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.

Mike

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/south_of_scotland/7655440.stm

Mountain biker critically injured

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

Biker’s 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

Bell’s 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

Glasgow’s 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

http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2009/03/13/birkdale-man-40-dies-of-heart-attack-while-mountain-biking-101022-23132369/

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.

Stephen’s 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

wouldn’t 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 another’s 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: “We’ve had so many lovely cards saying he was

friendly, principled, loved life and had a wonderful smile - it’s 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....

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/47638/st-john-ambulance-services-fully-committed-over-weekend

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/

Doctors miss broken neck in mountain bike fall man

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....

http://www.bcbikerace.com/Media/Blog/

Monday, June 22, 2009

A BC Bike Race Champion and Great Guy Down

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

Summer a busy time for ambulance crews

By Tonya Bina
SKY-HI DAILY NEWS
Grand County, Colorado

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

A sixty-year-old British man has fallen more than 300 feet to his death while mountain biking in the French Alps on a camping holiday with nine friends.

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

ON THE MOUNTAIN
Mountain biker dies of heart attack

Dr. Alexis Shelokov, 55, had home in Telluride

By REILLY CAPPS
Writer

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

Man dies along southern Utah bike trail

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

Retired racer Steve Larsen dies after collapsing during running workout

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

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.

23. http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/20090824_ap_mainemankilledinwpamountainbikecrash.html

Maine man killed in W. Pa. mountain bike crash

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

Mountain biker seriously injured

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.

25. http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/4561237.Mountain_biker_hurt_in_fall_at_Moses_Gate_Country_Park/

Mountain biker hurt in fall at Moses Gate Country Park

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.

26. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news_digest/McDonald_s_executive_dies_in_bike_plunge.html?siteSect=104&sid=11117777&cKey=1251106736000&ty=nd

McDonald's executive dies in bike plunge

The managing director of McDonald's Switzerland has been killed in a mountain bike accident in the Swiss Alps.

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.

27. http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/4561237.Mountain_biker_hurt_in_fall_at_Moses_Gate_Country_Park/

Mountain biker hurt in fall at Moses Gate Country Park

28. http://radiology.rsna.org/content/219/2/427.abstract

US Findings in the Scrotum of Extreme Mountain Bikers1

+ Author Affiliations

¹From the Departments of Radiology II (F.F., A.K., G.H., B.A., D.z.N.) and Urology (A.S.), University Hospital Innsbruck, Austria. From the 1999 RSNA scientific assembly. Received June 21, 2000; revision requested July 28; revision received September 5; accepted October 2. Address correspondence to F.F., Department of Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Thomas Jefferson University, 132 S 10th St, Main Bldg, Seventh Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5244 (e-mail: ferdinand.frauscher@uibk.ac.at).

Abstract

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
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148

Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

Cushman R, Down J, MacMillan N, Waclawik H. Bicycle-related injuries: a survey in a pediatric emergency department. CMAJ. 1990 Jul 15;143(2):108112. [PubMed]
O'Rourke NA, Costello F, Yelland JD, Stuart GG. Head injuries to children riding bicycles. Med J Aust. 1987 Jun 15;146(12):619621. [PubMed]
Sgaglione NA, Suljaga-Petchel K, Frankel VH. Bicycle-related accidents and injuries in a population of urban cyclists. Bull Hosp Jt Dis Orthop Inst. 1982 Spring;42(1):8091. [PubMed]
Tucci JJ, Barone JE. A study of urban bicycling accidents. Am J Sports Med. 1988 MarApr;16(2):181184. [PubMed]
Kraus JF, Fife D, Conroy C. Incidence, severity, and outcomes of brain injuries involving bicycles. Am J Public Health. 1987 Jan;77(1):7678. [PubMed]
Belongia E, Weiss H, Bowman M, Rattanassiri P. Severity and types of head trauma among adult bicycle riders. Wis Med J. 1988 Jan;87(1):1114. [PubMed]
Wasserman RC, Buccini RV. Helmet protection from head injuries among recreational bicyclists. Am J Sports Med. 1990 JanFeb;18(1):9697. [PubMed]
Wasserman RC, Waller JA, Monty MJ, Emery AB, Robinson DR. Bicyclists, helmets and head injuries: a rider-based study of helmet use and effectiveness. Am J Public Health. 1988 Sep;78(9):12201221. [PubMed]
Thompson RS, Rivara FP, Thompson DC. A case-control study of the effectiveness of bicycle safety helmets. N Engl J Med. 1989 May 25;320(21):13611367. [PubMed]
DiGuiseppi CG, Rivara FP, Koepsell TD, Polissar L. Bicycle helmet use by children. Evaluation of a community-wide helmet campaign. JAMA. 1989 Oct 27;262(16):22562261. [PubMed]
Worrell J. BMX bicycles: accident comparison with other models. Arch Emerg Med. 1985 Dec;2(4):209213. [PubMed]
Guichon DM, Myles ST. Bicycle injuries: one-year sample in Calgary. J Trauma. 1975 Jun;15(6):504506. [PubMed]
Fife D, Davis J, Tate L, Wells JK, Mohan D, Williams A. Fatal injuries to bicyclists: the experience of Dade County, Florida. J Trauma. 1983 Aug;23(8):745755. [PubMed]
Kruse DL, McBeath AA. Bicycle accidents and injuries. A random survey of a college population. Am J Sports Med. 1980 SepOct;8(5):342344. [PubMed]
Kiburz D, Jacobs R, Reckling F, Mason J. Bicycle accidents and injuries among adult cyclists. Am J Sports Med. 1986 SepOct;14(5):416419. [PubMed]
Maring W, van Schagen I. Age dependence of attitudes and knowledge in cyclists. Accid Anal Prev. 1990 Apr;22(2):127136. [PubMed]
Fullerton L, Becker T. Moving targets: bicycle-related injuries and helmet use among university students. J Am Coll Health. 1991 Mar;39(5):213217. [PubMed]

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

Short report

Mountain biking injuries in rural England

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 extremelypopular recreation and a potent cause of serious injury.AimTo establish the morbidity associated with this sport.MethodsData were collected prospectively over one yearon all patients presenting with an injury caused by either recreationalor competitive off road mountain biking.ResultsEighty four patients were identified, 70 malesand 14 females, with a mean age of 22.5 years (range 871).Most accidents occurred during the summer months, most commonlyin August. Each patient had an average of 1.6 injuries (n =133) and these were divided into 15 categories, ranging fromminor soft tissue to potentially life threatening. Operativeintervention was indicated for 19 patients (23%) and severalrequired multiple procedures. The commonest injuries were claviclefractures (13%), shoulder injuries (12%), and distal radialfractures (11%). However, of a more sinister nature, one patienthad a C2/3 dislocation requiring urgent stabilisation, one requireda chest drain for a haemopneumothorax, and another requiredan emergency and life saving nephrectomy.ConclusionThis sport has recently experienced an explosionin popularity, and, as it carries a significant risk of potentiallylife threatening injury across all levels of participation,the use of protective equipment to reduce this significant morbiditymay be advisable.

^31.http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/697496.html

FATAL: Yakima man dies in mountain biking mishap

Herald staff

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.

32. http://www.exmouthherald.co.uk/exmouthherald/news/story.aspx?brand=EXJOnline&category=news&tBrand=devon24&tCategory=newsexh&itemid=DEED01%20Sep%202009%2013%3A29%3A39%3A073

Mountainbiker rescued after serious fall on Lympstone Common

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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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

Bike accident means Edison principal Chuck Tansey will miss school opening

by Rex Hall Jr. / Kalamazoo Gazette
Saturday September 05, 2009, 12:10 PM

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

Injured mountain biker airlifted to hospital

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

Mountain biker lucky to be alive after crash

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

SES leader dies in mountain bike event

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

Family, friends seek help for Piedmont woman injured in bike ride

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)

