"There was some friendly banter on board from the crew, as the Navy
helicopter rescued someone from the RAF, which was a little embarrassing."
The dad of two, 39, was taken straight to hospital in Dumfries, where tests
revealed the extent of his injuries.
He suffered a cut to the head where his helmet had split in two, as well as a
stable fracture in his neck, bleeding muscles and torn ligaments.
Experienced in many outdoor pursuits, Nigel was aware of the dangers but said
that more people need to take precautions as his accident could have ended very
differently.
After his lucky escape, he is keen to stress the importance of wearing helmets
to all cyclists, from children riding to school to their parents and occasional
riders.
He said: "I am lucky to be alive and got off very lightly. I am still in a
great deal of pain and can't stand for long, but so far I am recovering well
and owe my life to that helmet.
"I enjoy the adrenaline and the risks, but not wearing a helmet is
foolish.
"I think it is a fashion thing, as they are probably viewed as uncool and
a bit of a pain to put on.
"However, for the sake of a few pounds you can save a life, which you
can't put a price on."
E-mail
your news and views to comment@granthamjournal.co.uk
38. Mountain
Bikers Glorify Injuries!
And then
they have the nerve to complain about road biking being dangerous!
Mike
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/cycle-of-life-at-whistler/article1283987/
But don't worry if you show up for dinner scraped and bruised biker war wounds
are expected.
Yeah, it was full contact, face to rock, says Vanessa Murphy, sporting a shiner
that elicits respect from other mountain bikers.
Cool. Nice, echoes Araxi waiter Andrew, displaying his own scabby road rash.
That's the thing about Whistler everyone's active.
39.
"SES leader dies in mountain bike event"
Beginning
to see a pattern here? Mountain bikers say their sport is a safe, fun,
environmentally benign activity for the whole family. If mountain biking is
such a good thing, I wonder why mountain bikers need to lie about it?
Mike
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/ses-leader-dies-in-mountain-bike-event-20090914-fnba.html
September
14, 2009 - 4:59PM
NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Commissioner Murray Kear says he's devastated
by the sudden death of Deputy Commissioner Greg Slater.
Mr Slater, 46, of Mount Keira, died of an apparent heart attack while taking
part in a mountain biking endurance event with his son in the Mogo State Forest
on the NSW south coast on Sunday.
Mr Kear said Mr Slater was a "much loved" and highly-decorated
officer who had served with the SES for 11 years.
The SES telephones were ringing "hot with condolences" from around
the country and from overseas over the loss of Mr Slater.
"Today we're like a small family, feeling it very hard, all around the state,"
he said.
Mr Slater's death had come as a shock because he had been a healthy, fit man,
Mr Kear said.
Endurance sports were his hobby and he had previously competed in the
Australian ironman triathlon championships four times.
"Greg was the epitome of a healthy person ... anything that had physical
exercise attached to it, Greg would be in it, so it's just a shock," he
said.
Mr Kear said Mr Slater's wife Jenny, also a NSW SES employee, his daughter
Madaline and his son Alex, who was cycling in the event with his father when he
died, were devastated.
"(They are) trying to come to terms with the loss of a husband and a
father," he said.
Mr Slater joined the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in 1981 and served in
Cyprus and East Timor, as well as with the Rescue Squad.
NSW Minister for Emergency Services Steve Whan said Mr Slater had been
instrumental in the development of the SES since his appointment as deputy
commissioner in 2004.
He had been recognised for his dedication, commitment and bravery, having been
awarded an AFP Commendation for Brave Conduct and a United Nations Fire
Commander's Commendation for Brave Conduct.
"Mr Slater's leadership and dedication to the community of New South Wales
and to his country will be sorely missed," Mr Whan said in a statement.
"On behalf of the New South Wales government, I extend my sympathies to Mr
Slater's family and colleagues."
Mr Kear said the NSW SES was discussing memorial arrangements with Mr Slater's
family.
A post-mortem examination is being conducted to determine the cause of his
death and police will prepare a report for the coroner.
40. http://www.ktvz.com/Global/story.asp?S=11153933
Injured mountain biker, lost climbers rescued
Posted: Sep 17, 2009 11:24 PM PDT
From KTVZ.COM news sources
A mountain biker lost control and went over her handlebars on a trail west
of Bend Thursday evening, prompting a 2 -hour rescue effort, authorities said.
About the time that wrapped up, Deschutes County sheriff's deputies rescued two
climbers lost at Smith Rock.
In the first incident, Julie Barbour, 44, of Bend, crashed on the Whoops Trail,
near Phil's Trail, around 6 p.m., said Deschutes County sheriff's Cpl. Wayne
Morgan.
An off-duty Sheriff's Search and Rescue volunteer was riding on the trail and
came upon the crash scene, Morgan said.
The SAR volunteer stabilized Barbour and reported the incident to 911
dispatchers, who in turn contacted SAR, which sent nine volunteers to the
scene.
Barbour was placed on a wheeled litter and taken about a quarter-mile to a
nearby spur road. For there, she was placed in a four-wheel-drive SAR vehicle
and taken about 1 miles to a waiting Bend Fire ambulance at Skyliners Road,
Morgan said.
Around 8:40 p.m., the ambulance took Barbour to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend
with non-life threatening injuries, the corporal said, adding that she was
wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
At 8:47 p.m., 911 dispatchers got a cell phone call from Tony Carr, 23, of
Portland, who said e and climbing partner Rosemary Patterson, 24, also of
Portland, were lost on Smith Rock and unable to find their way back to their
camp, said sheriff's Sgt. Mike Biondi.
Carr and Patterson had been climbing all day, but said they became disoriented
as darkness fell and had just one small flashlight between them, Biondi said.
Two sheriff's office deputies responded to the area and used their emergency
lights and sirens to help the climbers get their bearings, the sergeant said.
After about a 90-minute search, deputies were able to help the climbers move up
the trail to the overlook parking area, Biondi said, adding that both climbers
were unhurt.
41. Nurse
Brain-Injured by a Mountain Biking "Accident"!
I hope
that this very sad case will convince people that mountain biking should be
banned EVERYWHERE. Trails are not designed to be predictable, and never will
be, making mountain biking inherently dangerous. No amount of "fun"
will compensate for this!
Mike
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_13411131
By J.M.
Brown
Correspondent
Posted: 09/24/2009 10:33:12 AM PDT
Updated: 09/24/2009 11:49:32 AM PDT
Friends of a Piedmont woman who suffered a brain injury during a cycling
accident last month are asking for the public's help in raising funds for her
family.
Adriana Ospina, 37, a labor and delivery nurse at Oakland's Alta Bates Summit
Medical Center, was ejected from her mountain bike on a trail below Mount
Tamalpais on Aug. 30 after a long ride with friends. In addition to the brain
injury, Ospina is being treated at Marin General Hospital for a broken
collarbone and shoulder blade.
Ospina was in a coma for 19 days until Sept. 18, when she finally began to
respond to voices and spoke slightly. Relatives anticipate she will need costly
rehabilitation after she fully regains consciousness.
Loved ones keep a constant vigil at her bedside. More than 430 people have
joined a Facebook page designed to keep people up to date on her progress.
Friends also have set up a trust fund to help Ospina's family cover extensive
medical bills, as well as their own expenses. The outpouring of support already
has been more than the family could have imagined.
"I never thought this many people would come," said sister Luzangela
Ospina, 34. "For a couple of days at the hospital, we were like, 'Oh my
God, who are all these people?'""
Ospina's parents, Octavio and Myriam, were born in Colombia and moved to New
Jersey before arriving in California 20 years ago. The couple raised their two
daughters in Oakland and San Leandro before retiring and buying a home in
Stockton. Adriana has been helping to support her parents financially, her
sister said.
"They are supposed to be enjoying retirement, and this throws everything
off," Luzangela Ospina said. "We're a nervous wreck. Anytime the
doctor comes near you, you get high blood pressure."
Ospina has lived in Piedmont for about two years and has been a nurse for 15
years, her sister said. As a registered labor and delivery nurse, she works
one-on-one with expectant mothers all the way through the birthing process.
"Half of the kids born in Piedmont, she was assigned to their
mothers," said friend Adeline Wood, who added that Ospina is an
accomplished athlete.
Besides mountain biking, Ospina is an open water swimmer with the South End
Rowing Club in San Francisco, where she has competed in the International
Alcatraz Triathlon.
Last year she climbed Half Dome at Yosemite to commemorate a friend's birthday
and has also biked the snow sheds at Donner Summit with friends.
"She is like a daughter to me," said Wood, a mountain biker who is
working to plan fundraising events for Ospina.
Water World Swims and the South End Rowing Club raised about $6,000 during a
recent swim event for Ospina. A group of about 100 met at sunrise, said a
prayer for Ospina and swam the 2.5 miles from Alcatraz Island to the shore in
San Francisco, Wood said.
No one is exactly sure what caused Ospina's accident. Wood said a large group
of riders was coming down a coastal trail from a Sunday morning ride on Mount
Tamalpais when they realized Ospina didn't come in with them.
Riders went back up the trail and found her lying on the ground about 20 feet
from her bike. She was wearing a helmet and protective pads for her shoulders
and shins, but the fall was too severe to avoid serious injury.
"It's a fluke accident that can happen to any of us," Wood said.
Fellow riders, some who are in the medical field, attended to her immediately
as 911 was called, Wood said. An ambulance arrived shortly and took to Ospina
to Marin General, where she underwent surgery to address the brain injury.
Ospina's doctors have only told the family that "it is just going to take
a recovery process," her sister said. "They say only time will
tell."
HOW TO HELP Donations to Adriana Ospina's family can be made payable to the
Adriana Ospina Trust, Wells Fargo Bank, 151 40th St., Oakland, CA, 94611. Keep
up to date on Ospina's progress and fundraising events by visiting www.caringbridge.org/visit/adrianaospina
or the Facebook page called "Family and Friends Praying for Adriana
Ospina."
42. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6850964.ece
Injuries on the rise among mountain bikers
Mark Macaskill
A leading Scottish spine surgeon has called for an urgent review of
mountain-biking safety after figures showed the number of cyclists seriously
injured has risen.
David Allen, director of the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit at
Glasgows Southern General hospital, warned the sports growing popularity meant
the number of off-road cyclists injuring their spines would continue to rise
unless action was taken.
Since 2004, there have been more than 120 mountainbiking accidents, with eight
cyclists getting spinal injuries. Cycling is the second-most common cause of
sports-related spinal injuries, after diving.
Last month, a mountain biker was airlifted to hospital with serious head and
neck injuries after crashing on a trail in Dalbeattie in the southwest of
Scotland. In October last year, a 15-year-old boy received a serious head
injury in Ae Forest in Dumfries and Galloway.
There does appear to be a disproportionate increase in the number of mountain
bike injuries and they are, in general, more serious [than other cycling
accidents], said Allen.
The increase in serious injuries has coincided with Scotlands growing
international popularity as a destination for mountain bikers.
The trend has been blamed on inexperienced riders who tackle forest trails and
purpose-built tracks, which often involve difficult jumps and steep drop-offs.
Concerns have also been raised over the quality of riders equipment, such as
helmets and pads.
Allens warning comes ahead of the publication of a national strategic framework
on mountain biking, compiled by cycling groups.
The framework will recommend that all trails in Scotland comply with a standard
colour-coded grading system used by the Forestry Commission. Under the system,
green denotes the easiest trail, progressing to blue, red, black and orange,
which should be attempted only by the most experienced bikers.
More detailed information on trails will be provided so riders can judge which
are best suited to their ability.
The first mountain bike proficiency scheme, run by Scottish Cycling, the sports
governing body, will also be launched in Scotland and rolled out across the
rest of Britain. Riders must demonstrate good technical, navigation and first
aid skills to pass.
A national strategic framework on mountain biking is welcomed as long as it
takes into consideration the importance of safety awareness and safety of the
trail, equipment and clothing, including the use of helmets and protective body
armour, said Allen. We would welcome a real-time accident-monitoring scheme
that could identify dangerous routes.
Allen added that Scotlands growing reputation as one of Europes best
mountain-biking destinations meant that additional measures were vital to stop
the number of serious spinal injuries rising further.
The countrys flagship centre, at 7stanes in Dumfries and Galloway, boasts 25
world-class trails and generates more than 9m for the local economy. The
Mountain Bike World Cup is held every year at Fort William, Inverness-shire.
We cant stop anyone from accessing Scotlands great outdoors but we should be
aiming to limit injuries by providing as much information as we can to
participants, said Jackie Davidson, chief executive of Scottish Cycling. With
increased numbers comes the potential for increased levels of injury, but a lot
more safeguards are being built in with regard to the grading of trails,
education of riders and the structure of clubs.
The Forestry Commission Scotland, which manages the 7stanes centre, said all
trails were risk-assessed and routinely inspected by biking rangers, and that
accidents were investigated to see if lessons could be learned. A spokesman
said: We take mountain bike safety very seriously. We want riders to enjoy the
trails, whatever the level, but we also want them to do this safely. There are
many things you can do to improve safety, including proper trail design, good
interpretation and grading and we always keep procedures under review.
43. Mountain
Biker Breaks Her Neck, Barely Escapes Dying -- But Unrepentant! (Stupidity,
your name is "mountain biker"!)
http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2009/10/07/sports/1_accident_091007.txt
Lauren Liden smiles as she talks about her love of mountain biking
while in her Woodbridge home. Liden crashed and broke her neck during a recent
race in South Dakota. (Dan Evans/News-Sentinel)
By Joelle Milholm
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 6:21 AM PDT
Comments (1 comment(s))
While her body lay flat on the ground, Lauren Liden's mind was racing.
The Woodbridge resident wondered how she went from riding her mountain bike to
being tossed into the air before landing head first on the ground.
With a throbbing headache and blood rushing from her nose, she tried to analyze
the situation. She could wiggle her toes and fingers. She had feeling up and
down her body. She wasn't paralyzed, but she knew something wasn't right.
As an ambulance came to take her out of the adventure race in which she was
competing in the hills of South Dakota to the hospital in Rapid City, she began
to think her neck was broken.
She was right. Liden fractured her C1 vertebrae, the very top bone in her neck.
Luckily for Liden, it didn't touch her spinal cord. Outside of immense pain and
a short stint in a few different neck braces, Liden won't have any permanent
damage from the accident.
"I could have been dead or I could have been in a wheelchair. To me this
is nothing," Liden said recently, pointing to the immobilizing headgear
that is strapped from her back to the top of her head. "I will be as good
as new in four or five months and back to what I was doing and I am extremely
lucky."
It's hard to believe it's all from a stick that popped up off the trail and
jammed itself into her front tire, bending two of her spokes like an elbow and
launching Liden into the air like a projectile.
The Race
Liden is a cyclist. Whether it's road riding, hitting mountain trails or
summer adventures with her husband Lyle, she spends a lot of time on her bike.
So when she was approached about competing in Primal Quest a 10-day adventure
race covering 600 miles of biking, trekking, climbing, caving, kayaking, river
boarding and more with the majority of the miles coming on the bike she
couldn't refuse.
So she joined a three other Stockton Bicycle Club members who were in need of a
female rider for the coed race and headed to South Dakota in mid-August.
Liden's squad, Team Spanos, hiked a marathon with their camping gear on day
one. They continued through the race, biking and caving, working hard and only
sleeping about two hours a night.
"I was having a blast," said Liden, a veterinary doctor who owns Dry
Creek Veterinary Hospital in Galt. "I would have to say I was having the
time of my life in this race."
Halfway through the fourth day, Team Spanos realized they'd taken a wrong turn
during a biking section of the competition. Once they figured out they were on
the wrong road, they turned around to backtrack in search of the right one.
On the way back, they met up with Big City Mountaineering, another team that
took the same wrong turn. As they pedaled back to the original trail on a
forest service road not a technically challenging ride Liden glanced back to
talk to one of the Big City Mountaineering riders.
Bam! That's when it happened.
"I caught her out of the corner of my eye. I saw her going over her
handlebars," said Liden's teammate, Steve Peppard, a Galt resident and
Stockton Police Officer. "I knew it wasn't going to be good. Then I heard
her land."
The Crash
Liden said that those who saw the crash believe she flew about 30 feet. She
landed straight on her head, like a railroad spike being driven into the ground
by inertia. Her helmet, which now shows a crack in its interior foam, saved her
life.
"One minute I'm on my bike, riding down the trail. No big deal,"
Liden recalls of the crash. "The next minute I'm airborne and for a split
second I remember thinking 'Whoa what I'm I doing in the air.' And then I smack
on the ground. Just in milliseconds. It was so fast."
The impact broke her neck and brought intense pain to her entire head. Her
sunglasses were impaled into her nose. Her teammates had to pull them out of
her face, leaving a gash across the bridge of nose that would later require
three stitches and has left an X-shaped scar.
Her jaw throbbed. Her ears rung. Her eyes, reacting from a traumatic impact,
became painfully sensitive to light.
"The regular sunlight was like the light of 10,000 suns burning my
eyes," Liden said. "It was so bright."
Her teammates covered her eyes with a towel, which they also soaked with water
for Liden to suck on. They forced her to remain still, trying to stabilize her
neck an effort that saved her life and prevented paralysis. Even taking a sip
of water was too dangerous.
While waiting for the ambulance, Liden, who was fully conscious, started to
realize the severity of her injury.
"I was thinking this is the bad kind of pain and there was no way I was
going to finish that race," she said.
The Aftermath
More often than not, fractures to the top two vertebrae result in paralysis
or death. Test results revealed that Liden's ligaments held the fractured C1 in
place. The broken vertebrae didn't touch the spinal cord.
The break also could have damaged nerves that connect to the diaphragm, like
what happened in Christopher Reeve's paralyzing horseback-riding injury. In
that case, Liden would not have been able to breathe and could have died or
spent the rest of her life needing respiratory assistance.
Many times when vertebrae are broken, they must be surgically fused together to
create permanent stability. With no vertebrae above C1, Liden would have had to
have the broken vertebrae fused to her skull, severely limiting her neck and
head mobility for the rest of her life. Once again, Liden got lucky and her C1
showed enough stability to eliminate the need for surgery. She was even allowed
to leave the hospital, fitted in her halo tightly strapped to her head, neck
and back, five days after the crash.
A few days later, she traveled back to Lodi.
At first Liden's activities were very limited. She couldn't move around much,
or even lift a gallon of milk. Getting dressed and taking a bath were grueling
activities.
Day by day, Liden was able to do more. Now she's able to go to the gym and can
even lift 15 pound weights. She's got her stationary training bike up in her
backyard and rides it almost every day.
In the immediate future, she's looking forward to ditching the halo for a less
obstructive neck brace. Then she'll be able to slowly get back to work.
She's bummed she'll be inactive for the snowboarding season, as she already
bought a pass to Kirkwood. She constantly pesters doctors about when the halo
can come off and when she can get back on the bike. She's hoping to be training
and racing again come early 2010.
"It's really scary what could have happened," Liden said.
"People look at this whole getup and say 'oh you poor thing.' But I am so
lucky."
A comment from a friend:
Flying over the handle-bars is
such a common mountain biking accident. It's like they are playing Russian
roulette with their lives. I am sure this unrepentant gal also suffers from
some "brain damage" due to amnesia (forgetting quite how she ended up
with a broken neck in the first place).
It is a sad state of affairs that people who are smart enough to become doctors,
nurses (or veterinarians), who don't value their own lives, enough to
quit this dangerous sport after such a close call from a "very common
accident". Would any of us want ourselves, or our animals, treated by
someone like this gal? Not me!
Is it really any wonder these people do not value the natural environment they
ride roughshod on, either? I shake my head at the cluelessness of it all.
--Monica Craver
44.
"The victim, Andre Steed, was struck a by a mountain bike rider who did
not stop after impact"
http://cbs3.com/topstories/biker.fatal.hit.2.1273313.html
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3)
Andre
Steed was run-down by a bicyclist on a Center City street and later died from
his injuries.
Citizen's
Crime Commission
Philadelphia police are seeking
help from the public locating a bicyclist who fled the scene of a fatal
accident in Center City.
According to the Citizen's Crime Commission, who is administering a $10,000
reward, the accident happened on October 15 at the corner of 16th and Locust
Streets. The victim, Andre Steed, was struck a by a mountain bike rider who did
not stop after impact.
Authorities say Mr. Steed suffered massive head injuries and passed away on
October 24.
The law firm of Caesar, Rivise, Burnstein, Cohen & Pokotilow are offering a
$10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of this
biker. Witness at the scene described the biker as a white male in his early
20s, weighing approximately 140 pounds wearing a white hoodie with red spots in
the back. The mountain bike was described as white.
If you have information on the biker you are urged to contact the Crime
Commission tip line at 215-546-TIPS.
45. ANOTHER Mountain Biker Dies
of a Heart Attack!
So much
for the alleged health benefits of mountain biking....
Mike
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13584894
By Lindsay Whitehurst
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 10/17/2009 03:22:53 PM MDT
A Centerville man died of a heart attack while mountain biking with his son in
Weber County on Saturday, police said.
Rick Bastian, 55, had biked from Green's Pond to the Art Nord Trailhead, north
of Snowbasin Resort, said Weber County sheriff's Sgt. Teresa Perkins. He felt
short of breath but chalked it up to the higher altitude and told his
24-year-old son to go ahead. As he started up the next peak, he collapsed and
went into full cardiac arrest, Perkins said.
His son called 911 about 11:45 a.m., and the man was flown by helicopter to
Ogden Regional Medical Center. He was pronounced dead on arrival.
46. "Crashes in the
mountains are an every day occurrence"
http://www.sltrib.com/collegesports/ci_13657237
Utah
cyclist wins overall national title despite fall in downhill race that broke
his collarbone.
By Martin Renzhofer
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 10/28/2009 11:47:48 AM MDT
Mitchell Peterson didn't realize the extent of his injuries. Then again, it
just shows the grit of mountain bikers. Crashes in the mountains are an every
day occurrence.
"I noticed that every bump hurt," he said.
Despite a broken collarbone, the University of Utah finance major finished the
final leg of the 2009 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National
Championship and with it the overall championship.
Mitchell was the lone Ute at the competition, which was completed Oct. 18 at Northstar
at Tahoe resort near Truckee, Calif. He finished second in cross country and
short track, 42nd among 4X racers and 50th in the downhill.
Mitchell's downhill finish can be excused. He crashed midway through the race
and fractured his collarbone.
Instead of seeking treatment, Mitchell attended the awards ceremony to pick up
his trophy. Only this week did he finally visit the doctor.
"The downhill course had a 5-foot drop," the 22-year-old cyclist
said. "I came onto a rock that had been moved into my normal line. I
swerved and crashed."
What makes this championship unique is the levels of competition. While
Mitchell is part of a club at Utah, schools such as Fort Lewis College, which
won the overall competition, offers scholarships. Mitchell scored high enough
to give Utah an overall 15th place among 38 schools in team competition.
Simply put, BYU has dominated the Mountain West Conference cross country
landscape. The Cougar men have won nine of 10 championships, while the women
ran away with the title eight times.
More of the same is expected Saturday when BYU hosts the conference meet, which
will take place at the Cascade Golf Course in Orem at 10 a.m.
BYU's women have actually finished second the last two seasons, while the lone
blemish on the men's run came five years ago when Air Force broke through,
edging the Cougars.
Currently, the men, which recently placed third at the Pre-Nationals, are
ranked sixth nationally, while the BYU women are No. 22. The Cougar women, led
by MWC Female Cross Country Athlete of the Week Cecily Lemmon-Lew, finished
second at the Chile Pepper Invitational.
"As a team, it was a great opportunity to get ready for conference and
championship meets," BYU women's coach Patrick Shane said.
For Lemmon-Lew, who placed second out of 267 runners, the conference award was
her third this year. Despite not feeling well, she ran a career-best 20
minutes, 32.5 seconds for the 6K.
"I was really happy with the race and excited for how the team ran,"
she said afterward. "We're improving in every race."
The women's main competition appears to be New Mexico, which boasts four of the
year's top 10 times, including Ruth Senior's run of 21 minutes, 23.7 seconds at
Pre-Nationals.
The men finished behind No. 1 Stanford and No. 4 Colorado. Mike Batty's 12th
place finish led the Cougars. His 8K time was 24 minutes, 2 seconds. Cougar
runners also placed 19th (Thomas Gruenwald), 29th (Rich Nelson), 44th (Alden
Bahr) and 59th (Ryan Merriman).
"I think we established the depth chart for the conference race and
solidified who our lead runners are," BYU men's coach Ed Eyestone said.
The Cougar men appear to be a clear favorite as they own seven of the 10 best
times this season.
martyr@sltrib.com
47. ANOTHER Mountain Biker Death
So much for the alleged health
benefits of mountain biking....
Mike
http://www.kivitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11379730
Idaho Man Dies While Mountain Biking in Utah
Idaho man dies while mountain biking in Moab
SALT LAKE CITY
(AP) -- The Grand County sheriff's office says an Idaho man has died while
mountain biking in Moab.
Todd Johnston, 42, of Ketchum, was on the Gold Bar Rim Trail Friday when he
complained to friends about being tired and stopped to walk his bike.
Johnston's friends kept riding. When he didn't catch up, they doubled back to
find Johnston collapsed. A group of motorcyclists had found Johnston and were
performing CPR.
In a news release, Grand County officials say emergency crews unsuccessfully
tried to revive Johnston for about an hour, using both CPR and a defibrillator.
Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005128509
Hailey resident dies in
Utah
Cause of death of avid
mountain biker Todd Johnston not yet known
By JON DUVAL
Express Staff Writer
|
Hailey resident Todd
Johnston, 41, died from as-yet-unknown causes while mountain biking with
friends near Moab, Utah, on Friday.
Johnston, owner of Four
Seasons Spa & Pool, collapsed while riding the Gold Bar Rim trail, a
section of jeep trail and slickrock popular with mountain bikers.
Johnston was riding with
his friends and frequent riding partners Reed Melton and Marc Driver, both Wood
River Valley residents. In an interview, Melton said the trio had driven down
to Moab for three days of biking, with plans to return Sunday.
Melton said that at the
base of a small climb on a jeep road, Johnston said, "I might have to walk
this," a statement Melton took to be a characteristically self-deprecating
remark from his friend, who Melton called a strong rider who liked to challenge
himself.
According to Melton, at
the top of the climb he and Driver waited for a few minutes before heading back
down the trail, thinking that Johnston might have a flat tire.
Instead, they found
Johnston collapsed on the ground and a group of motorcycle riders, two of whom
were trained emergency response personnel, already on the scene performing
cardiopulmonary resuscitation. According to the Grand County Sheriff's Office,
emergency crews responded to the call 40 minutes later, at 2:45 p.m., and used
a defibrillator to try to revive him. Johnston was pronounced dead an hour
later.
"Some people have
asked if it was exhaustion, but there's nothing further from the truth,"
Melton said. "That day had been three friends out joking and laughing on a
casual ride, going at a conversational pace."
Melton said that
although they had been out for about three hours before Johnston collapsed, the
ride had been broken up by a flat tire, a snack break and photo opportunities.
"Todd was one of
the most fit people I know and had done serious races," Melton said.
Johnston's father, Chuck
Johnston, agreed, saying his son was well known for his energetic personality.
"He didn't do
anything halfway and always wanted to push himself," he said.
He said an autopsy will
be performed to determine the cause of death, but that results will not be
available for six to eight weeks.
"Todd was a person
of boundless energy and energetic love," Chuck Johnston said. "He had
incredible love for his family, friends and this community.
"It's important for
everyone to know that he was never alone and was with people he cared about. He
was doing something he loved and we're glad we had him for 41 years. His spirit
is in this valley because his legacy is so great."
A memorial service will
be held for Johnston at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sun
Valley with a reception following from 3-5:30 p.m. at the Elkhorn Springs
Restaurant.
Jon Duval:
jduval@mtexpress.com
48. "Mountain biker who
died named"
[Evolution in action! Mike]
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/80414/mountain-biker-who-died-named
Mon, 2
Nov 2009
News: Dunedin
The 56-year-old Dunedin man who collapsed and died while cycling at Lake Hawea
on Friday was Dr David Peacock.
Dr Peacock, a graduate of the University of Otago, was a psychiatric registrar
with the Otago District Health Board.
A keen mountain biker, he was a former president of the Otago Tramping and
Mountaineering Club and a member of the Royal Dunedin Male Choir.
Last month, he sang in the Dunedin production of Gilbert and Sullivan's opera
Yeomen of the Guard.
49. ANOTHER Serious Injury
Caused by Mountain Biking!
http://www.cyclingnews.com/editions/second-edition-cycling-news-thursday-november-19-2009
Article published:
November 19, 13:07
By:
Hedwig Kr
$15,000
raised to cover medical expenses for injured cyclist
On
Sunday, November 15, Columbia-HTC pro George Hincapie led a charity ride in
Greenville, SC, to raise funds for local cyclist Thea Kent, who was critically
injured in a mountain biking accident. Kent, who does not have a health
insurance, suffered a fractured vertebra, seven broken ribs in her back (broken
at the spinal column), six broken transverse process bones, a punctured lung
and minor head injuries.
"The
Ride for Thea Kent" was subsequently organised by the local cycling
community and became a full success after Greenville resident Hincapie signed
up to lead the 55-mile event, one of two distance options on offer.
Approximately 450 local cyclists participated and raised a total sum of $15,000
to help Kent cover the medical expenses resulting from her accident.
After the
ride, which followed popular local routes of Paris Mountain, Tigerville, the
Callahan Mountain Road and Camp Old Indian, participants gathered for a silent auction
of cycling equipment that included a Team Columbia jersey signed by Hincapie.
This raised another $585 for Kent.
"My
gratitude goes out to the hundreds of people who helped to lighten my
burden," said Kent. "I cannot possibly thank every one individually,
but I want every one to know I appreciate every gesture - no matter how big or
small. I am eternally grateful."
Local
sports photographers The Living Pixel have listed event photography on their online storefront for sale through December 15.
All profits from the sale of pictures from this event will also be donated back
to Kent.
Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage
of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.
50. Tara Llanes, a champion
downhill mountain biker, suffered a horrific crash while racing at the Jeep
King of the Mountain event
If this
can happen to a "champion", ordinary mountain bikers are at an even
greater risk....
Mike
http://www.velonews.com/article/100135/2010-race-for-tara-date-announced
Published: Nov. 21, 2009
The
mountain bike park at Northstar-at-Tahoe resort will host the Race for Tara 4
on Oct. 2-3, 2010.
Tara Llanes and Andy Buckley, Northstars director of resort experience, made
the announcement on Nov. 20, about a month after the 2009 Race for Tara at
Northstar, located near Truckee, California.
The Race for Tara was started three years ago by Brian and Thayne Bolin after
Llanes, a champion downhill mountain biker, suffered a horrific crash while
racing at the Jeep King of the Mountain event in Beaver Creek, Colorado. A
large portion of Race for Tara proceeds will be donated to spinal cord research
and helping other athletes with spinal cord injury. A smaller portion will go
toward the continued medical costs Llanes has had to endure.
According to a study initiated by the Dana and Christopher Reeve Foundation,
there are nearly 1 in 50 people living with paralysis approximately 6 million
people. llanes is working to build a fund for athletes that have catastrophic
injuries like hers.
I want to be there for other athletes that are going through the same thing I
do day in and day out, she said.
The Race for Tara was started to help raise funds for Llanes and her
ever-growing medical costs. During the races first year, Llanes was still in
the hospital and only able to call in on the loudspeaker to thank participants.
In the second year Tara was actually able to drive to the race and show her
appreciation to everyone. In 2009, Tara was not only able to be at the event
she was able to participate and race down the mountain in a 4-wheeler DH bike.
Downieville DH Champ and WTB pro Mark Weir said the Northstar downhill is
great.
It was the most well-balanced course the U.S. has ever had, he said.
The 10-minute long course will test the endurance and skill of every
participant. The courses will vary depending on the level of rider. There will
be a $35 donation for all beginners, intermediates, and experts and a $40
donation for all semi-pro and pro.
In the last three years the Race for Tara has raised nearly $30,000 thanks to
the entire cycling community.
I was impressed with the amazing support the event received from both companies
and individuals, said Matt Robertson of Shimano. Giants presence was amazing,
not just the brand but the racers and the employees. They led the charge and
were closely followed by the rest of us.
51. ANOTHER Serious Mountain
Biking "Accident"
As
usual, there is no investigation into just how dangerous mountain biking is.
Shallow journalism is the order of the day....
Mike
http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/530255.html?nav=5021
Teen carries father to safety after bicycle accident
By BURTON COLE Tribune Chronicle
POSTED: November 29, 2009
Jeff
Mostoller, left, and his son Aaron stand with their mountain bicycles.
Jeff Mostoller never saw the tree root nudging out of the dirt trail.
The knobbed tire of his Mongoose mountain bike slammed into the root. Mostoller
and bike both went flying, he slamming facedown into puddle of mud, the bicycle
crashing across his back.
''I couldn't move anything'' from the neck down, he recalled.
It was May 15, and he was riding the winding, off-road trail in Greenville,
Pa., with his youngest son, Aaron, 15.
''When he first hit, I thought it was just another crash,'' Aaron said as they
talked about it five months later. ''And then he started screaming my name,
screaming for help. I didn't know what to do.
''I threw the bike off him,'' Aaron said. ''I rolled him over, not knowing what
to do next.''
Jeff's back remained in a rigid arch, his stomach stuck up in the air. Trying
to calm his son, he asked, ''Do I look fat?''
It was the next questions that further scared an already terrified Aaron: ''Did
my left hand move? Did my right hand move? Did my leg move?'' No, no and no.
Aaron wanted to run for help. Jeff told him to stay by his side. Aaron stayed,
fighting tears, fighting the feeling that everything was his fault. After all,
wasn't he the reason his Dad hit the root?
He had been pedalling in the lead but was getting smacked in the face by
dew-misted cobwebs still clinging to overhanging tree branches. So he called
back to his dad to pass him. Ha! Let him get the cobwebs.
''I don't know how you got in front of me anyhow,'' Jeff said said. ''I'm
usually in the lead.''
''You were going too slow,'' Aaron said with a grin.
Jeff passed, hit the root, and here they sat, Dad unable to move and fading in
and out of consciousness, son not able to leave him, no other cyclists passing
through and without a phone to make a call.
''I remember this so plainly,'' Jeff said. ''(Before we started to ride,) he
said, 'Should we take our cell phones?' I said, 'Naw,' and we both left them in
the car.''
After about 20 minutes, an excruciating pain started to overwhelm Jeff. Feeling
pain. That had to be better than feeling nothing, right?
Jeff finally allowed Aaron to get the phones from the van. The Lakeview High
School soccer player flew more than a mile back to the car, saying it was the
fastest he ran in his life. But when he got back, his dad still would not
permit him call 911. Nor did he want to bother his two oldest children, Adam
and Angela, both emergency room nurses. A son-in-law also is a nurse. Jeff
himself is an ultrasound technician at Forum Health Northside Hospital.
Jeff simply called his wife, Lonnie.
''He called me and said, 'Something bad has happened,' and the phone went
dead,'' Lonnie said. ''He called again and said, 'Don't get scared. Something
bad happened. I think I'm paralyzed,'' and the phone went dead. This happened
three times.
''I was too far away, and I didn't know exactly where they were at,'' she said.
Jeff directed Aaron to get the bikes back to the car. Aaron propped his dad
against a tree and made the two-mile round trip twice more, throwing up on the
way back the last time.
Then the thin boy, who is about 3 inches shorter than his 6-foot-tall,
200-pound dad, lugged him down the trail.
''He carried me like an old drunken sailor out of the woods,'' Jeff said.
''In retrospect, we should have left the bikes,'' Jeff mused.
''You think?'' Lonnie shot back. ''And you think you should have called 911?''
''Had it been him,'' Jeff said, ''I would have left the bikes and called 911.
But when it's you, you're trying to reason it out. I'll need the bike. I'm
going to ride again.''
The truth of the matter is he was in shock and not thinking, he said. And
Aaron, in shock himself, was setting aside instincts and listening to his dad,
who, he knew, should know what he's talking about.
So, again at his dad's request, Aaron, a licensed driver for less than three
months, bypassed the hospital in Greenville to drive to Northside.
Son Alex, then a Lakeview senior, met his family there. Alex was heading out
for lunch at school when he checked messages on his cell phone. He heard his
little brother's voice: He said, ''I think Dad's dead,'' and he hung up.''
Sister-in-law Natalie also was on the messages, and he found out more from her.
Alex left school and met the family at Northside.
''My dad was strapped down to a hospital bed, connected to five different
machines. He was just as scared as us,'' Alex said. ''His face is still fresh
in my mind. He had mud caked in his teeth and hair, he was shivering, and he
was all wet and bloody from his fall. I just kept praying to God, 'I just
wanted my dad to be OK.' ''
Jeff was flown by helicopter to Cleveland Clinic, where a bone from his hip was
fused into his neck, and two metal rods were placed along his spinal cord.
''If he would have injured one vertebrae higher, he would have been permanently
paralyzed and on a tracheotomy.''
He returned home on a Tuesday.
''My dad was walking,'' Alex said. ''Just four days ago, he was paralyzed. It
amazed me.''
Jeff was off work 12 weeks. Most days still are pain-filled, and that may
continue for at least another year, Lonnie said.
''I'm doing pretty good compared to what I was, what I could be,'' he said.
He's back to walking a mile and biking up to five miles at a time. He used to
pedal 20 to 50 miles an outing, but he figures he'll get there.
Aaron doesn't care if he ever gets on a bike again. He knows he will get back
on the bicycle and ride. Some day. He won't hide behind his fears forever. But
it doesn't have to be today.
Jeff has his own goal: ''On May 15 of next year, we're going to go back and
examine the trail.''
Looking back, Jeff said, ''It really turned out to be a blessing that it
happened,'' Jeff said, ''just to realize how much love we have for each other.
And God's help. Our faith in God helped.
''Aaron saved me but it was my whole family that healed me. None of it would
have been possible without God.
''I never want to go through it again but it was such an eye-opening experience
and a heart-opening experience to see such an outpouring of love.''
Friends, family, strangers... the family pets were tended to while the family
was at the hospital, donations were given and Lonnie said she didn't have to
cook for two weeks.
''Oh, this community ...,'' Jeff started before the rest of the sentence was
choked away by emotion.
Lonnie said she marveled at her own children. It's the goal of parents to raise
their children to grow into responsible adults who will do the right thing. But
to witness it in action, to see one's ''babies'' in their own profession and to
watch them taking care of their dad and the rest of the family in times of
crisis - ''Wow,'' she said.
Aaron still struggles.
''I don't feel that I saved his life,'' he said. ''Without me, it could have
been worse, but I have it in my mind that it was my fault.''
His family disagrees.
Jeff, an avid cyclist who often rides alone, countered, ''If I had been by
myself, the same thing would have happened.''
''He is not the reason Dad got in the accident; he is the reason my dad is
alive,'' Alex said.
''If it wasn't for Aaron,'' Lonnie said, ''Jeff may have not made it out of
those woods alive. Aaron, you are our hero! Thank you.''
bcole@tribtoday.com
52. "Copter rescues
mountain biker, 50, after crash "
http://www.ocregister.com/news/park-221583-mountain-mckeown.html
November 29, 2009 11:49 AM
By ERIKA
I. RITCHIE
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
NEWPORT COAST A 50-year-old mountain biker was airlifted today after going over
his handlebars while riding a trail at Crystal Cove State Park, authorities
said.
Orange County Fire Authority was called to the coastal wilderness park at about
9:30 a.m. after reports of a mountain biking accident.
OCFA helicopter 1, based out of Fullerton Airport, was used to rescue a 50-year
old mountain biker this morning at Crystal Cove State Park.
Photo courtesy OCFA
The man was riding with a group on Rattlesnake Trail in the wilderness park
about 1.25 miles inland from Laguna Beach's El Morro Elementary School, said
OCFA Capt. Greg McKeown.
"They had just come downhill and looked back and didn't see him,"
said McKeown. "They went back and found him on the trail."
An OCFA helicopter was dispatched from Fullerton Airport and took two Orange
County Fire Search and Rescue firefighters from Station 61 to the scene.
According to McKeown, the helicopter was able to land in a clearing near
Rattlesnake Trail and the firefighters were able to reach the injured man by
foot. Two Laguna Beach fire paramedics already were at the scene treating the
man for neck and shoulder injuries and possible spine injuries.
The man, whose name was not released by authorities, was flown to Mission
Hospital in Mission Viejo. The two Laguna Beach Fire paramedics flew with him.
"By having the helicopter they could get the patient who had traumatic
injuries to the hospital quicker and more safely than going down the
trail," McKeown said.
53. ANOTHER Serious Injury Due
to Mountain Biking
To:
bbtcmembers@yahoogroups.com
From: "DanF" <danfenton@yahoo.com>
List-Subscribe: <mailto:bbtcmembers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:16:23 -0000
Subject: Injuries to knee forces sale
I am crying inside as we speek. I blew out my knee in a race Sunday... I can
tell it will never be the same...Even post surgery,I've decided that I can not
afford future injuries and potentialy end my carrier as a union carpenter... Or
worse, loose everything I own...So I am listing my Baby for sale to the
group... It is an 08 Specialized Enduro comp. with upgrades such as Mavic 729
rims, Fox DHX 5.0 coil shock,(still have the air shock), Demo bars,Kona
platforms and Candy Sl pedals...I have $3,800.00 into her, I'll take $2,000.00,
all extra parts and tires included...Road bike and 24" BMX bike and work
stand are going to... reply for info.
54. "Girl plunges down
gorge into River Braan"
"The
spokesman said the accident happened when pupils from the school were taking
part in a "fully-supervised outdoor activity" on a route often used
for such activities."
If this can happen during a "fully-supervised outdoor activity",
imagine what would happen if it were unsupervised!
Mike
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/8404210.stm
The girl plunged down a gorge into the River Tay
A teenage girl has fallen 90ft (27m) down a gorge in Perthshire following a
mountain biking accident.
The girl, a pupil at Menzieshill High School in Dundee, was part of an
organised group who were mountain biking at Rumbling Bridge, Dunkeld.
Police said it appeared the girl had lost control of her bike before hitting
the bridge and falling into the gorge.
Emergency services found her conscious and breathing. She was airlifted to
Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
The accident happened shortly before 1300 GMT, Tayside Police said.
The girl was with an organised group from the Dundee City Council-run Ancrum
Outdoor Centre.
Her parents have been informed and the the Heath and Safety Executive been made
aware of the incident.
'Full co-operation'
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: "Everyone at Menzieshill High
School and the education department wishes this pupil a full and speedy
recovery from her fall.
"Her family were alerted as soon as possible after the accident and we
will be keeping in close touch with them during her recovery."
The spokesman said the accident happened when pupils from the school were
taking part in a "fully-supervised outdoor activity" on a route often
used for such activities.
He added: "We will co-operate fully with any external investigation and
will also be carrying out our own assessment of the situation."
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Mountain-biking-girl-16-lucky.5899081.jp
Published
Date: 10 December 2009
By Frank Urquhart
A TEENAGE schoolgirl was "lucky to be alive" last night after she
plunged 90ft down a steep river gorge at a Scottish beauty spot.
The 16-year-old fell down the narrow ravine flanking the River Braan near the
Hermitage in Perthshire and was swept down the river after being knocked off
her mountain bike when it collided with the parapet of a bridge over the gorge.
She had been with members of an organised group from a local outdoor centre and
was pulled from the river by members of the party. She was then airlifted to
safety in a delicate operation involving an RAF helicopter, firefighters and
paramedics.
The teenager is understood to have been hypothermic and in shock by the time
she was airlifted to safety, but she was said to be "stable" in
Dundee's Ninewells Hospital last night.
One of her rescuers said: "She is very, very lucky to be alive. If I was
her, I would be putting a lottery ticket on tonight."
The girl, a pupil at Menzieshill High School in Dundee, was part of a group,
organised by Ancrum Outdoor Centre, who were mountain biking in the area when
the accident happened at the Rumbling Bridge, near Dunkeld.
A police spokeswoman said the girl had fallen 90ft down to the gorge. "She
would appear to have lost control of her bike and collided with Rumbling
Bridge, before falling down into the gorge and into the river," she said.
"Emergency services were quickly on the scene and the girl was found to be
conscious and breathing.
"She has since been airlifted by the RAF Leuchars search and rescue
helicopter to Ninewells Hospital for medical assessment."
The spokeswoman added: "As with all incidents of this nature, the Health
and Safety Executive has been informed."
Units from Tayside Fire and Rescue Service, including specialist water rescue
teams, ambulance crews and paramedics raced to the scene.
Kevin Lennon, the fire service's station manager at Perth, said: "The girl
had come off her bike and went over the bridge and landed in the water.
"She then got swept underneath the bridge and out to the other side to a
small pool, where she was located."
He said other members of her party had managed to scramble down the steep face
of the ravine to pull her from the water. When the emergency services arrived,
two firefighters and a doctor also descended into the gorge, using harnesses
and lines, to aid the injured schoolgirl.
Mr Lennon said: "They managed to get the girl on to a spine board and got
a collar on her. A helicopter then arrived at the scene. We weren't sure if the
helicopter would manage to get to her, and we had our rescue teams gear up a
line rescue.
"Fortunately, due to the skill of the pilot and the winchman, the
helicopter crew managed to get a cage stretcher down to the girl and winch her
out of the ravine."
He added: "It was a co-ordinated effort involving all of the emergency
services at the scene. We are all experts in our own fields but, had we not
worked together as a single team, I don't think we would have the successful
outcome that we did have."
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said yesterday: "Everyone at
Menzieshill High School and the education department wishes this pupil a full
and speedy recovery from her fall. Her family were alerted as soon as possible
after the accident, and we will be keeping in close touch."
By MYRA PHILP
Published: 10 Dec 2009
The 15-year-old smashed into the bridge and fell into the narrow,
rock-strewn gorge while on a school outing.
Miraculously she escaped with cuts, bruises, abdominal injuries and hypothermia
following a rescue involving the RAF, ambulance crews and the fire service.
Incident commander Kevin Lennon, of Tayside Fire and Rescue, said: "This
girl is very, very lucky to be alive. Looking over the bridge you wonder how
anyone could survive. It's a very dangerous area."
The horror accident took place just before 1pm at the Rumbling Bridge at
Dunkeld, Perthshire.
The girl - a pupil at Menzieshill High School in Dundee on a mountain-biking
trip - was plucked from the River Braan by staff supervising the group of
shocked schoolkids.
The victim - conscious throughout her rescue - was then winched from the gorge
by a search and rescue helicopter scrambled from RAF Leuchars and flown to
Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
An ambulance service spokesman said she was "handed over in a very stable
condition". Hospital medics were last night assessing her injuries.
The mountain-biking group was being supervised by staff from the council-owned
outdoor activities Ancrum Centre in Dundee.
A council spokesman said they wished the girl a "full and speedy
recovery". He added: "We will co-operate fully with any external
investigation and will also be carrying out our own assessment."
The incident has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive. Police are
investigating.
Monday,
December 14th, 2009 | 2:20 am
Canwest News Service
Drew Neilson will wake up in the early morning darkness Monday, head to the
airport and board a 6 a.m. flight to Colorado where he'll compete in a World
Cup snowboard-cross competition this weekend.
And aside from that cruel moment of reckoning with the alarm clock, this is the
best he's felt in quite a while.
The 35-year-old snowboarder from Deep Cove in North Vancouver is finally close
to being healthy again after he wrecked his right hand in a mountain biking
accident on Cypress Mountain two summers ago. He may have a five-inch plate
buried in that right hand. And the hand may never function the way it did
before he "did a Greg Louganis" and went head over heels on a run
named the Wild Cherry.
But Neilson, a husband, a father of two young boys and a former construction
worker who helped build the Canada Line, says he's ready to make a serious bid
to win a berth on Canada's 2010 Olympic team.
"It's getting back," he said of the strength he lost in the hand.
"Last year I was racing with a hook, not a hand, to get me out of the
start gate. It was a wrist brace with an aluminum hook off the end of it. I
used it to grip the gate because I had absolutely no grip in my hand. It was
painful because it had been infected. It was really frustrating. I was just
getting on the course and fighting my way through rounds."
Neilson underwent surgery last January but he damaged the hand trying to pull
one of his boys out of the car seat. The wrist became infected but he managed
to compete through the pain before having a second surgery in March to fuse the
ligaments together with a metal pin.
"I still have some damage in the nerve, which is the major strength in the
grip of your hands," he said. "I have grip in some fingers but I
don't get the wrist motion in the [starting] gate so formypull-through,
we'vehad to rethink it and train my brain to use it properly. It's just a new
process for me. Change is something I've done for 10 or 12 years."
Neilson, who has 20 World Cup podiums, nine of them wins, through his 13-year
career, needs three top five finishes out of the next four World Cups to meet
the Olympic snowboarding team's rigid qualifying standards. Canada has 18
Olympic spots, with no more than 10 going to either gender. Within the Canadian
team snowboard-cross riders are competing with the halfpipers and the alpine
slalom skiers for those 18 spots.
Because of the wrist injury, Neilson saw limited action last season and had
fewer opportunities to get results. But there's one discretionary spot that will
be decided by coaches, and Neilson thinks his experience and history of success
should count for something.
"I'd like to get three [top-five finishes]," Neilson said. "But
I think a victory or a podium would go a long way for me with my past. I've won
nine World Cups and I've been on the podium 20 times. I think my experience
speaks for itself. Just having that experience of being a winner I'd like to
think if I can get myself in the mix then maybe I can get the fourth
spot."
And if all that isn't enough, Neilson may have a little extra incentive in
Telluride, Colo. In September at the World Cup 2009-10 season opener in
Chapelco, Argentina, Neilsonfailedtoqualify for the 16-rider final and ended up
33rd.He says it's the first time he's done that in four years.
"These next four races, I'm so angry I just want to take it out on the
course," he says. "I've just been frustrated since Argentina. It's
been a long break to try to take the anger out. I want to get back on the snow
and race some guys."
Squamish's Maelle Ricker is also keen to climb back on the post-Argentina horse
but for different reasons. Ricker won in Chapelco.
"Itgivesyouconfidence," Ricker said of winning the season opener.
"You know you did the right things over the summer and that you're still
competitive with the top girls in the world. The level of riding in women's
snowboard-cross is just going up. In the top 16 in Argentina there were 10
countries represented. Girls are pushing it from all parts of the globe."
Ricker is a good bet to make the Canadian Olympic team. It'll be her third
Games after finishing fifth in 1998 in Nagano and fourth in 2006 at Turin.
tbell@theprovince.com
56. Mountain biking girl, 16, lucky to be alive after
90ft river gorge plunge
No
mention, of course, of how dangerous mountain biking is....
Mike
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Mountain-biking-girl-16-lucky.5899081.jp
Published
Date: 10 December 2009
By Frank Urquhart
A TEENAGE schoolgirl was "lucky to be alive" last night after she
plunged 90ft down a steep river gorge at a Scottish beauty spot.
The 16-year-old fell down the narrow ravine flanking the River Braan near the
Hermitage in Perthshire and was swept down the river after being knocked off
her mountain bike when it collided with the parapet of a bridge over the gorge.
She had been with members of an organised group from a local outdoor centre and
was pulled from the river by members of the party. She was then airlifted to
safety in a delicate operation involving an RAF helicopter, firefighters and
paramedics.
The teenager is understood to have been hypothermic and in shock by the time
she was airlifted to safety, but she was said to be "stable" in
Dundee's Ninewells Hospital last night.
One of her rescuers said: "She is very, very lucky to be alive. If I was
her, I would be putting a lottery ticket on tonight."
The girl, a pupil at Menzieshill High School in Dundee, was part of a group,
organised by Ancrum Outdoor Centre, who were mountain biking in the area when
the accident happened at the Rumbling Bridge, near Dunkeld.
A police spokeswoman said the girl had fallen 90ft down to the gorge. "She
would appear to have lost control of her bike and collided with Rumbling
Bridge, before falling down into the gorge and into the river," she said.
"Emergency services were quickly on the scene and the girl was found to be
conscious and breathing.
"She has since been airlifted by the RAF Leuchars search and rescue
helicopter to Ninewells Hospital for medical assessment."
The spokeswoman added: "As with all incidents of this nature, the Health
and Safety Executive has been informed."
Units from Tayside Fire and Rescue Service, including specialist water rescue
teams, ambulance crews and paramedics raced to the scene.
Kevin Lennon, the fire service's station manager at Perth, said: "The girl
had come off her bike and went over the bridge and landed in the water.
"She then got swept underneath the bridge and out to the other side to a
small pool, where she was located."
He said other members of her party had managed to scramble down the steep face
of the ravine to pull her from the water. When the emergency services arrived,
two firefighters and a doctor also descended into the gorge, using harnesses
and lines, to aid the injured schoolgirl.
Mr Lennon said: "They managed to get the girl on to a spine board and got
a collar on her. A helicopter then arrived at the scene. We weren't sure if the
helicopter would manage to get to her, and we had our rescue teams gear up a
line rescue.
"Fortunately, due to the skill of the pilot and the winchman, the
helicopter crew managed to get a cage stretcher down to the girl and winch her
out of the ravine."
He added: "It was a co-ordinated effort involving all of the emergency
services at the scene. We are all experts in our own fields but, had we not
worked together as a single team, I don't think we would have the successful
outcome that we did have."
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said yesterday: "Everyone at
Menzieshill High School and the education department wishes this pupil a full
and speedy recovery from her fall. Her family were alerted as soon as possible
after the accident, and we will be keeping in close touch."
57. Mountain Biker's Leg
Amputated
Was it
really worth the "thrills"? ...
Mike
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/Mum39s-agony-after-son39s-leg.5925687.jp
Mum's agony after son's leg amputated
19 December 2009
By Mark Thompson
A MAN who spent two hours trapped in a 3ft pothole with multiple
fractures has been left devastated after doctors were forced to
amputate part of his leg.
Michael Casey had to endure excruciating pain in freezing conditions
after he came off his bike in the pitch dark at the former Steetley
chemical site.
He was eventually rescued and flown to hospital but medics had to
remove part of his left leg despite desperate efforts to save it.
Today his mum, Lorraine, 51, of Warren Road, Hartlepool, said: "He is
distraught.
"He just keeps saying he can't look down at what is left of his leg.
"He has taken it badly, but who wouldn't? He has cried about it and is
finding it hard to cope.
"I'm past myself. He will have to spend Christmas in hospital, but
I'll be there by his side."
Michael, who is unemployed, underwent an eight-hour operation straight
after the incident at 4.30pm on Sunday as medics battled to save his
severely fractured leg.
But their attempts failed and he took the decision on Tuesday to have
his leg amputated above the knee after doctors told him they could do
no more.
The Mail reported on Monday how Michael, who has a brother and sister,
was mountain biking on a dirt track near the Brus Tunnel when he fell
down the pothole.
He lay in agony in a ditch for two hours as paramedics struggled to
treat him due to his location.
He was eventually airlifted by the police helicopter to hospital.
The Mail has continuously called for the sprawling Steetley site to be
cleaned up, and launched the Sort Out Steetley campaign to make the
area safer two years ago.
Fire and police chiefs have also repeatedly called on people to stay
away of the site that is full of deep holes, sharp metal and rubble.
Lorraine said: "I want to warn people to stay away from the site.
Michael has proven how dangerous it is and he has suffered for it.
"It should be fenced off, but people should still keep away even
without the fences.
"Michael was down a ditch in agony for two hours and has had 15 hours
of operations.
"He has had a lot of pain both physically and mentally.
"Hopefully in the new year he will get a prosthetic leg and walk
again. But we've been told he will be in hospital for months to come."
58. "A mountain biking
injury left him paralyzed in 1995"
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/138472
by Curtis
Wackerle, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Competitive adaptive skier Sam Ferguson of Aspen suffered a broken leg last
week and will miss this years X Games.
Ferguson, who is paralyzed from the waist down and rides a monoski or sit ski,
broke his femur in half near the kneecap on Dec. 20. At the time, he was
getting ready to go skiing and was transferring himself from the tailgate of
his truck into the chair of his sit ski. The sit ski slipped on the ice,
causing Ferguson to fall on his leg.
While Fergusons broken leg would be a season ending injury for an able-bodied
skier, Ferguson hopes to be back on his monoski by mid-January and competing
again by early February. His rehab will focus on bringing down the swelling,
restoring movement and rebuilding bone and muscle strength.
As he has no feeling in his legs, Ferguson did not feel the pain of the femur
fracture, although he said he became light-headed after the accident happened.
He noticed something was wrong when he got to the top of the gondola on Aspen
Mountain and his leg was swollen. He then saw his knee drop down when he lifted
his leg up. Ferguson downloaded and sought medical attention. Doctors have
inserted a surgical rod into his leg.
ADN file photo
Aspens Sam Ferguson competing in the 2009 X Games. Ferguson broke his leg and
will have to miss this years X Games.
A monoski is a bucket seat on a metal chassis with shocks mounted on a single
alpine ski with hand outriggers for balance. Ferguson, who trains with the
Challenge Aspen team, has become accomplished in the sport since a mountain
biking injury left him paralyzed in 1995. He claimed an X Games silver medal
last year in monoskiercross, where multiple riders race down a course of
tabletop jumps, banked turns, rollers and gaps. He is also amassing World Cup
points in monoski alpine downhill and super G racing. Ferguson was slated to be
at least an alternate on the U.S. Paralympic Team, which will compete at the
2010 Vancouver Paralympic Games this March. Ferguson could still be invited,
depending on how he does in the few events he hopes to be available for between
now and the games.
Ferguson said he hopes to make his return to competition at the Canadian
Nationals, which begin on Feb. 9.
The X Games will be held at Buttermilk Mountain on Jan. 28-31, which is not
enough recovery time for Fergusons leg to withstand the force of landing the
jumps on the monoskiercross course, he said. He will attend the X Games to
encourage his fellow athletes, he said.
Ferguson is 20 points away from qualifying for World Cup downhill monoski
racing. He hopes to be competing in the World Cup monoski races that will be
held on the Tiehack side of Buttermilk in late March.
Ferguson gives much credit for his accomplishment to the staff and coaches of
Challenge Aspen, who taught him how to monoski after he became a paraplegic.
That was the one thing to put my passion back into and apply that confidence
back to the rest of my daily life, he said.
Ferguson now skis most every day in the winter.
curtis@aspendailynews.com
59. Another Serious Mountain
Biking "Accident"
Even under "perfect riding
conditions", mountain biking is inherently dangerous!
Mike
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=6455238
Lynn Woods carnage... Pray and wish a fellow rider
a good recovery.
No pictures, but the images still play in my mind!
My friend drove up from NYC to enjoy a weekend ride in LW. The four of us,
geared up and set out on the jaunt. We marvelled at the perfect riding
conditions and enjoyed the renuinon of friends. But one hour into our ride,
being the front biker, I quickly turned around in response to gruesome sounding
shouts from my friend. I knew immediately he suffered a bad injury.
He was on the ground; his lower leg was bent and flopping around like a broken
candy cane still in it's bag. Horrific! Basically his leg snapped like a
chicken bone. His bike lay to his side with the front wheel twisted. And he was
writhing, twisting, clenched in pain with uncontrollable shouts. I ran and
checked him for more injury and then grabbed his hand tightly to comfort him.
We called 911, and paramedics and LFD arrived 30 mins later. They tried to call
the Coast Guard for an airlift basket to get him out of woods but ended up with
8 men carrying him out in a hammock-like stretcher. Terrible. He was screaming.
It sounded like a war zone.
I was saddened. I think he's going to have a long road to recovery. Please wish
him well or say a prayer. Thanks.
After he was tucked away in the hospital ER and after most of the dust settled,
my friend and I discussed if leg armor would have saved him. He had just bought
661 knee pads for the ride, and that's all he wore. We tried to figure out the
mechanism of how it happened.
60. ANOTHER Death from Mountain
Biking
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/staffordshire/8483169.stm
John
Moore-Robinson died hours after being discharged from hospital
A senior NHS member of staff believed to have ordered a rewrite of a damning
report because she did not want "adverse publicity" has been
suspended.
John Moore-Robinson, 20, died after he was discharged from Stafford Hospital
with an undiagnosed ruptured spleen.
In a report, senior consultant Ivan Phair said Mr Moore-Robinson's treatment
could be called "negligent".
But trust secretary Kate Levy said she did not want the comments "quoted
in the press", and demanded their removal.
The memo emerged during an independent inquiry being held into the failures at
Stafford Hospital.
Telecommunications worker Mr Moore-Robinson, from Coalville, Leicestershire,
was taken to Stafford Hospital's accident and emergency in April 2006 after a
mountain biking accident in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire.
'Avoidable situation'
An X-ray revealed broken ribs, but no scan was done to check his spleen and
he was prescribed painkillers and discharged. He died hours later.
Mr Phair's report, written weeks later, concluded: "The premature death of
Mr Moore-Robinson in my opinion was an avoidable situation.
"I feel that an independent expert would criticise the management afforded
to him by the staff.
"There is a high probability that the level of care delivered to Mr
Moore-Robinson was negligent."
But Ms Levy, who worked as Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust secretary and
head of legal services there, did not wish the comments to be reported in open
court to a coroner.
She wrote two memos to Mr Phair asking him to delete criticism.
Mr Moore-Robinson's father is now calling for an inquest
She wrote: "With a view to avoiding further distress to the family and
adverse publicity I wish to avoid stressing possible failures on the part of
the trust."
In another memo she wrote: "I feel such a concluding statement may add to
the family's distress and is not one I wish to see quoted in the press."
In a statement, the hospital's new management said it was "appalled"
that anyone would want to hide information to protect the reputation of the
organisation.
Antony Sumara, chief executive of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said
they were in the process of formally suspending Ms Levy, "pending a full
investigation into the allegations raised".
Mr Moore-Robinson's father Frank Robinson is now calling for an inquest into
his son's death.
He said: "It's left me speechless.
"Up until the inquiry we really had no idea."
61. Miranda Miller breaks leg
http://www.squamishchief.com/article/20100129/SQUAMISH0201/301299951/-1/squamish/miranda-miller-breaks-leg
Miranda Miller breaks leg
Pro downhiller expects to be ready for Sea Otter Classic
Miranda Miller, seen here before the 2009 World Championships in Australia last
year, is expected to be out of action for 12 weeks while she recovers from a
broken leg.
January 29,2010
Neil Judson
njudson@squamishchief.com
What started out as a relaxed riding trip on Vancouver Island turned into a
serious off-season injury for local downhill mountain bike racer Miranda
Miller.
Miller, 19, broke her leg while scoping out a trail with a group of friends on
Mount Prevost near Duncan on Jan. 21. She was riding around a small jump while
checking out trail features on her first run through, unaware that there was a
large root sticking out at shin level. She pedaled into the root, which stopped
her abruptly as it struck her directly on the right shin, breaking both the
tibia and fibula.
For a downhill racer accustomed to powering fast through extremely steep,
technical descents, the circumstances of the injury are frustrating, said
Miller.
It was totally a freak accident kind of thing. Not even doing anything gnarly,
just going around something, she said.
Miller, who is entering her second Pro Elite racing season, will undergo
surgery and is expected by off the bike for about 12 weeks, which includes six
weeks of rehabilitation. She broke the same leg when she was 13 years old,
which led to two surgeries.
Miller said she was lucky to have been riding with a group of four riding
buddies, including fellow National Team member and Vancouver Island native Dean
Tennant. Although Miller was able to roll most of the 40 minutes back to their
vehicle, Tennant gave a much-needed boost up inclines.
At that point, Miller didnt know the extent of the injury but tried hard not to
put any weight on her right leg.
It hurt pretty badly and I figured I better get out of there quickly, she said.
Despite the setback, Miller said she is determined to race the Sea Otter
Classic in Monterey, California in mid-April. Last year, Miller placed sixth in
the events SRAM Mountain Bike Downhill competition amongst a Pro Elite field of
29 riders.
Aprils Sea Otter Classic could be the start of a big season. Miller already has
a U.S. Open title from her first Pro Elite season, but is looking to carve her
mark even deeper on the national and international circuits.
Millers leg injury shouldnt be serious enough to slow her down if past
performances are any indication. In August, Miller was cleared to compete in
one race at Whistlers Crankworx while recovering from an acute renal condition
that left her hospitalized just weeks prior. She not only competed in the
Monster Energy Garbanzo Downhill, which is one of the longest downhill races in
the world, she also won it.
62. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/91265/broken-wrists-nose-mountain-biker
Sat, 30
Jan 2010
News: National
A 25-year-old Auckland man broke both wrists and his nose after falling down a
20m bank while mountain biking in the Tongariro Forest, in the central North
Island.
Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter spokesman Hendry de Waal said the man was on
the 42 Traverse mountain biking track when the accident happened.
He was airlifted to Rotorua Hospital after a long-line was used to rescue him.
63. " flew off the bike, broke his
scapula and was going into shock"
Subject:
[morca] Re: Why all the Gravel and work on Ord?
From: papa-g <gacourtright@sbcglobal.net>
To: "Monterey Off-Road Cycling Association (MORCA)" <morca@googlegroups.com>
List-Help: <http://groups.google.com/support/?hl=en_US>,
<mailto:morca+help@googlegroups.com>
I am not the expert on this topic by any means, but this is what I
THINK I know:
The roads being worked on are not new roads. These roads are used for
emergency vehicles to respond to both fire and medical emergencies.
If the roads are not improved, Fort Ord is not able to host such
things as the Sea Otter or 24 Hours of Adrenaline due to liability...I
think. Some roads are in such bad shape that the local Cal Fire/
Salinas Rural will not use them to respond to emergencies. Not pretty
seeing the gravel and such being put in, but it will look real good
seeing an emergency vehicle coming down one to get to your sorry and
broken butt if you do not keep the rubber side down! As we know, in a
medical emergency, every minute counts.
I want to see Fort Ord be open and stay "wild", too. There is no way
to have both at all times. Rangers have to patrol, roads will need to
be worked on and folks need to push back to keep OUR lands open and
usable for recreation. One way to do this is BE INVOLVED!!! Show up
to the MORCA meetings, volunteer your time to do trail work, be active
in the FORA/ESCA process and be proactive instead of reactive to the
issues. Lots of folks in the club do this and I am thankful to all of
you! If you are a lurker, get involved, please.
One quick story...before I get back to my paying job...Sea Otter a few
years ago when the club volunteered to marshal the XC race: I was at
the top of trail 50 where that nasty bit of gravel is. A racer was
coming down the ruts on fire road just before the intersection and
flew off the bike, broke his scapula and was going into shock. Jim,
my hero... ;)...was doing his BETA duties and calling in emergency
services. A helicopter was called in while an emergency vehicle tried
to get to the site at the same time. Crazy thing is that it took a
good forty minutes or more before someone got to the site! The dirt
road from Laguna Seca was bad and the medics took a long time to
navigate to the site on the rutted out road...I think that the
emergency vehicle, a truck, only had about a mile or so of dirt they
drove on, the rest was paved.
Thanks for reading my two cents!
Gary
64. http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/mountain-bike-rider-transported-hospital-helicopter-karapoti/5/38401
Mountain Bike Rider Transported To Hospital By Helicopter From
Karapoti
Contributor:
Voxy News Engine
Sunday, 14 February, 2010 - 14:48
The Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter transported a 32 year old woman
to hospital today after she fell from her moutain bike while riding at Karapoti
near Upper Hutt.
The helicopter, with a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic onboard was called
to the accident just before midday today. The woman was believed to have fallen
in an area approximately 50 minutes walking time from the Karapoti carpark end
of the trail. The alarm was raised by fellow riders who had to return to the
the Karapoti carpark to get cellphone coverage. "Our initial information
was that she had fallen down a steep bank and may need to be winched from where
she had fallen" says Colin Larsen, Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman.
"We were told by the womans friends that she had suffered quite a deep
laceration to her left leg".
One of the womans friends was able to help the helicopter crew navigate to
where it was thought she had fallen. A brief search of the area was carried out
by the helicopter before we were notified that other bike riders had helped the
woman back out to the Karapoti carpark.
The helicopter then returned to the carpark where the woman was treated by the
Wellington Free Ambulance helicopter paramedic and flown to the Wellington
Hospital Emergency Department. She is currently being further assesed and
treated for her injury.
65. For starters, this is an
"international" mountain biking "bravado" website with a
chockful of ammunition available to help our activism along....
"Broken Riders"- injury pics from around the world of mtb'ing...
WARNING -- very graphic -- it just might help make parents think
twice about setting their children loose in "Mtb'ing camps" ;)
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/list/?category=22&date=2010-02
and it's accompanying pics called "Crashes in Action" - some
injury shots included...
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/list/?category=23&date=2010-02
and not to mention the carnage of "Broken Bikes" - this is
where the bike shops/manufacturers "make a killing", selling all
those replacement parts for those broken bikes....
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/list/?category=21&date=2010-02
It's a beginning...explore the whole page and pick a country -- any
country...(this handy website comes out of Vancouver, B ...the real truth
about mountain biking...)
66. So much for the alleged
"healthfulness" of mountain biking...
Mike
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100215/NEWS/2150304
Local
physical therapist pairs former patients with new patients to help newly
disabled people learn how to cope
Jesse Gifford, right, shows Matt Thomas his specially modified van that has
been adapted for people with spinal cord injuries.Jim Craven
February 15, 2010
By Bill Kettler
Mail Tribune
Jesse Gifford knows all too well how Matt Thomas feels these days.
Thomas has been confined to a wheelchair since July, when a mountain bike
accident left him paralyzed. Gifford suffered a similar paralyzing injury
almost 13 years ago after a diving accident.
"Your whole world is shattered," Gifford recalled. "You don't
know what you're going to be able to do or whether you'll be able to provide
for yourself at all."
Physical therapist Leslie Black asked Gifford, one of her former patients, to
get together with Thomas to show him that a spinal cord injury isn't the end of
life. Black often recruits her former patients to visit with new patients who
arelearning to cope with disabling injuries.
"Even though I've had a lot of experience working with people with spinal
cord injuries, I don't have one myself," Black said. "I think there's
a lot of benefit in having someone who deals with it day by day be a mentor or
a sounding board."
Gifford, 31, recently drove his specially modified van to Providence Medford
Medical Center to give Thomas, 35, some sense of what someone can do, even with
a spinal cord injury.
Right now, as much as anything, Thomas misses his freedom to just get in the
car and go.
"It sucks not being able to drive," he said. "I'm the equivalent
of a high school freshman."
Thomas, who worked as an engineer before his accident, quizzed Gifford about
the adaptive components of his rig. Gifford showed him how his wheelchair locks
into the floor and demonstrated the throttle and brake controls for his left
hand and the adaptations to the steering wheel that allow him to steer with his
right hand.
Gifford's visor-mounted cell phone caught Thomas' eye.
"What hand do you use (for the phone)?" Thomas asked.
"It's voice activated," Gifford explained. "I just say 'answer.'
"
Gifford and Thomas both have what medical professionals call
"complete" spinal cord injuries, meaning they have no sensation or
movement below the injury site. They have some use of their arms, but very
limited grip strength.
"You're really lost at first when you have an injury like this,"
Gifford said, as Thomas and Black worked through a therapy session. "It's
good to show (newly disabled people) there's hope. It's good for me, too. It
makes me realize how much I've done."
Gifford, who lives in Eagle Point, recalled Black telling him after his injury
that he would be driving on his own again someday.
"I looked at her like she was crazy," he said.
Gifford did much more than learn to drive. He earned a degree in computer
science at Southern Oregon University and now works as a Web designer.
"Even now I'm still learning how to do things," he said. "I'm
still finding out what I'm capable of."
Black said she tries to match former and current patients who have similar
backgrounds, education, life experience or age.
"You can't connect people just because they happen to be in
wheelchairs," she said. "I do think about personalities. People have
to have some kind of commonality."
Gifford and Thomas were both athletes. Gifford played high school football and
ran for the track team. Thomas was a kayaker, mountain biker and climber.
Thomas, who lives in Medford, said he plans to return to school to earn a
master's degree in business administration and seek more aggressive physical
therapy.
"Seeing Jesse is a paradox," he said. "It's helpful to see
someone with that level of function. At the same time, it's a little depressing
to see someone paralyzed so long who hasn't recovered."
Thomas said he's still coming to terms with losing the person he was.
"Labor Day a year ago I was on a four-day kayak expedition down a river
nobody had ever done before," he said. "Spending next Labor Day in a
wheelchair is a pretty stark comparison."
Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 541-776-4492, or e-mail
bkettler@mailtribune.com.
67. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/cycling/news/article.cfm?c_id=31&objectid=10627705
By Isaac Davison
4:00 AM Monday Feb 22, 2010
A cyclist died in knee-deep water after losing control of her bike in a
Hamilton reserve and falling into a creek at the weekend.
Late last night, police were still trying to identify the victim, who is
believed to be in her early 30s and of Maori or Pacific Island descent.
Police said the woman struck a fallen tree at the bottom of a winding, steep
path in Edgecumbe Park, Whitiora, before plunging down a 4m bank.
Acting Senior Sergeant Pete Whittaker said the woman, who was not wearing a
helmet, was likely to have been knocked unconscious before drowning in the
Waitawhiriwhiri Stream, which was "only up to his knees".
"She must have been going at a fair whack, and the hill is just so steep.
There's skidmarks on the grass where she's failed to veer around the corner,
and it looks like the tree has clothes-lined her. It's just tragic."
Mr Whittaker could not confirm when the accident happened, but said the cyclist
was likely to have been riding through the reserve alone on Saturday night.
He said anyone walking down the path between Edgecumbe Rd and Charlemont St
would have spotted the body.
Two 15-year-olds who were "taking a breather" from their morning
church service at Central Baptist Church yesterday found the body head-down in
the creek, which runs off the Waikato River. The cyclist's mountain bike lay
nearby in the water.
The pastor's wife, Sally Allen, said that by the time the youths discovered the
body, there was nothing they could do to help. They alerted their parents, who
called for emergency services.
"We'll be praying for the family next Sunday," Ms Allen said.
The paving stones on the path were being repaired, and the cyclist ignored a
sign at the top of the hill that said, "Footpath closed".
The woman's body was removed from the creek yesterday afternoon. She had a bob
haircut and was dressed in aqua-blue boardshorts and a black T-shirt. She was
wearing a tiki around her neck. She wasn't wearing shoes.
Residents who lived around the park said people rarely cycled down the hill
from the Charlemont St end because the slope was so steep.
A pathologist will carry out an examination today to determine the cause of
death.
By Isaac Davison
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/woman-killed-in-bike-accident-named-3382944
Published:
9:48AM Friday February 26, 2010
The name of a woman
identified on Thursday as the person whose body was found in a Hamilton creek
on Sunday has been released.
She is 40-year-old Joan
Pani Hiwinui of Hamilton.
Detective Senior
sergeant Karl Thornton of the Hamilton CIB said Hiwinui was identified by
members of her family on Thursday morning after they contacted police with
concerns that they hadn't seen or heard from her for several days.
"Her case has been
reported to the coroner who will determine the cause of death. At this point,
from a police perspective, we're happy about being able to bring closure for
both Joan and her family's sake." says Thornton.
The family has asked for
privacy and have not released any other details.
Hiwinui died after she
missed a bend on her bicycle, braked and crashed into a tree, flying over the
front handlebars into the Waitawhiriwhiri stream.
68. Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:12:14
-0800
Subject: Lots of info on an International Mtb'ing "Bravado"
website...
For starters, this is an "international" mountain biking
"bravado" website with a chockful of ammunition available to help our
activism along...
"Broken Riders"- injury pics from around the world of mtb'ing...
WARNING -- very graphic -- it just might help make parents think twice
about setting their children loose in "Mtb'ing camps" ;)
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/list/?category=22&date=2010-02
and it's accompanying pics called "Crashes in Action" - some injury
shots included...
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/list/?category=23&date=2010-02
and not to mention the carnage of "Broken Bikes" - this is where the
bike shops/manufacturers "make a killing", selling all those
replacement parts for those broken bikes....
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/list/?category=21&date=2010-02
It's a beginning...explore the whole page and pick a country -- any
country...(this handy website comes out of Vancouver, B ...the real truth about
mountain biking...)
"It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the
environment." ~Ansel Adams
69. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20020788
Sports Med. 2010;40(1):77-90. doi:
10.2165/11319640-000000000-00000.
Aleman KB, Meyers MC.
Human Performance Research Laboratory, Department of Sports and Exercise
Sciences, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas, USA.
kbaleman1@buffs.wtamu.edu
Over the last decade, the sport of mountain biking has experienced extensive
growth in youth participation. Due to the unpredictable nature of outdoor
sport, a lack of rider awareness and increased participation, the number of
injuries has unnecessarily increased. Many believe that the actual incidence of
trauma in this sport is underestimated and is just the 'tip of the iceberg'.
The most common mechanism of injury is usually attributed to downhill riding
and forward falling. Although rare, this type of fall can result in serious
cranial and thoraco-abdominal trauma. Head and neck trauma continue to be
documented, often resulting in concussions and the possibility of permanent
neurological sequelae.
Upper limb injuries range from minor dermal abrasions, contusions and muscular
strains to complex particular fracture dislocations. These are caused by
attempting to arrest the face with an outstretched hand, leading to additional
direct injury. Common overuse injuries include repeated compression from the
handlebars and vibration leading to neurovascular complications in the hands.
Along with reports of blunt abdominal trauma and lumbar muscle strains, lower
extremity injuries may include various hip/pelvic/groin contusions,
patellofemoral inflammation, and various muscle strains.
The primary causes of mountain biking injuries in children and adolescents
include overuse, excessive fatigue, age, level of experience, and inappropriate
or improperly adjusted equipment. Additional factors contributing to trauma
among this age group involve musculoskeletal immaturity, collisions and falls,
excessive speed, environmental conditions, conditioning and fitness status of
the rider, nonconservative behavioural patterns, and inadequate medical care.
The limited available data restrict the identification and understanding of
specific paediatric mountain biking injuries and injury mechanisms.
Education about unnecessary risk of injury, use of protective equipment,
suitable bikes and proper riding technique, coupled with attentive and proper
behaviour, are encouraged to reduce unnecessary injury. This article provides
information on the causation and risk factors associated with injury among
young mountain bikers, and recommendations to minimize trauma and enhance
optimal performance and long-term enjoyment in this outdoor sport.
PMID: 20020788 [PubMed - in process]
(My note: "Proper behaviour" with regards to mountain biking would
mean that one would not choose to thrash the natural environment, maybe?)
70. ANOTHER Death from Mountain Biking!
Unsung heroes take center stage
By BILL WARD
wward@tampatrib.com
Published: February 28, 2010
TAMPA - During the elite runner
heyday of the Publix Super Markets Gasparilla Distance Classic 15-kilometer
run, world-class runners certainly brought electricity to the event, but you
have to wonder how many stories like those of Austin Richmond and Murray McDonough
went unnoticed as a result.
Saturday, with little in the way
of prize money on the line, their lives took center stage.
For Richmond, the men's winner,
it was a story of a 24-year-old father who has been forced to live in so many
places the past few years that in the eyes of the government, he is considered
homeless.
For McDonough, the race was a
celebration of a healthy, vibrant life that suddenly ended just nine days ago
following a mountain biking accident in Polk County.
While Richmond has family in
Clewiston and Bradenton, he has not had a permanent place to call home since he
competed for Webber International University in Babson Park, where he earned a
business degree. And even then, Richmond lived in a small trailer.
Since graduating from Webber,
Richmond's dream of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic marathon trials has seen
him bounce between the homes of family and friends, including those in
Colorado, where he spent time training at altitude. Between those stops, he and
his wife, Krystyne, had a daughter, Alexa, who is now nearly 6 months old.
In these difficult economic
times, Richmond says he has been unable to find steady work. So when he
recently applied for government assistance to help support his family, he and
his wife were listed as homeless.
"(The government agency)
wanted to know about all these things we didn't have, like a home and permanent
address, which we don't have," Richmond said. "Obviously, it hasn't
been easy for us. But we're doing OK, and I know that if I can just stay
focused in my training, I can run faster."
After second-place finishes here
in 2007 and '08 and a fourth in '06, Saturday was another personal best for
Richmond. He dropped 27-year-old Jim Wahl of Cary, N.C., just after 2 miles,
and despite suffering a painful cramp in his diaphragm near the 6-mile mark,
Richmond fell only slightly off a sub-5-minute mile pace to finish in 46
minutes, 49 seconds.
Wahl earned second in 48:27, and
since Richmond listed his family's address in Clewiston as his hometown, St.
Petersburg's Hank Campbell, 30, won the $2,000 for the first local finisher in
third place overall at 49:51.
Upon learning of Richmond's
situation, however, race director Susan Harmeling consulted former Gasparilla
president Joey Resnick and current president Maureen Chiodini. Together, they
agreed the right thing to do was award Richmond his own $2,000 check.
"We support the local
running community, and that's why we have the prize money for them,"
Harmeling said. "But at the same time, you have someone with the athletic
ability he has and if anyone deserves the help, it's him."
As the cloudy skies Richmond
raced under finally gave way to light rain, Michael McDonough, 50, crossed the
finish line. In a virtual sea of back-of-the-pace runners, Michael had never
run a race longer than 5k before Saturday, and that was nearly 20 years ago.
But in honor of his little brother, Murray McDonough, he took up the challenge
of Saturday's 15k.
Michael not only wore the No. 74
race number Murray had been issued for Gasparilla, but Michael also wore his
brother's running shoes, shorts, shirt - right down to his socks. He and
several of Murray's friends and co-workers from the engineering firm URS also
wore handmade red ribbons with "In Memory of Murray" written on it.
Michael and Murray's friends all
say he was the fittest 47-year-old you could meet. Exercise was a way of life
for him. Murray even volunteered for the Meals on Wheels program by delivering
food to the needy on his bicycle.
But on a solo mountain bike ride
on Valentine's Day, Murray was found unconscious at the bottom of a steep
section of Loyce Harpe Park near Lakeland. Murray was wearing his helmet, but
he had broken a vertebra in his neck and had nearly severed his spine. A nurse
hiking in the park discovered Murray minutes afterward and performed CPR before
he was airlifted to a nearby hospital.
The lack of oxygen to his brain
between the accident and his arrival at the hospital resulted in minimal brain
function. Five days later, Murray's family decided to take him off the
respirator. His heart continued beating for several minutes before finally
stopping.
Murray had left no end-of-life
documents or instructions. But since he had taken such good care of his body,
his family decided to donate his organs, and they say eight of them will be
life-saving.
As he stood near the finish line
with Murray's friends, Michael tried to think past the pain in his legs from
the race. Today, he and other mountain bikers will gather at Loyce Harpe Park
for a ride in honor of Murray.
"It feels like we've said
everything there is to say and talked about it so much, but it still doesn't
feel like it's possible he's not here," Michael McDonough said. "I
know he pushed me out there today to finish."
71.
Graphic photos of a typical mountain biking injury:
http://www.panix.com/~baldwin/surgery/
72.
"It's a dangerous sport". We don't hear that near often enough.
Mike
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/32965--coquitlam-search-and-rescue-save-injured-mountain-biker
Renee
Bernard Mar 06, 2010 21:28:06 PM
COQUITLAM (NEWS1130) - Coquitlam Search and Rescue personnel were called into
action today, to help an injured mountain biker off of Eagle Mountain.
Dwight Yochim says the biker fell after a jump. "It's a dangerous sport.
He landed on his head, off a fairly big log, so he's lucky there were no neck
or spine injuries."
Luckily the man was cycling with three others, who cell phoned for help.
Fifteen people took part in the rescue.
73. http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/5060740.Mountain_biker_airlifted_after_fall/
3:33pm
Sunday 14th March 2010
By James Savage
A MOUNTAIN biker has been airlifted to hospital after falling from his bike and
hitting his head on a tree.
West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to
Castlemorton, near Malvern, shortly after 11.30am on Sunday.
An ambulance, a medical responder and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford were
dispatched to the scene. The fire service was also in attendance.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: On arrival at the scene
crews found a mountain biker who had fallen from his bike and is believed to
have hit his head on a tree branch.
"The man, believed to be in his late 30s, was treated on scene for a neck
injury. He was given pain relief at the scene and immobilised using a neck
collar and spinal board.
Due to the location of the incident a specialist team from the fire service
assisted the crew to transfer the patient from the hillside to the ambulance.
The ambulance crew conveyed the patient to the Air Ambulance who airlifted the
patient to Worcestershire Royal Hospital for further assessment and treatment.
74.
"He remained 'very weak physically' after breaking his back in a mountain
bike accident"
http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/article/779621--sam-danniels-brings-heart-and-soul-to-slopes
March
14, 2010
Daniel Girard
WHISTLER, B.C.It's fair to say Sam Danniels is a focused individual.
About 3 1/2 years ago, the Toronto native decided that even though he remained
"very weak physically" after breaking his back in a mountain bike
accident it would be good therapy to try and secure himself a spot on the
Canadian alpine ski team for the 2010 Paralympics.
"It just seemed like a great goal, something I could put my heart and soul
into," the 23-year-old says.
"And that's exactly what I've done.
"But really, there was never much doubt in my mind that I'd be here
today."
So, you'll have to forgive Danniels for not getting too worked up about his
Paralympic debut being delayed by fog, which led to the postponement of the
downhill races here Saturday.
He'll eventually ski in the downhill and super-G, his two sit-ski events at
these Winter Games, once race organizers sort out the scheduling.