Broken neck can't stop Woodbridge cyclist Lauren Liden

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

Centerville man dies while mountain biking

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

Mountain biker overcomes fracture

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

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

Hincapie leads charity ride

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

2010 Race for Tara date announced

Published: Nov. 21, 2009

Press Release

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

His son, his hero

Teen carries father to safety after bicycle accident

By BURTON COLE Tribune Chronicle
POSTED: November 29, 2009

Article Photos

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

Copter rescues mountain biker, 50, after crash

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

Girl plunges down gorge into River Braan

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

Mountain biking girl, 16, lucky to be alive after 90ft river gorge plunge

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."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/2765448/Dunkeld-Perthshire-girl-bike-from-the-dead-after-gorge-fall.html

Bike from the dead

By MYRA PHILP

Published: 10 Dec 2009

A SCHOOLGIRL cheated death yesterday after plunging 90ft off a bridge into a freezing, raging river when she was thrown from her mountain bike.

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.

scottish-sun@the-sun.co.

55. http://www.kelowna.com/2009/12/14/neilson-working-toward-olympics-with-one-hand-close-to-being-healthy-after-bike-crash/

Neilson working toward Olympics with one hand; Close to being healthy after bike crash

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

Mountain biking girl, 16, lucky to be alive after 90ft river gorge plunge

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

Ferguson breaks leg, but hopes to compete again in February

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

'Cover-up' NHS boss is suspended

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

Broken wrists, nose for 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

Showing the way

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

Cyclist's body found in creek

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

Woman killed in bike accident named

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.

Mountain biking injuries in children and adolescents.

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

Coquitlam Search and Rescue save injured mountain biker

They were called to Eagle Mountain

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/

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

Sam Danniels brings 'heart and soul' to slopes

'I'm not looking to come 15th,' says Canadian skier of his first Games

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"

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/worcestershire-news/2010/03/15/mountain-biker-airlifted-to-hospital-after-fall-97319-26031989/

Worcestershire News

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

Mountain biker hurt in forest near Wrexham

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

Biker shrugs off freak accident with smile

4:00 AM Tuesday Apr 13, 2010

Kevin Myatt says he 'felt like I was famous' when Rotorua Hospital staff came to check out his injured hand. Photo / APN

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/

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

Colorado Springs man injured after fall on Mesa County trail

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."

87. MDC Ordered To Pay $2.9 Million To Injured Bicyclist

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.

88. Mountain biker airlifted to hospital

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.

90. Two in hospital after mountain biking accident

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

School reels after biking death

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.

92. Retired UCCS dean dies after bike crash

http://www.kjct8.com/Global/story.asp?S=12534008

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

Retired UCCS dean dies in mountain bike accident

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/

Helmets no protection for the spine in popular sport

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

Emily R. Dodwell, MD
University of British Columbia
Brian K. Kwon, MD, PhD
University of British Columbia
Barbara Hughes, MD, MHSc
University of British Columbia
David Koo, MD
University of British Columbia
Andrea Townson, MD
University of British Columbia
Allan Aludino
University of British Columbia
Richard K. Simons, MB
University of British Columbia
Charles G. Fisher, MD, MHSc
University of British Columbia
Marcel F. Dvorak, MD(marcel.dvorak@vch.ca)
University of British Columbia
Vanessa K. Noonan, PhD
University of British Columbia

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."

97. Mountain biker missing for four days found alive

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 G��ngen.

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. Genaske’s 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. Genaske’s 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.”

99. Mountain biker hurt in head-on crash into log

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.

100. Mountain Biker Injured Tuesday Evening

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.

101. Pennsylvania mountain biker hospitalized after crash near Two Top Mountain

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 July 9, 2010

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

103. Crashes are inevitable!

http://mountain.bike198.com/down-but-not-out-top-5-things-to-do-when-on-wreck-leave/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MountainBikingBy198+%28Bike198+-+Mountain+Biking%29

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 wreck…it is when.

104. Mountain bikers describe attack by grizzly on Peninsula trail

http://www.adn.com/2010/07/08/1359490/mountain-biker-recounts-tale-of.html

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

Cyclists recount meeting with grizzlies

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.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/07/12/impaled-on-a-bike-handlebar-pierces-boy-s-artery-exclusive-115875-22406805/

Impaled on a bike: Handlebar pierces boy's artery - Exclusive

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

106. Snowboard world champion Mike Jacoby recovering from bike accident

http://www.theskichannel.com/news/skinews/20100712/Snowboard-world-champion-Mike-Jacoby-recovering-from-bike-accident

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.