Whatever. He'll just roll with it.
"It's part of the sport," says Danniels, who moved to Whistler about
three years ago after spending time back with his family in Toronto following
the accident in 2005.
"Sometimes everything goes smoothly and you get a nice, blue bird day and
sometimes it's just a nightmare.
"Whistler is a skier's paradise. It's just not a ski-racer's
paradise."
Danniels, who attended Upper Canada College and graduated from Royal St.
George's College in the Bloor-Bathurst area, moved to Kamloops, B.C., right
after high school to study adventure tourism management at Thompson Rivers
University.
While there, he travelled to Whistler virtually every weekend to ski in the
winter and mountain bike in the summer before the accident left him a
paraplegic.
As part of his rehabilitation in Ontario, Danniels learned sit skiing at
Collingwood about four years ago.
Danniels, who is in his first season on the International Paralympic Committee
World Cup circuit, doesn't come in here as a medal favourite.
But on Wednesday, in the only training run for the downhill event, he finished
first by nearly a second, sweeping down the hill at average 73 km/h.
"If he pulls it off and wins, no one would be happier than us," Lasse
Ericcson, development coach with the Canadian para-alpine team, said in an
interview Saturday. "But we don't have any expectations like that on him
and we've told him that we're here to see him learn for future games.
"In the disabled community, he's still a very young athlete. I hope to see
him for a lot more years and a couple of more Paralympic Games for sure."
Danniels knows he'll be a better skier in four years.
But, since he's made the team and is competing on his home mountain before a
couple of dozen vocal supporters from Ontario and B.C., he's not just looking
to gain experience.
"I show up to race and I race to win," Danniels says. "That's my
mentality and that's why I'm here. I'm not looking to come 15th."
Still, no matter what the result when his races finally happen, Danniels says
the ride to his first Paralympics has been worth every minute.
"At the end of the day, it's about enjoying yourself," he says.
"I've been a skier or a snowboarder or an outdoors person my entire life
and I love this.
"This is what I do."
75. "Mountain
biker airlifted to hospital after fall"
Mar 15 2010 by Anuji Varma, Birmingham Mail
A MOUNTAIN biker was airlifted to hospital after he fell and hit his head on a
branch in Worcestershire.
The man, believed to be in his late 30s, was treated on the scene for a neck
injury before the Air Ambulance took him to Worcester Royal Hospital for
further treatment.
The incident happened yesterday shortly after 11.30am on a hill at
Castlemorton.
76.
"Top mountain biker dies"
So much
for the alleged "healthfulness" of mountain biking....
Mike
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=iol1269329511910B263
Top mountain biker dies
March 23 2010 at 09:37AM
A top international mountain biker taking part in the Absa Cape Epic Mountain
bike race died early on Tuesday.
Australian James Williamson, the 26-year-old editor of the Australian Enduro
mountain bike magazine, died in Ceres Private Hospital at 6.47am after his
riding partner, 28-year-old Shaun Lewis, had been unable to rouse him.
The race, a gruelling 722km event between Wellington through the countryside to
Somerset West started on Sunday.
This breaking news flash was supplied exclusively to iol.co.za by the news
desk at our sister title, the Cape Argus.
77. A
"healthy activity for the whole family", huh?
Mike
http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/87004/mountain-biker-hurt-in-forest-near-wrexham.aspx
Published
date: 06 April 2010 | Published by: Staff reporter
A MOUNTAIN biker has been taken to hospital following an incident near
Wrexham.
An ambulance was called to Llandegla Forest, Llandegla, shortly before
1.40pm yesterday and sent to the scene.
An ambulance service spokeswoman said: We were called after reports of a
mountain biker who had reportedly fallen from his bike in the forest.
"Due to the location of the incident the crew had to walk about 500 meters
to the injured biker.
On arrival at the scene, ambulance crews treated a man believed to be 37 years
old age for a suspected fractured leg.
"The crew immobilised the man and with the help of bystanders transported
the man to the ambulance."
78. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/cycling/news/article.cfm?c_id=31&objectid=10638025
4:00 AM Tuesday Apr 13, 2010
A freak
accident that left a bike brake lever embedded in a Rotorua mountainbiker's
hand had hospital staff running - for their cameras.
Thirty-year-old machine shop foreman Kevin Myatt, now sporting 15 stitches,
said pictures of his hand might look horrific but he was in no pain and instead
found himself smiling with disbelief as he was treated.
The crash happened on the Dragonstail track in the Whakarewarewa forest on
April 1.
He had taken a week off work to carry out a gardening project but decided to
head to the forest for "a bit of a play".
"I was trying to build up a bit of speed before some jumps but I dropped
my chain and the force of losing resistance threw me forward over the [handle]
bars," he said.
"It was very, very quick. I was sliding along the ground, looked back and
saw the lever had gone through the bottom of my hand."
His brake lever slid up his arm, cutting it open, then pierced the skin on his
wrist before surfacing.
He said the first thing that hit him was the realisation it was close to an
artery. He grabbed hold of his wrist to stem blood flow and yelled at his
riding companions to call for an ambulance.
He said he was lucky in his choice of brakes - his system disconnects from the
bike more easily than others so he was able to detach himself from the rest of
his bike before the ambulance arrived.
At Rotorua Hospital, word of his injury quickly spread and staff members headed
to the emergency department to take a look.
"The attention was unbelievable. I felt like I was famous," Mr Myatt
said.
"I was told that normally people have to get sticks removed from their
hands from mountainbiking crashes - not brake levers.
"You certainly get a fright when you look at the pictures."
He admitted he was a little concerned about the pain he might feel when the
wound was cleaned of the pine needles and dirt, but needn't have worried as he
was put under general anaesthetic to have the lever removed.
"I've been mountainbiking for 17 years and in that time I've broken my
wrist and had my shoulder rebuilt. That's not a bad record.
"As long as you walk away with a smile then it's okay."
79. http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/8100303.Boy_hospitalised_after_mountain_bike_accident/
9:45am
Thursday 15th April 2010
AN 11-year-old boy was rushed to hospital after an accident at the Out to Grass
Mountain Board Centre in Cradley yesterday (Wednesday).
The incident happened at about 3.10pm and an ambulance and the Midlands Air
Ambulance from Strensham attended the centre at Bromyard Road.
An ambulance service spokesman said: On arrival at the scene, crews found a
boy, believed to be 11 years old, who had been injured after falling from his
mountain bike.
The boy had suffered significant facial injuries in the accident and had been
unconscious for a short period. He was treated at the scene by ambulance crews
and immobilised using a spinal board and neck collar.
The boy was transferred by land ambulance to Worcester Royal Hospital for
further assessment and treatment.
Fortunately, the boy was wearing an appropriate cycle safety helmet at the time
of the fall which saved him from suffering more serious injuries.
80. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2011643541_i.html
Searchers
find injured mountain biker east of Issaquah
Posted
by John de Leon
An
injured mountain biker was hospitalized early Monday morning after he was found
by searchers near Lake Tradition.
The
biker, a 41-year-old man, was reported missing to Issaquah police around 9 p.m.
Sunday after he failed to return home. A couple that had been hiking near Lake
Tradition had earlier found the man's cell phone and notified a friend of the
man.
Police
conducted a preliminary search of the Lake Tradition trail area before
contacting King County Search and Rescue. The man was found around 1:16 a.m.
Monday just off a steep trail west of Lake Tradition. He had suffered head
injuries in a fall from his bike, according to Issaquah police.
The man
was taken to Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue. His condition was
not immediately known.
81.
Mountain Biker Cracks a Rib [He also punctured his lung]
Bicyclists
claim to want equal treatment, but I haven't heard any of them asking to be required
to file an accident report when they have an injury-causing accident, the way
motor vehicle drivers are required to do so!!! Maybe that requirement would
help the authorities properly assess the impacts of mountain biking!
Mike
To: <bbtcmembers@yahoogroups.com>
From: "PETERSON, PRESTON J (ATTSI)" <pp7551@att.com>
List-Subscribe: <mailto:bbtcmembers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:00:18 -0700
Subject: Doug Walsh steppin' up
As the head of the ride leader development program Doug doesn't just
talk, he walks the walk.
Only an hour into yesterday's Dungeness ride we had a rider (sorry I
didn't quite catch his name) slide out on a moss slick wooden bridge and
crack a rib. I came upon the scene with Doug, and I he didn't even
hesitate in volunteering to walk out with the rider and take him to the
clinic for the rest of the afternoon.
Yes it had to be done but still difficult to give up your sunny day ride
in the Olympics after organizing the ride and getting up early and
taking the ferry etc.
Way to go Doug and I hope the injured rider is going to be okay,
although he probably won't be mountain biking for several weeks if he
did indeed break a rib in his upper back area.
82. "Williamson's
participation in the grueling 722 kilometre mountain bike stage race wasn't
necessarily a factor in the failure of his heart". Yeah, right.
Mike
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/james-williamsons-death-due-to-natural-causes-25553
An undiagnosed heart condition was the cause of James Williamson's death while sleeping at the
Cape Epic mountain bike race last week, according to Williamson's partner Niki
Fisher. Fisher travelled to South Africa with Williamson's family last
Wednesday, where she spoke with the race doctor after an autopsy was performed
on the 26-year-old.
"It appears Jimi had a 'heart condition' - where the second chamber of the
heart did not push the blood out properly - so to compensate, Jimi's ventricle
grew larger," said Fisher. "This was a genetic condition. It had
nothing to do with his riding."
Williamson's participation in the grueling 722 kilometre mountain bike stage
race wasn't necessarily a factor in the failure of his heart, according to
Fisher. As an endurance mountain biker and the 2008 Solo 24 Hour World
Champion, Williamson was no stranger to competing at challenging races like
Cape Epic.
"It could have happened to him as he was sitting at the computer, or just
lying in bed," she said. "The doctor thinks if anything that Jimi's
fitness was positive and unlikely to have contributed or encouraged the
problem."
Doctors told Fisher that it was possible even had Williamson had his heart
tested in recent years that the condition might not have been revealed. She
recalled the doctor's hypothesis on the events that caused Williamson's heart
to fail.
"The doctor explained in detail what he thinks might have happened during
the night. Jimi was lying comfortably on his stomach, and his heart beating
would not have done what it was meant to do which is what killed him. He would
not have known this and would have died peacefully in his sleep."
The post mortem found no blockages and Williamson's potassium levels, which
could indicate electrical problems with the heart, were normal. "Nothing
wrong in any other way," added Fisher.
The weekend's Mont 24 Hour mountain bike race in Canberra, Australia was
essentially shortened by one hour to 23 hours in order to accommodate a tribute
ride to Williamson. Competitors at the event rode a shortened loop, taking
about 30 minutes, as a tribute to Williamson with the race officially starting
at 1 PM AES.
You can follow BikeRadar on Twitter at twitter.com/bikeradar.
83. http://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/content/northnorfolknews/news/story.aspx?brand=NNNOnline&category=news&tBrand=NNNonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED23%20Apr%202010%2012%3A00%3A12%3A067
Drummer hitch for Aylsham band
Sam
Evans drumming with the Sharps in the quarter finals - before injuring his arm.
RICHARD
BATSON
23 April 2010
A young Norfolk band is facing its biggest ever gig in a national talent
competition without its regular drummer after he injured an arm in a mountain
biking accident.
The Sharps are playing at the semi-final of a UK-wide Live and Unsigned contest
in London on May 2 - with hopes of reaching the final at the O2 arena.
But the band of 19 and 20 year olds who have played together since they formed
at Aylsham High School, look likely to have to perform without drummer Sam
Evans.
He is at home in Norfolk nursing a badly injured shoulder suffered during a
mountain biking jump on Felmingham Heath near his home - while his colleagues
draft in a new group member for the big day.
It's a shame, but accidents happen, said Sam, whose fall two weeks ago saw him
airlifted to hospital by air ambulance.
I was really getting into mountain-biking but took a jump a bit too fast. The
next thing I knew an hour had passed and I did not know where I was. I phoned
my mum who called an ambulance, and they sent a helicopter.
His dislocated shoulder means no drumming for two weeks, and his chances of
recovering in time for the semi final at the Beck Theatre in Hayes are less
than 50:50.
The Sharps' Plan B is to use another Aylsham lad Guy Porteous, who is studying
music with guitarist Keiran Morgan in Southampton, on guitar, while all-rounder
Kieran switched to drums, which he used to play for Norwich band The Moo.
The pair are currently working on the two songs for the semi-final - one of their
own called Play The Game Again and a Beatles cover For No-One, just in case Sam
does not recover in time.
Darby Dorras, the band's other guitarist, said: "It's a disaster. We
really feel we have a chance. Obviously we're pleased that Sam hasn't hurt
himself worse than he did, but we can't help feeling gutted."
There were thoughts of asking him to drum one handed, but the extent of the
injury ruled that out.
Live and Unsigned is the biggest original music competition in the UK for
unsigned bands and artists, promoting originality in formats from heavy rock to
rap, and with a prize pot of 75,000.
In the quarter finals judges praised the raw energy of the Sharps, whose other
member is Keiran's twin brother Callum.
Live and Unsigned events director Chris Grayston said: It's tough for the guys
- especially Sam - but the show must go on, so good for them!
For more information and tickets for Live & Unsigned go to the www.LiveandUnsigned.UK.com
Hear the Sharps' original songs at www.myspace.com/thesharps
84. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14957116
By Tom McGhee
The Denver Post
Posted: 04/25/2010 03:59:53 PM MDT
Updated: 04/25/2010 04:19:19 PM MDT
A Colorado Springs man is in the hospital after falling about 35 feet while he
was mountain biking on a Mesa County trail.
The 45-year-old man was riding on the Kokopelli Trail when he tumbled over an
embankment at about 12:30 p.m. today, said Mary Gonzales, spokeswoman for the
Mesa County Sheriff's office.
Rescue workers took the injured man to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction.
85. Mountain
biker falls 50 feet, transported to Pasadena hospital
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_15006747
Posted:
05/03/2010 11:54:41 AM PDT
Deputies used a helicopter to rescue a mountain biker who fell 50 feet down a
hillside near Chaney Trail in Altadena on Sunday, authorities said.
Carlos Bautista, 35, was riding Chaney Trail on Mount Lowe and the Sunset Ridge
when he went over an edge Sunday afternoon, said Sgt. Debra Herman of the
sheriff's Crescenta Valley office.
Bautista was taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena for treatment.
His injuries and condition are unknown at this time, said Herman.
86. "Lost
in the dark with a busted knee"
http://www.greenwichtime.com/sports/article/Phillips-recovers-from-mountain-bike-injuries-474812.php
Phillips recovers from mountain bike injuries
ALYSSA
SCHNUGG, Oxford Eagle
Published: 08:54 a.m., Wednesday, May 5, 2010
OXFORD,
Miss. (AP) Lost in the dark with a busted knee, Wesley Phillips, sat in the woods for about five
hours before being rescued.
His first thought?
"Football," said the Ole Miss Rebels long snapper. "Then I
thought how was I going to tell my mom without upsetting her."
On April 10, Phillips and his buddy, Joe Woolsey, took their bikes on the
railroad-bed trails. The two went off the main trail and started biking through
the narrow dirt trails in the woods. At about 6:30 p.m., Phillips lost control
of his mountain bike while riding down a hill.
"I was going maybe 25 miles per hour," he said. "I went over a
small ramp and was fixin' to hit a tree head-on so I jumped off my bike."
A he flew through the air, Phillips' head missed the tree, but his right leg
slammed into the trunk.
"My shin and ankle kind of bent around the tree," he said.
After attempting to use his bike as a crutch failed, Phillips tried walking by
leaning on Woolsey, which wasn't working either.
"We got to the top of a hill and I heard a 'pop' and my knee gave
out," Phillips said. "I sat down and told Joe I wasn't going to make
it."
Phillips called 911 at about 7:30 p.m.
"They were talking to me and making sure I wasn't in shock," he
recalled. "They were trying to figure out where I was."
Woolsey left his friend and attempted to walk to where the two had started out
to meet the paramedics and police officers, but they had arrived faster than
Woolsey could make it out and began searching the woods.
"It was a pretty big ordeal to find him," Oxford Police Chief Mike Martin said. "We couldn't get in there
on anything other than foot because it was so dark. It's such a maze out
there."
The University of Mississippi Police Department sent
out officers on dirt bikes to help with the search. It was Officer Gery
Phillips who first found Phillips.
"I remembered his name because we had the same last name," Phillips
said. "I could hear the bike and I started yelling. He finally found me
and on his way down the hill towards me he twisted his ankle and hurt his knee.
We were there for about 30 minutes before the two more officers and an EMS guy
found us."
Officer Phillips is still on leave due to his knee injury, UPD Chief Calvin Sellers said.
Another UPD officer, Lt. Bishop Lewis, hurt his back while searching for
Phillips, but he has returned to work, Sellers said.
One of the police officers offered Phillips his jacket and another wrapped his
shirt around Phillips' legs.
"They were concerned about me getting too cold," he said. "I had
been sweating and it was getting cold out."
Once Phillips was found, getting him out of the woods was the biggest obstacle.
Eventually about 10 people were with Phillips, including Woolsey and his
brother Zach, who had come out to help in the search. The men took turns
carrying the 220-pound Phillips more than 2 miles through the dark woods.
"It was rough," Martin said. "They had him strapped to a
backboard and they had to carry him up hills and across ditches. It was a
pretty big production."
Phillips said he remembers feeling bad for his rescuers who had to carry him
out of the woods.
"I'm not a small guy," he said. "They had a hard time carrying
me all that way. I felt so bad, but so blessed."
After getting back onto the main trail, Phillips was lifted onto the back of a
police vehicle. Driving the car very slowly, the others held onto the backboard
to make sure Phillips didn't slide off the back of the trunk.
Finally, at about 11:30 p.m., Phillips was loaded into the back of an ambulance
and on his way to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.
There, doctors discovered Phillips had torn his anterior cruciate ligament and
had two tears in his meniscus. He recently had surgery where cadaver tissue was
used to replace the ligament.
Phillips, who will be a senior at Ole Miss in the fall, was hoping to be the
first-string long snapper for the Rebels where he's been second string behind Preston Powers for three years.
"This upcoming season I was hoping to get that position," he said.
"But now it looks like I might not be able to play at all."
Doctors and rehabilitation therapists have told Phillips the best case scenario
is he could possibly get back on the field in September.
"I feel good," he said. "I think I can make it. I think I can be
ready by September. Being a long snapper, I generally just snap the ball and
run straight down field. I'm hoping I can wear a knee brace and just deal with
it hurting a little."
Despite the possibility of his Ole Miss football career taking a hard hit,
Phillips remains positive and optimistic but mostly, he's thankful.
"I just want to express my thanks to the police and paramedics," he
said. "There's no way I could have made it out of there if they didn't
help."
By ERIC
GERSHON
May 10, 2010
A Superior Court jury in Hartford has awarded a former children's book
illustrator $2.9 million for injuries suffered years ago in a bicycle accident
on land owned by the Metropolitan District Commission.
The six-person jury awarded the money Friday to Maribeth Blonski of Rocky Hill after finding that the regional water
and sewer authority improperly placed a steel gate across a path within the
Talcott Mountain Recreation Area, said Blonski's lawyer, Michael A. Stratton.
On May 16, 2002, Blonski, now 43, was biking on a trail in the area, also known
as the West Hartford Reservoir, when she struck the
gate, breaking four vertebrae in her neck, Stratton said.
The MDC had installed the gate to block motor vehicle access to the water, he
said.
R. Bartley Halloran, the MDC's chief in-house lawyer, said Sunday through a
spokeswoman that the MDC was surprised by the verdict and intends to appeal.
When the accident happened, Blonski was host of a local-access television
program about mountain biking, Stratton said. Blonski now works at the front
desk of a health club, he said. She previously worked as an illustrator of
children's books.
It took eight years to resolve the case because of a dispute about whether the
MDC was immune from responsibility, Stratton said. After a four-day trial
before Judge Edward Domnarski, the jury decided the authority was not immune in
this instance, and also found that Blonski was partially responsible.
Stratton said Blonski had offered to settle the case for less than the amount
awarded by the jury, but MDC refused.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10645355
4:29 PM Sunday May 16, 2010
An injured mountain biker has been flown to Wellington Hospital in a serious
condition after a crash near Upper Hutt.
The Westpac rescue helicopter, with a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic on
board, was called to the scene on a track above Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt, at
1.25pm.
A 56-year-old Silverstream man was treated for a spinal injury and was now in
stable condition.
Westpac rescue helicopter crewman Dave Greenberg said the man was travelling
along a track and did not see an upcoming jump. "He said his front wheel
fell away and he was thrown over his handlebars, landing on his head."
The man was wearing a helmet.
89.
Mountain bikers are an EXPENSIVE burden on the community!
Mike
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/8678166.stm
Hurt cyclist rescued by military
A military helicopter has been used to help the emergency services rescue a
cyclist injured in a forest in central Scotland.
The man was hurt while mountain biking in Carron Glen, west of Denny, at
lunchtime.
The ambulance service said its medical helicopter had been unable to land near
the injured cyclist so it sought help from the Ministry of Defence.
A rapid response vehicle and ambulance also made their way to the scene.
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/have-your-say/news/two-in-hospital-after-mountain-biking-accident/3914140/
Give us your thoughts on this story.
Two women have been hospitalised after a mountain biking accident on Mt Ruapehu
yesterday.
One woman sustained head, arm and leg injuries when she fell from her bike
coming down Ohakune Mountain Rd, the road that leads to Turoa skifields late
yesterday morning.
She and some friends were coming down the mountain road when she fell.
But, trying to avoid her ,another woman crashed and suffered back injuries.
The Square Trust Rescue Helicopter was called to Ohakune to pick up the more
seriously injured cyclist who had been taken to the rugby field in the town
because weather on the mountain had deteriorated.
The rescue helicopter flew her to Wanganui Hospital while the other woman was
taken by road to Wanganui Hospital by St John Ambulance.
The 17km-long scenic road leads from the outskirts of Ohakune to the Turoa
skifields and was opened in 1963.
91.
" Boy killed in mountain biking accident named"
The guys
who started and continue to promote this sport (e.g. Matt Fritzinger) are truly
SICK! They should all be held responsible for this.
Mike
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3718093/Boy-killed-in-mountain-biking-accident-named
Boy killed in mountain biking accident named
NZPA Last updated 12:02 20/05/2010SharePrint Text Size Relevant offers
Police have named the 11-year-old boy who died after a mountain
biking accident in Gisborne yesterday.
Leo Te Kira was riding on a mountain bike trail with an adult and two
friends yesterday afternoon.
He was cycling down a steep part of the track when he crashed and
suffered serious injuries.
Police said Leo lost control on a steep decline and went over a bank.
He had been wearing his cycle helmet at the time of the crash.
The adult with the boys found Leo and called for help shortly after.
He was taken to Gisborne hospital but died about two hours later.
Police were "keeping an open mind" about whether charges would be
laid, senior sergeant Maui Aben said.
"We are still investigating the crash and whether or not charges are
pending is dependant on the outcome."
- with The Dominion Post
"Family
friendly" sport, eh?
Mike
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/school-reels-after-biking-death-3562801
Published:
3:41PM Friday May 21, 2010
Source: NZPA
Source: Thinkstock
A Gisborne school community is reeling from the tragic loss of a student, after
an 11-year-old died in a freak accident on Wednesday night.
Campion College year seven student Leo Te Kira was with friends riding along
mountain bike trails when he lost control on a steep decline and went over a
bank. He was taken to Gisborne Hospital with serious injuries but died several
hours later.
Campion College principal Paul McGuinness says his death has been very
traumatic for staff and students.
"You never expect anything like this. It very much comes out of the
blue," he says.
"Any sudden death is a tragedy and causes great heartache. But when it is
a young person, it is even more severe."
He joined the school at the start of the year as a Year 7 student and was
well-loved by his peers, says McGuinness.
"His classroom teacher would describe Leo as a perfect student.
"He was very friendly and was loved by all of the other students.
"He was always looking to support and help others in the class and was
conscientious in all the work he did."
Students at the school are being offered support and counselling services.
"We found out yesterday morning and gathered the students together for a
prayer service, and told them as much as we knew. We led them in a prayer for
Leo and for his family," says McGuinness.
"The whole school will keep Leo and his family in their prayers."
The school will liaise with the Te Kira family on how they wish to proceed.
Associated
Press - May 24, 2010 4:34 PM ET
LARKSPUR, Colo.
(AP) - A retired dean at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs has
died in a mountain biking accident.
Sixty-8-year-old Ron Wisner died when he crashed his mountain bike Friday on a
trail near Larkspur.
Wisner was dean of students at UCCS from 1979 to 2003.
After retiring, Wisner and his wife spent a year teaching in Copenhagen and
twice circled the globe as staff of the Semester at Sea program.
He is survived by his wife, two children and two grandchildren.
Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazette.com
http://www.gazette.com/articles/springs-99306-bike-died.html
May 24,
2010 12:53 PM
JOEL MILLMAN
THE GAZETTE
Ron Wisner, the retired dean of students at the University of Colorado at
Colorado Springs, died Friday when he crashed while mountain biking with his
wife on a trail near Larkspur.
Described by family as an avid cyclist, runner and skier, Wisner, 67, was
biking on the Kipps Loop bike trail in Greenland Open Space, according to Cocha
Heyden, spokeswoman for the Douglas County Sheriffs Office.
"He passed doing one of the things he loved the most," said
daughter-in-law Laura Wisner.
An autopsy is pending and the cause of death has not yet been determined,
Heyden said.
Wisner was born June 18, 1942, in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and joined the newly
created Peace Corps after graduating from Ohio's Wittenberg University.
As a Peace Corps volunteer, Wisner taught agricultural practices to farmer in
Niger, West Africa. The experience gave him a lifelong love for exploring the
world and different cultures, relatives said.
After obtaining a master's degree from Michigan State University, Wisner, his
wife, Jane, and their two children, Mark and Sara, moved to Colorado Springs
where he was dean of students at UCCS from 1979 to 2003.
Since retiring, Wisner and his wife spent a year teaching in Copenhagen and
twice circled the globe as staff of the Semester at Sea program.
He hiked, bicycled and skied with family and was a marathon runner and member
of area running clubs. Among the groups to which he belonged or volunteered for
were the U.S. Olympic Committee, Vail Music Festival, Pikes Peak Library
District, Tri-Lakes Transportation Services for Seniors and Citizen's Project.
He served as a board member of the Karen Possehl Endowment for Non-Traditional
Women's Scholarships, UCCS chancellor's Leadership Class, Pikes Peak Area Peace
Corps Alumni and Kids on Bikes.
"Ron had the passion of someone half his age," Laura Wisner said.
"This was a tragic shock. It just was not his time."
He is survived by his wife, two children and two grandchildren, all of whom
live in Colorado.
Memorial services will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at Hillside Gardens, 100 S.
Institute St.
93.
"Falling is part of the game". Broken femur. [It's interesting that
he blames the rut he hit on the rain, when it was actually caused by mountain
biking. Mike]
http://www.nsmb.com/3692-fabian-barel-injured/
http://nsmb.com/3720-fabien-barel-update/
94.
Mountain bikers risk their necks
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37514330/ns/health-fitness/
updated
11:58 a.m. PT, Fri., June 4, 2010
High speeds, extreme terrain and long vertical drops might be making the
increasingly popular sport of mountain biking as risky as football, diving and
cheerleading, suggests a new study.
The findings warn that taking two wheels to the trails invites the danger of a
spinal injury. One of every six cases reviewed was severe enough to result in complete
paralysis.
"People need to know that the activities they choose to engage in may
carry with them unique and specific risks," Dr. Marcel Dvorak, of the
University of British Columbia in Canada, told Reuters Health by email.
"Helmets will not protect you from these injuries, nor will wearing Ninja
Turtle-like body armor."
Previous studies had described both the range of injuries sustained by mountain
bikers and the spinal injuries suffered across a variety of sports. But no one
had yet evaluated the specific risks of spinal injury among mountain bikers.
Dvorak and his colleagues identified 102 men and 5 women who were seen at
British Columbia's primary spine center between 1995 and 2007 after mountain
biking accidents. The average patient was 33 years old and all but two were
recreational riders, they report in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.
The team couldn't calculate the risk of a spine injury among those who mountain
biked, but they figured that over the 13-year study period, the annual rate was
one in 500,000 British Columbia residents. The riders accounted for 4 percent
of all spine trauma admissions to the center.
Surgery was required for about two-thirds of the mountain bikers. But the most
devastating injuries were the 40 percent that involved the spinal cord. Of
these, more than 40 percent led to complete paralysis.
"Wrist fractures and facial fractures are common" among mountain
bikers, said Dvorak. "But spine injuries are the most severe with the most
profound long-term consequences."
The majority of riders, he explained, were injured as a result of either being
propelled over the handlebars (going "endo") or falling from great
heights ("hucking"). In both scenarios, the result was often a severe
impact to the head that triggered trauma down the neck and spine. "The
higher the jump or fall," added Dvorak, "the higher the risk."
Perhaps surprisingly, the researchers found no relationship between helmet
wearing and the overall severity of a rider's injuries. "Helmets are good
in preventing head injuries, but they do not in any way protect your
neck," noted Dvorak.
Also of unique concern to the sport is its "playing field": remote
forested and mountainous areas. Some of Dvorak's patients had fallen while
riding alone or at the back of a group. As a result, they were not found for an
hour or more, and even then it was difficult for ambulances or helicopters to
access the site.
His advice to mountain bikers: Be cautious about any tricks or jumps, know your
terrain, and always ride in a group and stay together.
95.
Spinal Column and Spinal Cord Injuries in Mountain Bikers: A 13-Year Review
http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/05/20/0363546510365532.abstract
Background: Multiple studies have described
in general the injuries associated with mountain biking, and detailed accounts
of spine injuries sustained in hockey, gymnastics, skiing, snowboarding, rugby,
and paragliding have previously been published. However, no large-scale
detailed assessment of mountain biking associated spinal fractures and spinal
cord injuries has previously been published.
Purpose: This study was undertaken to describe the patient demographics,
injuries, mechanisms, treatments, outcomes, and resource requirements
associated with spine injuries sustained while mountain biking.
Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.
Methods: Patients who were injured while mountain biking, and who were
seen at a provincial spine referral center between 1995 and 2007 inclusive,
with spinal cord injuries and/or spine fracture were included. A chart review
was performed to obtain demographic data, and details of the injury, treatment,
outcome, and resource requirements.
Results: A total of 102 men and 5 women were identified for inclusion.
The mean age at injury was 32.7 years (95% confidence interval 30.6, 35.0).
Seventy-nine patients (73.8%) sustained cervical injuries, while the remainder
sustained thoracic or lumbar injuries. Forty-three patients (40.2%) sustained a
spinal cord injury. Of those with cord injuries, 18 (41.9%) were American
Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) A, 5 (11.6%) were ASIA B, 10 (23.3%) ASIA C,
and 10 (23.3%) ASIA D. Sixty-seven patients (62.6%) required surgical
treatment. The mean length of stay in an acute hospital bed was 16.9 days (95%
confidence interval 13.1, 30.0). Thirty-three patients (30.8%) required
intensive care unit attention, and 31 patients (29.0%) required inpatient
rehabilitation. Of the 43 patients (40.2%) seen with spinal cord injuries, 14
(32.5%) improved by 1 ASIA category, and 1 (2.3%) improved by 2 ASIA
categories. Two patients remained ventilator-dependent at discharge.
Conclusion: Spine fractures and spinal cord injuries caused by mountain
biking accidents typically affect young, male, recreational riders. The
medical, personal, and societal costs of these injuries are high. Injury
prevention should remain a primary goal, and further research is necessary to
explore the utility of educational programs, and the effect of helmets and
other protective gear on spine injuries sustained while mountain biking.
96.
Five-year-old Mountain Biker Dies
http://forum.waterloo-moms.ca/showthread.php?t=2062
"I know of an 8 year old that was there with his parent and
went over a small hill (smaller than a speed bump) and somehow went head first
off the bike and is now in ICU at MacMaster in Hamilton. He was wearing
a helmet at the time.
I also heard that on the same day as his accident a 5 year old did basically
the same thing and ended up at MacMaster. She has since died from her
injury."
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100626-28123.html
Published: 26 Jun 10 14:52 CET
A
mountain biker from the small town of Schwiegershausen in Lower Saxony, who lay
injured in woods for four nights, was found alive by police on Saturday.
The 43-year-old
was found seriously injured on a forest path between Osterode and Herzberg by
an off-duty policeman also biking along the path, a police spokesman said.
The spokesman said the man was not in a life-threatening condition and was able
to speak after his ordeal, but gave no details as to his injuries. He was taken
by rescue helicopter to a clinic in the nearby town of Gngen.
The man left his house on Tuesday to take a two-hour bike ride, and was
reported missing by his wife when he did not return in the evening. According
to the police statement, the cyclist hit a pot-hole on a decline and fell ten
metres down a steep slope next to the path. He was invisible from the path and
could not make himself heard, the report said.
Police, fire services and local residents spent days looking for the man, but
could not find him despite the use of helicopters, boats, horse-back patrols,
and infrared cameras.
A 52-year-old policeman then discovered a pair of sunglasses on the path, and,
aware of the search operation taking place nearby, climbed down the incline and
found the man.
DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)
98. Police
looking for help identifying injured man
http://www.telegram.com/article/20100626/NEWS/6260317/1003/NEWS03
WEST BOYLSTON Police are looking for help in identifying a
man knocked unconscious after a fall from his mountain bike.
Police Tuesday found the man, a white male in his 50s, unconscious on the side
of Lancaster Street (Route 110). It appeared the man had fallen from his
mountain bike. Police could not identify the man, and said he is still
unconscious and listed in critical condition at UMass Memorial Medical Center
University Campus in Worcester.
Police said the man is about 5 feet, 10 inches tall, 225 pounds, and has short,
gray, receding hair. He was wearing eyeglasses, a black Bell bike helmet, an
Old Navy black multicolored shirt, black Cannondale bike shorts, and New
Balance 621 sneakers, size 10-1/2. He was also wearing a gold Elgrin II watch.
The man was riding a blue Giant Farrago mountain bike, which had a black bike
pouch and an American Red Cross water bottle. He has an old scar from surgery
on his right knee.
Paramedics who treated the man said he may have said the name Hank, with
possibly the last name Jeneski while in the ambulance. Police have tried to find
someone with that name but have been unsuccessful.
Police said anyone who might know who the bicyclist is should call Detective
Marcello Tavano or Sgt. Francis Glynn at the West Boylston Police Department at
(508) 835-3100.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20100629/NEWS/6290329
Police identify cyclist knocked unconscious
WEST BOYLSTON Police have identified the man knocked
unconscious last week when he was thrown from his bicycle as Albert H. Genaske,
72, of Parker Road in Lancaster.
Police Sgt. Francis Glynn said Mr. Genaske remains unconscious at UMass
Memorial Medical Center University Campus in Worcester. He said Mr. Genaskes
family members have been located and notified.
Sgt. Glynn said a woman called police late Saturday night after she read an
item in the Telegram & Gazette about police looking for help identifying a
man who had been injured in a bicycle accident June 22. Police described the
man, and said that before he lost consciousness, he muttered something
resembling a name. Police searched for something close to Hank Jeneski, but
nothing turned up.
The sergeant said that based on the information the woman gave them, police
were able to find Mr. Genaskes son, and later his ex-wife, who positively
identified Mr. Genaske.
Mr. Genaske was wearing a helmet when he went off the road on Lancaster Street
(Route 110). Several witnesses saw Mr. Genaske crash the mountain bike.
He was riding his mountain bike, and he was going pretty fast, Sgt. Glynn
said. He went off the shoulder, but when he tried to get back on the road he
lost it, and struck his head, causing significant injury.
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100701/NEWS0107/7010362/1001/NEWS01&nav_category=NEWS01
Last modified: July 01. 2010 5:20AM PST
A mountain biker was injured on the Swampy Lakes bike trail Tuesday evening
after striking a log head-on when he crashed his bike, according to a news
release from the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office.
Bend resident Richard Warnock, 43, was taken to St. Charles Bend with
non-life-threatening injuries after personnel from the Bend Fire Department and
Deschutes County Search and Rescue responded to a call about the accident at
6:45 p.m.
Warnock had been riding his bike with a group of friends near the Swede Ridge
shelter, behind Virginia Meissner Sno-park, when his bike veered off the trail
and crashed into the side of the road, causing him to strike his head against a
log.
A medic was taken to the area of the accident via ATV, and Warnock was treated
at the scene. He was later transported back to an ambulance and taken to the
hospital.
Warnock was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, which authorities
believe saved him from more serious injuries.
http://www.mycentraloregon.com/news/local/1284218/Mountain-Biker-Injured-Tuesday-Evening.html
Deschutes County Sheriff's Office
June 30,
2010 06:55 am
Glenn Vaagen
BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Search and Rescue Crews were called to the
Virginia Meissner Snowpark area Tuesday to help an injured mountain biker.
Around 6:45 p.m., 911 received a call of a man injured on the Swampy Lakes bike
trail near the Swede Ridge shelter west of Bend. SAR and Bend Fire responded,
and used an ATV to find the man, Richard Warnock, 43. He was taken by Ambusled
to a waiting ambulance, then driven to St. Charles Medical Center with non-life
threatening injuries.
Investigators said Warnock was ridding with a group of friends when he crashed,
hitting his head on a large log. He was wearing a helmet at the time, which
most likely saved him from more serious injuries.
If you see local news happen, call the Horizon Broadcasting Group News Tip
Hotline at 541-323-NEWS, or email us.
http://www.kbzk.com/news/pennsylvania-mountain-biker-injured-near-two-top-mountain/
Posted:
Jul 8, 2010 9:39 AM
Updated: Jul 8, 2010 1:00 PM
A 61-year-old Pennsylvania man was rescued near Two Top Mountain after he lost
control of his mountain bike and was ejected over the handlebars.
The West Yellowstone Police Department received a report of an injured mountain
bike rider at about 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 7, according to a news release
from the Gallatin County Sheriff's Department.
When emergency crews arrived they found that the Washington Cross, Pennsylvania
man had been injured in the crash. He was packaged onto a special rescue sled
and towed out of the area by ATV. He was transported to a nearby landing zone
where he was transferred to an Air Idaho life-flight helicopter and flown to
the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue, the Hebgen Basin Fire
Department, and the sheriff's deputies also responded to the call.
102.
Mountain Biker Breaks His Neck!
Bike
helmets help
http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/Bike+helmets+help/3254808/story.html
By Steve Taylor, Vancouver Sun
Six weeks ago, I fell
off my mountain bike, splitting my helmet in two and breaking my neck. I am
certain I would have died or become a quadriplegic if I had not been wearing a
helmet.
Instead, I have no
paralysis, and after another seven weeks in a halo brace I should be able to
ride again.
Helmets do protect
cyclists from serious brain and spinal cord injuries.
I have fond memories of
riding with the wind blowing through my hair, but this column hasn't convinced
me I should go without a helmet when I'm back on a bicycle.
Steve Taylor
Burnaby
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/Bike+helmets+help/3254808/story.html#ixzz0tDMMXgDg
103.
Crashes are inevitable!
It
happens. As much as we all do not want to think or talk about it, part of the
sport of mountain biking (or cycling in general) is not if you are going to
wreckit is when.
104.
Mountain bikers describe attack by grizzly on Peninsula trail
RESURRECTION
TRAIL: Group surprised sow with cubs.
By MEGAN HOLLAND
mholland@adn.com
Published: July 9th, 2010 12:14 PM
Last Modified: July 9th, 2010 12:14 PM
Tyler Nord doesn't remember the moment the grizzly pounced on him. He couldn't
tell you what her breath smelled like or how soft her fur was. All he remembers
is summoning the adrenaline that was coursing through his body to his legs to
push her off.
The memories of the attack are like a strobe light of images playing through
his mind, he said Thursday in talking of the encounter involving him, two
mountain-biking companions and the bear on Resurrection Trail.
The bear bit or clawed into Nord's thigh, but he wouldn't notice that until
later, after the grizzly and her cubs had retreated to the woods, bear spray in
her face.
Nord, fiancee Kimi Elliott, and a friend on vacation from Portland, Kyle
Eisenbach, all 25, were riding mountain bikes on Resurrection Pass Trail near
Hope on Tuesday when they were attacked by the sow protecting her two cubs. All
three bikers received superficial scratches, with Nord's puncture wound to the
thigh being the worst. Their 2-year-old dog, Kobi, an Australian cattle dog,
was uninjured, despite its own confrontation with the bear.
"None of it really seemed real. I wasn't scared because it seemed like a
dream," Nord said.
Nord and Elliott, both engineers in Anchorage, wanted to show their out-of-town
guest the Alaska outdoors, the pair recalled on Thursday. They drove down to
the Kenai Peninsula in the morning for a 20-mile, daylong bike ride along the
popular Resurrection Pass, a 38-mile trail that runs from near Hope to the
Sterling Highway near Cooper Landing.
They had already stopped for lunch and were about six miles into the trail when
Elliott took the lead. Nord had a bear bell on his bike. Elliott describes
herself as a constant talker. They were trying to make noise, but at that
particular spot the river that runs near the trail is loud. Real loud.
According to Nord and Elliott, Elliott rounded a corner and startled the bear
lounging on the dirt path. Two cubs were nearby. Elliott slammed on her breaks
and skidded to a stop. She quickly got off her bike, which she was clipped into
at the pedals, and began retreating, walking the bike with one foot still
attached to a pedal. She knew there was going to be an attack. She knew the
bear wouldn't quietly go away. She had been way too close.
She began backtracking toward Nord and Eisenbach. Kobi took position, barking
and growling at the bear.
The bear ran for Elliott. She dropped her bike and went for a clearing off to
the side. She knew she was supposed to not run away from a bear but at that
moment her own fear took over. She ran for her life.
Nord and Elliott both said the whole thing seemed like it was happening in slow
motion but at the same time it all happened in a flash.
The bear was on Elliott but didn't take her down. It swatted her on the
shoulder. but she doesn't remember the contact. It was right there, with her,
running alongside her. She thought, "How am I not getting completely
demolished right now?"
Later, she would notice bear slobber running down her biceps. She's not sure
how it got there.
"Get the bear spray! Bear spray!" she kept yelling. The spray was in
Nord's backpack.
Nord, who was farther down the trail, looked back and saw the sow going for his
fiancee. He dropped his backpack and started running toward the bear. The sow
turned its attention to him.
He remembers seeing a very big head that came up to his chest, the flash of her
teeth, and the odd, misplaced thought that she was a very pretty bear. "It
wasn't scary because it didn't seem real," he said.
Nord, who had fallen and was on his back, crunched his legs to his chest just
as the bear landed on him. He pushed her off and she retreated. Nord doesn't
remember her biting or clawing him. He didn't feel it. His adrenaline was
skyrocketing.
Eisenbach was the bear's next target.
"Fetal position! Fetal position," Elliott yelled at her fiance's best
friend, whom she had only recently met.
Eisenbach put himself into a ball next to a fallen tree. The bear was on him
when Nord found the bear spray in the backpack and ran up to within 5 feet of
her.
He had never used bear spray before and didn't know how close he needed to be,
he said. "I hope this works," he thought to himself.
The bear was on top of his friend, pawing at his friend's backpack.
Nord got real close and pulled the trigger, aiming at the sow's face.
"She had a stunned look," he said of after the chemicals hit her.
He sprayed again.
In a flash she was gone into the woods.
Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/07/08/1359490/mountain-biker-recounts-tale-of.html#ixzz0tO2HOCUH
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012324978_grizzlyencounter11m.html
PORTLAND
A mountain biker from Portland says he and his companions survived a hairy
encounter with a grizzly sow and her cubs on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula this
week.
By The Associated Press
PORTLAND A mountain biker from Portland says he and his companions survived a
hairy encounter with a grizzly sow and her cubs on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula
this week.
Kyle Eisenbach joined fellow Portlander Tyler Nord and Nord's fiancee, Kimi
Elliott, for the biking trip on the Resurrection Pass Trail on Tuesday. They
had bear bells and spray.
About six miles up the trail they pulled around a blind corner and almost ran
over the sow and two cubs sunning themselves. Eisenbach told The Oregonian that
Elliott ran into a clearing, and the bear stalked her and gashed her shoulder.
Eisenbach and Nord began screaming at the bear, which advanced on them. Nord
slipped and the bear pounced, puncturing his leg with her claws. He kicked at
the sow, which then jumped up on a fallen tree and started swatting at
Eisenbach's bike helmet.
Nord finally managed to spray the bear and it walked off. The three bandaged
themselves with a first-aid kit and drove to an Anchorage emergency room for
tetanus shots and antibiotics.
105. A
lucky boy narrowly escaped death after being impaled on the handlebar of his
mountain bike.
By Euan
Stretch 12/07/2010
A lucky boy narrowly escaped death after being impaled on the handlebar of his
mountain bike.
Bradley Cannell, 12, fell from his bike and a 3in section of metal tube pierced
his right thigh, severing a major artery.
Firefighters spent an hour cutting the bike from the terrified youngster while
paramedics gave him morphine. He was flown by air ambulance to hospital - with
the handlebar still embedded in his leg.
Surgeons spent four hours removing the half-inch wide tube and repairing
damaged blood vessels and muscle.
Docs said he'd have bled to death if anyone at the scene had tried to remove
the handlebar.
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/07/12/impaled-on-a-bike-handlebar-pierces-boy-s-artery-exclusive-115875-22406805/#ixzz0tUno8m6V
Two-time
FIS World Champion snowboarder (1996 and 1997) and snowboard
pioneer Mike Jacoby suffered a head injury and broken jaw while mountain biking
this past Friday in Hood River, OR.
He was found unconscious and was flown to Oregon Health & Science University
in Portand, OR. Officials list Jacoby in serious condition.
Jacoby was a member of the inaugural Olympic Snowboard team in 1998, where he
competed in Giant Slalom at the games held in Nagano, Japan.
http://www.fox8.com/news/sns-ap-oh--portman-bikeinjury,0,7267786.story
DAN SEWELL Associated Press Writer
3:56 PM EDT, July 13, 2010
CINCINNATI (AP) Ohio Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rob Portman is back home
after undergoing surgery for a fractured collarbone that he injured while
mountain biking.
Campaign spokeswoman Jessica Towhey (TOO'-ee) says Portman is resting comfortably
after the minor Tuesday morning operation.
The 54-year-old former congressman returned to Cincinnati on Monday from
Jackson Hole, where Towhey says he fell Sunday while biking with his
18-year-old son. He was in Wyoming for a fundraiser.
Towhey says Portman is already making phone calls and expects to return to
campaigning later this week.
Portman said via Twitter he will have a sling temporarily, and a post-surgery
tweet stated that his collarbone is now titanium-reinforced and stronger than
ever.
Portman is running against Democratic Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher to succeed
retiring Republican George Voinovich.
108.
Local youth pastor breaks neck mountain biking
http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=483403
by KTVO Newsdesk
Posted: 07.15.2010 at 6:45 PM
NEAR COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- A northeast Missouri pastor is hospitalized
after suffering serious injuries while mountain biking in Colorado.
Joe Vincent, youth pastor at The Crossing church in Kirksville, was
biking Wednesday when his bike flipped and threw him to the ground.
The 31-year-old Vincent broke his neck and an arm in the incident.
His wife, Leah, told KTVO Thursday that her husband has shown no signs of any
paralysis as a result of the broken neck, and he is expected to make a full
recovery from the injuries.
She said doctors told them if Joe hadn't been wearing a helmet, he most likely
would have been killed.
Vincent had taken a youth group from The Crossing out to
Colorado.
He's currently a patient at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs.
109.
" Mountain biking is inherently dangerous"
http://www.ctnow.com/news/connecticut/hc-green-mdc0716-20100715,0,6316655.column
MDC Should Be Immune From Lawsuits Like Mountain Biker's
Rick
Green
5:29 p.m. EDT, July 15, 2010
In the interest of equal time and a good debate I bring you the other side in
the great MDC reservoir controversy.
We can all agree that Maribeth Blonski, an experienced mountain biker,
shouldn't have been riding the wrong way on the red loop trail on the
afternoon of May 16, 2002, when she carelessly crashed into an iron gate and
severely injured her neck and spine. But the Metropolitan District Commission,
which opens its vast land holdings to the public, had an obligation to at least
warn cyclists that a gate was now closed.
According to Blonski's lawyer, Michael Stratton, all the MDC had to do was put
a sign up or install a more bike-friendly gate and there would be no grounds
for a lawsuit, no $2.9 million verdict, and no columnist ranting about the
potential closing of the trails.
But there was no warning sign, only a gate that was ordered closed after the
9/11 attacks. Blonski won a jury verdict when a judge ruled the MDC was not
immune from this sort of lawsuit. MDC officials, worried about more lawsuits,
now say the verdict may force them to close all recreation trails at reservoirs
in West Hartford and the Farmington Valley.
No doubt many of you who share my outrage about this debacle will show up to
speak out at an MDC hearing Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the town hall auditorium in
West Hartford. The trails should remain open.
Honestly, I'm sick of this find-somebody-to-blame ethic that has seeped into
our culture. But Stratton has some valid points those of us angry runners,
walkers and cyclists might want to at least ponder before we yell too loudly.
"I don't like the threat of closing down the MDC property. But it is
designed to provide cover for their own screwup,'' Stratton told me. "If
this verdict was so costly that it would shut down a beautiful recreation area
I'd be with you. I'd be protesting. But that's not what is going on here.''
Stratton told me the MDC has insurance that covers this judgment, which he
insisted won't happen again if the regional water authority takes some basic,
inexpensive steps, such as erecting warning signs.
"They are not talking about the real facts," Stratton said. "If
you get hurt by virtue of a natural hazard that one ought to be aware of that's
different from somebody proactively putting up a hazard in your way that is
completely careless."
"They don't have an obligation to pick up downed trees or make the bike
paths less bumpy. But what about compliance with safety standards for bike
paths?"
Other lawsuits, Stratton pointed out to me, have failed because in most cases
the MDC cannot be sued because it is a quasi-public entity providing public
recreation.
"The only time they do not have immunity is where they actually construct
the hazard themselves and it is related to their water purity function,''
Stratton said, like a water pump smack in the middle of a bike path or a gate
without a warning sign.
The jury found Blonski to be 30 percent responsible in the case. But it found
the MDC to be 70 percent responsible, which means it must pay Blonski about $2
million of the $2.9 million verdict.
"I would have settled the case for $250,000. It wasn't like Maribeth went
in there looking for zillions of dollars. We just wanted enough money to pay
her bills off and for future therapy,'' Stratton said. "To the extent that
she made a mistake here, she's never had any other accidents. She's never sued
anybody before. You have an organization that's paid by consumers to do [bike
trails] the right way, and they didn't do it the right way."
I feel bad for Blonski, who still suffers discomfort from the crash. But
despite this and the troubling questions Stratton raises about the MDC I still
can't agree with this lawsuit or its outcome.
Mountain biking is inherently dangerous, particularly at the West Hartford
reservoir, where nobody forces anyone to walk, run or ride. The MDC, a
quasi-government agency that provides water at cost to its member towns,
certainly is entitled to immunity from misguided lawsuits such as this one.
http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=484216
Local youth pastor breaks neck mountain biking:
UPDATE |
KIRKSVILLE, MO -- The condition
of a heartland youth pastor is vastly improving. Joe Vincent, youth
pastor at The Crossing church in Kirksville, was mountain biking on Wednesday
when his bike flipped and threw him off. Vincent was on a youth trip in
Colorado with a group from The Crossing when the incident happened. He
broke his neck and arm.
Vincents mother-in-law, Joyce
Hettinger, told KTVO that he is making great progress in a much faster than
anticipated recovery.
"We talked to him this
morning (Sunday), the kids did and you know for the condition he's in he's
doing fantastic said Hettinger. It's really neat. The doctors,
every time they walk into the room they literally shake their head and say it's
a miracle, for one he shouldn't have survived and even that he did, he should
be paralyzed."
Vincents wife, Leah, told KTVO
that doctors said if Joe hadn't been wearing a helmet he most likely would have
been killed.
Hettinger said Vincent was
recently moved from the trauma unit into rehab, something doctors speculated
wouldn't happen for weeks or even months.
Vincent is currently a patient
at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs. His return to the heartland is
still not known at this time.
110.
" Russell was injured in a mountain biking accident, leaving him paralyzed
from the chest down"
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/07/14/ride-carl-sam-sees-good-turnout/
Carl Edwards' annual bike ride raises money for childhood friend
Wednesday,
July 14, 2010 | 8:23 p.m. CDT; updated 8:43 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Carl Edwards, right, rides with his friend Sam Russell, left, for the third
annual Ride with Carl for Sam on Wednesday. The ride, which began at Walt's
Bicycle Fitness and Wilderness Co., followed the 8.9 mile MTK Nature and
Fitness Trail, which runs from near downtown Columbia to McBaine. Approximately
60 bicycle enthusiasts participated in the event that Edwards started to help
raise money for his friend Russell, who was paralyzed from the waist down after
he was involved in a mountain biking accident. Erik Haugsby
BY Jason Cox
COLUMBIA NASCAR driver Carl Edwards rode his bike Wednesday morning along the
MKT Trail with members of the community in the annual Ride with Carl for Sam
fundraiser. The money from the event goes to the Sam Russell Helmet Foundation,
which helps Edwards friend, Sam Russell, pay for his medical expenses.
Russell and Edwards have been friends since growing up in together in Columbia.
Three years ago, Russell was injured in a mountain biking accident, leaving him
paralyzed from the chest down.
This was the first year Russell was able to take part in the ride. Using his
hand-cycle bike, Russell was able to ride 10 miles from Walt's Bike Shop to
McBaine. He said being able to participate this year made the event that much
more special.
Last year I was in Atlanta all by myself, feeling pretty lonesome, Russell
said. To be able to come here this year and bring my three girls along and be
able to ride, it's wonderful.
Edwards was excited to ride with his friend for the first time since Russell's
accident.
Sam's the man, Edwards said. Were going to have to change the name to Ride with
Sam for Carl, though, cause I'm being more inspired by him and all these people
that are coming out and supporting him than they are by me.
There were 49 registered riders for the event. Each rider was asked to make a
$50 donation. Some of Edward's friends biked to McBaine as well, bringing the
total number of riders close to 60.
The numbers are way up from last year, and were really excited about that, said
Nancy Russell, Sam's mother and organizer of the event.
Edwards was surprised by the turnout.
I couldn't believe it when I pulled into the parking lot that there was this
many people, he said. Last year the weather was rainy. This year it's supposed
to be like 110. There's a lot of brave folks.
Although the temperature was around 90 degrees, the heat index was well over
100 degrees, but that didn't slow down the riders.
Of course, it's very hot today, but once you get going there's a good breeze,
said Vicki Curby, one of the riders.
Curby, who does a lot of biking, was glad to see the number of people who rode
to support Russell.
It was good to see fans out on the trail on a bike, she said. That was
rewarding.
Sam Russell said the ride went well. He spent a lot of time before and after
the ride talking with all the riders who were supporting him, something he's
never done in the past.
I've met so many people that I've never met before and get to see so many
people I probably wouldn't get to see otherwise, he said.
Edwards spent time before the ride signing autographs and visiting with the
events participants. He also talked with many riders during the ride to
McBaine.
The ride was just the first leg of Edwards annual bike ride, mostly along the
Katy Trail, to Gateway International Raceway, just east of St. Louis in
Madison, Ill. Edwards is set to race there Saturday in NASCAR's Nationwide
Series, in which he is second in the point standings.
Some minor inconveniences in previous rides have led Edwards to make a couple
of changes for this years ride. He wore sandals, so he didn't have to worry
about smelly socks, but that wasn't the only change.
I've got padded underwear, 'cause last year was rough, he said.
111.
Mountain biker suffered fractured ribs, a broken collar bone and a collapsed
lung in a fall
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Rescuers-hit-their-century.6424949.jp
Published
Date: 17 July
2010
By Unknown
MOUNTAIN rescue volunteers in Edale helped their 100th casualty of the year - a
mountain biker who suffered serious injuries after crashing at speed in the
Upper Derwent Valley.
The 49-year-old, from Didsbury, Manchester, suffered fractured ribs, a broken
collar bone and a collapsed lung in the fall.
He was flown to the Northern General Hospital for treatment.
112. "Going fast through the woods and off jumps and
things..."
Another
crazy downhill female mountain biker. More media glorification of an insane and
dangerous extreme sport and vandalism to our natural and wild places, by an
obsessed and addicted downhiller who:
"...puts up with a sport that eats up her and her family's money,
doesn't offer her an Olympic route and puts her in danger of crippling crashes,
but she wouldn't have it any other way.
Really, she loves this kind of "edge" this inherently
dangerous sport brings to the game? --
"I kind of just
fell off the edge and smashed my face and my sternum onto my bike and fell
eight feet backward onto my back, concussed myself, got stitches in my leg and
coughed up blood for a week and felt like I was hit by a bus. It was pretty
bad," she said. "My sternum, the bone is bruised and it can take up
to six months to heal. I still have to watch it when people hug me and stuff,
it still really hurts."
The crash is on
YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZJD2wn8guM).
"It's pretty gnarly," said Gatto.
Her "gnarly"
crash occurs around 55 seconds into the video, and it takes her a couple more
minutes to "get up", with help to walk off the course" to the
cheers of everybody in the video. Stupid is as stupid does, eh?
http://www.nsnews.com/sports/fastest+down/3292609/story.html
West
Van racer wins national mountain bike title
By Andy Prest, North Shore News
West
Vans Micayla Gatto scored gold in downhill racing at the Mountain Bike
Canadian Championships held last weekend in Panorama, B.C.
If you see West
Vancouver's Micayla Gatto around town, congratulate her on winning gold
in women's downhill racing at the Mountain Bike Canadian Championships held
last Sunday in Panorama, B.C.
But please -- no bear
hugs.
The 21-year-old Gatto
claimed her second national title -- her first came in 2007 -- by scorching the
dry, dusty mountain trail in a time of 3 minutes 55.13 seconds, topping the
second-place rider by more than eight seconds.
"It was nice to put
the (champion's) jersey on again," Gatto told the North Shore News, adding
that the fairly wide-open track was much different from the twisty, technical
trails she usually does well on. "I'm definitely better with the
steeper, more technical kind of muddy tracks, so that also made me
kind of nervous going into the race. . . . The pedaling definitely was the most
challenging part for me but I stuck all my lines and it was actually a really
good run. I was really happy with it."
Now about those hugs.
Gatto isn't shy -- she's just a little tender from a previous crash . . . in
February. Welcome to downhill mountain biking.
The biggest wreck of her
downhill career came earlier this year during training for the Cerro Abajo
Urban Downhill, a race that winds through the streets of Valparaiso, Chile.
Gatto was gearing up for a 20-foot step-down drop when her chain skipped and
she came up short, smashing into the landing ramp below.
"I kind of just
fell off the edge and smashed my face and my sternum onto my bike and fell
eight feet backward onto my back, concussed myself, got stitches in my leg and
coughed up blood for a week and felt like I was hit by a bus. It was pretty
bad," she said. "My sternum, the bone is bruised and it can take up
to six months to heal. I still have to watch it when people hug me and stuff,
it still really hurts."
The crash is on
YouTube (search the website for Micayla Gatto VCA). "It's pretty
gnarly," said Gatto.
Adding to the pain
was the fact that her smashed-up bike was stolen that night. "It was a really nice
day," she said dryly.
But a week later she was
back on a bike doing some light riding and by the time nationals rolled around
last weekend she had already raced two more World Cup downhills as well as a
local B.C. event that she won.
Though she has
experienced massive wrecks like her crash in Chile, Gatto said there is nothing
quite like zooming down a tricky course on a bike.
"A lot of people
think it's scary but you can't think of that when you're riding," she
said. "You just have to concentrate on where you want to go, not what
could happen. It is quite a dangerous sport but if you do it right and if you
are calculated in your actions -- I don't know, it's just the most amazing
feeling in the world going that fast through the woods and off jumps and
things."
The sport involves a
fine balance between being in control and letting go.
"(I am) pushing
myself enough so that I'm on the edge but not to the point where I feel out of
control," said Gatto. "It's a really fine line and it kind of comes
with practice and experience. When you crash enough times you kind of learn
what your limit is and slowly push that to go faster every time you ride -- but
just not to be stupid about it."
Gatto, a Rockridge
secondary grad, followed her brother Trever into the sport when she was 16.
"He kind of quit
once I started beating him," Gatto said with a laugh.
In Trever's defence, his
sister was beating a lot of people. She attended her first world championships
in 2005 and has since collected two world junior championship bronze medals,
including at last year's race where she also finished seventh overall in the
elite women's category.
She leaves Monday for
World Cup races in Switzerland and Italy and is gearing up for this year's
world championships scheduled for early September in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que.
It's a life that Gatto
loves but it's also one that is hard to sustain. Downhill racing is one of the
only cycling events that is not an Olympic sport. Not only does that prevent
her from going for Olympic gold, it also means that national funding is not
available.
Her travel costs are
paid for in a variety of ways: "Out of my own pocket, my mom, odd
jobs," she said. "Because it's not an Olympic sport Canada doesn't
fund downhill at all. We even have to buy our own Canadian national team
jerseys to go to the world championships."
Gatto recently graduated
as a graphic design illustrator from Capilano University but her freelance work
in that field isn't really paying the bills either.
"Art and bikes --
not exactly the two most lucrative things you could choose," she said,
adding that she does have some generous sponsors who supply her with gear and
she is always on the lookout for more support.
It may seem strange that
Gatto puts up with a sport that eats up her and her family's money, doesn't
offer her an Olympic route and puts her in danger of crippling crashes, but she
wouldn't have it any other way.
"I love what I
do," she said.
To find out more about
Gatto's art and racing visit www.micaylagatto.com or
canadiandhgirls.wordpress.com.
********************************************************************
"When a government sanctions something it moves into the
realm of something safe to do. The scary thing is people think that it is more
acceptable." ~Joyce Ross
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100719/NEWS/100719039/Police-airlift-Bedminster-man-who-broke-leg-mountain-biking
By LINDA SADLOUSKOS STAFF WRITER July 19, 2010
BEDMINSTER A 51-year-old Bedminster Township man who reportedly fell and
suffered multiple fractures to his leg while mountain biking in Allamuchy State Park on Sunday, July 19,
was hoisted to safety by a state police helicopter team, state police said.
Terry Markovich of Bedminster was airlifted about 125 feet from a ledge in
remote and rugged terrain in the state park, located in Byram Township, said
state police spokesman Sgt. Julian Castellanos. He said the rescue took place
at about 11:30 a.m.
Castellanos said Markovich apparently lost control of his mountain bike and his fall resulted in multiple
breaks to his lower left leg. Castellanos said he does not know how the cyclist
was able to report the injury and summon help.
Sgt. Anthony Zedonek of the state police emergency aerial response unit said
that local rescuers contacted the aviation service after determining that
carrying the cyclist to safety overland would involve a two-hour hike through
rugged terrain.
Zedonek said Markovich was taken to a local school building following the
rescue. He said he had no further information available on the man's condition.
Zedonek said the helicopter unit also performs such assignments as water
rescues and searches for persons lost in heavily wooded areas.
http://www.tweednews.com.au/story/2010/07/20/cyclist-banora-point-tweed/
Patrick Williams | 20th July 2010
A BANORA Point man has died in hospital a week after a serious mountain bike
fall in South-East Queensland.
The 49-year-old, who has not yet been named by police, succumbed to spinal
injuries in Princess Alexandra Hospital about 2am on Sunday. It is believed the
man fell from his bike while riding through the Daisy Hill State Forest, near
Logan, on Sunday, July 11.
He was originally discovered following the fall by other cyclists, about 750
metres from an area known as The Five Ways.
It is not clear how long the man had been alone following the fall.
Police said there were no witnesses to the incident.
According to the Queensland Governments Environment and Resource Management
website, mountain biking is a popular activity in Daisy Hill State Forest.
A police spokesman said the Logan Forensic Crash Unit would continue
investigations.
115. A
12yearold Delta girl was killed during a mountain bike ride Monday.
http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/98876339.html
Delta girl dies at summer camp
Posted: 4:56 PM Jul 20, 2010
Reporter: Natalie Pallone
HINSDALE COUNTY, Colo. (KKCO) - A 12yearold Delta girl was killed during a
mountain bike ride Monday.
According to the Hinsdale County Undersheriff, Venus Stratton was mountain
biking with a group of kids and two Camp Redcloud instructors. They were going
downhill on a rocky road when Stratton wrecked her bike at around 3 p.m.
The Undersheriff says Stratton was wearing a helmet but suffered a fatal injury
to the side of her head. She died at the scene.
Camp Redcloud is located in Lake City, Colo. which is about three hours
southeast of Grand Junction. It's a Christian year-round camp established in
1981.
The Director says there has never been an accidental death of a child and it
was a freak accident that took Stratton's life.
Counselors are available for campers and staff to talk to and parents can pick
up their kids from camp if they want.
Stratton was participating in a five day camp.
The camp's biking activities have been cancelled until further notice.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/girl_12_dies_in_camp_biking_ac/
A Delta girl died Monday after falling from a mountain bike while riding
down a hill at a summer camp in Hinsdale County.
Venus Stratton, 12, was among approximately 12 people who were riding down
the winding hill when she crashed near the end of an afternoon outing with campers
and staff at Camp Redcloud, according to Hinsdale County Undersheriff Justin
Casey.
Best I can tell, her head came into contact with a rock, said Casey,
adding the girl wasnt responsive to witnesses at any point after the apparent
accident around 2:30 p.m.
Stratton was pronounced dead by the time a Careflight helicopter arrived
from Montrose Memorial Hospital, Casey said.
Camp Redcloud is a Christian-themed operation for children and families and
is roughly nine miles southwest of Lake City.
Casey said Stratton, who was attending a weeklong camp, was wearing a
helmet when she crashed.
Casey said Stratton and her fellow campers, accompanied by two staff
members, were descending a four-wheel-drive road that snakes through the
Gunnison National Forest.
They (staff) were sending kids down one camper at a time, so no other
campers saw the accident, Casey said. Its a gradual grade that stair-steps
down, and there are curves along the way.
Casey said a preliminary investigation showed Stratton was the last camper
to ride down and was followed by a staff member. That staff member came across
the wreck, Casey said.
Casey said the girl had just started her descent when she lost control of
the bicycle.
Id be surprised if her rate of speed was very high, he said.
Casey said an autopsy is pending.
http://www.deltacountyindependent.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16353:delta-girl-12-dies-in-biking-accident-at-camp&catid=34:delta&Itemid=347 |
Written by
Pat Sunderland |
Wednesday,
21 July 2010 00:00 |
Venus Jade Stratton,
12, of Delta died while on a mountain biking outing Monday, July 19, at Camp
Redcloud, just outside of Lake City. Hinsdale County
Undersheriff Justin Casey reports that Stratton was with a small group of
fellow campers and two Camp Redcloud staff when the accident occurred. They were going down a
rocky road when she apparently wrecked the bike and suffered a head injury.
Although she was wearing a helmet, she injured the side of her head just
below the helmet. She died on the scene. Venus was born Jan.
30, 1998, in Delta to William Stratton of Grand Junction and Angela Burns of
Phoenix, Ariz. She lived with her grandmother and stepgrandfather, Christy
(Ceder) Hayward-Lake and Garris Flebbe. Services will be held
Saturday, July 24, at Pea Green Community Hall. The time had not been
determined at press time. Arrangements are being handled by Taylor Funeral
Service and Crematory. |
http://www.ktvz.com/news/24325138/detail.html
From KTVZ.COM News Sources
POSTED: 10:08 am PDT July 20, 2010
BEND, Ore. -- A California man injured while mountain biking west of
Bend was in fair condition at the hospital Tuesday, a nursing supervisor said.
Deschutes County Sheriffs Search and Rescue members responded to the Skyliners
Road Sno-Park just before 11 a.m. Monday on a report of an injured mountain
bike rider, said Deputy Mike Biondi.
Five SAR members, including two EMTs, and two deputies responded to the area.
They found Jeff Moore, 53, of Roseville, Calif., a quarter-mile up the trail
from the parking area, with an injury to his knee, Biondi said.
Moore said he had been riding uphill when he was unable to gain his footing and
fell, hitting his knee on a rock, Biondi said.
A SAR ATV brought Moore back to the parking area, and he was taken by private
vehicle to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend, the deputy said
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jul/22/mountain-biker-rescued-following-leg-injury/
By K.C. Mehaffey
World staff writer
Thursday, July 22, 2010
LEAVENWORTH Rescue crews carried a Puyallup teenager out of the back country
after he received a serious cut on his leg while mountain biking on the
Chikamin Trail outside of Leavenworth on Wednesday.
Aaron Derrig, 19, was taken to Cascade Medical Center in Leavenworth with a
gash on his lower right leg that may have exposed the shin bone, according to
Jerry Moore, Chelan County Sheriffs chief of administration.
A hospital official did not return a call this morning, so an updated condition
is not available.
Moore said the sheriffs office received a call at about 1:50 p.m. from friends
who were riding with Derrig.
Rescuers hiked between one and two miles to retrieve him, Moore said.
He said Derrig apparently lost a lot of blood, and the rescue took several
hours
118. In
1993 Dr. Bruce Barnett wrote in the Western Journal of Medicine:
". . . most [mountain biking] accidents occurred while going
downhill. This exposes the rider to a vulnerable posture, with a tendency
for the rider to become "launched" over the handlebars. The
head often strikes the ground, and . . . many riders strike their unprotected
face, and massive facial trauma occurs. The cervical spine is unprotected, and
the potential for serious injury exists."
http://www.oregonlive.com/clark-county/index.ssf/2010/08/vancouver_police_officer_dies_while_mountain_biking_in_columbia_gorge.html
Published: Tuesday, August 03, 2010, 4:01 PM
Updated: Tuesday, August 03, 2010, 4:16 PM
Michael Russell, The Oregonian
Courtesy of Vancouver policeAndrew Young
A 45-year-old Vancouver police officer died while mountain-biking last week in
the Columbia River Gorge, the Vancouver Police Department reported.
Andrew Young, an 18-year veteran of the Honolulu and Vancouver police
departments, was off-duty when he collapsed near Hood River July 30, said Kim
Kapp, a police department spokeswoman.
The police department did not disclose his cause of death, saying that he
suffered from a "medical emergency."
Young joined the Vancouver force in February 1999 after spending nearly seven
years with the Honolulu Police Department, Kapp said.
When the department maintained a full-time bicycle patrol, he patrolled the
city on bike, Kapp said. He was most recently assigned to a patrol car.
The public is invited to attend a memorial service for Young at 4 p.m. on
Friday Aug. 6 at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 17010 N.E. 9th Street in
Vancouver.
120.
Pastor returns to church after serious wreck
http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=493951
by Ashley Smith
Posted: 08.08.2010 at 7:44 PM
KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- After wrecking his mountain bike in Colorado almost a month
ago, a Heartland pastor is back to work.
The Crossing-Kirksvilles Youth Pastor Joe Vincent was on a trip with several
youth members of the church in Colorado last month when he wrecked his mountain
bike and broke his neck and arm.
Vincent spent some time in a hospital in Colorado and St. Louis before
returning to Kirksville.
He says the hardest part is not being able to help out as much at home or at
the church.
Its been cool to be back, I missed my family and I missed my church, and its
nice to be back in my own house again. said Vincent, This city and this church
have definitely shown their true colors and my family has been lifted up and
thats been an amazing experience for us.
Doctors say Vincent must wear his head brace for eight to 12 weeks and should
be fully recovered in a year. Doctors are amazed at his progress and say
its schocking he isnt paralyzed or even dead.
Vincent has three young kids and says hes thankful for all the help the church
has provided to his family through this tough time.
121. New
Zealand Mountain Biker Winched To Safety
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/mountain-biker-winched-safety/5/58832
Contributor:
Voxy News Engine
Sunday, 15 August, 2010 - 16:03
A 39 year old male from Nelson was winched to safety before being flown to
Nelson hospital at midday today (15th August 2010) by the Summit Rescue
Helicopter.
He had been mountain biking with others when he had a fall badly injuring his
leg in the Sharland forest, Sharland valley east of Nelson. Because of the
remoteness the St John Advanced Paramedic crewmember had to be winched to the
scene, after treating the injury the biker was winched onboard the Summit
Rescue Helicopter before being flown to Nelson hospital for further treatment
122.
"an elderly woman ... died after being struck by a bicycle on the Cedar
River trail"
To:
<thomasmail360@yahoo.com>, <bbtcmembers@yahoogroups.com>
From: Mark Klinke <herrklinke@hotmail.com>
Sender: bbtcmembers@yahoogroups.com
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:03:45 -0700
Subject: RE: Rogue Trail Builders (long)
Good stuff Tom. I personally haven't spent time on trails in some time,
but I do try to have your view which is the right thing to do to maintain the
quality of our trail systems. It only takes one person to ruin a good
thing and anyone can justify their behavior in their minds. As long as
people refuse to work toward a mutually beneficial end we'll get
static and resistance which is not good for how we are perceived and what areas
we are allowed to ride, legally.
Interestingly enough I was just sent this from the Issaquah Alps
President's
column. I'm not forwarding this to initiate anything other than there
are some salient points here for trail etiquette and similarity to your
post. If perception is everything then we can learn from this.
Some problems never seem to go away. Twenty-plus years ago our club
founders were battling a 'new' problem. Fat-tire bicycles were tearing
up the "Issaquah Alps" trail system that club volunteers had so
lovingly
built. Harvey Manning, Bill Longwell and others had just completed a
decade long struggle to get motorcycles and jeeps out of park lands on
Cougar, Tiger and Squak Mountains. Then suddenly the marketing of
'mountain bikes' in the 1980's resulted gangs of kids racing each other
down our 'Alps' trails on bikes!
Bill, who was crouched on his knees
pulling roots on a Tiger Mtn. trail, was nearly run over. Harvey,
walking a new trail with his Sheltie dogs, was startled "out of his
wits," and had to leap into the blackberries while the dogs scooted in
all directions. As he later said, "All peace and tranquility of the
woods vanished that day." He was furious at being run off of a trail
that he had built, in a park that he had saved with years of lobbying!
Also on Cougar Mtn., a woman on horseback had her whole life changed in
less than ten seconds. A biker group came flying down Cave Hole trail
hill at perhaps 20mph. Terrified, her horse reared up and then fell
sideways on top of her, breaking her leg. That left her with a life-long
limp, ended her riding career, and "took away any wish to ever be
out
on those trails again." The bike riders never even stopped.....
In
recent years, IATC members have been finding outrageous scrap-lumber
forts, ramps, jumps and high 'cat-walks' nailed into trees. Illegal,
unsafe; built without the knowledge or approval of the landowner, these
bike 'play-parks' also show a total disregard for nature and the very
trees that they are using. Altogether, these are the events and actions
that polarize us againt bikes and lead us to say, "No bikes in the
Issaquah Alps trail system."
This also mirrors my experience in
twenty years as park manager at Cougar Mountain. We tried for a time to
have 'multiple-use' trails where bicycles were allowed, but it didn't
work. The bikers were constantly trespassing onto all of the other
trails, and as noted above, there were frequent conflicts with other
users. On Tiger Mountain, DNR has now spent thousands of dollars
building bridges and trails just for bikes - but again, riders are
trespassing all over the mountain. And, again in total disdain for
the
environment, some bikers engage in what they call the 'sport' of
'free-riding' - which is basically flinging themselves downhill anywhere
through the woods where there is no trail at all. They suit up in body
armor for this, and brag about their injuries, but have no concern at
all for for damage to plants, animals, ground-nesting birds, etc. -
It's all man against nature, and is a testosterone-stupidity that
certainly doesn't deserve to be called a sport.
Trail damage and
construction costs are also issues. Anyone who has ever seen bike ruts
channeling water into mud holes, or bashed tree trunks and crushed
plants on trail corners, or switchback cut-throughs, understands the
problem. (Not to mention the TV commercials & magazine ads where
'mountain' bikes throw mud and thrash through streams, showing the kids
that this is somehow OK)! The real long-term cost to the environment and
park agencies is huge. However, for a lot of us hikers and walkers,
just seeing bike tracks is an affront. It means that a machine has
invaded the very place we came to get away from things man-made. It says
that we now have to be constantly on alert to being run-over from the
rear or smashed into from the front. We have to be ready to jump
sideways into the brush in a split-second. In public meetings the bikers
always say, "Oh, we would never do that, or go that fast." They
don't
seem to understand our anger or our fears. I wonder how they might feel
if a dirt-bike motorcycle gang invaded their new trails at Grand Ridge
and Duthie Hill. Perhaps then they would feel the same fear of collision
and assualt by a machine. Might they then experience the same
anger
at having their woods and trails torn up by more powerful outside
invaders ?
The tragedy of an elderly woman who died after being
struck by a bicycle on the Cedar River trail this year points out
another problem. Older folks may have hearing loss, or directional
hearing aids. Younger folks may have i-pods, ear-buds, cell phones or
perhaps so much 'texting' focus that they just don't hear a warning.
Often the warning comes too late, or people are confused about what they
should do. When many people hear "On your left !" they
instinctively
turn to the left. Pre-schoolers and doggies (on or off leash) are always
unpredictable. Bikers need to slow down to walking speed, and then wait
for recognition and room to pass. Just as with runners or horses, the
request should be "Hello there, may we pass here ?".
I guess what I
am hoping for is both a change of attitude and behavior. Instead of
yelling at people to "get out of the way!" bikers need to show
courtesy
and say "thanks for sharing the trail." Instead of being speed and
muscle 'conquerors' of the woods, bikers need to slow down and chat with
the people they meet. Hikers are there for exercise too, but they view
the woods as a treasure chest of surprises to be appreciated. You can't
enjoy Chocolate Lillies or Phantom Orchids at 15 miles per hour - in
fact you'll probably run over them before you see them. As Harvey was
fond of saying, "You just don't go to a museum expecting to play
basketball!" There is a reason why bikes are not permitted in nature
parks, on interpretive trails, in wilderness areas, and on Mt. Rainier
& Olympic National Park trails.
Now we have news articles stating
that Issaquah should become "...a mountain bike mecca", when in
fact
the bikers represent only a very small percentage of the population.
(Some problems never go away). Nation-wide, and locally, walking and
hiking are by far the most popular forms of outdoor recreation; and
trails serve by far the largest number of people for the least cost. So
we of the IATC again say, "Bikers, pay your dues. Help parks acquire
land, and then get permission to build your own trails, to standards
that will match your type of use." To the park agencies we say, "Plan
seperate trails for seperate uses, and provide the law enforcement
needed to keep them seperate." To everyone we say, " Slow down, show
some respect for the other users out there on the trail; and please take
the time to really respect and enjoy nature and the wonderful parks and
forests that we have here in the northwest."
Mark K.
To: bbtcmembers@yahoogroups.com
From: thomasmail360@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:04:23 -0700
Subject: Rogue Trail Builders (long)
123.
Mountain Biker Crashes, Cannot Walk
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-08-03-twitterrescue03_st_N.htm
'NEED Help!': Biker's Twitter followers call for ambulance
By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY
As she flew over the handlebars of her mountain bike, seconds before slamming
into the ground, Leigh Fazzina remembers thinking to herself: "I'm going
to break my neck. And there is no one out here to help me."
Fazzina, 36, had gotten lost in a 300-acre Connecticut wood while competing in
a mini-triathlon last Tuesday. She says she was racing downhill, trying to
locate the main biking trail and rejoin her race, when her front wheel hit some
tree roots.
After a painful landing in the dirt, Fazzina bloodied, panicking and unable to
walk knew she needed help.
But the amateur Philadelphia cyclist, who was in Connecticut to visit
relatives, had no idea where she was. She tried screaming for help. But the
other mountain bikers, including a cousin who entered the race with her, were
too far away to hear.
Fazzina says she tried calling another cousin on her cellphone but couldn't
connect. Desperate, Fazzina tried Twitter, the social networking site, on which
more than 1,000 "followers" had signed up to receive her tweets.
"I've had a serious injury and NEED Help!" she typed. "Can
someone please call Winding Trails in Farmington, CT tell them I'm stuck bike
crash in woods."
At least half a dozen people, most who had never met her, picked up their
phones.
Mary-Ellen Harper, director of fire and rescue services for the Farmington Fire
Department, says her department got calls from California, New York and
Chicago.
Within minutes of sending her tweet, Fazzina says she heard an ambulance siren.
In areas such as state parks, with spotty cellphone coverage, it's not unusual
for people to be able to send instant messages or 140-character tweets when
they can't make voice calls, says David Redl of CTIA-The Wireless Association,
an industry group.
"If you are at the edge of a (wireless) network, you'll have fringe
coverage enough to get a text message through," Redl says.
Though Twitter has more than 125 million users, it's still an unusual way to
summon emergency help. Crime victims have texted to call for help, and families
have used Twitter to reconnect after disasters. But officials at Twitter, the
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and the American College
of Emergency Physicians all say they don't know of anyone using Twitter to call
for an ambulance.
A week after the scare, Fazzina is back in Philadelphia; she says she is still
sore and badly bruised but has no broken bones. And while her injuries weren't
serious, she says, she's still glad she didn't have to spend a night in the
woods. She plans to go mountain biking again once she heals but only on a path
that she knows well. And only with her cellphone.
Published:
Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010 11:21 p.m. MDT
BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON A mountain biker was critically injured while riding in
Big Cottonwood Canyon Thursday night.
The 35-year-old man was biking on the Mill D North trail with another biker
when he crashed and catapulted over the bike's handlebars.
The other biker came around the bend and found the victim lying face down,
officials said. When the biker rolled the victim over, the man was hardly
breathing.
Unified Police Sgt. Corey Latham said the victim's friend, who has had EMT
training, immediately rolled the man over, opened up his airway and started
CPR.
It took emergency personnel two hours to reach the victim, stabilize him and
transport him a half-mile off the trail to a waiting helicopter.
The victim was flown to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray in critical
condition with possible spinal cord injuries.
The victim lost consciousness a few times on the flight to the hospital,
Unified Fire Authority Capt. Brad Taylor said.
Lana Groves
125.
Mountain biker dies after collapse on Conwy trail
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11361524
The Marin Trail covers 25km of a mountain biking route
A 54-year-old man has collapsed and died when mountain biking along a popular
forest track in Snowdonia.
It happened on Saturday evening on the Marin Trail near Betws-y-Coed when the
man, from Flintshire, was cycling with a brother and friend.
An ambulance could get only within a quarter of a mile so an Ogwen mountain
rescue team went to help.
Attempts to revive the cyclist, who had suffered chest pains, were made but
without success.
Rescue team members carried him on a stretcher to an ambulance.
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/mountain-biker-dies-on-marin-trail-in-snowdonia-27834
By
BikeRadar
A 54-year-old man
collapsed and died on the Marin Trail in Gwydyr Forest at the weekend (Russell Burton)
A
mountain biker collapsed and died while riding the Marin Trail near
Betws-y-Coed, North Wales, on Saturday.
The 54-year-old man, who
has not been named, suffered chest pains while climbing a steep slope with his
brother and a friend. An ambulance was called but could not reach him.
Paramedics eventually
made it to the scene on foot, where they spent over an hour trying to revive
the Flintshire man, but their efforts proved fruitless.
A spokesman for Welsh Ambulance
Services NHS Trust said: "We were called at 4.08pm to an incident where a
man had collapsed with chest pains while cycling on a forest track. One
ambulance attended but due to the rough terrain the crew had to go on foot to
reach the casualty. They were assisted by Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue, but
despite attempts to revive the patient he was declared deceased at scene."
The 17-mile, red-graded
Marin trail is known for its long fireroad climbs and is a favourite with
hardcore cross-country riders.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2010/09/20/man-dies-after-collapsing-in-north-wales-forest-55578-27301504/
Sep 20 2010 by Eryl Crump, Daily Post
PARAMEDICS worked desperately for more than an hour to try and save a man
who collapsed while mountain biking on a forest trail at the weekend.
But despite their efforts the 54-year-old man from Flint, who has not yet
been named, could not be revived and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was cycling with a brother and a friend when he collapsed while going up
a steep slope on the popular Marin Trail, a 17-mile long mountain bike track in
the Gwydyr Forest near Betws y Coed on Saturday.
A Wales Ambulance NHS Trust spokesman said: The call was received at
4.08pm on Saturday that a man had collapsed with chest pains while cycling on a
forest track.
One ambulance crew was despatched.
Due to the rough terrain they were unable to get to the casualty and made
their way on foot to him. They made prolonged attempts at resuscitation but
sadly without success.
Because the riders were off the main forest road the ambulance could not
get directly to the casualty and the crew were forced to walk the last quarter
of a mile to the scene of the incident.
They asked the Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team for assistance
The weather in the area was poor and a Sea King helicopter based at RAF
Valley was also placed on stand-by.
Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team spokesman Chris Lloyd said more than 20
members of the volunteer team responded to the call for help.
There were members at base and we were able to get to the forest very
quickly.
Paramedics were already on scene and our team assisted in giving the
casualty CPR.
Efforts to revive continued for more than an hour.
Despite a prolonged effort at resuscitation, sadly the man did not
survive.
We then assisted in carrying the casualty to the ambulance.
An experienced cyclist described the Marin Trail as one of the best in
Wales.