107. Ohio GOP US Senate candidate Portman takes spill while mountain biking, undergoes surgery

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

by Kevin Chierek

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.

Vincent’s 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."

Vincent’s 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

Rescuers hit their century

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

The fastest way down

West Van racer wins national mountain bike title

By Andy Prest, North Shore News, July 18, 2010

West Van’s Micayla Gatto
scored gold in downhill racing at the Mountain Bike Canadian
Championships held last weekend in Panorama, B.C.

West Van’s Micayla Gatto scored gold in downhill racing at the Mountain Bike Canadian Championships held last weekend in Panorama, B.C.

Photograph by: Paul McGrath, NEWS photo

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.

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

113. Police airlift Bedminster man who broke leg mountain biking

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.

114. Banora cyclist dies in hospital

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/

Girl, 12, dies in camp biking accident

By Paul Shockley
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

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 wasn’t 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. “It’s 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.

“I’d 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

Delta girl, 12, dies in biking accident at camp

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.

116. Injured Mtn. Biker Rescued West of Bend

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

117. Mountain biker rescued following leg injury

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."

119. Vancouver police officer dies while mountain biking in Columbia Gorge

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.

124. Mountain biker flown out of Big Cottonwood Canyon in critical after crash on trail

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700060570/Mountain-biker-flown-out-of-Big-Cottonwood-Canyon-in-critical-after-crash-on-trail.html

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

Mountain biker dies on Marin Trail in Snowdonia

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/

Man dies after collapsing in North Wales forest

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.

http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/8414652.Mountain_bike_rider_airlifted_after_Dalby_Forest__accident/

Mountain bike rider airlifted after Dalby Forest accident

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 rider’s treatment. His condition was yesterday described as “serious”.

127. North Wales Police chief hurt in bike crash at Moel Famau

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.

128. Westmoreland Co. Attorney Found Dead On Bike Trail In Maryland

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.

129. Mountain biker rescued from stream in Wyre Forest valley

http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/8437158.Mountain_biker_rescued_from_stream_in_Wyre_Forest_valley/

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.

130. Crews Find Missing Mountain Biker Alive

http://www.kpho.com/valleynews/25426472/detail.html

Woman Spends Night In Spur Cross Recreation Area

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.

131. Gesink's father dies as result of mountain bike crash

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

Robert Gesink's father passes following mountain bike crash

by Jered Gruber at 8:01 AM EST

Injuries sustained from the Bart Brentjens Challenge two weeks ago proved too much

Two weeks following his crash at the Bart Brentjens Challenge in South Limburg, the father of Robert Gesink succumbed to his injuries and passed away Saturday morning.

The day after his son's second straight win at the Giro dell'Emilia, the elder Gesink took to the start of the Bart Brentjens Challenge, but would not make it to the finish.

Following his win on the 9th of October in Emilia, Gesink had placed himself as one of the top favorites for the following weekend's season ending Monument, the Giro di Lombardia.

Gesink wouldn't get the chance to start though, as the call came on Sunday, and he immediately left for the airport to be at his father's side. Little was heard of following the initial report that Gesink would not be taking part in the Race of the Falling Leaves. The next report was yesterday and the sad news that his father had passed.

The Rabobank team website, Rabosport, wished Gesink and his family the best in the family's difficult time: "The riders, team leaders, management, and staff of the Rabobank Cycling Team and participative sponsor, Rabobank, are shocked by this sad news and wish Robert and all his family strength in coping with this great loss."

132. Crocodile Trophy stage neutralised after Heuker's death

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

134. Bend Woman Rescued After Mountain Bike Accident

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, I’ve usually found myself firmly on the cyclist’s side. After all, I am one, so of course I'm biased. Description: Mountain biker

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/

Corey warns other mountainbikers

Alison King | 6th December 2010

Lucky: Corey Deane feels lucky to be alive after a mountainbike crash left him with a broken neck. Photo / Ben Fraser 011210bf2

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/

Biking enthusiasts rally Saturday to help a friend

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

Sachin Nakrani
guardian.co.uk, Monday 6 December 2010 13.41 GMT

Mark Webber drove in the final four races of the F1 season with a broken shoulder 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

Mountain biker fights for life

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!

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/jan/01/tdmain01-biker-faces-endurance-test-of-life-ar-746511/

Biker faces endurance test of life

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

Mountainbiker Dan Atherton back in the saddle

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

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

Two Mountain Bikers Rescued

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/

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.

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/ulverston/rescue-drama-as-cyclist-injures-leg-1.801039?referrerPath=news/

Rescue drama as cyclist injures leg

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

Challenge puts four in 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 After Tumbling Off Canyon Road in Glendora

The biker fell about 200 feet.
Watch Carolyn Costello's report

Biker Rescued in Glendora (KTLA-TV / February 7, 2011)

VIDEO: Mountain Biker Rescued After 300 Foot Plunge, Carolyn Costello reports

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.

154. http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/local/news/pastor-lees-son-injured-in-mountainbike-smash/3940272 /

Pastor Lee's son injured in mountainbike smash

Abigail Hartevelt | 12th February 2011

Mountainbike Misfortune: Rotorua's Hamish Lee (left) and his father Pastor Timothy Lee are both dealing with injuries from mountainbiking accidents.

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

Paralysed pastor's family vows to keep mountainbiking

5:30 AM Sunday Feb 13, 2011

Hamish suffered injuries in a recent mountain bike crash.

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

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-union/no-bitterness-as-on-your-bike-order-taken-literally/2090954.aspx

No bitterness as 'on your bike' order taken literally

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.''

157. http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/8902018.Cyclist_died_three_days_after_injury_between_Hackpen_and_Overton/

Cyclist died three days after injury between Hackpen and Overton

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

Injured Annadel bicyclist is hospitalized

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.

Helicopter called in to rescue stranded biker

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.

See related story.

Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com

160. http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/rossendale/8938597.Hospital_airlift_for_biker_after_Rossendale_quarry_accident/

Hospital airlift for biker after Rossendale quarry accident

9:19am Tuesday 29th March 2011

By Peter Magill Chief reporter

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

Mountain biker rescued by helicopter

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

Bicyclist rescued after fall down embankment near Lake Redman

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

Man airlifted after mountain bike accident

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/

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

Teen airlifted after falling off mountain bike

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.

166. http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/8993998.Lancashire_mountain_rescue_teams_inundated_by_calls/

Lancashire mountain rescue teams inundated by calls

9:00pm Tuesday 26th April 2011

By Jon Livesey Reporter

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.

167. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/9000009.Keighley_champion_mountain_biker_hurt_in_40ft_fall_off_cliff/

Professional breaks his leg and arm in accident while filming video at Cowling

5:51pm Thursday 28th April 2011

By Marc Meneaud

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.

169. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110505/ARTICLES/110509697/1350?Title=Injured-Windsor-cyclist-dies-a-month-after-fall

Injured Windsor cyclist dies a month after fall

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

Mountain biker injured in Kamloops mishap

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

172. http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/mountain-biker-badly-hurt-in-high-speed-lake-district-crash-1.835150?referrerPath=news

Mountain biker badly hurt in high-speed Lake District crash

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/

Mancos mountain biker dies in biking accident

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CORTEZ, Colo. Authorities say a Mancos man killed in a mountain biking accident on Monday near Cortez was the victim of a tragic accident.

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

174. http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2011/05/23/mountain-biker-on-guisborough-woods-crash-84229-28745302/

Mountain biker on Guisborough Woods crash

by Mike Morgan, Evening Gazette
May 23 2011

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/

Keighley rider Chris Akrigg relives horrific plunge

9:05am Monday 23rd May 2011

By Marc Meneaud

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.

176. http://montrose.patch.com/articles/student-overcomes-head-injury-to-become-state-ranked-mountain-biker

Student Overcomes Head Injury to Become State-Ranked Mountain Biker

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.