It is a cross-country course with fast, technical tracks, which appeals to
downhillers but there are also steep climbs which allows time to take in the
views of the mountains of Snowdonia. It takes about two hours to complete the
circuit and this can be very strenuous, he said.
http://www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk/flintshire-news/local-flintshire-news/2010/09/21/tragic-biker-was-deeside-schoolteacher-51352-27313939/
Tragic biker was Deeside schoolteacher
Sep 21 2010 by Dave Goodban, Flintshire
Chronicle
A MOUNTAIN biker who died suddenly in the Gwydyr Forest in Snowdonia National
Park was a former teacher at a Flintshire school.
David Ovens, 53, taught at John Summers High School in Queensferry for 27 years
before retiring in 2007.
The dad-of-one from Flints funeral will be held next week.
For tributes to Mr Ovens see this weeks Flintshire Chronicle or log on to the
website on Thursday.
126. A
Mountain biker was airlifted to hospital with serious head injuries
http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news/local/mountain_biker_airlifted_to_hospital_1_1611365
Mountain biker airlifted to hospital
Published
on Fri Sep 24 10:32:31 BST 2010
A MOUNTAIN biker was airlifted to hospital with serious head injuries
following an accident at Dalby Forest.
A spokesman for the Great North Air Ambulance said the 25-year-old man was
anaesthetised at the scene before being taken to James Cook Hospital in
Middlesbrough following the incident at 3.20pm yesterday.
A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: We received a call at 3.16pm
about the incident in Dixons Hollow. We sent an ambulance and a rapid response
vehicle before the Great North Air Ambulance took over.
1:11pm Saturday 25th September 2010
A MOUNTAIN biker was
airlifted to hospital following an accident in North Yorkshire woodland.
The 25-year-old man,
from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, was taken to James Cook University Hospital in
Middlesbrough at 3.20pm on Thursday, having been anaesthetised at the scene of
the incident in the Dixon Hollows area of Dalby Forest.
A spokeswoman for
Yorkshire Ambulance Service said the organisation sent an ambulance and a rapid
response unit before the Great North Air Ambulance took over the injured
riders treatment. His condition was yesterday described as serious.
http://www.denbighshirevisitor.com/news/denbighshire-news/2010/10/06/north-wales-police-chief-hurt-in-bike-crash-at-moel-famau-105722-27406064/
Oct 6 2010 by David Powell, Denbigh Visitor
NORTH Wales Polices chief constable has been injured in a mountain bike
accident.
Mark Polin (right) was hurt after crashing into a wall on a trip to Moel Famau
in Denbighshire. He dislocated his right shoulder, suffered nerve damage in his
right hand and gashes to his forehead.
He said: I was mountain biking down a slope on Moel Famau when I came off and
managed to headbutt a wall.
My shoulder popped out and Ive damaged the nerves in my hand.
You do sports like that and occasionally youll come off.
Asked if the mishap had put him off mountain biking, he replied No.
Chairman of North Wales Police Authority Alun Lewis has congratulated Chief
Constable Polin on reaching Level 3 in Welsh, which means he can converse in
the language to some extent.
http://www.wpxi.com/news/25366005/detail.html
Posted: 11:50 am EDT October 12, 2010Updated: 12:07 pm EDT October
12, 2010
Channel 11 News has learned that a prominent Westmoreland County attorney was
found dead in Maryland along a popular bike trail over the weekend.
The sheriff's department in Garrett County said J. David Caruthers was found
along a trail in Herrington Manor State Park.
Investigators said Caruthers had a mountain bike with him and that it appears
as if he died of natural causes.
A medical examiner in Baltimore will perform an autopsy.
Caruthers had a private practice and was also the chief trial counsel for the
Westmoreland County Public Defender's Office.
8:14am
Thursday 7th October 2010
A MAN who was out mountain biking has been rescued from a stream at the bottom
of a narrow valley in the Wyre Forest.
The incident happened at about 7.50pm last night. An ambulance, an incident
support officer and the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) were sent to Callow
Hill.
The location was around two miles along forest tracks. Ambulance crews accessed
the tracks from a car park near to the Duke William Pub off Long Bank.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: The 55-year-old Worcester man
was out mountain biking with friends when the incident happened.
The exact circumstances are not clear but, when crews arrived, they found the
man in a stream at the bottom of the valley, about 20 feet below the pathway.
The sides of the valley were slippery with wet vegetation.
The situation was made more complex by the location having no mobile phone
signal. Colleagues of the injured man had to cycle out to call 999.
Fortunately, the digital radio system that ambulance staff use did give
coverage and the initial ambulance staff were able to provide updates to the
HART team as they were en route to the incident. In addition, they also marked
the route to the location.
Ambulance staff and firefighters made their way to the scene, some by foot,
others in 4x4 vehicles.
Members of the HART team descended the sides of the valley to get to the
patient. While firefighters dug steps into the side of the valley to aid
access, the HART team members got the man out of the water and on to a
specialist rescue stretcher.
A rope had been lowered down to them and, together, fire and ambulance crews
lifted the man up the 20 feet from the valley floor to a waiting ambulance. He
was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital with a back injury.
This was an excellent example of co-operation between fire and ambulance crews,
which resulted in the man being taken to hospital far more quickly and safely
than might have been possible until recently.
http://www.kpho.com/valleynews/25426472/detail.html
POSTED:
6:59 am MST October 18, 2010
UPDATED: 9:47 am MST October 18, 2010
CAVE CREEK, Ariz. -- Search crews found a missing mountain biker alive
in the Spur Cross Recreation Area near Cave Creek.
The woman, reported missing on Sunday afternoon, was shown on news helicopter
video walking under her own power, though she used a stick as a cane and
sported a bandage on her left knee. Helicopter footage showed her being met by
an all-terrain vehicle that transported her the rest down the remaining part of
the trail.
Jeff Sprong of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office told CBS 5 News that the
woman was dehydrated, but in good condition otherwise.
Sprong said deputies received a report of the missing bicyclist around 4 p.m.
Sunday after she texted a friend that she was lost.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team found her around
6:45 a.m. Monday after searching through the night.
Check back with CBS 5 News for updates.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gesinks-father-dies-as-result-of-mountain-bike-crash
By:
Cycling News
Published:
October 23, 14:33,
Updated:
October 23, 17:34
Robert
Gesink (Rabobank) will race with a broken bone
Rabobank rider skipped Lombardy to be with his father
Robert Gesink's father has died from the effects of a cycling crash. The
Rabobank rider had withdrawn from the Tour of Lombardy earlier this month to be
at his father's side.
The elder Gesink suffered a serious crash in the Bart Brentjens Challenge, a
mountain bike ride in South Limburg, the Netherlands, on October 10. Robert
Gesink, who had won the Giro dell'Emilia the day before, returned to the
Netherlands immediately.
The riders, team leaders, management and staff of the Rabo Cycling Teams and
sponsor Rabobank are shocked by this sad news and wish Robert and all his
family all strength in coping with this heavy loss, the team said on its
website.
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/6130/Robert-Gesinks-father-passes-following-mountain-bike-crash.aspx
by Jered
Gruber at 8:01 AM EST
|
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/crocodile-trophy-stage-neutralised-after-heukers-death
By:
Barry Ryan
Published:
October 24, 12:03,
Updated:
October 24, 15:01
The late
Weit Heuker
Competitor died during the night
Stage six of the Crocodile Trophy mountain bike race was neutralised following
the death of Dutch rider Weit Heuker. The 59-year-old died during the night of
the 23rd-24th October.
Heuker, who had been lying in 6th place in the M3 general classification,
suffered cardiovascular and circulatory failure. It is understood that Heuker
had previously suffered cardiac arrest but that the events medical officers
were not aware of his history before the race.
We learned this morning unfortunately only now that Weit Heuker already had
suffered a cardiac arrest a few years ago and had been under medical care since
then, said Dr. Alexandra Reimann, head of the races medical support team.
Sundays stage 6 was cancelled as a mark of respect to the late Heuker. The
competitors assembled for a minutes silence before riding a neutralised route
along the main road from Chillagoe to Mt. Mulgrave, where the seventh stage
begins.
Race organiser Gerhard Schoenbacher offered his sympathies to those close to
Heuker. Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and teammates, he
said.
[Mountain bike addiction defined: So, the guy already had known
cardiac problems, was under medical care, but still thought that riding
in the "The World's Hardest Longest Hottest and Most
Adventures Mtb Race in theWorld" would be an okay thing to
compete in? -- a friend]
133. Mountain rescuers aid injured cyclist
http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=621560
2010/11/01
A MOUNTAIN rescue team
brought an injured cyclist to safety after he plunged down a steep embankment
during the Mondi Herald Addo Mountain Bike Challenge yesterday.
Race organiser Shane Bradfield said Wellington Moyo lost control of his bike on
a narrow descent and was injured after falling over the handlebars and down a
steep slope.
Moyo was taking part in the 85km Mondi Extreme Challenge, known as the Eastern
Capes toughest mountain bike race.
As it was impossible to reach him from the road, the mountain rescue team was
called in to bring Moyo to safety. Bradfield said he did not seem to be
seriously injured but was later taken to hospital in Port Elizabeth by ambulance.
Estelle Ellis
http://www.mycentraloregon.com/news/local/1303123/Bend-Woman-Rescued-After-Mountain-Bike-Accident.html
Deschutes County Sheriff's Office
November
06, 2010 07:00 am
Bill Baker
BEND, OR -- A Bend woman sustained serious injuries from a mountain biking
accident on a U.S. Forest Road late Friday afternoon.
The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office reports that Shoshana Foxwell, 45, was
traveling eastbound on Ben's mountain bike trail west of USFS Road 4610, when
she lost control on a corner and flipped over her handlebars.
Foxwell landed in the middle of the trail and sustained serious non life
threatening injuries. Foxwell was treated by the Search and Rescue unit who had
been in the area until additional Search and Rescue medic units arrived
Once additional units arrived on scene, Foxwell was placed on a backboard and
transported to a Bend Fire ambulance that was waiting on Skyliners Road near
milepost 7 and transported to St. Charles Hospital in bend for her injuries. A
total of eight Search and Rescue members responded to the call.
135. The
other side of the cyclist divide
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/blogs/are-we-there-yet/4317881/The-other-side-of-the-cyclist-divide
Last updated 08:54 08/11/2010
When it comes to the great cyclist v everyone else debate, Ive
usually found myself firmly on the cyclists side. After all, I am one, so of
course I'm biased.
So on Sunday afternoon I was considerably startled to fall into
the "everyone else" category.
It was a beautiful day in Wellington, so there I was, walking a
small dog on a lead up Mt Victoria, on the paths well used by pedestrians and
mountain bikers alike.
Suddenly a mountain biker flew past me, at such a rate of knots
that I nearly fell off the track trying to get myself and the small dog,
otherwise known as Percy, out of the way.
The cyclist was riding in the opposite direction to where I was
walking but unexpectedly appeared from around a corner, giving me a fright.
Said cyclist helpfully yelled to his friend behind him warning of the
pedestrian and the dog.
Unfortunately, neither saw it as necessary to reduce speed. I was
mildly surprised, as had I been in their shoes I would have done so because
dogs are unpredictable - even small ones on leads.
The fact Percy got quite a fright I did not blame them for.
However, I was less than impressed near the summit when another
two mountain bikers went past me even faster, once again almost pushing me off
the track and scaring the hell out of Percy.
I know Mt Vic is a popular cycling track. But it is also popular
with pedestrians especially dog walkers - and on a nice day, you would expect
to see a lot of them.
As I said, I tried to uphold my end of the track-sharing deal by
moving over in a considerable hurry.
Now, most of my cycling is of the roadie variety. My foray
into mountain biking is recent and so far limited to the easiest tracks
possible, so perhaps I am not aware of the correct mountain biking etiquette.
Is it unreasonable of me to expect them the mountain bikers to
slow down? Is that perhaps more dangerous? Or just too damn difficult given the
number of people out and about on Mt Vic? (No, that isn't sarcasm, it's a
genuine question.)
The track was definitely wide enough to be easily shared, but if
the bikers had made a small mistake or hit a tree root, I, or the dog, would
have been toast. If Percy had moved 10 centimetres in their direction not
impossible given his lead - he definitely would have been toast.
Of course, poor Percy was more concerned with getting as far away
from these horrifying things as possible, even if that meant falling off the
side of the hill. He was so traumatised by this second experience that when he
saw a roadie some distance away on the other side of the road about 10 minutes
later he freaked out and refused to walk any further.
Any thoughts here? Am I being unreasonable?
136. The dark side of mountain biking
This is one video that we must show every parent about the "dark
side" of mountain biking: (Make sure you see the newspaper headlines
toward the end...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sR_6lreuQ8
The doctors found his right heel in 8 pieces, and his left in 15 pieces. He
spent 3 months in a wheelchair and a couple more months on crutches. He is now
fully recovered and started riding again (that is a sign of addiction)
137. Mountain Biker Breaks His Neck, but Wants to
Return to Mountain Biking Anyway
That's a
clear sign of an addiction.
Mike
http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/local/news/corey-warns-other-mountainbikers/3932704/
Alison King | 6th December 2010
As the
warmer weather brings more mountainbikers into the Whakarewarewa forest, Corey
Deane has a message for them all - be careful.
He wants riders to enjoy themselves but not become complacent.
The 28-year-old Kawerau man said he felt lucky to be alive after breaking his
neck on a Rotorua forest track he had ridden hundreds of times before. He felt
even luckier after hearing about Rotorua Pastor Timothy Lee's crash on the same
trail, which left the Baptist Church pastor paralysed.
Corey, an adventure guide, was riding with his brother James on June 16. He had
15 years of mountainbiking experience and considered himself fairly competent,
especially given he had guided others in the forest.
"We'd been out for a couple of hours, just cruising," Corey said.
"On our way back we hit the Exit Trail. I got to an obstacle, I was riding
across a log - something I've done hundreds of times - but I got a bit
off-balance. I went to jump off the side, thinking nothing of it, but I went
over the handlebars and slammed on my head."
Corey said his brother told him to lie down. His neck felt sore and he tilted
it from side to side to try to make it feel better. They decided to walk out.
James was to fetch the car from the visitor centre carpark.
"By the time he came back I felt weird so we called for an
ambulance," Corey said.
He was kept in overnight at Rotorua Hospital and had a CT scan the next day
which confirmed three breaks on the C1 vertabrae at the top of the spine.
"It
took a while to sink in. I'd walked out of the forest with a broken neck. I
felt really, really lucky."
Corey was in Rotorua Hospital for six days and was fitted with a halo brace,
putting his neck into traction. After 13 weeks he was fitted with a hard neck
brace and is now weaning himself off a soft collar.
His neck muscles are building up in strength but it will be some months before
he can return to light duties. "I hope to get back on my bike. I love it
but I have to take it a bit easier.
"I won't be able to go back to being a rafting guide. Going over that 7
metre waterfall is a bit too hard. I was told another knock could be fatal and
that was quite sobering. I'm happy to make that sacrifice to be here."
He said James hadn't been back on his bike since the crash and his other riding
friends had not ridden the Exit Trail.
What niggles Corey is that he had ridden harder and faster trails before and
returned home unscathed.
"Just the weekend before I went out with my dad and we rode the National
Downhill track, all the crazy stuff.
"I hurt myself on the easy stuff. I think I got a bit complacent and I'd
tell others not to get like that.
"I don't want to put people off - I can't wait to get back out
there."
He said the experience had been hard on his wife Jade but the couple had
decided to be positive throughout the experience.
Kaitiaki Adventures, his rafting employer, held a fundraiser for the couple to
help with his recovery, raising $2000 by organising an accommodation and
adventures package through the Millennium Hotel, Agroventures, Tamaki Tours and
Hells Gate.
Mountainbiking skills instructor Gabby Molloy said it was important for all riders
to start out slowly in the new season.
"Build it up slowly and practise your skills," she said.
"You should always have a game plan for every situation. Riders should
also ride within their means and stay alert."
138. Another Mountain Biker Paralyzed
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/dec/04/good04-ar-694023/
By Michael
Martz | TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: December 04, 2010
Richmond's mountain bikers and trail builders are rallying today behind one of
their own, Wayne Goodman, who is recovering from a spinal
cord injury that he suffered in a freak biking accident more than two months
ago.
Goodman's friends are raising money to help his recovery with "A Day in
the Park for Wayne" at Forest Hill Park in South Richmond, where he was
injured Sept. 17.
The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the park's main picnic shelter, near the spot
where Goodman tumbled headfirst over his handlebars
into a stone wall after his bicycle wheel hit a grassy rut while he was
adjusting his pack.
Goodman, 60, of Henrico County, was paralyzed initially but has
recovered his motor skills gradually while at VCU Medical Center's spinal cord
rehabilitation unit and, more recently, Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
"Wayne remains very positive in his recovery and
his rehab team reports very encouraging progress," said Bill Swann, a close friend and president of TEAM Richmond Adventure Sports Racing. "The
road is going to be long and Wayne knows this will be the toughest race of
his life."
Goodman has been a big contributor to the
creation of a trail system that has drawn world-class racing events to James River Park, Forest Hill Park and the
river's north bank. He was one of the leaders of the small
volunteer army that built the North Trail almost five years ago, creating an
8-mile loop with the Buttermilk Trail on the James River's south bank.
"His legacy is going to be deep and long," said Greg Rollins, president of the Richmond area chapter of
Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts
His friends will sell "G-Man" T-shirts and accept donations at
today's event. The picnic shelter is located near the park entrance off West
42nd Street.
Contact Michael Martz at (804) 649-6964 or mmartz@timesdispatch.com.
139. Mark Webber completed Formula One season with
broken shoulder
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/dec/06/formula-one-mark-webber-broken-shoulder
Red Bull driver sustained injury in
mountain bike accident
Was leading championship at time but ended up in third place
Mark Webber has revealed that he drove in the
final four races of the F1 season with a broken shoulder. Photograph: Crispin
Thruston/Action Images
Mark
Webber drove in the final four races of the Formula
One season with a broken shoulder, the Red Bull
driver has revealed in his new book.
Webber sustained the injury in a mountain bike accident, BBC Sport reports.
He kept it secret from Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, and only
told his physio Roger Cleary and F1's chief medical officer Gary Hartstein.
The Australian sustained the injury after the Singapore grand prix. He had
returned to Australia and was out riding with a friend, who fell off his bike
in front of Webber, who went over his handlebars trying to avoid him. The
fracture was so fine that it could not be treated.
The incident was the second time in a little less than two years that
Webber has suffered an injury while out training on a mountain bike. In
November 2008 he was hit by a car while taking part in his own adventure
challenge in Tasmania and suffered a fracture of his right leg as well as a
broken shoulder.
At the time of his latest accident, Webber was leading the F1 world
championship by 11 points from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso. He eventually
finished in third place, 14 points off his team-mate and the eventual champion
Sebastian Vettel.
140. Texas Mayor Injured In Bike Crash
http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/Dallas_Mayor_Injured_In_Bike_Crash_111594649.html?ref=649
The mayor of Dallas broke
some ribs in a tumble from his mountain bike.
DALLAS (December 9, 2010)--Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert is recovering after taking
a tumble while riding his bicycle and
breaking a couple of ribs.
Leppert at times appeared to wince from the pain during a council meeting
Wednesday.
He said he took a tumble off his mountain bike on
Saturday.
He was wearing a helmet.
Leppert, who says he injured three ribs, plans to
maintain his regular schedule.
He was elected mayor in 2007.
141. Mountain biker fights for life
["Organisers
cut down the tree before racing recommenced." Mountain biking has the same
environmental impact as hiking & horseback riding? How often is a tree cut
down, just because a hiker or equestrian bumps into it???
His life may be over already at 15! The adults who promote this sport, who
should know better, should be held responsible for "accidents" like
this.
Mountain biking in natural areas is inherently unpredictable because nature is
unpredictable. That's why there are standards for road construction and
maintenance: to make them predictable, and lessen the possibility of an
accident.
Mike]
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/12/13/192791_tasmania-news.html
DANIELLE McKAY | December 13, 2010 12.01am
A YOUNG Tasmanian mountain bike champion is fighting for his life after
smashing into a tree during a competition warm-up yesterday.
Eugene Smith, 15, was warming up for the fiercely contested Australian Mountain
Bike Championships when he lost control of his bike on the steep Tolosa Park
track.
Officials said the talented Hobart rider veered off a downhill run.
Smith catapulted into a tree on the side of the track about 10am, knocking
himself unconscious.
St John Ambulance officers treated him trackside before taking him to the Royal
Hobart Hospital.
The teenager is believed to have several broken ribs, a punctured lung and
possible spinal injuries.
He was in the RHH's intensive care unit last night in a critical condition.
Smith was one of 14 injured riders attended by Tasmanian Ambulance Service and
St John Ambulance paramedics at the event yesterday.
Mountain Bike Australia executive officer Tony Scott said it was an unfortunate
accident and he sent his best wishes to the Smith family.
"These riders are very, very experienced, they wear compulsory safety gear
including a full-faced helmet and accidents are rare," he said.
"It was, however, an accident, however unfortunate, and we certainly feel
for the family."
Smith was scheduled to compete in the under-17 downhill competition just half
an hour after the accident occurred.
The Tolosa Park course was not as fast as other national courses, with riders
covering the 1.5km to 2km course in about three minutes.
Mr Scott said it was a technical course that demanded a lot of skill and good
technique from riders.
"Compared with other courses, this is relatively innocuous," he said.
Smith's prowess was building and he had just moved up a grade to compete in the
under-17 division.
Only last month, Smith finished second in the state series, earning several
congratulations on his Facebook page from impressed mates.
The Hobart Dirt Devil Club member boosted his competitive edge by racing
interstate.
Yesterday's racing was delayed about half an hour but the full day's schedule
was completed.
Organisers cut down the tree before racing recommenced.
Tasmanian Ambulance Service duty manager Tony Harris said it was a heavier case
load than normal for officers.
"We don't have an event that compares to this one that gives us this type
of case load," he said.
142. The Rotorua mountainbiker made headlines around the world in April after a
crash left a bike brake lever embedded in his hand
http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/local/news/freak-injury-is-no-deterrent/3935334/
This Is Now: Kevin Myatt and the scar from
the brake lever which went through his wrist. Photo / Ben Fraser 141210bf6
The Rotorua mountainbiker made headlines
around the world in April after a crash left a bike brake lever embedded in his
hand.
He needed 15 stitches and despite the photos looking horrific he was left with
no significant long-lasting problems.
"Everything works great," Mr Myatt said.
"There was only a nick on a tendon. I get a small sensation when I bang it
but apart from that, I'm good as gold."
He's had a lot of mileage from the crash. He won a new full-face helmet from a
bike website and last week the photo was selected by a radio station as one of
the most gruesome - resulting in a $500 payout.
Photos were sent around the world and appeared on mountainbiking websites.
The crash happened on the Dragonstail track in Whakarewarewa forest on April 1.
Mr Myatt had taken a week off work to carry out a gardening project but decided
to head to the forest for "a bit of a play". After riding some trails
he decided to head home, cutting through Dragonstail on the way out.
"I was trying to build up a bit of speed before some jumps but I dropped
my chain and the force of losing resistance threw me forward over the
[handle]bars," he said in April.
"It was very, very quick.
I was sliding along the ground, looked back and saw the lever had gone
through the bottom of my hand."
His brake lever slid up his arm, cutting it open, then pierced the skin on his
wrist before resurfacing.
He said the first thing that hit him was the realisation it was close to an
artery.
He grabbed hold of his wrist to stem the flow of blood and yelled at his riding
companions to call for an ambulance.
His brake lever survived the crash.
"I'm still using the same brakes," he said. "My wife cleaned
them up and they were back on the bike before I could ride. I had to connect
them one-handed.
"I was back riding within three weeks, as soon as the stitches were out.
"When you're so used to doing something you don't think about crashing.
"People always ask if having that accident put me off but when you're out
there you switch off."
He said he had had another crash on the same track riding with the same
companions since the crash in April but without injury.
Mr Myatt has been riding mountainbikes for 17 years and in that time has
suffered a broken a wrist and had his shoulder rebuilt. But none of it has put
him off.
"I'll be riding as much as possible over the holidays."
143. Another Mountain Biker Paralyzed!
By Michael
Martz
Published: January 01, 2011
Wayne Goodman celebrated his 60th birthday Oct.
22 in a hospital room with a group of friends and a box of chocolates.
His friends, all devoted mountain bikers like Goodman, offered to open the wrapped box for him because he couldn't use his hands
effectively after a spinal-cord injury a month earlier.
Goodman said no. Emphatically.
"I kind of went at it like a dog," he said.
Greg Rollins, president of the Richmond chapter of
Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts, was there. "He tore at it and tore at
it," he said.
In the end, Goodman got his piece of chocolate.
He's showing the same determination with help from his doctors and an
unshakeable circle of friends to overcome an injury that initially left him paralyzed and unsure if he ever would walk again.
"He's taking it like he's taken everything else in stride in his
life," said Nathan Burrell, trails manager for the James River Park System.
"He's taking it as a challenge."
Goodman, a Henrico County native and resident, has taken
plenty of risks in his life. He has spent days without sleep in the wilderness
in adventure races. He has ridden the toughest trails and taken some tumbles.
But his life took a turn too many when the front wheel of his bike hit a grassy
rut near the main picnic shelter in Forest Hill Park. He was adjusting his
camel pack so he could drink water on a trail ride with a young biker who
wanted some tips.
The wheel turned right, tossing Goodman head first into a stone wall.
"As soon as that happened, it was like someone hit a light switch,"
he recalled in an interview this month in the Spinal Cord Injury Unit at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond.
"I could not feel anything."
His girlfriend, Chin Cha Akers, got to him quickly and called for help. When an emergency medical technician arrived and
asked him to wiggle his toes, he found that he could.
"That's when I said to myself, 'I have a chance here,' " Goodman said.
Since that moment, Goodman has been working to make the most of
that chance.
He underwent surgery at VCU Medical Center to relieve pressure on his
swollen spinal cord, injured in the cervical vertebrae of his neck.
After two months at VCU, he transferred last month to McGuire, where he was entitled to care because
of three years he served in the Marines in the late 1960s.
Goodman's injury leaves plenty of room for hope. It was an incomplete injury to
the spinal cord there's no chance of recovering movement in an injury that's
complete with a high D rating on a descending scale of severity.
"I think he will recover significantly after all this treatment," said
Dr. Mohammed Bhuiyan, who is overseeing a team
of physicians and treatment specialists working intensively with Goodman at McGuire.
Bhuiyan told Goodman last week that he would be able to walk
again in his home once he leaves the hospital, probably by the end of February.
"It made me so happy, it made me cry tears of joy," Goodman said.
None of his many friends doubt his will or tenacity.
"The beautiful thing about Wayne is he finds a freaking way to make it
happen!" said Deborah Khars, a mountain biker, trail volunteer and occupational therapist who visits Goodman frequently at McGuire.
Goodman was one of the people who forged the North Trail that completed a loop for bikers,
runners, hikers, and anyone else who enjoys the James River Park trails on both
sides of the river, including Forest Hill Park.
"He's definitely been one of the lions," said Burrell, who worked with Goodman in designing and building trails in the
park system for six years.
Bill Swann, who spent countless weekends working
with Goodman over the course of a year in building
the North Trail, organized "A Day in the Park
for Wayne" last month in Forest Hill Park. He and other friends sold
"G-Man" T-shirts and raised $2,400 in donations
It's an appropriate response for a man who had to buy a trailer for all the
tools he'd bought for trail work that he did for what he calls "my
ministry."
"Building the trails was my outlet for community service," Goodman said, "and doing what maybe Jesus
or God would want me to do."
Even now, with his prognosis good but far from certain, Goodman is still thinking about the park system.
"I still want to come down and do trail work," he said. "I just
love it."
mmartz@timesdispatch.com
144. " Four years ago I broke my left hip socket aka "acetabulum" on
Sean's Trail in Bellingham"
From:
"lenfrancies" <len.francies@gmail.com>
List-Subscribe: <mailto:bbtcmembers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2011 05:52:38 -0000
Subject: New Hip, New Year
Four years ago I broke my left hip socket aka "acetabulum" on Sean's
Trail in Bellingham. My surgeon (Richard Winquist) reconnected the crescent
moon shaped flake of bone with titanium screws and mesh to restore the
integrity of the socket. He told me I would need another surgery for a hip
replacement someday as I had crushed the cartilage with the impact and dull
bone to bone aching would eventually have me back for that.
Through at least 5 resources I learned of a special surgeon, James Pritchett,
that does a procedure known as "hip resurfacing" that would not have
the restrictions of a regular hip replacement such as no running.
On October 26th at 11am I went into surgery. At noon Dr. Pritchett walked out
and told my family that everything went well. I was clear minded and remembered
everyone's name I was introduced to while in the hospital including the night
nurse. This feat was unusual!
Within a week I was pushing the shopping cart at Freddies with my crutches
inside and a week later with a cane. A week later (#3) I was in PT standing ON
the new parts balancing for 10 seconds. Two days later I walked cane free and
the rest is recovery history.
I was released on 12/23 and my last PT appt. was 12/30 and she could not find
anymore scar tissue so she had finished her job as well. Let's call it two
months from surgery to having my life back...
On 12/31 I hiked tiger mountain up the cable line trail to West Tiger #3 and
down the trail gaining+losing 2000' in 5 miles. On 1/1/11 I geocached my way 5
more miles around my neighborhood. Today I went for my first mountain bike
ride...
HAPPY NEW YEAR
About James Pritchett & hip resurfacing
(includes video of Floyd Landis on NW Afternoon: hit the play button)
http://www.pritchettorthopedics.com/hipjoint.php
145. http://nsmb.com/4008-na-ketonalu/
2011-01-01
It
is not a story about big tricks. It is a story about life and passion.
In 2007 Piotr Szedowski, a rider from Poland had a bad accident. He went trough
clinical death, spent five days in coma, lost two liters of blood, injured his
heart muscle, lungs and brain. He had multiple fractured bones, broke his femor
(split open), got 8 blood transfusions and went all together through 8
surgeries. He was not walking for a year.
In the year 2010 his passion brought him back on the bike
146. Mountain biker flown to hospital
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/4513938/Mountain-biker-flown-to-hospital
An injured mountain biker was flown to hospital by helicopter in Wellington
today.
The 51-year-old man from Thorndon had been mountain biking on the Town Belt
tracks behind Tinakori when he fell off and hurt his ankle.
The man did not know his exact location or which track he was on.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter responded with a Wellington Free Ambulance
paramedic onboard.
The paramedic was winched down through a clearing in the trees and the patient
was flown to Wellington Hospital where he is being assessed and treated for his
injuries.
147. Mountain Biker Back in the Saddle after Breaking
His Neck
[A good
sign of an addiction!
Mike]
http://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/sport/97562/mountainbiker-dan-atherton-back-in-the-saddle.aspx
Published
date: 11 January 2011 | Published by: Staff Reporter
LESS than six months after breaking his neck, Llangynogs World Cup mountain
biker, Dan Atherton, celebrated the new year by returning to his bike for the
first time.
Describing the crash on the Athertons own dirt jumps last June during
training, Dan explained: As I took off I knew I was going to land short, so
jumped off mid air. As I bailed I started rotating and smashed into a ditch. I
knew instantly something was wrong. My neck was totally out of my control. It
was limp and it was all I could do to hold it still, he added. At Shrewsbury
Hospital, Dan, pictured, learned he had broken his neck: I broke the C1 in four
places, said Dan, Its a ring used to articulate the head, with the skull above
and the C2 below. Thankfully, I landed with enough force to displace the broken
bones outwards, minimising the chance of neurological damage.
A metal cage was screwed into Dans skull and strapped around his chest, holding
his head motionless for three months, during which time he kept a log of his
progress.
July: A big expedition...10 steps out, 10 back. Feels like a pile of
bricks on my head.
Love waking up at night. For a split second everything is okay. Then I feel...
but as long as I can feel, Im happy.
October: Bolts have been unscrewed. A pillow never felt so good.
November: New scans found two skull fractures that had been missed.
Finally, neck is stable and I can go hard on the re-hab. Stood looking at my
bike. This moment has been a distant goal for a long time.
December: Finally, after months of waiting, Dan finally got back on a
bike last month, an important milestone in his remarkable recovery, but while
there is a long way to go, he says for now he is just appreciating normal life.
I have crashed like that 100 times and walked away unscathed, says Dan, Its
amazing how life works.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/atherton-back-on-bike-after-injury
By:
Cycling News
Published:
February 1, 15:40,
Dan
Atherton (Commencal Racing) has recovered from breaking his neck.
British mountain biker will return to racing at Fort William
In July of 2010, British mountain biker Dan Atherton sustained a terrifying
injury. A crash, in which he landed on his head at his own dirt jumps in North
Wales, resulted in a break of the C1 disc in his neck - a life threatening
injury. After months off the bike, Atherton received positive results of a
final CT scan, and he is cleared for riding and "full training".
Atherton's commitment and dedication which he usually puts into his riding went
into getting him through his recovery. With months in a brace and none of his
life's usual manic activity, there were low moments along the way and plenty of
time for contemplation. He is determined to recover and return to the highest
level of the sport according to a statement released by his team manager.
Dr. Robert Bray delivered the results of the final CT scan. Red Bull's Darren
Roberts, the Atherton family's personal trainer, accompanied Dan and said,
"The fractures have all healed and the tiny fragments of bone which are
loose will be absorbed by the body over time. There was a slim possibility that
an operation was going to be required to remove these - but thankfully that op
is not needed.
"More importantly Dr Bray said the words we've been waiting to hear since
July 2010, 'You're good to go Dan, totally healed - get back on your bike and
get riding hard. Try not to break it again'."
Atherton is aiming to return to World Cup competition at the second round in
Fort William, Scotland. He'll concentrate on downhill racing and aims to return
to the podium glory he enjoyed prior to the incident.
Atherton, along with his racing siblings, teammates Gee and Rachel, gave thanks
to all who supported him during the difficult time of the recovery.
Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events
taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed
148. Two
Mountain Bikers Rescued, BOTH with Head and Neck Injuries
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=30992
January
15, 2011
Press Release Westpac Rescue Helicopter
Saturday 15 Jan 1930 hrs The Wellington Based Westpac Rescue Helicopter transports
two Mountain Bikers to Wellington Hospital from two different incidents this
afternoon. On the first call a 15yr old male from Lower Hutt had been mountain
biking near Ngawi Saturday 15 Jan 1930 hrs
The Wellington Based Westpac Rescue Helicopter transports two Mountain Bikers
to Wellington Hospital from two different incidents this afternoon.
On the first call a 15yr old male from Lower Hutt had been mountain biking near
Ngawi on the Waiarapa Coast when he fell of and injuring his head and neck.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter responded with a Wellington Free Ambulance
Paramedic onboard.
The Helicopter was able to land near the Local Fire Station where the patient
had been transported and was being treated by a local Fire brigade member.
The patient was transported to Wellington Hospital Emergency Department where
he is being assessed and treated for his injuries.
On the second call a 49 year old man from Lower Hut was mountain biking on a
track in QE 2 park south of Paraparaumu when he fell of coming down a hill.
The mountain biker also suffered injuries to his head and neck.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter responded with a Wellington Free Ambulance
Paramedic onboard.
On arrival the Patient was being treated by Two Wellington Free Ambulance Paramedics.
The helicopter was able to land near the Patients location in the sand dunes.
The patient was transported to Wellington Hospital Emergency Department where
he is being assessed and treated for his injuries.
ends
149. Mountain
biker airlifted with head and back injuries
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/8797347.Mountain_biker_airlifted/
2:30pm
Tuesday 18th January 2011
A MOUNTAIN biker was airlifted to hospital with head and back injuries after
coming off his bike in a popular beauty spot.
The Great North Air ambulance attended the incident in Errington Woods, near
New Marske, East Cleveland, this morning, along with
a road ambulance crew and Cleveland Search and Rescue.
The 35-year-old man, who is from the Redcar area, had been injured after being thrown
over the handlebars, after the front wheel hit a hollow.
The man, who was conscious, was given pain relief and immobilised at the scene,
before being airlifted to James Cook Hospital, in Middlesbrough.
His condition is described as stable and not life-threatening.
150.
Last
updated at 15:02, Thursday, 20 January 2011
A MOUNTAIN biker was at the centre of a dramatic rescue when she fell and
seriously injured her leg while on a ride.
IN ACTION: Rescue of cyclist Wendy English in Langdale by Langdale Ambleside
Mountain Rescue Team
Fifteen members of Langdale and Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team helped Wendy
English after she fell off her bike on a wet track in Baysbrown Woods,
Elterwater, at around 11.50am on Sunday.
The rescue team treated her and carried her from the scene into a waiting
ambulance.
Nick Owen, Langdale and Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team leader, said: Its a
fairly steep, nasty path.
As bit of a mountain biker myself, I dont think Ive ever got down there without
dabbing my foot down on the ground.
Its a technically difficult track.
Clearly they were experienced. It wasnt particularly wet, its just sometimes
you fall off and you are all right, other times you fall off and can hurt
yourself beyond all recognition. We received a message back from one of her
friends to say thanks and that it was a nasty fracture, but as yet they hadnt
been able to operate because it was badly swollen.
Well-wishers on Langdale and Ambleside Mountain Rescue Teams Facebook page
thanked the team for its efforts in helping Mrs English, who formerly worked at
Gill Cycles in Ulverston.
The rescue team was involved in the response for one-and-a-half-hours.
Last year, the team was involved in 162 rescues, helped 179 people, dealt with
six fatalities, put in 4,000 team member hours, with an average rescue duration
of three hours at a rate of three per week.
151. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4600428/First-aid-lessons-pay-off-for-riders
First aid lessons pay off for riders
CLAIRE CONNELL
Last updated 12:00 31/01/2011
Two Marlborough schoolboys are being hailed as heroes by ambulance staff for
helping their friend and brother after he was seriously injured while
mountainbiking in the Wither Hills.
Chris Davis, 13, and George Kennington, 12, had attended a St John Ambulance
first aid course and knew exactly what to do when George's brother Hugo, 9,
fell off his bike a few weeks ago.
The boys were riding along a hilly part of the Wither Hills mountainbike track,
about a kilometre from the entrance, when Hugo fell off his bike on a steep
jump.
A brake lever gashed his right leg, severing a major vein and causing him to
pass out and start vomiting.
"All I heard was screaming, and I turned around and he was walking to us
and all this blood was pouring out of his pants," George said.
Using the family cellphone the boys always carry while mountainbiking, George
called 111 and walked out to meet St John Ambulance staff while they waited for
the Summit rescue helicopter to arrive.
Meanwhile, Chris stayed with Hugo, wrapped a T-shirt around his leg to stop the
bleeding, and tried to keep him alert and keep his airway clear.
St John paramedic Jude Breeze said she was very impressed with how calm and
level-headed the boys were when ambulance crews arrived.
George and Chris' actions proved how important it was to know first aid in an
emergency, she said.
"They did all the right things because they were taught. It got them out
of a tricky situation, I think. They were the heroes of the day."
Hugo was flown to Wairau Hospital, in Blenheim, where he had surgery to repair
the vein. He is now back riding, and said the accident wouldn't stop him
mountainbiking again.
He doesn't remember much about the accident but said it was scary standing up
and seeing so much blood.
"If it was just me by myself, I don't know what would have happened."
George and Chris said they were glad they had attended a first aid course and
knew what to do, but it was still scary at the time.
152. http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/mountain-biking/146814/challenge-puts-four-hospital
Mon, 7
Feb 2011
Four Otago Peninsula Challenge participants were airlifted to Dunedin Hospital
in four separate incidents yesterday.
At 10.40am, the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter was called to transport a
30-year-old male mountain biker with neck injuries to Dunedin Hospital,
returning an hour later to airlift another mountain biker with suspected spinal
injuries.
Another patient was taken to hospital at 12.20pm suffering dehydration, and
another transported at 1.50pm with severe heat exhaustion after morning
temperatures soared to record levels.
Otago Peninsula Challenge organiser Peter Notman said he did not have the full
details of how the injuries occurred, but understood the mountain bikers were
taken to hospital as a precaution.
Participants can walk, run or ride the route.
153. http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-mountain-biker-rescued-glendora,0,5826317.story
Biker Rescued in Glendora (KTLA-TV / February 7, 2011)
KTLA
News
4:06 a.m. PST, February 8, 2011
GLENDORA -- A 22-year-old mountain biker was hospitalized after tumbling off a
steep embankment in Glendora Monday morning.
The biker fell about 300 feet into a canyon near Glendora Mountain Road at
Glendora Ridge Mountainway a few minutes after 10 o'clock, according to L.A.
County Fire officials.
He was able to use his cell phone to call for help.
The man was plucked out of the canyon by firefighters aboard a L.A. County
helicopter and took him to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena.
Rescuers say it's a miracle the man survived the fall.
"If you were to look at that cliff from our position looking back up --
how steep it was -- it's amazing that he wasn't killed instantly, paramedic
Mark Desmarteau told KTLA.
And had he not had his cell phone, he would have been trapped in the canyon for
hours or days, with life-threatening injuries.
"We would have found a dead body... absolutely," Desmarteau said.
The biker has some broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a sore neck and back, but
he is expected to make a full recovery.
Abigail Hartevelt | 12th February
2011
Any talk
of mountainbiking being banned in the Lee household is just that.
There is no way Rotorua teenager Hamish Lee is going to give up mountainbiking
despite his recent accident which left him with a broken collarbone and a
dislocated shoulder.
The accident came just several months after his father, Pastor Timothy Lee, was
left a tetraplegic from a mountainbike crash on the Exit Trail in Whakarewarewa
Forest.
Hamish was riding on the track known as the Little Red Riding Huck recently
when he went over a jump, landed on his front wheel and went over the
handlebars. Hamish asked his friend to text his mother Jenny to tell her he thought
he had broken his arm and to come and pick them up. He was taken to Lakes
Primecare and he has to wear a sling for six weeks and is keen to get back on a
mountain bike.
Despite the Lee family's bad luck on the bike trails both Hamish and Mr Lee
have not been put off mountain biking.
Mr Lee said he was initially a bit concerned about his son but that was more to
do with his son being restricted from enjoying the end of his holidays with his
friends.
Mrs Lee said some people had jokingly suggested on Facebook that the family
might want to have a rest from mountainbiking.
Mr Lee says he has been getting "pretty frustrated" as at this time
of the year he would normally be quite active.
However,
he has been enjoying being at home and has achieved one of his short-term goals
- flicking the pages of his Bible - something he managed to do for the first
time a couple of weeks ago.
He had visited a few of the city's churches over recent weeks sharing his
story.
He is looking forward to officially heading back to work next month at Rotorua
Baptist where he will job share with an associate pastor, Alby Mascheretti.
Mr Lee said he was looking forward to "working with staff and the church
team and pursuing our work in the community and preaching".