Whiz Kid's Name/Age: Lucas Rowton, Age 15
Whiz Kid's School: Crescenta Valley High School.
Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: Rowton recently competed in the National Interscholastic High School Cycling Association Finals in Los Olivos, CA. Part of a team of mountain bikers from CV High, Rowton placed 7th in the state and 4th in Southern California. This is an accomplishment unto itself. But keep in mind, Rowton might have easily avoided bicycles altogether after a serious accident 2 years ago.
Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: It was January 27, 2009. I was in 8th grade, recalled Rowton. I was fooling around with my friends and fell off my bike onto my head. Luckily I had my helmet on. Rowton lost consciousness. Thanks to the quick thinking of his friends, he was taken to the hospital where he remained unconscious for a terrifying three days. The brain contusion and subsequent swelling prompted doctors to say hed be lucky to get 80% of his brain capacity back, and that competitive sports were out of the question, said his mother Susan Rowton. She credits his remarkable recovery to nutrient-rich foods and Lucass determination to be healthy. Within a few months, he was back on his bike and flourishing at school. By August, said his mom, Lucas was in football pads playing quarterback for the CV Falcons freshman team.
Bonus Whiz Kid Info: He believes mountain biking will always be a part of his life. Its just fun, says Rowton. But he has words of wisdom to kids everywhere, Always wear a helmet.

177. http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/122541978.html

Dinner planned for injured mountain biker

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

Biker Rescued From Case Mountain

Crews Used Cell Phone Signal To Track Him

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

Missing Coon Rapids man found safe

9:56 PM, May 30, 2011

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

Search and rescue called for missing cyclists on Hudson Bay Mountain

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

A good time for a ride

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 Vancouverâ€™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.â€

A self-proclaimed "quick study,â€ 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 heavyâ€ 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,â€ 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,â€ says Delacroix.

"But the way I injured myself wasnâ€™t too common. I have friends who have never sustained injuries doing the same thing. Itâ€™s all about how far you push yourself and knowing when to walk away. About 95 per cent of mountain biking is pretty safe.â€

June is Bike Month in B.C. and this yearâ€™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,â€ says Wood.

"You should have the tightness of bolts tested, have the frame inspected for cracks and failures,â€ says Wood.

When purchasing a bike, adds Wood, it is important to ensure oneâ€™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 arenâ€™t easy and if one considers only their budget it could "get them in trouble.â€

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,â€ says Wood.

"And either way, you get to experience something you donâ€™t always get to experience in your day to day. Youâ€™re getting healthy and fit and having fun with friends.â€

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 oneâ€™s experience, Kyle says every rider needs to start at "square one.â€

"You have to be aware of your ability level and build yourself up methodically,â€ 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.â€

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 NSMBAâ€™s Wood, is a strong proponent of proper safety equipment, but warns against parents buying their kids equipment "to grow into.â€ For instance, Kyle says properly fitting helmets are of the utmost importance because oversized helmets can promote injuries. A riderâ€™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,â€ says Kyle.

"You have to expect to fall and dress appropriately. This is not a cheap entry sport for kids.â€

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

Mtn. Bike, Motorcycle Crashes Keep SAR Busy

Incidents West, East of Bend on Long-Awaited Warm Weekend

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.
Print Email

184. http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/477cd79d944549c9b8d85136ca29514a/CO--Biker-Injured/

Biker from the United Kingdom injured in Colorado biking accident

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: June 06, 2011 - 7:47 am
Last Updated: June 06, 2011 - 3:55 pm

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

Mountain biker flown to hospital after crash in Boise foothills

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

Mountain bike accident not bear attack

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 it’s 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 it’s 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. It’s tough being a ‘girl’ downhiller

Richard Winton

10 Jun 2011

IT can’t 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 Reilly’s 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.

“You’ll be at a race with 300 guys and 10 girls and sometimes you are considered one of the guys, which is fine, but I’m a girl,” she protests. “I was always sort of a tomboy but as I’ve got older it’s changed. I’ve become more confident because of cycling and now I like to get dressed up and wear make-up and that can be lost because it’s all muddy but it’s important to try to stay feminine because I’m a girl and it’s 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 weekend’s 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.