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10705962
5:30 AM
Sunday Feb 13, 2011
The Old Testament says
the sins of the father shall be visited upon the son.
But for Rotorua Baptist
church pastor Timothy Lee, it is the accident of the father that has been
visited upon his teenage son Hamish.
Last year, Pastor Lee
was left tetraplegic after a mountainbike crash on the Exit Trail in Whakarewarewa
Forest. He hit a bump, went over the handlebars, bounced off a tree and fell
down a bank.
Last month, his
15-year-old son crashed in much the same way on another of the forest's trails,
the Little Red Riding Huck.
He went over a jump,
landed on his front wheel and went over the handlebars - but he, at least,
avoided the trees and just landed hard on his shoulder.
And even as he flew
through the air, it never occurred to him that he might be injured as seriously
as his dad.
Hamish was lucky to
escape with only a broken collarbone and a dislocated shoulder - and there is
no talk in the Lee household of banning mountainbiking.
Jenny Lee, Hamish's mum,
said some people had jokingly suggested on Facebook that the family might want
to have a rest from mountainbiking - but that wouldn't happen.
Hamish plans to be back
on two wheels in next to no time, and even thinks his dad might one day cycle
again.
"If he gets out of
his wheelchair, of course he'll mountainbike again," said Hamish.
His dad, though, was not
so confident of walking or riding again.
"If I was to walk
again it would be wonderful, and only by the grace of God," he said
yesterday.
After Hamish's accident,
he asked his friend to text his mother Jenny to tell her he thought he had
broken his arm and to come and pick them up.
He was taken to Lakes
Primecare and has to wear a sling for six weeks. He expects to be out and about
again soon.
Timothy Lee, meanwhile,
says he has been getting "pretty frustrated" because at this time of
the year he would normally be quite active.
He has enjoyed being at
home and has achieved one of his short-term recovery goals - being able to
flick the pages of his Bible. The achievement was a big one for the
tetraplegic, and one he managed to do for the first time a couple of weeks ago.
He has visited several
of the city's churches in recent weeks, sharing his story.
And he is looking
forward to heading back to work next month at Rotorua Baptist Church where the
wheelchair-bound minister will job-share with an associate pastor, Alby
Mascheretti.
155. Mountain bikers turn themselves into paraplegics:
http://vimeo.com/19709069
156. "Near-Fatal" Mountain Biking
Accident
BY
JOHN-PAUL MOLONEY
02 Mar, 2011 08:16 AM
No sooner had the axe fallen on his coaching career at the ACT Brumbies, than
Andy Friend jumped on his mountain bike and headed up Red Hill.
As his mobile phone battery drained from the barrage of text messages from
journalists and friends wishing him well, Friend found his escape.
''I tend to be able to lose the train of thought, just focus on not smashing
your bike,'' Friend said.
At home later that day, Friend sat with his wife, Kerry, for a cup of tea out
the back. He was as calm and good-natured as ever, interested only that in
reports of his sacking he not come across as bitter.
Certainly he had points to make and things to disagree with, but two
experiences in two years were his reminders to keep his employment situation in
perspective.
The first was the death of player Shawn Mackay on the Brumbies 2009 tour of
South Africa. The second was Kerry's near-fatal mountain biking crash last May,
which left her in a coma for two days and from which she is still some way from
full recovery.
''This guts you. I would have loved to have seen things through. But in the
scheme of things, it's only a job,'' Friend said.
''We had with Kerry's accident last year and Macca in year one some really
tough things to go through. You realise what's important and while this job is
important, no one's injured, no one's hurt. We're all still sitting here.''
The question of Friend's future at the Brumbies has been decided. There is
none.
And as that reality sank in, he said he didn't know what, if any, coaching
roles he might pursue. His children Josh, 16, and Jackson, 14, are settled at
nearby Canberra Grammar. The idea of taking up a coaching role elsewhere that
would uproot them or separate him from his family is one that doesn't
immediately appeal.
Friend's house is just a short stroll from Brumbies HQ. He's bound to bump into
some of the players and staff whose opinion of his ability, justified or not,
have helped cost him his job.
But Friend said he would be able to deal with ''our team'' no longer including
him and wished the Brumbies success beginning with the Reds on Saturday,
although he'd be staying at home watching it on TV.
''If I'm in love with something, I'm in love with it. As soon as I'm not, I
just put it in a drawer and I don't think about it. It's all very raw and fresh
today, but I do not wish that team ill. I really don't.
''There's been a lot of people who've put a lot of effort into that team and I
sincerely wish them every success with it.''
7:00am
Saturday 12th March 2011
Mountain biker Simon Harris, 40, died three days after being found unconscious
on the Ridgeway between Hackpen and Overton hills, an inquest in Trowbridge
heard on Tuesday.
Mr Harris, an information technology administrator, was found lying by his
bicycle and broken helmet on a flinty stretch of the track by two walkers who
called for help.
By the time a paramedic arrived Mr Harris, who lived with partner Joanne Cooper
and their son in Grange Hill, Swindon, had recovered consciousness and was able
to walk.
He was taken to Great Western Hospital but had slipped back into
unconsciousness by the time he arrived. Three days later tests showed he had
suffered brain-stem death.
A post mortem showed he had suffered an arterial thrombosis.
Wiltshires assistant deputy coroner Ian Singleton concluded that his death was
an accident.
158. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110313/ARTICLES/110319781/1308/news
By JULIE
JOHNSON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 2:57 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 9:50 p.m.
A mountain biker was injured in Annadel State Park Sunday when he fell off his
bike, sending fire paramedics on a two-hour trek up muddy trails to rescue him.
Fellow bikers called 911 at about 1:15 p.m. to report that the man had lost
consciousness after a fall on the South Burma Trail, said Steve Lowe, fire
captain with Santa Rosa Fire Department's Engine Four.
A Santa Rosa fire paramedic joined a crew from the Bennett Valley Fire
Department, riding off-road vehicles up the trail, Lowe said. When the trail
became too narrow, the crew hiked about a mile further in the rain to reach the
biker.
The man, whose identity wasn't available late Sunday, was alert and talking
when they reached him but had an injured lip and a large bump on his head, Lowe
said.
A CHP helicopter crew was dispatched from Napa to help transport the man out of
the park, however after it landed in Annadel, it was grounded by a large storm
that blew in.
The crew secured the man's spine in a cervical collar and carried him back to
the off-road vehicles, Lowe said. He was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
159. http://www.ocregister.com/news/rescue-293809-forest-mission.html
Published: March 26, 2011
Updated: March 27, 2011 10:10 a.m.
By
MICHAEL MELLO
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST Orange County Fire Authority rescue crews have picked
up an injured mountain biker from a remote area in the forest.
At 2:30 p.m., a department rescue helicopter was on its way to Mission Hospital
in Mission Viejo, Capt. Greg McKeown said.
The patient was described as having "traumatic injuries." No further
details were given.
The OCFA crew found the biker nine miles up Harding Truck Trail. It's unknown
how he or she got hurt.
The Harding Truck Trail is a popular route with mountain bikers who use it to
get to Santiago Peak.
Contact the writer: 714-704-3796 or mmello@ocregister.com
http://www.ocregister.com/news/mountain-293867-biker-rescued.html
Rescued mountain
biker airlifted to hospital
By ERIKA I. RITCHIE
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
LAS FLORES A 25-year-old mountain biker
was rescued by helicopter near the Tijeras Creek Trail, fire officials said.
Fifteen firefighters and paramedics
trekked into the area of the trail and rescued a mountain biker at 5:46 p.m. on
Sunday after he had fallen from his bike and suffered head trauma, Orange
County Fire Authority Capt. Greg McKeown said.
A helicopter was used to hoist the man out
and he was transported to Mission Hospital, McKeown said.
No other details were released.
Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com
9:19am
Tuesday 29th March 2011
A
MOUNTAIN biker was airlifted to hospital after suffering suspected broken ribs
on trails near Bacup.
Mountain rescue volunteers, paramedics and the North West Air Ambulance were
alerted to the incident at Lee Quarry, near Futures Park, around 1.50pm on
Sunday.
The rider, aged 43, who has not been named, had injured his chest and arms on
one of the Adrenaline Gateway courses.
Graham Dally, of the Rossendale and Pendle mountain rescue team, said half a
dozen volunteers were scrambled to the scene within 10 minutes by pager.
We were contacted by the air ambulance and our members attended to give the
stretcher a lift to the ambulance, waiting nearby, he said.
Luckily we were at Peel Tower, near Ramsbottom, and most people were able to
get there quite quickly.
Jane Rotherham, North West Air Ambulance spokesman, said para-medics had been
treating the casualty at the scene when a crew arrived.
The man was transferred for treatment to the Royal Blackburn Hospital within
seven minutes, she added.
The incident is the second in a fortnight at the quarry, which attracts riders
from all over the North West.
It has around 8km of tough technical mountain bike trails comprising rock
gardens, drop-offs, tabletop jumps and challenging climbs.
Emergency crews were called to the same site on March 16, when a rider suffered
injuries to his face and arm, just before 6pm.
But he was able to walk to a waiting ambulance for treatment.
161. http://www.ocregister.com/news/biker-295770-mountain-rescue.html
By
CLAUDIA KOERNER AND CLAIRE WEBB
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
LADERA RANCH A mountain biker was seriously injured in an accident Sunday
morning and was rescued by helicopter, according to fire officials.
Orange County Fire Authority received word around 10:15 a.m. of the accident on
a trail near Crown Valley and Antonio parkways. The biker, a 59-year-old man,
suffered a head injury and possibly a back injury, Capt. Greg McKeown said.
The man was transported to Mission Hospital for treatment.
Contact the writer: ckoerner@ocregister.com or 949-454-7309
162. http://www.yorkdispatch.com/news/ci_17849257
GREG
GROSS - The York Dispatch
Updated: 04/15/2011 10:21:25 AM EDT
Emergency crews rescued a mountain biker after he fell down a roughly 100-foot
embankment and into a creek near Lake Redman in York Township Thursday.
Brian Bastinelli, deputy fire chief of York Township's Goodwill No. 1, said
rescuers had to carry the bicyclist about a quarter-mile to a fire truck that
took him to a waiting ambulance.
"It was a slow process getting him out," Bastinelli said.
The bicyclist was taken to a local hospital for a leg injury. He suffered a
broken leg, according to 911 radio transmissions.
He was riding on Trail 7 in William Kain County Park when he hit some rocks and
fell down the embankment about 3 p.m., Bastinelli said.
The bicyclist had a cell phone with him and called 911, telling dispatchers he
was near an Interstate 83 bridge over a creek.
With two bridges over creeks in the area, crews went to the wrong one first
before finding the correct one, Bastinelli said.
Bastinelli said the bicyclist did the right thing and told someone where he was
going and carried a cell phone with him. If he hadn't had the cell phone, it
could have been a long time before he was rescued, Bastinelli said.
163. http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/04/17/308791_gold-coast-news.html
Anne-Louise
Brown | April 17th, 2011
THE Gold Coast's RACQ CareFlight rescue helicopter today airlifted a man
injured in a mountain bike accident to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital.
The accident happened near Beaudesert about noon.
CareFlight air crewman Ben Trollope said the man sustained suspected spinal
injuries.
''He's come off his mountain bike during a competition so we have landed in an
open area near the mountain bike track to stabilise and treat the patient,'' Mr
Trollope said.
The man is in a stable condition.
164. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/apr/22/sd-fire-helicopter-crew-rescues-injured-biker/
By Susan Shroder
Friday, April 22, 2011 at 6:42 p.m.
John Blankfort
A 44-year-old man is airlifted from the scene of a mountain bike crash at
Mission Trails Regional Park on Friday by the crew of a San Diego Fire-Rescue
Department hellicopter.
A 44-year-old man riding a mountain bike in Mission Trails Regional Park was injured Friday
afternoon and airlifted to a hospital by a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department helicopter crew.
Authorities received a call for help about 4:10 p.m.
The man had been riding on a trail east of Tierrasanta when the bike hit a berm
and he fell off and hit his head, said Maurice Luque,
department spokesman. He also suffered numerous abrasions.
It was determined that he needed to get a hospital right away, although the
injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Luque said.
The man was conscious when paramedics arrived.
susan.shroder@uniontrib.com (619) 293-1876
165. http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_17933096
Lori Consalvo, Staff Writer
Created: 04/26/2011 05:06:29 PM PDT
A 16-year-old boy was airlifted Tuesday after he fell oof his mountain bike
while on a steep, rocky trail in Claremont.
Los Angeles County firefighters received a call about the injured teen about
10:55 a.m., Inspector Quvondo Johnson said. The boy was found at 872 Highpoint
Dr., near Johnson's Pasture and the Highpoint Condominiums.
Officials said the boy was riding bikes with friends behind his house. At one
point, he rode down a 50 foot embankment and fell.
The teen, who had major injuries, was flown to a local hospital about an hour
later.
9:00pm
Tuesday 26th April 2011
WALKERS have been told to take more care after a series of call-outs for
mountain rescue teams over the Easter weekend.
There were dozens of incidents in the hills surrounding East Lancashire,
including falls from climbers, walkers and mountain bikers.
Paul Durham, from the Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue team, said: We were kept
on our toes over the Easter break.
Despite asking fell walkers and ramblers to take extra precautions on the lead
up to the long weekend the team were scrambled several times.
At lunchtime on Good Friday the team was paged by the ambulance service to two
incidents within a 10-minute window.
Firstly to a fallen female walker near to White Coppice Chorley with a reported
fractured ankle.
Secondly a report of a mountain biker with head and chest injuries was reported
in the Gisburn Forest area of the Ribble Valley near Slaidburn.
Other incidents saw the team scrambled again on Easter Sunday to assist with
the evacuation of an injured woman with leg injuries from Beacon Fell in the
Ribble Valley.
The Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team has also been called into action
a number of times in the last fortnight.
In the first week of the Easter holidays the team attended Pendle Hill to
assist the North West Air Ambulance locate a crashed paraglider.
They were called back to the hill on Tuesday April 19 to help with another
crashed paraglider.
And shortly after midday on Good Friday, the volunteers helped tend to a
37-year-old woman who hurt her leg while out walking on the hill.
Over the Easter holidays the team has also assisted fallen mountain bikers and
walkers at Lee Quarry, Rossendale, and Holcombe Hill, near Ramsbottom.
5:51pm Thursday 28th April 2011
A professional mountain biker suffered serious injuries after surviving a
40-foot fall off a cliff while filming for a video.
Chris Akrigg, of Keighley, shattered his leg and broke his arm
after plummeting down Earl Crag, a large grit stone outcrop near Cowling, Keighley.
The 33-year-old, a six-times National Bike Trial Champion, was filming his
latest video at the time of the accident.
He has previously shot films of himself taking on some of the worlds toughest
mountain-biking terrain.
168. http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/life-flight-trust-responds-injured-mountain-biker/5/88991
Sunday, 1 May, 2011 - 18:14
At 1220 this afternoon the Life Flight Trust responded to Maupuia Park,
Miramar, where a woman had come off her mountain bike and collided with a
tree.. Life Flight responded with a Wellington Free Paramedic on board the
Westpac Rescue Helicopter. The patient, a 28 year old Wellington woman, was
riding down a steep incline when she lost control of her bike, impacting head
first with a tree. Wellington Free Ambulance road paramedics had already
reached the scene of the accident and requested the assistance of the helicopter
due to the steep and bush clad terrain.
The helicopter paramedic was winched down to the patient along with a special
winch stretcher. Paramedics stabilized the patient who was then placed on to
the stretcher and winched up to the helicopter.
The patient was flown to Wellington Hospital Emergency Department where she is
being further assessed and treated for hers injuries which are believed to
include a possible fractured nose.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was on display at the Life Flight Open Day when
the emergency call out occurred.
Approximately 5,000 people attended the Open Day to see demonstrations and
displays from the Life Flight crew and eight other emergency services. More
than $14,000 in donations was raised at the event to help keep Life Flight's
air ambulance and Westpac Rescue Helicopter service operational.
Published:
Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 5:21 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 5:21 p.m.
A Windsor cyclist who was seriously injured a month ago as he rode through the
Willow Creek Preserve near Duncans Mills has died, Sonoma County coroner's
officials said.
Coroner's staff on Thursday identified the man as Jose Rayos, 49, of Windsor.
He died April 29 at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, officials said.
Rayos was cycling though the preserve on April 9 when he was injured.
Following reports of a mountain biker down, Henry One was dispatched to the
area just before 3 p.m. to search for Rayos in the 3,373-acre state park,
Sheriff's Sgt. Dave Thompson said.
The crew located the fallen cyclist among a stand of 150-foot trees and Chief
Pilot Paul Bradley lowered a rescuer on a 200-foot line to get him, said
Thompson. The REACH medical helicopter crew took him to Santa Rosa Memorial
Hospital.
- Julie Johnson
170. Date: Fri, 06 May 2011 20:56:14 -0700
Subject: Mtbers playing Russian roulette and losing
While the mountain bikers continue to slag me with pure venom, in two days we
have seen two serious injuries out of mountain biking and one near tragedy with
lost mountain biking kids on the mountain. So six teens in all, and one adult
(the irony of it all is that I am getting a mess of cyber bullying coming out
of the nsmb.com that is rightly making me wonder for my safety... let the
mountain bikers do it to themselves. They are like a bunch of rabid hyenas into
the kill and getting crazier every day. And nobody seems to care or is
listening.)
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Ranchstyle-Best-Trick-tomorrow-on-Pinkbike.html
Daire
(12 hours ago)
apparently some kid has broken his back there trying to pull a backflip,
he is in a very bad condition too.
http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=141810
Canadian injured at Ranchstyle?
Just saw this email from James Wilson today. Saw brief mention over at Pinkbike
as well:
Quote:
Yesterday at practice for Ranchstyle we had a kid from Canada try a backflip
out of a step-down feature, under rotate and crashed hard. He is still out and
we don't know if he's going to pull through or what type of damage is going to
be there if he wakes up. It was a sobering reminder of just how dangerous our
sport is and how grateful we should be every time we are able to come home
after a ride and kiss our loved ones.
This weekend is Mother's Day and we should all give her a big hug and thank her
for putting up with all the crap we've put her through. You should also give
your wife, husband, kids or whoever else relies on you a call and tell them you
love them you never know when you'ree time is up and you won't get that chance
again.
Then I saw the thread about Darren Berrecloth and his fractured vertebrae.
Haven't been able to find out who was hurt, or where he's from. Can only hope
he pulls thru.
Like James says: give your mom a hug. Anyone reading this forum has likely
given both parents reason to have sleepless nights. And for us older riders:
spouses, kids, significant others ...
and
http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=141765
Bearclaw injured (merged)
Via Twitter @darenberrecloth
"Broke three vertibrae today on a front flip in my yard spinal cord is 100
percent. Faaaak yfrog.com/h2jiodzj"
Healing vibes
171. http://www.canada.com/Mountain+biker+injured+Kamloops+mishap/4743550/story.html
By
Walter Cordery, Daily News May 7, 2011
Nanaimo's Peter Isherwood is laying [sic] in a Vancouver hospital bed fighting
to keep the use of his arms and legs, following a recent mountain-biking
accident week in Kamloops.
It was not the celebration he had planned for his 34th birthday.
Isherwood has been riding downhill for years and is considered "very
good," said his friend Brett Bickerton.
"He's been biking his whole life and this was just a freak accident that
happened after he was airborne, like he has been hundreds of times
before," said Bickerton. "Unfortunately, when he landed the
steer-tube broke."
Steer-tubes are forks that hold the front wheel in place on the bicycle. They
collapsed and Isherwood went over his handlebars.
"Pete held on because he didn't anticipate a crash due to the fact that he
had landed the bike correctly," said Bickerton.
"He went forward and hit the ground with his head and flipped. He couldn't
move or feel anything at first."
Isherwood was rushed to hospital in Kamloops and then sent to Vancouver General
Hospital. He could feel tingling in his arms and some pressure on his toes,
said Bickerton.
"He not only broke his neck and suffered spinal cord damage, but there
were other complications," Isherwood's common-law wife, Tamara Jayne
Bickerton, said in an e-mail to the Daily News.
"He had an uncommon allergic reaction to the CT scan dye and his throat
closed up. They had to perform an emergency tracheostomy. There was a scare of
hypoxic brain damage because he was without adequate oxygen for five to 10
minutes."
Surgeons fused two vertebrae, C5 and C6, in his neck with a piece of his hip
bone and a metal plate.
"It worked beautifully and his neck is stable enough without a brace or
halo; however, that is only from the bone perspective, there has still been
damage to the spinal cord itself," said Tamara Jayne.
"At this point he may be a quadriplegic or perhaps he will walk again. Only
time will tell and we will simply work with what we have each day."
"He does seem to be improving somewhat," said Brett Bickerton.
"It seems to me that he has regained some muscle control over his limbs.
"I'm very happy because he has the exact type of personality that somebody
needs to remain positive."
WCordery@nanaimodailynews.com
Published
at 17:47, Friday, 06 May 2011
A cyclist has been seriously injured in a high-speed mountain bike crash at
Whinlatter Forest Park.
Andrew Southwell, 40, from Maryport, suffered serious head and neck injuries
when he came off his bike while riding with friends on Tuesday evening.
The North West Ambulance Service and Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were called
to the scene just before 8.20pm and a paramedic and the rescue team doctor
helped stabilise Mr Southwell.
Search dog handlers helped splint Mr Southwell and take him to the mountain
rescue team ambulance.
He was picked up by an RAF helicopter at around 9.45pm and flown to the Royal
Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. His condition was described as serious but
stable.
173. http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/ff00e8fa68d7499d80b530e306a40011/CO--Mountain-Biker-Killed/
The Durango Herald reported that Steven Ludemann, 66, died while riding the
popular Phil's World trail system east of Cortez.
Lt. Detective Ted Meador with the Montezuma County Sheriff's Office says Ludemann
was an avid mountain biker. He said the cause of the accident was unknown.
Meador said the accident took place on a steep dip on the trail. The coroner
conducted an autopsy Tuesday afternoon and said the cause of death was serious
injury to the spinal cord. Ludemann was wearing a helmet.
Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com
A
MOUNTAIN biker has today told how his helmet saved his life after he hit a tree
at speed in a horrific crash.
Mark Preston, 41, of Coronation Street, Carlin How, is recovering at home after
his serious crash at Guisborough Woods, above Hutton Village.
He sustained a suspected badly broken nose, severe swelling and cuts to his
face and whiplash to his neck.
The crash happened at about 8pm on Tuesday when Mark was plummeting down a
fast, downhill section with fellow members of Guisborough Mountain Bike Club.
He said: Fortunately, the helmet took a lot of the force of the crash and split
in two at the front.
It probably saved my life, or saved me from more serious injury. I would like
to stress the importance of always wearing a helmet which some young riders
dont always do.
He praised members of Cleveland Search and Rescue Team, who used a 4x4 vehicle
to get him out of the woods to a waiting ambulance.
He also thanked paramedics and staff at Middlesbroughs James Cook University
Hospital, who treated him.
Single man Mark, a Tesco warehouseman at Teesport, said: Im a keen mountain
biker and have been going to Hutton Woods for 25 years, with no bother at all
just a few little scrapes.
I always wear a helmet. We go out in a group on Tuesday and Thursday evenings
at Hutton village.
We all wear helmets and some wear knee and elbow pads too.
I was in the middle of the pack and going down a fast trail when I think my
handlebar caught a tree near the bottom.
I came off and knocked myself out. Everybody stopped and gathered round me and
there was blood all over the place. It took me a few minutes to come round.
The next thing I remember I was sitting up, but everyone was very concerned.
The paramedics later checked my legs, which were covered in blood, but they
were OK.
Im off work for a few days while I recover. But it wont put me off mountain
biking. Its just one of those things and the nature of the sport.
The CSR team and all the emergency services were very prompt and Im also very
grateful for the kindness of the hospital staff.
Marks bike came off better than he did. Its damaged with the brake levers bent,
but its not too bad, he said.
Now Ill get a new helmet and when Im better carry on, wearing that!
A total of 23 members of Cleveland Search and Rescue Team attended the call and
the casualty was on his way to accident and emergency at James Cook just over
an hour after the team was called.
Barry Warrington, spokesman for the team, said: This was a serious incident and
the man was in considerable pain.
Fortunately, he was wearing a helmet which, although it was damaged in the
accident, could have been much worse if he had not been wearing one.
175. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/9042319.Mountain_biker_tells_how_he_survived_cliff_fall/
9:05am
Monday 23rd May 2011
A champion mountain biker who survived a 40ft cliff plunge while filming his
latest video spoke today about the horrific incident and his slow road to
recovery.
Chris Akrigg, of Keighley, spoke out after an accident in which
earth gave way beneath his bike wheels, causing him to fall from Earl Crag, a
large grit stone outcrop near Cowling, Keighley.
The six-times National Bike Trial Champion had been re-visiting his favourite
mountain biking terrain in Yorkshire, when the accident happened.
The 33-year-old told the Telegraph & Argus: I was just using the cliff as a
backdrop, because it is a really nice location.
I was riding on the top ready to do something that was not even that scary or
risky it just happened that it went badly wrong.
I was getting up some speed and, when I landed, the grass gave way and I went
off a rather large cliff.
The fall sparked a large rescue operation which included paramedics and an
18-strong mountain rescue team.
In a lengthy operation, surgeons at Airedale General Hospital in Steeton, near Keighley, inserted a metal rod
into the top of his pelvis, with pins holding together the shattered bone in
his thigh.
He also suffered tissue damage because of the impact of the fall and still has
his leg in plaster.
Doctors
said Lucas Rowton would not fully recover from a bike accident. He proved them
wrong.
By Lisa Dupuy
Lucas Rowton is ranked 4th in Southern California in the National
Interscholastic High School Cycling Association.
177. http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/122541978.html
By Jenn McGarrigle - Nanaimo News Bulletin
Published: May 30, 2011 8:00 AM
Friends of a Nanaimo mountain biker who broke his neck while riding trails in
Kamloops recently are planning a fundraiser to help him out.
Peter Isherwood, 34, is recovering from his injuries in the G.F. Strong
Rehabilitation Centre in Vancouver, where he is fighting to regain mobility in
his arms and legs.
His rehabilitation will likely take at least six months or longer and his
friends and family hope to raise enough money to ensure Isherwood does not
worry about finances while he recovers. His common-law partner, T.J. Bickerton,
has moved to Vancouver to be with him throughout the rehabilitation process.
A fundraising dinner takes place at Simonholt Food and Drink on Applecross Road
on Wednesday June 8 starting at 5 p.m.
There will be a silent auction, with everything from a $3,300 bike to CDs, and
two dinner options: a beer and burger for $30 or steak and wine for $50.
For more information, please go to the What's Happening With Pete Facebook
page.
A donation account has also been set up for Isherwood through TD Canada Trust,
account #9228-6325326.
178. http://www.wfsb.com/news/28075635/detail.html
POSTED:
7:38 pm EDT May 30, 2011
MANCHESTER, Conn. -- Crews from Manchester and Glastonbury rescued a
biker off of Case Mountain Monday evening.
Officials said the mountain biker got stuck and used his cell phone to call
police. Police had the biker leave his cell phone on so they could use the it
to help them locate his position.
Rescue crews were able to locate the biker and get him off the mountain shortly
after 6 p.m.
Officials said the biker was taken to Manchester Hospital for treatment, and he
was expected to be ok.
179. http://www.kare11.com/news/article/925057/391/Search-underway-for-missing-Coon-Rapids-man
Peter
Beatty
COON RAPIDS, Minn. -- A a missing Coon Rapids man is safe at home after being
the subject of a weekend police search.
Coon Rapids Police say 49-year-old Peter Beatty returned home Tuesday
morning after being reported missing by his family. They say no foul play was
involved in his disappearance.
Authorities had asked for the public's help in locating Beatty after he left
his home on a purple mountain bike Sunday morning and has not been seen or
heard from since. It was believed he may have been heading across the
Coon Rapids Dam along the bike trail to the Elm Creek Park Reserve.
The concern was that Beatty has a seizure disorder and needs his medication,
which he did not take with him
180. http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/interior-news/news/122839064.html
By Staff Writer - Smithers Interior News
Published: May 30, 2011 9:00 PM
On May 22, at approximately 3 p.m., RCMP were notified of two males who had
become lost while mountain biking on Hudson Bay Mountain.
One of the males was carrying his cell phone and was able to contact a family
member via text messaging who in turn contacted the police.
The males were wet and cold due to the heavy rain fall and temperatures at the
time.
Police were able to communicate with the males via text messaging and gathered
information regarding their surroundings. It was learned that the males were
trapped in a deep ravine near a waterfall and were unable to get back out due
to snow levels, fallen trees and weather conditions.
Both males were advised to remain in the ravine until rescue crews could
attend.
Bulkley Valley Search and Rescue was called in and readily attended the area.
Information regarding the males surrounding was provided to the SAR members who
immediately knew the area and the general location of the males.
Approximately one hour after arrival on scene SAR members located both males in
the ravine and quickly removed them. Both males were cold and wet due to
exposure to the elements however neither male required medical attention. The
bikers advised they have become disoriented following a minor injury which was
compounded by the current snow pack which remains on the closed mountain biking
trails in the area. The snow pack hampered travel forcing the bikers to
re-route their descent resulting in both becoming lost.
181. Mountain biking called a
"contact sport"
Here is
a great article (following) about how dangerous mountain biking is. People really
need to read this article. Really read it for its truthful content about
common mountain biking injuries, and think twice about whether to send
their little rugrats to mountain bike camp this summer. Sadly, there is a
mountain bike fest this weekend after a week of heavy rains (June 3-5):
http://blog.mec.ca/events/mec-bikefest/mec-bikefest-north-vancouver/
partnering together with the NSMBA's "Return of the Ripper"
event the same time:
http://www.northshorebikefest.com/
Double the insanity! This is what happens when you have a "mountain bike
loving" Mayor and Council.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You have to realize this (mtbing) is a contact sport..." (with
rocks, roots, trees...maybe..?)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/northshoreoutlook/sports/122966033.html
North
Van's Jaclyn Delacroix at her favourite shop, Different Bikes.Delacroix, a
personal trainer, broke her ribs and suffered a collapsed lung after falling
from her mountain bike last year. Still an avid mountain biker, Delacroix
says those interested in riding should invest in a quality bike before tackling
any of the North Shore's trails.
Sean Kolenko photo
By Sean Kolenko - North Shore Outlook
Published: June 01, 2011 12:00
PM
Updated: June 01, 2011 12:39 PM
North Vancouver’s
Jaclyn Delacroix considers herself one part mountain lover and one part thrill
seeker. So, she says, learning to mountain bike was something she "just
had to do.”
A self-proclaimed
"quick study,” Delacroix had a friend who was willing to show her the
ropes, and she took to the sport right away. But while out riding on Cypress
Mountain about a year ago, Delacroix came face to face with a formidable
opponent: a jump.
It was jump not unlike
the multitude of jumps she had conquered in the past. But this time, Delacroix
came down a bit too "nose heavy” and was thrown from her bike. There
was a nasty rock in the landing zone and she landed against it, shattering her
ribs and collapsing her lung. She managed to get up and let out a "yes,”
signalling to her friends she was conscious, before falling back down.
"I think a lot more
now. I think I was a little reckless before,” says Delacroix.
"But the way I
injured myself wasn’t too common. I have friends who have never sustained
injuries doing the same thing. It’s all about how far you push yourself and
knowing when to walk away. About 95 per cent of mountain biking is pretty
safe.”
June is Bike Month in
B.C. and this year’s theme is bike safety. While the province-wide initiative
encompasses all forms of cycling, mountain biking holds a prominent place in
North Shore bike culture.
Those looking to get
into the sport, says Mark Wood, need to understand a few basic rules before
heading on to the trails. Wood, the trail adoption plan director for the North
Shore Mountain Bike Association, says the first step for seasoned and aspiring
mountain bikers is the proper safety equipment elbow pads, knee pads and
helmets as welwell as a yearly bike tune-up.
"You should take
your bike into a shop, ensure it is in good condition,” says Wood.
"You should have
the tightness of bolts tested, have the frame inspected for cracks and
failures,” says Wood.
When purchasing a bike,
adds Wood, it is important to ensure one’s desired bike is adequate for the
trails on the North Shore. Such a focus may result in a more expensive bike
purchase, but Wood says the majority of local trails aren’t easy and if one
considers only their budget it could "get them in trouble.”
For the novice rider,
Wood recommends starting off on the District of North Vancouver-sanctioned
Bobsled Trail. Opened last year, the 900-metre trail is geared toward beginner
and intermediate bikers. For those looking for something a little more challenging,
Wood says the Bridal Path trail offers an adequate step up for those becoming
more comfortable in the North Shore mountains.
"The Bobsled is a
great beginner trail and the Bridal Path can get a bit more tricky,” says
Wood.
"And either way,
you get to experience something you don’t always get to experience in your
day to day. You’re getting healthy and fit and having fun with friends.”
But as Delacroix is a
testament to, wheeled fun in the mountains may lead to injury. Physiotherapist
and avid mountain biker Derrick Kyle grew up riding local trails and says a
regular injury sustained on North Shore trails is fractured collarbones.
Because North Shore
trails are more terrain-based and less geared to higher jumps like the bike
park in Whistler, Kyle says local riders tend to go over the handlebars and
land on their shoulders; Whistler bikers tend to sustain neck injuries
because of the higher elevations they often fall from.
At the beginning of each
bike season, regardless of one’s experience, Kyle says every rider needs to
start at "square one.”
"You have to be
aware of your ability level and build yourself up methodically,” says Kyle.
"But you have to
build your base over and over again and prove to yourself you have the ability
you showed the season before.”
Recovery time, adds
Kyle, is always injury specific. A soft tissue injury muscle or tendon
issues, for example can put a rideider on the shelf for six to eight weeks
while a dislocated shoulder could be season-ending.
Kyle, like the NSMBA’s
Wood, is a strong proponent of proper safety equipment, but warns against
parents buying their kids equipment "to grow into.” For instance, Kyle
says properly fitting helmets are of the utmost importance because oversized
helmets can promote injuries. A rider’s head, Kyle adds, can move around
inside the helmet and result in an injury.
"You have to
realize this is a contact sport and outfit your kid appropriately,” says
Kyle.
"You have to expect
to fall and dress appropriately. This is not a cheap entry sport for kids.”
skolenko@northshoreoutlook.com
twitter.com/seankolenko
182. http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1616747
Japanese tourist dies in bike crash in Bolivia
Associated Press
2011-06-02 11:39 PM
A Japanese tourist died in Bolivia when he rode his bicycle off a cliff on a
dangerous mountain path known as the Highway of Death.
Police say that 32-year-old Naomi Kanamura died Tuesday. Police Chief Hernan
Rodriguez says Kanamura was moving very fast on a steep, gravelly grade of the
road when his bicycle went over the side.
Rodriguez said Thursday that Kanamura received a deep cut in his head.
The narrow, mostly dirt highway east of the capital of La Paz draws thousands
of thrill-seeking mountain bikers from around the world. The route drops 11,800
feet (3,600 meters) over 40 miles (65 kilometers). More than a dozen cyclists
have died on the road in the past decade.
183. http://www.ktvz.com/news/28134218/detail.html
By Barney Lerten, KTVZ.COM
POSTED: 8:58 pm PDT June 4, 2011
UPDATED: 1:52 pm PDT June 5, 2011
BEND, Ore. -- Central Oregons warmest weekend in a while prompted many
to head outdoors to play Saturday -- and as often happens, that also meant a
busy day for Deschutes County Sheriffs Search and Rescue crews, called to an
injury mountain bike crash west of town and a critical-injury motorcycle crash
25 miles to the east.
Around 12:20 p.m., 911 dispatchers got a call from someone reporting that
Robert Denouden, 46, of Eugene, had crashed his mountain bike while riding on
Kents Trail west of Bend, said sheriffs Deputy Mike Biondi, SAR operations
manager.
The caller said Denouden had injured his hip and shoulder, and was down trail,
about 3/4 of a mile from the intersection with Forest Road 4610, Biondi said.
Two deputies, a Forest Service officer and three SAR members (two of them EMTs)
responded to the location, the deputy said. Denouden was treated at the scene
and taken by ATV to the 4610 road, where he was met by friends, according to
Biondi.
Then, around 1:40 p.m., 911 dispatchers got a cell phone call from a man
reporting a motorcycle crash on the 70 trail near the Ground Hog OHV
(off-highway vehicle) play area, about 25 miles east of Bend, Biondi said.
Due to poor cell phone reception, dispatchers had difficulty getting the
patients information and the exact location of the crash, he said.
Two deputies on OHV patrol responded to the area and located Phillip Miller,
56, of Forest Grove about 1 1/2 miles south of the Ground Hog OHV play area,
Biondi said.
The deputy and SAR personnel who were on the mountain bike crash also responded
to the location, along with two more SAR medics, Biondi said.
Miller was stabilized at the scene and taken by ATV and ambu-sled 1 1/2 miles
to the Ground Hog quarry, Biondi said.
Miller then was flown by AirLink helicopter to St. Charles
Medical Center-Bend, where a nursing supervisor said he was in critical
condition Saturday night but had improved to serious condition Sunday.
PrintEmail
184. http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/477cd79d944549c9b8d85136ca29514a/CO--Biker-Injured/
BOULDER,
Colo. A mountain biker from the United Kingdom has injured his leg after
falling while mountain biking in Colorado.
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 59-year-old Victor
Parr of Manchester. He was taken to Boulder Community Hospital on Sunday.
The sheriff's office says Parr was more than a mile down the Betasso Preserve
County open space when the accident occurred.
185. http://www.kboi2.com/news/local/123596714.html
By KBOI
Web Staff
Emergency crews were dispatched to the Boise foothills near Bogus Basin Rd
Thursday night for a report of an injured person.
BOISE, Idaho - Emergency crews were dispatched to the Boise foothills near
Bogus Basin Road Thursday night for a report of an injured person.
The Ada County Sheriff's Office says a mountain biker in his 20s was riding
with three other people when he fell behind the others and crashed about 3 or 4
miles from Bogus Basin Road.
His injuries were too serious to continue riding. A short time later, a doctor
who just happened to be riding on the same trail found the injured man and
called 911.
Emergency crews from the Ada County Sheriff's Office, Boise Police, and the
Boise Fire Department were dispatched to the scene.
The three people who were riding with the injured man reached the end of the
trail and waited for him. They realized something was wrong when he didn't show
up and rode back to his location.
However, because the area in which the rider crashed was remote, an air
ambulance was sent to recover the injured man and fly him to the hospital.
The rider was wearing a helmet when he crashed. The extent of his injuries are
not known.
186. http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/ferniefreepress/news/123469484.html
By Megan Cole - The Free Press
Published: June 10, 2011 10:00 AM
Rumours were flying around town after search and rescue, conservation
officers, paramedics and the RCMP responded to a potential bear attack on
Monday afternoon.
The initial call was that three individuals were attacked by a bear, said
Const. Sheena Fulton of the Elk Valley RCMP.
Fulton said that what had actually happened was that a local man in his 20s had
hit a low hanging tree branch while mountain biking on the Old Stumpy trail in
Ridgemont, Fernie, and fell off his bike.
We suspect that there was a group of people biking together and someone ahead
heard the scream when the biker fell and suspected that there had been a bear
attack, said Fulton.
The incident really took on a life of its own, said Simon Piney of Fernie
Search and Rescue.
Piney said that because of the initial call conservation officers had to be
sent in to the area before ambulance attendants and members of search and
rescue could go in.
Once the conservation officers determined that there was no threat, paramedics
were able to go in and attend to the man, he said.
Piney said that the man had sped into the low hanging branch and was showing
signs of a potential spinal injury.
Ambulance attendants stabilized the man and members of search and rescue
packaged him so that they could take him out of the area.
The man was taken to the Elk Valley Hospital. His injuries are not yet known.
Piney said that there were two other incidents in the area yesterday, including
a woman who broke her ankle while hiking.
Piney is reminding mountain bikers and hikers that if they are injured in the
backcountry, the fastest way to get help is to call 911.
When you reach dispatch, be clear that its in the backcountry and request
search and rescue, he said. A lot of people waste time trying to find our
number and we can only be sent out by the RCMP."
187. Its tough being a girl downhiller
Richard
Winton
10 Jun 2011
IT cant be easy trying to be feminine while picking bits of gravel out of
your face. The observation sparks a snort of laughter from Bex Reilly, followed
by a pause as the 19-year-old ponders the difficulty of the situation in which
she finds herself.
As a mountain biker, she has had her share of disfigurements; agonising
tendinitis in her knees, strained ligaments in one of those joints, an
over-rotation of a shoulder that left it an inch lower than it should have been
and so many haematomas that she has given up keeping count.
Indeed, just last week she was rushed to hospital with a broken wrist and
suspected broken leg after losing control of her bike on a run at Glencoe and
falling almost two-and-a-half metres, clattering though a small canyon of
rocks. Safe to say touching up her make-up was not Reillys primary concern.
Yet for all that, the Galloway teenager cites track sprinter Victoria Pendleton
and skeleton racer Amy Williams as inspirations, their ability to retain their
womanliness amid brutal sporting environments something she yearns to
replicate.
Youll be at a race with 300 guys and 10 girls and sometimes you are
considered one of the guys, which is fine, but Im a girl, she protests. I
was always sort of a tomboy but as Ive got older its changed. Ive become
more confident because of cycling and now I like to get dressed up and wear
make-up and that can be lost because its all muddy but its important to try
to stay feminine because Im a girl and its who I am.
"You
learn from every crash how to fall and react and you have to accept it will
happen"
And, as
a girl, Reilly fiercely defends her right to cry. Lying amid the rocks and dirt
at Glencoe after crashing in the third round of the British National Series,
experience told her she had not broken a leg but the pain and swelling
suggested her wrist was fractured.
As she was stretchered into an ambulance, fears about missing last weekends
UCI World Cup event at Fort William swirling around her mind, she maintained
her composure but admits bursting into tears when the diagnosis was delivered.
Reilly describes the incident as a big scare but her fear is not entirely
founded on the physical discomfort. She is hurting, too, that the incident
prevented her from making the cup at Fort William, finishing 33rd in an event
in which she probably should not have ridden given the wrist injury and massive
haematoma on her leg.
Id put so much into that one race and to mess it up the weekend before was
gutting, she admits. You know youre going to get a bad one eventually and I
remember my first major crash; I caught a pedal on a rock, went through a wall
and flipped about 15m just missing an oak tree. I just treated it as part of
the sport but it was the start of me realising just how painful and brutal the
sport can be. You learn from every crash how to fall and react and you have
to accept that it will happen or you would be too scared to race.
That might have been one of her earliest lessons, but Reillys education is
still ongoing. With this her first season as an elite rider and member of the
British downhill squad, she has been exposed to a whole new level of
competition but is thriving on the challenge of continuing what has already
been a rapid ascent since she first raced in 2008.
Having always ridden as a child my Barbie bike when I was six was my
favourite she and a couplle of friends from the village of Auchencairn
attended cross-country skills days run by Reillys father but decided downhill
was more glamorous. Exhilarated by the speed and danger, Reilly rode
recreationally for 18 months before being talent-spotted by the national coach
and welcomed into the youth development programme and rising through the ranks
from there.
I remember the first time I went on a downhill bike with the full-face helmet,
goggles, she says. I had so much fun even though it was only a couple of
minutes and that fun is still there now even though Im riding competitively
and have to try to balance the budget.
As a student, money is never far from her mind. Indeed, Reilly has had to
abandon plans to compete in tomorrows UCI World Cup event in Austria because
injury to one of her team-mates makes her subsequently increased share of the
petrol money flyying is too expensive prohibitive. Instead, she will be in
Dunkeldd for a Scottish Series race and preserving her pennies for trips later
this summer to France and Italy.
Were it not a bursary from the University of Strathclyde, Reilly admits she
would have been unable to continue competing, but instead she is able to
continue her studies in product design as a distraction from the intensity of
training and racing.
With only three or four girls on the course, she finds herself in a familiar
position but if downhill cycling is unable to impinge on her quest for
femininity it is unlikely that an engineering degree will be able to
manufacture any insurmountable barriers.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/other-sports-news/it-s-tough-being-a-girl-downhiller-1.1106130
[There
is seriously something psychologically wrong with this girl, and many who
continue to pursue mountain biking incurring such severe injuries. She is
young, right now, but all her injuries will be catching up to her when she
becomes a bit older, in the form of arthritis, among other debilitating medical
problems. Sadly, this daft young woman will be a "very old woman"
before her time.]
188. Traumatic Brain Injury Caused by Mountain Biking
From:
kbfalken@aol.com
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:34:26 -0400
Subject: Preachers and helmets
Len, in response to your comment, want to be clear I'm just providing some
information (happened to read it last night, in fact). I, too, have ridden up
the fireroad to preston without a helmet, and don't consider that to be very
risky - personal call. And I find unsolicited (sanctimonious) advice annoying
in most circumstances...on the bike and off. :-) But I thought what I read was
quite interesting and worth sharing with the group.
In the latest issue of Dirt Rag, there's a story about a guy that was just
doing a short test-ride after making some adjustments on his bike and went
without a helmet. He had an unexpected fall and ended up with Traumatic Brain
Injury (TBI) that's not really healing and has changed his life in an
unfortunate way ...his brain just doesn't work the way it used to. And in an
earlier issue (think it was #153??), there's an article from a doc talking
about what happens to the brain, even in more moderate crashes. Good
information on what we now better understand about brain injury - and as more
soldiers return from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, more is being learned
about how the brain is damaged in both major and repetitive minor concussive
events (minor brain injuries seem to have a cumulative effect).
I started as a roadie some 30 years ago (racing) and the norm was no helmet
except for races where you had to wear a leather helmet (more like a hair net -
not very helpful in a crash, but all that was available at the time). Times
have changed with improvements to available safety gear; not only helmets, but
things like Leatt Braces.
I actually had a friend that was a highly skilled rider, and just had had a
typical crash at a bike park...but this time he landed awkwardly, and it broke
his neck (he was fully decked out in quality body armor, including full face
helmet - all the typical safety gear). He was very, very lucky to have top surgeons
a few hours away...he's starting to walk again. His life will always be
limited, but at least not in a wheelchair. Not trying to be dramatic, just
pointing out a real story that hit close to home worth pondering. Needless to
say, all of us that know him now ride with Leatt braces at the bike parks (i.e.
Whistler, Silverstar, etc)
Kurt
189. ANOTHER Mountain Biker Breaks His Neck!
To:
bbtcmembers@yahoogroups.com
From: Mark Hume <ma_hume@yahoo.com>
List-Subscribe: <mailto:bbtcmembers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:19:49 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Helmets, what do preachers have to do with them?
Hello all on the group here!
I have not read all the posts about wearing a helmet, but thought I'd share an
experience.
My name is Mark, and I'm an active person. I work with kids in lots of forums,
clubs, camps, etc. I do teach sports professionally as a snow board instructor,
I also tech wake boarding and water skiing. Last summer @ a camp I have been
teaching @ I developed an intro to mountain biking course, focus was on basic
riding skills. The trails were well groomed horse trails @ a camp near Cle
Elum, with flat trails, uphill climbs, and a variety of down hill trails as
well. In one of the flat areas there were two mounds of dirt built up from some
sort of project, both about 4+ feet high. Features were not part of the class
or curriculum, but who doesn't mind riding over a "mound" of dirt,
right? Fun for everyone right? Well, one of the mounds was missing a
"bucket scoop" from one side, which I did not know about, nor could
you see it from the direction we approached. My assistant instructor just
happen to yell out there was a "drop"! I said ok, launched and
landed a 3 to 4
foot drop. How awesome & fun was that? As I looked back, my assistant
almost crashed as he followed me, but fortunately he didn't! Yeay!
When I learned to snow board, my first time on a snow board I didn't have a
helmet, but after 4 nice falls, I purchased a helmet for both myself &
daughter, & always wear it. The foundation of learning in Snow Sports
professionally speaking is;
SAFETY
FUN
LEARNING
In that order!
So needless to say, I adapted the same foundation for the Mt Biking course. Yes
I had a brand new helmet I was confident wearing. I brought extras for kids
(elementary age through high school) who might not have one. The class was
popular, and a success. However, one day my assistant and I were scooping the
trails for the class that day, & missing a turn we ended up riding back to
meet the students where the mounds of dirt were. I rode over the mound with the
drop. I launched, was positioned back behind the seat like I should be, but
something unexpected happened. I found myself hurling through the air instead
of riding out the landing. I landed on my head, fell over, got up, brushed my
self off and replied: yes I am ok to my assistant who had watched and
immediately asked " Are you OK"? So I got back on my bike, rode down
the trail, around the corner, up the hill, and back around to the lodge where
the class was meeting. The kids were so excited to
learn
more, and get out on the trails.
As it turns out, something had happened to my neck when I fell because my neck
muscles got really tight & stiff riding back to the lodge from the fall
(less than 5 minutes). What happened next was strange! When I looked down,
there was a "ka-clunk" and my head did something weird. Something
touched something you instantly knew, "that wasn't supposed to do
that!" I did several things, took off some of my gear, took some IB
profin, drank some water, got some ice on my neck, gave myself
"traction", which felt great, but the "ka-clunk was still there.
So I sat on a big sofa, taught the class the lesson of the day from the book,
and decided to not ride, but wait for their return.
Eventually, we called the camp nurse who was going to drive me into the
hospital to get some X-rays, that is until they found a crack in the lining of
my new helmet!! I was like WHAT? I cracked my brand new helmet??? Geez! So they
decided they needed to call the EMT squad. I ended up in the hospital in
Ellensburg, waiting for the C-scan results. I got up used the bathroom (the
EMT's put me in a hard collar) and walked back to my ER bay, as the doctors
were bringing in the results. They said what are you doing??? Get back on the
stretcher, you are headed for Harborview Medical Center in Seattle NOW!!
I fractured my C1 vertebra in 3 places! Yikes!! (I didn't mean to!! It was
honestly just an "accident") They call it a Jefferson Burst Fracture,
one of the most deadly breaks you can experience they told me, 80% or more die
on impact!! Most of the survivors are paralized to many degrees. Yes I am a
very fortunate person, after a major sugery installing two screws and a rod
holding my C1 in place, I recovered! I started teaching snow boarding again the
first weekend in December, 2010. My accident was Tuesday July 13, 2010!
Did my helment protect me? I would have to say YES! Did my helmet save my life?
I would have to say YES! Would I be willing to go back and try this without a
helmet? NO!
Just for what it is worth, don't know why anyone would ever ARGUE about wearing
a helmet.....and what about preachers??? I have never seen one wear a helmet
while preaching yet!
P.S. My dad happen's to be a Preacher (more correct, a Pastor)....Hahaha!
Mark ~ :) Oh, I also happen to be 51 years old.....
190. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-13823814
18 June 2011 Last updated at 09:39 ET
RAF Helicopter called to rescue mountain biker
Paramedics called in an RAF helicopter to winch an injured mountain biker
off the hills around Llyn Brianne, near Llandovery, in Powys.
Neither paramedics or a Welsh Air Ambulance crew could reach the scene where
the 35-year-old man had been injured at 1226 BST on Saturday.
It is believed he suffered a spinal injury after colliding with a wall.
The man was flown to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. His condition is
not known.
191. Toby Hill had to give up mountain biking after a
serious hand injury
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-my-turn-biking-20110620,0,5547459.story
Toby Hill had to give up mountain biking after a serious hand
injury. His wife, Lisa, can understand his sense of mourning. (Craig O'Neill /
June 20, 2011)
By Lisa Hill, Special to the Los Angeles Times
June 20, 2011
In the last four years, my 42-year-old husband has had three mountain
biking-related surgeries. He's had more busted fingers, dislocated shoulders
and other injuries than I can recall.
For a long time, the sport and his habit of hurting himself were the biggest
sources of stress in our marriage. I resented it when he
took off for a six-hour ride instead of spending the day with me. I had little
compassion when he returned bandaged up, because he had done it to himself.
When my
husband decided at age 36 to revisit his teenage passion of skateboarding, I
told him that if he hurt himself, he was on his own. When he called from the ER
after breaking his femur, I stayed true to my word: His mother brought him
home.
He gave his skateboard away after that, but none of the other injuries has
prevented him from getting back on his bike.
After a surgery for a broken collarbone a few years ago, I was fed up and told
him it was time to give it up. He refused. It was too important to him. He got
back on, promising to be more careful.
It wasn't until I started working out at the gym with a trainer 31/2 years ago
and learned firsthand what physical activity can do for stress relief and
well-being that I really began to appreciate how vital this activity was for
him. My attitude about the biking had already improved over time, but at this
point I began to actively support it.
My husband feels exhilarated when he's out on his bike. He loves the adrenaline
rush, the freedom, the challenge and the camaraderie. He's made so many friends
through mountain biking, and they are good people; I know how important this
community is to him.
Two months ago, he called from San Diego County and said he had gone over some
loose rock and been thrown off his bike and that his brother was taking him to the
ER. I wasn't angry; I'd been through this too many times. I worried about the
severity of his injury and about the financial effect on our family, though.
It turns out he'd broken his left thumb and his ring finger in two places.
Doctors wanted to operate, but his hand was too swollen. He'd have to wait for
surgery.
When he finally got home after hours in the emergency room, he said, "I'm
done." My heart broke for him.
"I'm not asking you to be," I replied. And I meant it.
That conversation is likely moot. Toby's surgery did not go as well as the
doctor had hoped. The injury was too severe: The bones were shattered so badly
that the doctor had to use pins to put the pieces together. It's going to be a
long road to recovery, and he might require another operation to straighten his
ring finger.
I don't know what is going to happen. My husband, whose resting heart rate
hovers in the high 40s, has been biking for half his life. Biking is a big part
of his identity.
The thought of giving it up feels like a death to him.
Earlier in our marriage, I would have been thrilled to know Toby would no
longer be getting on his bike. But now I'm saddened. "I know I'm in
mourning," he said recently in a moment of depression over a bikeless
future.
And I'm mourning with him.
Lisa O'Neill Hill, a writer, lives in Fullerton with her husband and
7-year-old daughter. She can be reached at loneillhill@yahoo.com.
My Turn is a forum for readers to recount an experience related to health or
fitness. Submissions should be 500 words or fewer, are subject to editing and
condensation and become property of The Times. Email health@latimes.com.
Read more at latimes.com/myturn.
192. http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/nelsonstar/news/124156204.html
Above
and below: A woman injured while mountain biking on Friday evening was taken to
safety with the help of Nelson Search and Rescue.
Scott Spencer/Nelson Search and Rescue
By Staff Writer - Nelson Star
Published: June 19, 2011 9:00 AM
Updated: June 19, 2011 3:06 PM
Nelson Search and Rescue helped a woman who was hurt while mountain biking
on a trail up Giveout Creek Road on Friday evening.
Search manager Scott Spencer says the incident happened 100 m along the
Placenta Decenta trail, on steep and difficult terrain about nine kilometers up
the road.
They received a call shortly after 7 p.m. to help paramedics bring the woman
out, and reached her in less than an hour.
Paramedics had already secured the woman to a spine board, Spencer says. A
relay was set up on a short section but otherwise it was a relatively
straightforward stretcher carry, he says, describing it as a quick and
efficient rescue.
The woman was in the ambulance by 8:30 p.m.
Further details werent immediately available. Its not clear how the incident
occurred, what injuries the woman suffered, nor where she was taken.
193. Mountain Biker Injured Trying to Get Around a
Locked Gate!
http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/article_5dfd8e1e-9b07-11e0-b2dd-001cc4c03286.html
Three rescued in Los Padres National Forest
Santa
Maria Times | Posted: Monday, June 20, 2011 12:00 am
A horseback rider is rescued late Saturday afternoon in the Paradise Canyon
area in Los Padres National Forest.//Contributed
Emergency crews were kept busy over the weekend rescuing three people two
horseback riders and a mountain biker who were injured in Los Padres National
Forest.
Two of the people were hurt when their horses fell off a rugged trail on a ride
from Rancho Oso to the 19 Oaks Campground in the Paradise Canyon area,
according the Santa Barbara County sheriffs spokesman Drew Sugars.
The first call came in late Saturday afternoon, when a female U.S. Forest
Service employee and her horse fell as the riders were returning to Rancho Oso.
Forest service firefighters and sheriffs Search and Rescue crews located the
victim, who was carried to a county helicopter and airlifted to Cottage
Hospital in Santa Barbara, where she was listed in stable condition. Her name
was not released.
A short time later, search and rescue personnel responding to the first incident
received a report from a hiker that a mountain biker had fallen off a bridge
near the first road crossing of the Santa Ynez River.
They found a man in his late 30s lying in a creek bed, bleeding from cuts to a
knee and his head. Apparently the rider was trying to negotiate his bike around
the locked gate at one end of the bridge when he lost his balance and tumbled
about 12 feet.
After he was provided initial first aid, he refused further treatment and was
released. His name was not released.
About this time, a second horse and rider with the Upper Oso group fell down a
sheer 30-foot cliff to the rocky creek bed below. The rider, in his late 50s,
was flung off the horse and hit his head and back on large rocks.
Rescue personnel found the victim and carried him out on a stretcher to Upper
Oso. He was taken by ambulance to Cottage Hospital, where he was reported in
serious but stable condition. His name was not released.
Both horses suffered minor injuries in the mishaps, but were rescued and were
expected to recover, Sugars said.
194. http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2011/06/23/forest-airlift-for-injured-mountain-biker
John
McHale, Reporter
Wednesday 22 June 2011 11:23 PM GMT
The injured Glentress mountain biker is winched into the
helicopter. Photo: Tweed Valley MRT
A mountain biker was airlifted to hospital after suffering serious injuries on
a forest black route.
The 40-year-old man fell from his machine on the Deliverance trail in the
Glentress Forest near Peebles in the Scottish Borders.
Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team was alerted at 1.15pm today, Wednesday, after
reports the biker had broken his elbow and dislocated his shoulder.
Seven team members went to the mans aid after two ambulance paramedics reported
they were able to reach the injured cyclist on foot but could not get him back
to their ambulance. The route is several hundred metres from the nearest road.
Rescue team members joined paramedics at the scene and he was treated before
being winched aboard a Royal Navy Sea King from HMS Gannet in Ayrshire, and
flown to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The aircraft was unable to land in the
forest, but the crew was able to hover over the site and winch the man on to
the helicopter.
Two police officers and three Forestry Commission rangers also helped in the
rescue operation.
Dave Wright, TVMRT search manager, said: Mountain biking is proving
increasingly popular in the Scottish Borders and as such Tweed Valley Mountain
Rescue Team train regularly to respond to mountain biking incidents and the
common injuries associated with the sport.
Although serious incidents are relatively rare, this incident shows that joint
working between the police, ambulance service, Forestry Commission and Tweed
Valley Mountain Rescue Team is invaluable.
The Glentress mountain biking trail is one of southern Scotlands 7stanes
centres, which span the area from Dumfries and Galloway to the Scottish
Borders. Each has a stane stone sculpture depicting a local myth or legend.
The mountain bike trails are graded from the easiest, green, suitable for
beginners with basic skills, up to black rated severe aimed at expert riders
with top fitness and good off-road bikes.
The Glentress black route is 29km (18 miles) long and, as well as Deliverance,
has sections with imaginative names such as Soor Plums, Britney Spears and The
Bitch.
195. http://www.canada.com/Community+rallies+around+injured+cyclist/5010195/story.html
By
Danielle Bell, The Daily NewsJune 27, 2011
Nanaimo and communities beyond have rallied around Peter Isherwood, who broke
his neck in a mountain biking crash in Kamloops in April.
The 34-year-old longtime rider suffered spinal cord damage after he went over
the handlebars of his bike when his steer-tubes broke.
Earlier this month, friends and family held a fundraiser at Simon Holt
Restaurant, raising nearly $27,000 in support of Isherwood.
Donations for live and silent auctions came from many individuals and
businesses throughout Nanaimo and beyond.
Organizers say the event would not have been possible without the help of Cody
Dreger, Satwinder Hundal, Kory Nuttall, Chad Johnston and many other people.
Isherwood is now able to feed himself and is in a manual wheelchair, his
partner TJ Bickerton said in a recent e-mail update.
She said Isherwood remains in good spirits and is looking forward to pool
classes.
He has also spoken with the B.C. Paraplegic Association to help mentor other
quadriplegics like himself.
Dreger, of Simon Holt and Remax Nanaimo, and his family visited Isherwood in
Vancouver to present the money.
Bickerton said she and Isherwood are shocked and grateful and can't wait to
give back to the community.
"We are still absolutely shocked. We have no idea how to thank
everyone," said Bickerton. "We can't wait to get back."
Bickerton will stay by Isherwood's side as he continues to recover at the GF
Strong Rehabiliation Centre in Vancouver, where he is expected to remain until
Aug. 31. The pair then hope to be able to move into transitional housing
temporarily before returning to Vancouver Island.
196. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-13938944
Shropshire mountain biker airlifted after fall
A mountain biker has been airlifted to hospital in Shropshire after
suffering a serious chest injury.
The man, 43, was riding about half a mile east of Little Stretton shortly
before 1900 BST on Monday when he went over his handlebars on a steep slope.
An ambulance crew got their vehicle as close as possible but had to walk for
around 15 minutes carrying their equipment to get to the patient.
The man was airlifted to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for treatment.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "Given the location of
the incident, the crew requested a helicopter and the Midlands Air Ambulance
from Cosford was dispatched to the scene.
"As it was on route, the crew assessed the condition of the patient, who
was found to have a serious chest injury.
The man, from Church Stretton, was immobilised using a neck collar and spinal
board before being airlifted to hospital.
197. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-13959025
29 June 2011 Last
updated at 07:58
ET
The
Brandywell area is a popular training ground for mountain bikers
An RAF helicopter has been brought in to rescue a seriously
injured mountain biker from the Manx countryside.
Fire crews were also deployed in the rescue near Brandywell at
about 2000 BST on Tuesday.
The biker, who is thought to have head and spine injuries, was
taken to hospital from the Sartfell area.
A spokesman from the Isle of Man fire service said the difficult
terrain meant it was necessary to bring in a search and rescue helicopter
198. http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_18374797
Erica
Meltzer Camera
Staff Writer
Posted: 06/29/2011 07:03:08 AM MDT
An injured cyclist was rescued Tuesday evening from the Doudy Draw Trail near
Eldorado Springs, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said.
Rescuers responded to a report of an injured mountain biker around 6:15 p.m.
Christopher Marth, 38, of Boulder, was found about 1 1/4 miles from the
trailhead parking lot. He had what appeared to be a broken right arm, the
sheriff's office said.
Marth was evacuated to a waiting ambulance and taken to an area hospital for
treatment.
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Rocky
Mountain Fire Protection District and city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain
Parks rangers responded to the call.
199. http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Injured-mountain-biker-rescued-in-Bridgewater-1449127.php
BRIDGEWATER
-- A mountain biker in the Sunny Valley Preserve who emergency officials say
broke his leg was transported by ambulance late Thursday to Danbury Hospital.
Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department Chief A.J. Murphy said it took crews more than an hour
to reach the mountain biker -- a man in his mid-30s -- due to his location on
the Silica Mine Trail.
The man's injuries were not life-threatening, Muprhy said, and emergency
officials were in contact via cell phone with other members of the mountain
bikers group.
The fire chief added that instead of bringing the man an hour back up the trail
to a waiting ambulance, officials decided to carry him to Lake Lillinoah --
about a quarter-mile away -- and transport him by boat to the state launch off
Route 133, where a Brookfield ambulance was waiting.
Murphy said the incident illustrates the need for mountain bikers, hikers and
others using the woods to bring a cell phone or some other communication device
with them in case of an emergency.
The fire chief also said it's important to tell someone where you are going and
when you are expected to return.
While Murphy declined to comment on the mountain biker's medical condition for
privacy reasons, an area dispatcher said the victim fell and broke his leg.
Contact Dirk Perrefort
at dperrefort@newstimes.com
or at 203-731-3358.
Read more: http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Injured-mountain-biker-rescued-in-Bridgewater-1449127.php#ixzz1R51JMVN6
200. http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/top_mountain_biker_in_rescue_drama_1_3533040
Julian
Corlett re End to End Event
Published on Saturday 2 July 2011 0-1:00
AN experienced mountain biker had to be airlifted to hospital after he was injured
in a terrifying crash at a remote spot near Brandywell Cottage.
Former Island Games competitor Julian Corlett, 51, of Glen Vine, was with a
group of 10 on the Cronk Breck trail at the back of Greeba Mountain when he
came off his bike in a boggy area.
His brother Chris said: If he had been riding alone we might still be looking
for him now.
The fire service had to use an all-terrain Pinzgauer vehicle to reach him as
his location was so difficult to access.
An RAF search and rescue helicopter from RAF Valley in Anglesey was scrambled
to airlift the injured cyclist to Nobles Hospital.
Mr Corlett, was initially thought to have a compression spine injury but his
condition is now believed to be less serious.
Elder brother Chris said: It was a slow-speed incident but it again shows the
benefits of riding in a group rather than individually.
Emergency services were called to the accident scene at about 8pm on Tuesday
night.
Station officer Nigel Cain said: Following a request from the Isle of Man Ambulance
service, the Fire and Rescue Service responded with one of it six-wheel drive
vehicles to recover an injured mountain biker in the Brandywell Cottage/Colden
area.
On arrival, after medical assessment and taking into account the terrain, it
was agreed by the emergency services that while the six-wheeled vehicle had
proven it could cope with the terrain, the potential seriousness and the type
of the male casualtys injuries meant that the recovery would need to be made by
RAF search and rescue helicopter to ensure the casualty was maintained in a
stable position.
Mr Corlett is one of the most experienced mountain bikers in the island. He is
a regular top-15 finisher in the End to End challenge and last month won the
24-hour endurance Longest Day, Longest Ride event for the second year in
succession.
He had been invited by American manufacturer Trek to test ride their bikes in
the Austrian Alps in 10 days time.
Only two months ago, Manx Independent sports editor John Watterson sustained
serious facial and neck injuries after coming off his mountain bike in the
Arrasey plantation near Glen Maye.
Posted:
Jul 04, 2011 9:02 AM PDT
By Steve Stout
PHOENIX (KPHO) -
A 25-year-old mountain biker was taken to a Valley hospital after he was
rescued from a mountainous area near 51st Avenue and Happy Valley
Road in Glendale.
A Glendale fire department spokesperson aid crews from Phoenix, Glendale and
Surprise worked to bring the biker off the mountain via a Big Wheel.
The biker crashed near the top of Deem Hills Recreation Area and suffered
non-life-threatening injuries, the spokesperson said.
202. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
A
mountain biker had to be rescued from a popular biking area in East Spokane
Friday, when he crashed just north of Boulder Beach, resulting in a difficult
and time-consuming rescue mission.
203. http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/local/flagstaff/man-dies-in-mountain-biking-accident-7-6-2011
Published
: Wednesday, 06 Jul 2011, 4:08 PM MST
FLAGSTAFF - Sheriff's deputies are investigating the death of a Flagstaff man
who was apparently involved in a mountain biking accident.
64-year-old James Lounsberry apparently died from fatal injuries he suffered
during a bicycle trip from Mtn. Elden to Shultz Pass Road.
The Coconino County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call on Tuesday afternoon
from Lounsberry, who reported he was seriously injured while riding his bicycle
along Shultz Creek Tail Head.
Medical personnel arrived and tried to treat the victim, who was soon
transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center. He was eventually pronounced
deceased.
Over the course of the investigation, detectives found Lounsberry was dropped
off at the top of Mt. Elden and chose to ride his bicycle down while a family
member drove.
The investigation is ongoing.
204. http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_18447026?source=most_viewed
By Paul Liberatore
Marin Independent Journal
Posted: 07/09/2011 12:07:02 PM PDT
A bicyclist who fell and suffered head and back injuries Friday evening while
riding in China Camp State Park was rescued by San Rafael firefighters and
flown by Sonoma County Sheriff's Department helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial
Hospital.
The cyclist was riding with a group of bikers in a remote area of the park when
he fell shortly after 7 p.m., the San Rafael Fire Department reported. Fire
officials said the injured cyclist was treated at the hospital, but they did
not release his name or condition.
205. Those pesky trees get in the way...
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/30a0f99d3479462694162328835ed013/VT--Injured-Bicyclist/
EAST BURKE, Vt. A
bicyclist from Canada was evacuated from a Vermont mountain biking trail after
he crashed into a tree and was found by another rider.
The 47-year-old Quebec man, whose
name wasn't immediately released, was biking at Kingdom Trails in East Burke when
he apparently went over the handlebars and hit a tree. He was conscious
afterward but had numbness and tingling in his extremities.
He was treated at the scene and later
taken to Northeastern Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury.
The Caledonian Record says members of the
Sheffield-Wheelock Remote Rescue Unit, East Burke Fire Department, Lyndon
Rescue and Kingdom Trails officials responded.
206. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/07/16/state/n173600D54.DTL
Associated
PressJuly 16, 2011 05:36 PMCopyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
(07-16) 17:36 PDT Carson City, Nev. (AP) --
A mountain biker from Las Vegas has been killed in an accident in the mountains
above Lake Tahoe's northeast shore.
The Nevada Appeal of Carson City reports 50-year-old Daniel Otter was
descending a trail from Marlette Lake with a group of friends Friday when he
lost control and cartwheeled over the bicycle.
Sheriff's deputies say Otter was traveling at about 20 mph at the time, and hit
the ground with "severe force."
He died instantly in the 3:30 p.m. accident.
Trails in the mountains around Marlette Lake are popular with mountain bikers.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/07/16/state/n173600D54.DTL#ixzz1SPVBUUob
POSTED:
11:11 am EDT August 1, 2011
UPDATED: 10:16 pm EDT August 1, 2011
MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. -- A man well-known and beloved in the Upstate
mountain biking community was killed while riding over the weekend, according
to McDowell County EMS.
Jeff Papenfus, 44,Greenville entrepreneur, adventure racer and member of the
Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, was riding near Old Fort, N.C., in
McDowell County when he fell into an embankment, according to postings on
adventure racing forums.
According to friends' postings, Papenfus had just finished a training ride on
Curtis Creek Road with two other riders just after noon on Saturday. The bikers
were descending through Star Gap back to their vehicle. Derek Zimmerman had
ridden ahead of Papenfus and Elizabeth Morse, when Papenfus fell.
Zimmerman said he waited about 20 minutes for Papenfus and Morse to get to the
car.
"I was about ready to ride back up the hill and see where they were, see
if something happened, but that's when the sirens came and that's when everyone
showed up," he said.
While performing CPR and calling 911, Morse was stung by yellow jackets dozens
of times.
"They brought her out and she had been stung, like, 100 times,"
Zimmerman said.
EMS Director William Kehler said the EMS crew were called to Jarretts Creek
Access off of Curtis Creek Road.
McDowell County Search and Rescue, EMS and the McDowell County Sheriff's
Department all responded to the call for help.
"He had run into a hive and that he had been stung," Zimmerman said.
"They said it was, like, hundreds of times."
Papenfus died at the scene. Zimmerman said in an online posting that Papenfus
likely died of a neck injury, not from being stung, according to EMS crew
members he spoke to.
"He had run into a hive and he had been stung, and I guess they found out
later that he had actually slid off into the bushes," Zimmerman said.
As of Monday afternoon, there was no official word on the cause of Papenfus'
death. The Department of Natural Resources is continuing to investigate.
Morse was treated at the scene and was transported to a hospital. Several
postings said that her actions attempting to revive Papenfus while being stung
dozens of times were "heroic."
Papenfus described himself online as an "entrepreneur and
adventurer." He was a member of Team GLR Adventure Racing ( Go Long
Racing). Papenfus was co-founder of go-greenevents.com an online company providing
web infrastructure and maintenance to small businesses.
Papenfus leaves behind his wife, Lisa. Many online forum postings encouraged
support and prayers for his widow.
Read more: http://www.wyff4.com/news/28727766/detail.html#ixzz1TqAPuShu
Tuesday,
August 02, 2011
Plymouth Herald
CITY cycling queen Maddie Horton pulled out of an Olympic test run after
injuring her back.
Horton, one of a band of select riders invited to compete at Hadleigh Farm,
Essex, hurt her back while putting on her cycling shoes.
Instead of putting the Olympic track through its paces, Horton was forced to
join 4,000 spectators who watched Canada's Catherine Pendrel win the women's
race.
The injury could put her chances of winning the elite women's category in the
national series at risk.
Horton, and Torpoint's Carla Haines, were asked to take part in the race, set
up to test the track in advance of next year's London Olympics.
Haines, up against some of the best women riders in the world, did well to last
for three laps before dropping out.
Horton said: "At least I managed to try out the track the day before
injuring myself.
"I went to the track physio for treatment, who told me it was up to me if
I wanted to ride, but that I could injure myself further.
"I really couldn't take that risk, because I could have been too injured
to work."
Horton, who runs Fully Sussed, a professional mountain-biking business with her
husband Jay, believe an accident at work several weeks ago sparked her injury.
She was taking an army group on a fitness programme when she crashed her bike.
Horton said: "It's going to affect my training for the last in the
National Series at Newnham Park.
"It's on September 24, so I've got eight weeks to get fit, but it all
depends what happens with the injury.
"Before I had the accident, I was in with a chance of winning it, or at
least being in the top three, but now I don't know.
"I've waddled around the last couple of races, but I want to be completely
fit at Newnham so I can do it properly I don't want to just be able to turn up.
"I've got a chance of making it, but it all depends on what treatment I've
got to get."
Horton said Haines had done well at Hadleigh.
The teenager was pulled out of the race after failing to maintain her
race-pace.
But Horton said: "I think she will be really pleased to have taken part.
"To do three laps of the race is a good effort."
209. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/07/copter-airlifts-bike-crash-victim/
RANCHO SAN DIEGO A 54-year-old woman
was airlifted off a trail in Rancho San Diego after taking a spill over the
handlebars of her mountain bike Sunday night, authorities said.
A Heartland Fire spokesman said the woman was riding with two friends when she
crashed about 8:20 p.m. at a trail near Campo Road and Highway 94.
The woman lost consciousness for about four minutes before rescue teams were
called in to help, San Diego Fire Department Capt. Tom Stephenson said. The San Diego Fire-Rescue helicopter was sent in to find the woman because
of the rough terrain and darkness.
The woman had suffered a dislocated shoulder and was disoriented when rescue
crews found her, Stephenson said. Because of her head injury, authorities
determined she needed to be airlifted to Sharp Memorial Hospital. She is in stable
condition, Stephenson said.
San Diegos firefighting helicopters have been the subject of cost-cutting
efforts for the city in recent weeks.
The city decided to stop sending the only two helicopters that can fight fires
at night unless a requesting agency is willing to pay the $3,250 an hour it
costs to operate one.
San Diego has a pending $40 million budget deficit
for the fiscal year beginning in July 2012.
210. Imagine that: there was a ROCK in the trail! :)
Mike
http://www.military.com/news/article/air-force-news/fairchild-airmen-rescue-idaho-biker.html
August
22, 2011
Air Force News|by Scott King
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.,
rescued a 52-year-old female mountain biker Aug. 17 near Thompson Pass, Idaho,
after she flipped over her handlebars and injured her ribs and back.
The victim, Paulette Kirby, was on a single-track mountain bike trail
participating in the six-day Idaho Expedition Race when she hit a rock and lost
control. She was on the side of a mountain with high terrain on all sides,
unreachable by car or all-terrain vehicle.
Four Airmen from the 36th Rescue Flight responded to the call from the Shoshone
County, Idaho, sheriff's office in a UH-1N Iroquois helicopter.
Once they arrived in the area, the sheriff's department staff had to use signal
mirrors to maneuver the crew to the exact location of the scene due to the
dense tree growth. During their approach, winds became an issue, so it wasn't
until their third approach that they were successfully hovering over the
victim.
Tech. Sgt. Steven Perez, the flight engineer, then lowered independent duty
medical technician Tech. Sgt. Joseph Brownell 240 feet down to the victim.
"Because of the extent of her injuries, she was unable to lie flat in the
Stokes litter, so I had the crew lower a Kendrick Extrication Device,"
Brownell said. "A KED is a semi-rigid brace that secures the head, neck
and torso in an anatomically neutral position. It helped to reduce the
possibility of additional injuries to her during extrication. I then put a
C-collar and the KED on her and loaded her onto the Stokes. "
Brownell then called "ready for pickup" and notified the rest of the
crew that they moved the survivor 20 meters away to a spot that was slightly
more open for safer and easier extrication.
Capt. Jennifer Golembiewski, the aircraft commander, then flew an approach to
the top of the mountain and back down searching for the new spot. She had no
references at the new spot, so she passed the controls to her co-pilot, Capt.
John Alsbrooks, who guided the helicopter to the new spot.
Once again overhead, Perez lowered the hook down to Brownell, who in turn
hooked up Kirby. She was hoisted to the aircraft where several variables forced
Perez, who is afraid of heights, to climb out onto the skids to retrieve her
and secure her in the aircraft. Brownell was then hoisted and they flew Kirby
to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., for treatment.
On his "20th or so rescue," Perez said he feels good about their
efforts.
"This was the first time I have had to go out onto the skids of the
aircraft -- and hopefully the last," Perez said. "Although
challenging, this rescue, like the others, always brings me a good feeling. I'm
glad we were able to help her get out of there and to the hospital where she
could be treated for her injuries."
On her second rescue mission, Golembiewski said she's proud of her crew and
more than happy to help out those in need.
"It's very rewarding to know that I had a small part in saving her
life," Golembiewski said. "We hope that we're never needed, but are
always ready to help when asked. I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility
toward guarding and saving the lives of the people of our community."
Now recovering at the hospital with her injuries (two fractured ribs, two
spinal fractures and a fractured sternum), Kirby is thankful to the Fairchild
Airmen.
"I'm so glad they were there to help me through this experience," she
said. "They are very good at what they do. It was amazing they were able
to get me through that small opening at the top of the trees and up into the
helicopter. It's the simple things in life that touch me; the medic who was
helping me blocked the sun from my eyes with his hand the whole way to the
hospital. That meant a lot to me -- this I will never forget."
On Aug. 9, the 36th Rescue Flight was involved in another rescue of an Airman
who was in training at Colville National Forest, Wash. This most recent rescue
was their 663rd.
211. http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2011/aug/27/owens-bounces-back-bad-breaks/?sports
By Chip Souza
Posted: August 27, 2011 at 2:44 p.m.
DECATUR Evan Owens knew it was bad as soon as he hit the ground.
Mountain biking with his younger brother last spring, Owens came over a jump
and parted ways with his bike. He landed sharply on his left shoulder and felt
the familiar stabbing pain.
Just a few months earlier, Owens broke his collarbone in a football scrimmage
against Gentry. The first break sidelined the Bulldogs quarterback for the
entire season.
Owens said he knew immediately when he hit the ground that it was broken again.
I just did a bad jump, I guess, Owens said.
With two broken collarbones in the span of a few months, Owens said he was a
lot more careful after the second break to allow the bone to heal. He said he
has no fear of another injury as the Bulldogs head into the opening game of the
season.
First-year coach Shane Holland said Owens is a quiet leader. But the
soft-spoken, 5-foot-7, 140-pound junior has a competitive spirit that comes out
daily in practice, Holland said.
Hes sure not a rah-rah guy, Holland said. You have to get him to speak up at
times, but when we run and do things, hes going to be first.
Holland said Owens teammates have faith in their quarterback and can count on
him to get the job done. Owens never missed a summer workout.
Last season was a disappointment, Owens said. Watching his teammates compete on
Friday nights was especially tough. That Decatur was playing its first varsity
games in two years after the school failed to field a team in 2009 due to low
numbers only compounded the issue.
I didnt like standing on the sideline, Owens said. I hated missing the games.
With five starters returning each way, the Bulldogs are hopeful of improving on
last seasons 1-8 record. Holland, a veteran coach from just across the border
in Eastern Oklahoma, said the team is slowly buying into the new program.
Holland is Decaturs second coach in as many years.
Having a healthy Owens would be a huge plus for the Bulldogs. By changing to
the Spread offense, Holland is confident the new scheme will play to Owens
strengths as a runner.
The Spread opens up seams for guys to run, Holland said. Its not just about
throwing the ball all over the place. Evan is a good runner and he has good
quickness.
Owens said he hopes to someday race mountain bikes, although he has never
competed in a bike race. Holland is hoping the bike stays in the garage at
least until football season is over.
212. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/09/16/ottawa-mountain-biker-good-samaritan.html
A
Kanata resident helped emergency crews rescue an injured mountain biker
stranded on a trail deep in the woods Thursday. (Ottawa Mountain Bike
Association Map)
Paramedics say a
west Ottawa man will be nominated for an award after he relinquished his front
yard to a rescue helicopter and offered his all-terrain vehicle to help
paramedics treat a stranded and injured mountain biker.
Just before 4 p.m. Thursday, Ottawa paramedics responded with police to an area
near the Kanata Lakes mountain bike trails.
A 21-year-old man had suffered a severe injury to his leg and did not know
where he was. He was unable to make it out of the woods, so other mountain
bikers in the area started first aid treatment.
Emergency crews blasted sirens from Huntmar Road and other streets in the area
until the bikers could hear them. A rescue helicopter also responded, but could
not spot the bikers in the woods from above.
Kanata resident Brian Clark, who lives on Huntmar Road, heard the sirens and
helicopter circling. He then offered his lawn as a helicopter-landing pad.
Clark, who was familiar with the area and terrain according to paramedics, also
used his ATV to bring paramedics into the dense bush and rocky terrain.
Then around 5:30 p.m., police came upon the patient located on the area's New
Outback trail. Paramedics arrived 15 minutes later and began treatment on the
mountain biker's leg.
The mountain biker received more treatment once paramedics reached an
ambulance, but refused transportation to hospital.
Huntmar Road. was closed during Thursday's afternoon rush hour but reopened in
the early evening.
213. "Jumps" obviously don't belong on trails....
Mike
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110924/NEWS0107/109240345/1006/NEWS01&nav_category=NEWS01
Published:
September 24. 2011 4:00AM PST
A mountain biker who injured himself while riding near the Wanoga Sno Park was
rescued Thursday evening, the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office said.
Perry Hertler, 40, of Milwaukee, was riding down the Tiddlywinks Trail when he
failed to negotiate a jump, seriously injuring himself. A friend who had been
riding with him called 911 and directed rescuers to their location.
Hertler was treated at the scene and flown to St. Charles-Bend for serious, but
non-life-threatening injuries.
http://www.ktvz.com/news/29279571/detail.html
From
KTVZ.COM News Sources
POSTED: 9:15 am PDT September 23, 2011
BEND, Ore. -- A mountain biker from Wisconsin who was injured trying to
make a jump on a trail west of Bend Thursday evening was rescued by officers
and volunteers, authorities said.
Deschutes County sheriffs deputies and Search and Rescue, as well as Oregon
State Police, were dispatched around 6:15 p.m. to the report of an injured
mountain biker on the Tiddlywinks trail, out of Wanoga Sno-Park, said sheriffs
Deputy Rhett Hemphill.
They learned Perry Hertler, 40, of Milwaukie, had been riding his mountain bike
down the trail when he failed to negotiate a jump hed gone over and fell,
causing serious injury, Hemphill said. A friend riding with him was able to
call 911 and give their location.
Two sheriffs deputies, an OSP trooper and seven SAR members responded by
mountain bike, ATV and on foot, he said.
Hertler was located and treated on scene by SAR medics, then placed in a
wheeled ambu-sled and taken by ATV to the Wanoga Sno-Park, where he was moved
to a waiting AirLink helicopter.
214. "In ironic twist, while her husband lay in his hospital bed
yesterday, Cr Blumel was launching a major council project to promote mountain
biking in the region."
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/09/26/cycle-crash-breaks-pelvis/
Kieran
Campbell | 26th September 2011
Cr Debbie Blumel visits husband Ross with their daughters Bonnie, Ellie and
Theresa after he crashed his bike and brike his pelvis.
John Mccutcheon
CAREERING through rocky terrain in the Coast hinterland, Ross Blumel suddenly
found himself in real trouble.
Tossed over the handlebars of his mountain bike, he landed heavily, breaking
his pelvis in three places.
Several kilometres away, his politician wife, Coast councillor Debbie Blumel,
knew something was amiss.
Yesterday, by her husband's bedside in Nambour General Hospital, Cr Blumel said
she sensed her husband of 30 years would run into trouble before he went riding
on Saturday morning.
Mr Blumel said he considered himself lucky to have only broken his pelvis and
not have a vertebrae injury that could have put him in a wheelchair for life.
The 53-year-old "over-ambitious" mountain biker said he would be back
on two wheels after many weeks recovering at home.
"I've crashed before ... but this is the most debilitating, I think,"
he said.
"I just can't get up."
Medics rushed Mr Blumel from a mountain biking track at Pomona to the hospital,
where a CT scan revealed the three breaks.
There is no brace holding him still but he is being medicated to ease the pain.
The best medical predictions are that he will be unable to move around for at
least six weeks - a speedy recovery helped by his good health and fitness.
In ironic twist, while her husband lay in his hospital bed yesterday, Cr Blumel
was launching a major council project to promote mountain biking in the region.
Despite seeing the sport's huge potential, she admitted she had been forced to
give the sport away after a series of crashes, the most serious last Christmas
when she broke a rib.
The avid road cyclist and campaigner for improvement of the Coast's bike riding
facilities, said conquering mountain trails on two wheels was not the sport for
her.
"I don't intend to do it again," Cr Blumel said.
"I'm just going to stick to road cycling now.
"I think (mountain bike riding) is very technical ... I don't really have
the opportunities to master the skills so I think personally I will steer clear
of it."
Cr Blumel was on a morning bike ride to Twin Waters when her husband was rushed
to hospital.
"I had a sense it was going to happen and when it happened I was
calm," Cr Blumel said.
"I've been married to this man for 30 years now. I knew when he left
yesterday morning that something was going to happen."
The fall has not shaken Mr Blumel's confidence.
As soon as he recovers he will be back to Pomona to conquer the track that
brought about his downfall.
And Cr Blumel said she had no plans to discourage him.
"I would never try to put the brakes on him," she said.
"It's in his nature and his character to do these things."
"It was an accident from him pushing the limits, which is what he went out
to do.
"It was a risk he was prepared to take."
The councillor, who has ambitions to run as a mayoral candidate in next year's
local government election, said she would reshuffle her diary in an attempt to
have time to care for her husband.
"I've got some pretty big things coming up - I'm certainly going to have a
look at my diary this week and review it.
"I'll be looking to see what his level of care is going to be.
"We've got three daughters as well and they're already fussing over
him."
215. So much for the alleged "healthfulness" of mountain
biking....
Mike
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3312292
ORO-MEDONTE
TWP. - A 57-year-old Oshawa man who collapsed during a mountain bike event at
Hardwood Ski and Bike over the weekend died of natural causes, an autopsy has
concluded.
Henry Puchala of Oshawa was riding in the Epic 8 mountain bike race as part of
a relay at Hardwood Hills Saturday afternoon. He was part of a four-person team
in the event where participants were required to complete a 10- kilometre
mountain bike loop.
He collapsed and race personnel used an on-site defibrillator while waiting for
paramedics to arrive. He was rushed to Soldiers' Memorial Hospital in Orillia
where he was pronounced dead.
216. http://santacruz.patch.com/articles/mountain-biker-airlifted-to-hospital
Rider
crashed while riding trail off UC Santa Cruz's upper campus.
The
helicopter took landed and took off from the field just off Empire Grade and
Twin Gates.CreditAaron Jacobsen
A mountain biker crash on a trail just off on Chinquapin Rode Sunday afternoon,
suffering severe enough injuries to receive helicopter transport to an out of
county trauma center.
The unidentified male rider crashed while landing a jump on Zs trail,
approximately a quarter mile from where the trail meets Chinquapin Rode, a dirt
fire road through UC Santa Cruz's upper campus area, said a mountain biker on
the trail that heard the crash and called emergency services.
According to Cal
Fire Cpt. Josh Agustin, the rider suffered a head injury but was
conscious when units arrived on the scene and his injuries did not appear life
threatening. The victim may also have suffered a broken clavicle, according to
Agustin.
217. http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_19076944
by
Aileen B. Flores \ El Paso Times
Posted: 10/10/2011 04:14:52 AM MDT
An injured bike rider was rescued Sunday from the Franklin Mountains State
Park.
A man in his late 50s who was mountain biking accidentally fell and injured his
hip, said Battalion Chief Sam Pena, a spokesman for the El Paso Fire
Department.
Pena said the man had a GPS on his phone and he was able to give rescuers his
exact location. Rescue efforts initiated at about 5 p.m., Pena said.
"He did the right thing," Pena said. "One, he told people where
he was going to go and when to expect him back. Two, he had a cell phone and
luckily he was able to get a signal."
He was brought down the mountain by a group of 10 members of the combined
Search and Rescue Team. Fire, police and park rangers assisted in the rescue.
The man was taken to Providence Memorial Hospital, according to fire
dispatchers. The extent of his injuries was unknown as of Sunday night, Pena
said.
Aileen B. Flores may be reached at aflores@elpasotimes.com; 546-6362.
Oct 11 2011Brian Mciver
gordon dickson Image 1
ITS probably just as well Gordon Dickson cant remember what happened when he
smashed into a rock so hard that his left eye was turned the wrong way round.
He also has no recollection of air ambulance paramedics battling to bring him
back to life twice in the skies over the Lothians.
Gordon, 43, has been a cycle adventurer most of his life and has competed in
mountain bike competitions all over Europe.
A self-employed joiner, married to Hazel, he often disappeared up mountains
with the sole intention of hurtling down them at dangerous speeds.
In his many years of taking part in the sport, however, he had never sustained
any serious injuries until he smashed his head on a rock in Glentress four
years ago.
He broke bones all over his face and flat-lined twice.
All I know is I was out to do some racing that day and warming up, so did a
practice run down the course with my mates, said Gordon, from Carluke,
Lanarkshire.
To this day I have no memory of what happened next.
Its all come from friends who were there, doctors and my wife.
I just remember setting off and then its two weeks later and Im wondering what
Im doing and where I am.
The first I realised how bad the accident had been was when I looked in the
mirror and saw my bruising and scarring. It was a scary reflection.
Doctors believe Gordon must have taken a firm impact to the side of his head,
with only his helmet saving his life.
He said: Around the eye socket was all smashed. They were worried I was going
to lose it because it was so out of position.
The eye was reversed when I got to hospital it wasnt looking out, it was
looking in and I had bit of a scare with it. But it came back around and its
fine.
I also broke a few ribs and had other wounds but I managed to heal pretty
quickly.
The doctors said there was technically brain damage, but nothing lasting or
anything to worry about long term.
Within six months, Gordon was back on a bike.
And he was so grateful to the air ambulance paramedics who saved him, he
decided to go to extreme lengths to say thank you competing in the toughest
mountain bike race on earth to raise money.
In March, Gordon won a competition in What Mountain Bike magazine to race in
Canadian wilderness challenge the TransRockies, which stretches across the
mountains of Alberta.
And despite his own terrible injuries on the Glentress track, near Peebles, he
decided to compete to raise funds for the Scottish Air Ambulance Service and UK
biking charity the Stephen Murray Stay Strong Foundation.
Gordons brave return to the saddle saw him sail through the 600km ride, teaming
up with English rider Mark Almond (above, left) for Team What Mountain Bike.
And every stretch of the way he was thinking about the air paramedics who had
saved his life.
I know that without the Scottish Air Ambulance Service I wouldnt have survived
my crash, said Gordon, who has so far raised almost 1000 for the
life-saving organisation.
I have always wanted to thank them and this seemed like the best way to do that
making my own wee gesture really.
The sense of achievement when we crossed the finish line was immense.
Near the end, I saw a guy who had come off the bike and got a bad injury.
He was being airlifted away by the air ambulance and it made me realise what I
was doing it for and made me even more grateful to the Scottish Air Ambulance
guys who had saved my life.
For more information on the TransRockies race, visit www.transrockies.com
October 12, 2011
A teenager died after
falling from his bike on a BMX track, the day after his final A level exam.
James Ryan Helme-Sagar,
17, visited the track from his Dukinfield home in June 2010.
He lost control on a
jump and fell over his mountain bike’s handlebars, suffering head injuries.
220. http://www.insidehalton.com/news/article/1229122--his-accident-was-front-page-news
Inger MacKenzie, SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER
Oct 20, 2011 - 11:40 AM
His accident was front-page news
INGER MACKENZIE / SPECIAL...
He;s got the right...
Oakville resident Rob Buren with his daughter Zara. Buren is paralyzed as a
result of a cycling accident in the trails of north Oakville three years ago.
It has forever changed his life his direction and his view every day. He has
turned the accident into inspiration with a positive attitude.
Attitude is everything for Oakvilles Rob Buren.
On a Sunday morning in October three years ago, an injured mountain biker was
carried on a stretcher through the overgrown north Oakville trails to a waiting
ambulance.
It was Buren.
Someone had built a jump on a hill in the forest. I thought I would give it a
try and landed in an awkward way, Buren recalls today.
It forever changed his life.
We did not have a cell phone, so my friend raced to Dundas Street to seek help.
Lying on the ground, looking up at the trees and the sky, I was unable to move
my legs and feet.
The first thoughts that came to his mind, he said, were, I wont be able to
dance with my girls at their wedding, or accomplish all I had planned for my
life. What about me and my wife Sabrina?
His daughters Chloe and Zara were three and five years old at the time of the
accident. More than once, their only birthday wish has been for their dad to
walk again, and for his back to be healed.
An article and a photo from the day of the tragic accident was featured in the
Oakville Beaver.
This is the story about what happened to the man on the stretcher on the front
page of this paper. Its also about family, friends and community spirit, but
most importantly about attitude.
Buren is a thoroughly charismatic, charming, athletic and a well spoken 40 year
old.
It was not until he asked us to lift his lifeless legs out of his hand bike, so
that he then effortlessly could lift himself up into the wheelchair, that we
were reminded he is paralyzed from the waist down.
Of his wife Sabrina Haque, Buren said, She is my champion and advocate. She is
the one who carries all the weight.
They met while they were both singing in a school musical at the University of
Western Ontario, where Buren was studying sociology.
For his Masters Degree thesis in 1998, he built a website looking at the social
impact of the Internet.
With a business spin on his sociology degree, he was hired by Microsoft as a
senior marketing manager.
Buren spent the first months after the accident at Lyndhurst Rehabilitation
Centre in Toronto. When he arrived back to his Oakville home in January 2009,
he found the entire house renovated to fit his new life in a wheelchair. Some
50 friends, family members and neighbours had worked on the house.
They took all the carpets out, enlarged the door openings and made the
bathrooms wheelchair accessible.
One neighbour, architect John Christie, spent his free time designing and
getting an approval from the Town of Oakville to build an elevator in the
garage. The elevator provides access to both the basement and the hallway.
The overwhelming support I received at my homecoming has continued ever since.
This has touched both Sabrina and me and it keeps us going, said Buren.
After the accident, Buren never asked Why? Instead he said, I soon realized
that to make the best out of the situation, I had to adapt.
In December 2008, Buren felt a numbing physical pain, a phantom pain that over
time has only become worse.
I decided that to be able to deal with the pain, I had to build up endurance
and resistance. By being distracted, I might be able to ignore the pain.
Buren had always had a passion for speed and anything on wheels, whether it was
a motorcycle, a dirt bike, a snowmobile, a mountain bike or a speed bike. The
freedom of moving on two wheels and the feeling of speed has become his best
tool on his road to recovery.
His first priority was to get his drivers licence back. Only four months after
he was paralyzed, Buren learned how to drive a car with hand pedals to operate
the gas and brake.
In February 2009, he got a hand-bike, and began training. That month he also
enjoyed skiing on a sit-ski in the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Ontario
Ski Day in Collingwood. In June 2009, Buren was the very first person to take
part in the Toronto-to-Niagara 200 km Ride to Conquer Cancer, on a hand-bike.
He thanks his friend Brian Bourne for pushing him to get out and complete this
race.
The following year a team of 70, including Sabrina, joined Buren and Bourne in
completing this event and raising $280,000 for cancer.
In the Ottawa Fall Colours Half Marathon, he was again feeling the joy of
speed, but this time in a wheelchair. His friend, Rick Vander Wal, who himself
has been a paraplegic for 20 years, talked him into signing up for the Bermuda
Full Marathon. They were the first wheelchair athletes to race in this
marathon. Buren recounts how his hand was bloody as the skin wore off while
pushing the wheelchair through the heat.
Buren knew he had to stay active, and said, Exercising gives me a shot of
adrenalin.
Over the next year, he completed the Wasaga Beach Olympic Triathlon, the
Oakville 10 km, the Los Angeles Marathon, an open water swim race north of
Peterborough and the 24 Hours at Albion. In the latter race, he and Vander Wal
took turns on an off-road dirt bike.
Last week, he raced on a GSXR1000 motorbike that was adapted for him.
Through being a motivational speaker, Buren shares his stories and wisdom. He
is educating younger students through the SMART program; on how to decrease
their chances of getting hurt.
He speaks to university students about how to cope and not to give up. He has
also addressed the local chapter of The Rotary Club.
After pausing, and adjusting himself in his chair, Buren said, The biggest
problem is not about not being able to walk. The biggest challenge is the
neuropathic pain."
The pain, often referred to as phantom pain, lies below the injury and feels
like everything is on fire. There is no means for how to eliminate this pain.
I have tried it all, medication, massage, chiropractor, physiotherapy, even
meditation. Nothing helps to control that excruciating pain.
Burens wheelchair bike boasts the motto, Attitude is everything.
In the background, we hear the music and laughter of his two girls.
I cannot complain. I can be independent in my own home. I am not brain injured.
I can think, I can get outdoors and be active.
From the moment I broke my back, I decided to focus on the things I can still
do, rather than to focus on the things Ive lost. And Ive learned that the more
ambitious my goals are in life, the more family, friends and strangers rally to
achieve them.
In the big picture I do consider myself lucky. I can still hug my kids, said
Buren.
221. http://www.gjsentinel.com/breaking/articles/man-62-killed-in-mountain-biking-accident/
Man, 62, killed in mountain biking accident
By Paul Shockley
Saturday, October 22, 2011
A man who was riding a mountain bike with a friend near De Beque died
Friday night from injuries suffered in a fall.
Steven D. Chesley, 62, of Rifle, was pronounced dead at the scene
after suffering a blunt-force neck injury during a fall, which
happened in mountains southwest of De Beque, according to the Mesa
County Coroners office. Chesley, described by the coroners office as
an accomplished mountain bike rider, hit the top of his head with
significant force, a news release said. He was wearing a helmet.
The death was ruled accidental.
Mesa County Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Lisa McCammon said
deputies were notified of the accident around 5:30 p.m.
222. http://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/news/local/helicopter_needed_for_dalby_bike_accident_1_3901227
Helicopter needed for Dalby bike accident
Published on Monday 24 October 2011 03:48
A MOUNTAIN biker with a badly broken leg was airlifted from Dalby Forest on
Sunday.
Yorkshire Ambulance Service had requested help from the Great North Air
Ambulance who took the man in his 50s to James Cook Hospital.
A spokesperson said: The helicopter crew had to administer powerful painkilling
drugs before stabilising the leg.
They airlifted the patient to James Cook hospital in a stable condition. Again
the service was able to be of vital assistance in the North Yorkshire area.
223. Mcleans Island cyclist dies
JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN
Last updated 15:11 29/10/2011
A man is dead and another is in critical condition after they both suffered
heart attacks within minutes of each other at a mountain bike event in
Christchurch today.
St John Ambulance spokesman Ian Henderson said a 60-year-old man was riding in
the middle of forest in McLeans Island when he had a heart attack and died at
the scene about 11am.
A man in his 40s was found a short time later in a carpark after he had also
suffered a heart attack.
"He was in a serious condition and was taken to hospital in a
helicopter."
A Police Southern Communications spokesman said police were also at the scene.
The men were taking part in the popular "Giant 12 Hour Day/Nighter & 6
Hour Blast Mountain Bike Race" at McLeans Forest Park.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5875809/Mcleans-Island-cyclist-dies
By Kurt Bayer
5:31 PM
Monday Oct 31, 2011
Two cyclists suffered
heart attacks within minutes of each other, and one of the men died, during an
endurance mountain bike race in Christchurch on Saturday.
Fitness fanatic Bob
'Hoppy' Hopkins, 61, was racing through McLeans Forest Park in the Giant 12
Hour Day/Nighter and 6 Hour Blast Mountain Bike Race when he suffered a fatal
heart attack.
Fellow racers tried to
resuscitate him on the track before emergency services arrived.
And minutes later,
Nicholas Carter, 52, was also struck down with a heart attack and today is
still in hospital in a serious condition.
St John Ambulance
spokesman Ian Henderson confirmed that father-of-two Mr Hopkins, of
Christchurch, died at the scene at around 11am on Saturday.
A Westpac Rescue
Helicopter spokesman said Mr Carter went into cardiac arrest shortly after they
had arrived to treat Mr Hopkins. He said the event had not been running long
when the two men went into cardiac arrest, just before lunchtime.
The two incidents were "moments apart", he said.
Today, Mr Hopkins'
family paid tribute to the 6ft-3in engineer who was a "great outdoors
fanatic."
His ex-wife Sandy
Galland said: "Hoppy was a really fit guy and didn't have any health
problems so this came as a real shock to us all.
"He was a great
outdoors fanatic - a huntsman, cyclist, runner, member of the Hash House
Harriers, and a very experienced endurance racer, going right back to the very
first Speights Coast to Coast. He was good mates with Robin Judkins and was
involved in that from the very beginning.
"It's been a huge
shock for us all. Nothing has really set in yet."
Ms Galland said fellow
racers tried to resuscitate Mr Hopkins on the trail before emergency services
arrived.
She said: "They
gave him CPR until professionals got to him.
"He was larger than
life, called a spade a spade, and would do anything for you. He was very
passionate about sports, the outdoors, and teaching kids.
"He lived a very
healthy lifestyle, but loved a party also.
"His children and
his sports were his life. We're expecting a big funeral on Friday."
He leaves behind two
daughters - Zara, 10, and 12-year-old Dawn, who said her father "taught us
everything he knew."
Dawn Hopkins said:
"On Saturday morning, we were having fun jet-skiing and playing in the
water with friends and then we got a phone call about dad and our day went from
great to terrible.
"Dad took us
hunting and showed us how to do everything. He taught us really well.
"He always pushed
us to do sports and to get right up there, and I will continue to play my
sports because that is what he would have wanted.
"He will be missed
heaps."
Race director Rod
Hibberd of Blue Dog Events said the death will affect the Christchurch mountain
biking community, which he described as being "very tight knit."
He said: "Riders
all know each other and will be greatly saddened at the loss of a fellow rider.
Like myself, I know everyone will be thinking of the family at this time."
224. http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/cca41aa770b645e8ae9e19c4789e21a4/MT--Firefighter-Death/
Miles City firefighter dies after mountain bike accident
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: October 29, 2011 - 11:27 am
Billings, Mont. Officials say a firefighter with Miles City Fire and Rescue
died shortly after crashing on his mountain bike.
Capt. Tim McGlothlin died Thursday evening shortly after the crash in the
Strawberry Hill Recreation Area near Miles City.
Battalion chief Scott Moore tells the Billings Gazette (http://bit.ly/uQwDoJ)
that the 39-year-old McGlothlin was riding with several other firefighters when
the crash occurred.
Moore says McGlothlin was a member of the state honor guard, headed up the
Montana chapter of an international motorcycle organization, and was an officer
for the International Association of Firefighters local union.
On Friday Miles City Mayor Joe Whalen ordered flags flown at half-staff in
honor of McGlothlin.
___
Information from: Billings Gazette, Billingsgazette.com">
225. http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=122064
NATO Chief Falls Off Bike, Fractures Shoulder
Brussels, Nov 15 (IANS): NATO Secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen has
fractured his left shoulder after falling off a mountain bike in Brussels.
The 58-year-old Fogh Rasmussen, an avid mountain biker, wrote Monday on his
Facebook page that he suffered a "serious fall" and fractured his
left shoulder, Xinhua reported.
"Dear friends, mountain-biking is a challenging sport," Rasmussen
wrote.
The fall forced him to cancel a scheduled trip to a few countries.
"My left arm is now in plaster, fixed tightly and not allowed to move.
Recovery will take some time and patience. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my
trip to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this week," he wrote.
226. http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=145589
Words to the wise: Ride with a buddy
Having had the better part of a month+ to contemplate my own idiocy I thought
I'd post it up here for hopefully one person to learn from.
As I have a somewhat unconventional working schedule I'm forced to do a lot of
riding on my own. Mostly the Shore but with some Squamish rides, despite my
advancing age I'm relatively new to MTBing coming from the road world.
A few weeks back I had a meeting midweek in the afternoon in Squamish in the
late PM; great, that'll allow me to get a ride in in the late AM and have
plenty of time to shower and eat in advance. I've done a fair bit of riding in
Squamish this summer (mostly XC) so I thought I'd hit Half Nelson for a few
rips, which I hadn't ridden since the late Spring. Hit the road in good time,
got the mandatory coffee at Galileo, made my way up the road to the lot at the
foot of Half Nelson. Beautiful fall day, cool but not cold, and the conditions
are dry. In other words, perfect. Throw the Camelback on, and start the grind
up the FSR to the trailhead.
Which is roughly where my memory ends.
I have vague memories after that. A frustrated ambulance attendant writing
answers to the five questions I kept asking, over and over again, and putting
the paper in my lap (think "Memento"). My wife appearing at Lions
Gate, extremely concerned. Our friend Steve showing up for support (he's my
usual riding buddy, and a critical care doctor to boot). A trip to the CAT scan
to scan my head. Frustration and not remembering what happened, and at myself
for worrying my family and kids. Damnit, I'm pushing 40 with three kids. What
the hell was I doing?
What happened according to the people involved: I was found wandering Half Nelson
in a daze (ironically by a couple of off-duty members of Squamish Search and
Rescue). Martin and Katy walked me down to the foot of the trail, where I
(wisely) decided I wasn't good to drive. Martin then kindly drove me in my
truck to Corsa -- apparently I suggested going there as I'm friends with Dave
and Sandra. Typical, I crash and the first thing I want to do is go to a bike
shop. Dave drove me to Squamish hospital, where they decided my brain was so
fried I needed a CAT scan at Lions Gate (they have no unit up in Squamish,
hence the ambulance ride). From there it was the trip down, the diagnosis that
I got a good knock but no permanent damage (insert jokes here), and I was sent
on my fuzzy-but-merry way to recover at home.
If I had to guess, my suspicion is that I hit the little whoops too hot. Not
slow enough to ride over, and I lost control in the air.
The helmet? A Giro XAR (now replaced). You can see the cracks in the foam on
the inside, as well as full dents on the side of the helmet. Definitely saved
my skull.
Big thanks:
-Martin and Katy. Without them I might have been still be wandering the woods
of Squamish, or even worse like an outtake from "Deliverance". I
don't recall even seeing any cars in the lot when I left, so I'm lucky anyone
was on the trail. Even luckier they were SAR.
-Dave and Sandra, who drove me to the hospital, held onto my bike, drove my
truck back to the North Shore, and generally acted like family.
-The ever-patient ambulance attendants.
-The great medical team at Lions Gate.
-Steve, my buddy the doctor who was able to both comfort my wife and really
explain what was going on.
-Jared from OGC, who was kind enough to help me replace my helmet ASAP.
-My wife and family. I owe them a debt of gratitude, for indulging this as well
as even letting me ride again.
So learn from the mistakes of an old man. Ride with a buddy or at times when
there's lots of people out there. Seems obvious, but we all take shortcuts to
sneak rides in. Don't be me.
227. Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:21:37 -0800
Subject: Death of a Pedestrian due to....
From: Connie Berto
...a mountain biker, in San Francisco. This story was in the 16 Nov. 2011 'San
Francisco Chronicle.' The poor woman -- being a tourist, she obviously didn't
know that in San Francisco people are supposed to jump out of the way and let
the biker just ride through. This is the same "entitlement" mentality
we trail users are battling in Marin County. CB
---
"Bicyclist faces manslaughter charge in pedestrian's death."
"A bicyclist who hit and killed a pedestrian when he ran a red light
along San Francisco's waterfront has been charged with misdemeanor vehicular
manslaughter, authorities said Tuesday.
"Rudolph Ang, 23, of San Francisco collided with 68-year-old Dionette
Cherney at Mission Street and the Embarcadero about 8:30 a.m. July 15,
prosecutors said. Cherney, who was visiting from Washington, DC, died of head
injuries at a hospital Aug. 11.
"Cherney was crossing the Embarcadero in a crosswalk with the green light
at Mission when she was hit by Ang, who was travelling north, police said.
"Ang remained at the scene and was interviewed by police. There was no
evidence he was drunk or on drugs, prosecutors said.
"Ang was charged with only a misdemeanor because investigators determined
that he had not acted with criminal intent or gross negligence, said Stephanie
Ong Stillman, a spokeswoman for DA George Gascon.
"Ang faces a maximum sentence of a year in jail if convicted. "
(Email Henry K. Lee at hlee@sfchronicle.com)
-------------
228. http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=40420
Helicopter rescues mountain-biker in Brooklyn and runner in Belmont
November 20, 2011
Press Release Life Flight Trust
The Life Flight Trust responded to two sports-related accidents with the
Westpac Rescue Helicopter this morning.
At 1035 the helicopter was called to the mountain bike track near the wind
turbine in Brooklyn. A Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic was winched to the
scene where a 60 year old Johnsonville man was injured when he came off his
mountain bike at speed.
The helicopter landed 400 metres from the injured man and then he was carried
to the helicopter and transferred to the Wellington Hospital Emergency
Department.
He sustained back and face injuries in the accident and is being treated at
hospital.
About 1135 the helicopter flew from the roof of Wellington Hospital to Belmont
Regional Park in Lower Hutt.
The paramedic was winched down to a 31 year old Wellington woman who injured
her knee while running in the park.
Our pilot had his work cut out for him given the windy conditions in the area
says Dave Greenberg, Life Flight crewman. If we were not able to winch it would
have taken hours for ambulance crews to walk to the patient and then carry her
back out so it was good we were able to accomplish the task.
The patient and paramedic were winched back into the helicopter and she was
transfererd to the Wellington Hospital Emergency Department where she was
treated and assessed.
229. http://monrovia.patch.com/articles/mountain-biker-injured-in-chantry-flat-area#photo-8493375
Updated: Mountain Biker Injured, Rescued in Chantry Flat Area
The call came to authorities at 10:04 a.m., according to county fire.
November 19, 2011
Update: Larry Smith, president of the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team,
confirmed that the mountain biker was successfully airlifted from the Chantry
Flat area at around noon Saturday. Smith said the biker crashed near Hoegee's
Camp, and was with several of his friends, who assisted in the rescue
operation. Eleven members of the Sierra Madre team were active, serving in the
field and from the command center, Smith said.
Previously: Sierra Madre Search and Rescue, the Forest Service and the L.A.
County Fire Department are swarming to the Chantry Flat area in the Angeles
National Forest to aid an injured 25-year-old male mountain biker after he
crashed his bike, according to officials with the County Fire Department and
the Forest Service's command center.
A helicopter and ground units from multiple agencies are present in the area,
with the helicopter attempting to hoist the bike rider -- who is conscious --
out of the area, said a Forest Service dispatcher.
No other details were available.
Published:
November 22, 2011 9:00 AM
Updated: November 22, 2011 9:38 AM
Editor;
I am writing you regarding children, youth and adults in Ladysmith riding
on the sidewalks. For the past three years, I have been witness to near misses
and potential accidents between pedestrians and riders of bikes while occupying
the same sidewalk.
In April 2008, I crashed my mountain bike while riding in Chemainus and as a
result of a head injury suffered in that crash, I cannot sense when someone
comes up along my left hand side.
I have had bicycle riders come up behind me on the sidewalk and pass by me
without the decency to announce themselves. This creates anxiety in me and
triggers me back to the bike accident. I have had to go into local businesses
in order to calm myself.
I have spoken to several businesses along First Avenue, city hall, RCMP, BCAA,
and ICBC regarding the sidewalk bicycle riding and most agree people should not
be riding on the sidewalks. But people are still continuing to ride on the
sidewalk and it will only be a matter of time before someone is injured.
I have encountered several bicycle riders riding on the sidewalks in Ladysmith
and have asked that they ride in the street as is correct. I have been verbally
abused by both youth and adults, some with very young children with them.
The anxiety that is triggered by having someone come up beside me on a silent
bike is too much to bear and I am increasingly fearful of walking on the
downtown sidewalks. I am now also fearful of verbal threats from bicycle riders
when I ask them to use the roadway.
Please, stop riding on the sidewalks, it is prohibited by the Town of
Ladysmith, and people are getting hurt. Use the roadway as is proper and leave
the sidewalks safer for pedestrians.
Lillian Blow
Ladysmith
http://www.bclocalnews.com/opinion/letters/134332348.html
Women mountain bikers usually suffer the worse injuries..
231. My Voice: Ivon Davidson
01 Nov, 2011 04:00 AM
Ivon Davidson was 33 when a mountain bike accident nearly killed him. His
partner and carer Christine Linden talks about his artistic road to recovery.
Ivon is 38 and lives in Donvale. [Five years ago] he was riding a pushbike in
Silvan National Park, east of Melbourne, just a casual ride, when he came off.
He was on a steep slope and just came off and hit his head. He was mountain
bike riding, which he loved. He still does, although he doesnt have a bike any
more.
Ivon had an all-over brain injury, which meant his whole brain was bruised by
the incident. He was not given any chance of recovery; it was assumed he would
pass away in the first few weeks. When he got past that stage, they assumed he
would be left permanently unable to speak or eat, and that he would be placed
in a nursing home, despite his age, as the injuries were so horrific.
Hes still recovering, he isnt back to what he used to be, but in the past 12
months he has made a lot of progress. He can talk, he has started eating, he is
learning to walk again and is able to take some steps. Its just miraculous.
For us both it has been a complete life change. We were in our early 30s and
looking to start a family and we have spent the past five years trying to help
his recovery, that has been the one focus. I have balanced work and caring.
One thing that has helped Ivon has been his art. He loves painting, loves to
draw. The thing for him is he is left-handed and the injuries havent allowed
him to regain the use of his left hand so he has had to learn how to use his
right hand for art. He is relearning to draw and write again.
It started out as therapy more than anything else, to help him reconnect. But
he has improved out of sight; when he started out there was not much definition
but now he is able to draw some pretty amazing pieces. And the best bit is he
has enjoyed this aspect of his therapy.
His work was exhibited in September by Villa Maria, there is a group of people
there who support him. A lot of people showed up and Ivon was ecstatic because
some of it was auctioned off and he made a bit of money out of it. His work is
also being shown in the Villa Maria 2012 art calendar.
Its a long road to recovery but hopefully one day he can get back to his job
as an accountant, hes getting a bit bored with the therapy!
http://www.melbourneweeklyeastern.com.au/news/local/news/general/my-voice-ivon-davidson/2341899.aspx
232. ANOTHER
Brain Injury Caused by Mountain Biking!
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Seattle-BenefitFilm-Premiere-Mon-Nov-7th-Chop-Suey-2011.html
Seattle Benefit/Film Premiere Mon, Nov 7th @ Chop Suey
by Lacy Kemp
Nov 3, 2011
Contour and the Pacific Northwest mountain bike scene are rallying together
this coming Monday for a benefit and fundraiser for Evan Choltco-Devlin. Evan
was recently riding in Peru and suffered a brain injury after getting caught by
the wind on a jump. If you live in the Seattle area and don't have any plans on
Monday we'd love for you to join us at Chop Suey at 8pm. We'll be premiering
the new 2nd Base Films movie From the Inside Out as well as raffling of items
from tons of companies.
Donations from the raffle include product from:
Diamondback Bikes
Evil Bikes
Transition Bikes
Gravity
Fox Racing Shox (any fork of your choice. Zing!)
Oakley
Smith
Alpinestars
Kenda
Schawlbe
Big Mountain Bike Adventures
Recycled Cycles
Skullcandy
...and more. Tickets are $12 at the door. Chop Suey holds 500 people and we'd
love to get as many people to the venue as possible. 100% of the proceeds will
go to Evan's recovery costs. We're hoping to be able to make a donation to the
Olympic Dirt Society as well.
You can view more info on Facebook or buy tickets directly from Chop Suey. The
event is 21+.
233. ANOTHER Quadriplegic Mountain Biker!
http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/whitefishpilot/article_6b56ffa6-0573-11e1-860f-001cc4c002e0.html
Hope remains for injured mountain biker
Photo courtesy of Jeff Marquis
Jeff Marquis
Jeff Marquis stands at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park. The photo was taken
about two weeks before his accident on Spencer Mountain.
Posted: Wednesday, November 2, 2011 10:53 am | Updated: 4:25 pm, Wed Nov 2,
2011.
Hope remains for injured mountain biker
BY HEIDI DESCH Whitefish Pilot Hagadone Corporation
In the video of Jeff Marquis you can see hope.
Hope that Marquis, who suffered a spinal cord injury in September, might
continue to regain movement in his arms and legs. The video shows Marquis
sitting on a physical therapy table with a brace around his neck. He is bent
forward at the waist and then makes a jerky movement with his arms and
shoulders as he sits upright.
Its pretty tiring, Marquis said from Craig Hospital in Denver, Colo., last
week.
He was really tired his body is adjusting to the new demands on it, his brother
Louis Marquis added. He is doing really well.
It was just more than a month ago that Marquis was mountain biking on Spencer
Mountain outside of Whitefish. He took an unexpected fast line went over the
handle bars and landed on the ground.
I lost feeling right away, he said.
Marquis called out for help. He had seen another rider earlier.
I told him not to move me, he said, but asked the rider to call 911.
The rescue crew arrived pretty quickly to the lower flanks of the mountain.
Marquis, having taken a first responder course, was able to describe what was
happening. He was fitted with a cervical collar and hauled out on a stretcher.
Marquis suffered a spinal cord injury and underwent surgery at Kalispell
Regional Medical Center.
Hes now at Craig Hospital, a spinal cord and head injury rehabilitation center.
His recovery continues with physical therapy.
Marquis has sensation throughout his body, but what he says is not normal
feeling. In his upper body he can feel temperature and light touch. Feeling is
less distinct in his lower body, but he says he can feel it when someone
squeezes his foot.
Doctors expect him to remain in the hospital for the next four to six months as
his physical therapy becomes more intense.
Hes lost quite a bit of weight,Louis said, but the hope is that his time in the
hospital will be on the shorter end of the timeframe. Family members are taking
turns staying with him.
A benefit for Marquis is set for Friday in Whitefish. His girlfriend Heather
Cauffman is organizing the Pints for a Purpose and silent auction event at
Great Northern Brewing Company. The night begins at 6 p.m. and free food is
being catered by Tupelo. Marquis has worked as a sous chef at Tupelo Grille for
the last four years.
The support feels pretty good Marquis said of the benefit.
We appreciate their support and everything Whitefish has done, Louis added.
Whitefish has a lot of people really looking out for him.
Marquis family has also set up a special needs trust for him. Donations can be
made to the Jeffrey M. Marquis S.N.T. at Wells Fargo Bank in Kalispell or
mailed to Cauffman at P.O. Box 1352, Whitefish, MT 59937.
Marquis seems to be progressing quickly in recovery. Hes recently had a smaller
tracheotomy put in, which means his ability to breath on his own is improving.
He expects to move from an electric wheelchair to a non-motorized chair soon.
Nothing is promised in his recovery, but nothing says he might not gain either,
Louis said.
Hope remains.
234. http://online.wsj.com/article/APc403b9a28a1748e4bc7d2f64f29612ff.html
Ex-mountain biking champ sentenced in NY
Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. A former world mountain biking champion caught in upstate New York
driving a truck with 350 pounds of marijuana inside won't spend any time in
prison.
A federal judge sentenced 38-year-old Melissa "Missy" Giove
(gee-OH'-vee) of Chesapeake, Va., to six months of home detention and five
years' probation on Wednesday.
Giove pleaded guilty to a drug charge stemming from her arrest in 2009, when
authorities say she drove 350 pounds of marijuana from California to Saratoga
County. Her lawyer said Giove turned to marijuana trafficking after head
injuries ended her biking career and sapped her financially.
Prosecutors sought a prison sentence of 24 to 30 months.
A Wilton man involved in the pot ring pleaded guilty earlier to drug
conspiracy. Authorities found nearly $1.5 million in cash inside his home.
235. Mountain biking accident leaves Guide Dogs for
Blind official in coma
http://www.marinij.com/rosskentfieldgreenbrae/ci_19403043
Ross incident
By Gary Klien
Marin Independent Journal
Posted: 11/23/2011 06:03:51 PM PST
A top official at Guide Dogs for the Blind is in a coma after an unexplained
incident near Phoenix Lake in Ross, according to close associates.
Susan Prnjak, a San Anselmo resident, was found unconscious the afternoon of
Nov. 12 on the Shaver Grade Fire Road, said Ross fire Chief Tom Vallee. Her
mountain bike was found nearby, and no one witnessed the crash, Vallee said.
Ross Valley paramedics took Prnjak to Marin General Hospital until she was
stable enough for transfer to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Terra Linda.
A Kaiser spokeswoman declined to comment on her condition, but Glenn Prescott,
executive pastor of Prnjak's church, said she has remained in a coma and her
prognosis is uncertain.
The church, Tiburon Baptist Church, has held two prayer vigils for Prnjak, a
deacon and flutist at the church.
"Susan's really been a little bit of everything," Prescott said.
"She's just a delightful, delightful person."
Jacqueline Perlmutter, a friend from Petaluma, described Prnjak as an avid
outdoorswoman who often took treks by herself.
Friends have started an account at www.CaringBridge.org to share support and news.
Prnjak, whose age was not available, does not have family members locally,
Prescott and Perlmutter said.
Prnjak has been human resources director since 2006 at Guide Dogs for the
Blind, the dog-training school with campuses in San Rafael and Portland. She is
also past board president of the Marin Human Resources Forum, and former human
resources director at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley.
Contact Gary Klien via email at gklien@marinij.com
236. http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/injured-mountain-biker-airlifted/5/108954
Injured mountain biker airlifted
Voxy News Engine
Sunday, 27 November, 2011 - 16:18
A 36 year old female from Blenheim was transported today 27 November 2011 at
1328 by the Summit Rescue Helicopter. The patient was mountainbiking in the
Wither Hills near Blenheim when she fell from her bike and sustained leg
injuries.
A St John Intensive Care Paramedic was hover loaded to the scene and treated
the patient along with a Benheim St John team who had walked to the site. The
patient was then hover loaded into the helicopter, as we were unable to land at
the scene. The patient and the Blenheim St John crew were transported to a
waiting Ambulance, so the patient could be transported to Blenheim Hospital.
This allowed us to respond to a second job at Wakefield.
237. http://www.ocregister.com/news/canyon-328900-modjeska-ocfa.html
Mountain biker rescued in Modjeska Canyon
A helicopter was used to hoist an injured man to safety.
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By IAN HAMILTON / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
MODJESKA CANYON The Orange County Fire Authority used a helicopter to hoist an
injured mountain biker from Modjeska Canyon on Sunday.
A call came in shortly before noon Sunday of a mountain biker injured on the
Harding Truck Trail in Modjeska Canyon.
OCFA performed a hoist rescue of the male bicyclist, who had a potential head
injury, and dropped him off at the intersection of Santiago Canyon Road and
Modjeska Canyon Road, according to OCFA Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion.
The bicyclist was treated by OCFA paramedics and transported to a local hospital,
Concepcion said, but did not have any additional details about his condition.
Contact the writer: 949-229-2426 or ihamilton@ocregister.com
238. http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2011/11/27/injured-mountain-biker-rescued-from-forest-trail
Injured mountain biker rescued from forest trail
Liz Roberts, Reporter
Sunday 27 November 2011 08:04 PM GMT
Last updated at Sunday 27 November 2011 08:05 PM GMT
A mountain biker on the Cwmcarn trail. Photo: Andy_C
A mountain biker was rescued after injuring herself on a downhill section of a
popular course.
Three mountain rescue teams went to the riders aid after she suffered a
suspected dislocated shoulder in a fall while on the Cwmcarn course in south
Wales.
Rescuers were alerted today at 2.45pm. Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team
members, some of whom were already on the hills for a training exercise, were
joined by colleagues from Brecon and Longtown MRTs at the site, north-west of
Newport.
Rescuers treated the woman at the scene before taking her to a waiting
ambulance which transported her to hospital.
239. http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/east-hampshire/clothes_sale_raises_more_than_2_000_for_paralysed_alex_1_3289862
Clothes sale raises more than 2,000 for paralysed Alex
114190-146_ALEX_SR_26/11/11 Friends of Alex Jones who was paralysed from the
chest down in a mountain biking accident, come together in Napier Hall to raise
money for a trust fund for him. Left to right. Zoe Palmer, Amy Conway, Gemma
Jones, Tammy Shakespeare and Linda Rowledge. Picture:Steve Reid 114190-146
Published on Monday 28 November 2011 07:12
TOP clobber was snapped up at a charity sale in aid of a father of two left
paralysed following a freak accident.
Adrenaline junkie Alex Jones was attempting a highly technical jump on his mountain
bike when he came off and landed awkwardly, leaving him paralysed from the
chest down.
Friends and family of the 38-year-old, from Horndean, have rallied round to
support him and raise money for a special wheelchair when he leaves hospital
that he can use on stony ground and in woodland.
Money is also needed to make adaptations to the family home and even to help
them move if they have to.
Amy Conway was one of the organisers of the new and nearly-new clothes sale at
Napier Hall, Horndean on Saturday, which raised a grand total of 2,140.
She said: It was absolutely amazing. We were worried we might not cover the
cost of hiring the hall, but when we counted it up at the end we couldnt
believe it. Thank you so much to everyone who came along or helped out.
Alexs wife Andrea and their two small boys were not at the event as they were
by Alexs side at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire where he is
undergoing intense rehabilitation.
He has already made progress and can shave himself, make telephone calls and
use his computer.
Amy, 38, from Southsea, met Alex in Greece in 1997 when they worked together
for Sunsail.
She said: His spirit has been amazing and everyone whos visited him has had
their own spirits lifted by him.
He has a long road of recovery and rehab ahead of him and all the support he
has received so far has been overwhelming for him and his family.
Readers of The News who themselves have the same spinal injuries as Alex got in
touch with Andrea following the last article.
They have been amazing with their own stories and words of encouragement.
Three people a day are left paralysed like Alex so its not as rare as we first
thought.
To find out more or donate please email ajaxcharity@hotmail.com.
240. "It's part of my quality of life".
Yeah, right.
Mike
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20111204/BUSINESS/112040350/Dynamic-Earth-risks-calculated
Springfield business leader gets new outlook after breaking neck
While he won't stop taking risks, he will assess them carefully.
11:00 PM, Dec. 3, 2011
I was doing a phone interview with local businessman Matt O'Reilly when he
politely excused himself for a second.
"That was my 2-year-old daughter bringing me a bag of ice," O'Reilly
said.
Curious, I asked if he had a sprained ankle.
Nope, nothing that simple.
In mid-October, O'Reilly -- one of Springfield's up-and-coming young business
leaders -- endured a terrifying mountain biking accident on an Arkansas trail.
O'Reilly climbs mountains, jumps out of airplanes, snowboards and scuba dives.
But he's also passionate about mountain biking and helping develop new bike
trails in the Ozarks.
On his latest project -- a $20 million retail-apartment-office complex with an
attached farmers market described in the story below -- he hopes to link a bike
path to the nearby Springfield Conservation Center.
That trail probably won't have any built-in jumps like the one that broke his
neck and ripped his shoulder apart during the ride in October.
He recalled taking the jump a little too slowly, the front of his bike dropping
and pitching him forward.
With feet locked into the pedals, O'Reilly knew what was n