“I’d put so much into that one race and to mess it up the weekend before was gutting,” she admits. “You know you’re 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 Reilly’s 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 Reilly’s 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 I’m 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 tomorrow’s 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

My Turn: Husband hangs up his mountain biking pedals

She finally came to appreciate the role mountain biking playing in his life. Now that he is giving it up because of injury, it's a sad time.

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

Injured mountain biker rescued

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

Horseback riders, mountain biker injured

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

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

Community rallies around injured cyclist

Fundraising event brings in more than $27,000 in support of Peter Isherwood, who was hurt in a crash

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

RAF helicopter rescues Isle of Man mountain biker

Brandywell, Isle of Man courtesy Manxscenes.com 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

Mountain biker rescued from trail near Eldorado Springs

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

Injured mountain biker rescued in Bridgewater

Dirk Perrefort, Staff Writer

Updated 03:12 p.m., Friday, July 1, 2011

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

Top mountain biker in rescue drama

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.

201. http://www.kpho.com/story/15022216/emergency-crews-rescue-downed-mountain-biker

Emergency crews rescue downed mountain biker

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 51^st 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=

Firefighters Rescue Mountain Biker After Crash Near Boulder Beach

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

Man Dies in Mountain Biking Accident

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

Bicyclist injured at China Camp helicoptered to hospital

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/

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: July 14, 2011

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

Mountain biker dies in accident at Lake Tahoe

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

207. http://www.wyff4.com/news/28727766/detail.html

Mountain Biker Killed; Fellow Biker Stung 100 Times

Jeff Papenfus Killed In Fall On Trail

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

208. http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Injury-ruins-Horton-s-Olympic-test-chance/story-13053904-detail/story.html

Injury ruins Horton's Olympic test chance

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/

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.

Written by

Jen Lebron Kuhney

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

Fairchild Airmen Rescue Idaho Biker

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

Owens bounces back from bad breaks

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

Paramedics thank Ottawa man for rescue help

CBC News

Posted: Sep 16, 2011 8:41 AM ET

Last Updated: Sep 16, 2011 8:34 AM ET

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

Injured mountain biker rescued

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

Injured Mtn. Biker Rescued West of Bend

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/

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

Bike racer died of natural causes

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

Mountain Biker Flown to Hospital

Rider crashed while riding trail off UC Santa Cruz's upper campus.

ByAaron Jacobsen
October 2, 2011

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

Injured bike rider rescued from Franklin Mountains State Park (4:14 a.m.)

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.

218. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2011/10/11/i-crashed-my-bike-so-hard-my-eye-turned-the-wrong-way-round-86908-23481104/

I crashed my bike so hard my eye turned the wrong way round

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

219. http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1461556_dukinfield-teen-died-in-bmx-horror-day-after-final-a-level-exams

Dukinfield teen died in BMX horror day after final A-level exams

Lisa Gray

October 12, 2011
INSPIRATIONAL ... Jamie Helme-Sagar at his school prom (photo caption)

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 bikeâ€™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

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10762956

Two men suffer heart attacks during endurance bike race

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.

230. Ladysmith sidewalk's are for pedestrians only

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 doesn’t 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.

He’s still recovering, he isn’t 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. It’s 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 haven’t 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.

It’s a long road to recovery but hopefully one day he can get back to his job as an accountant, he’s 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.
Share
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

Mike

Mountain biker critically injured

Doctors miss broken neck in mountain bike fall man

http://www.bcbikerace.com/Media/Blog/

Monday, June 22, 2009

A BC Bike Race Champion and Great Guy Down

Summer a busy time for ambulance crews

By Tonya Bina SKY-HI DAILY NEWS Grand County, Colorado

A sixty-year-old British man has fallen more than 300 feet to his death while mountain biking in the French Alps on a camping holiday with nine friends.

ON THE MOUNTAIN Mountain biker dies of heart attack

Dr. Alexis Shelokov, 55, had home in Telluride

By REILLY CAPPS Writer

Man dies along southern Utah bike trail

Retired racer Steve Larsen dies after collapsing during running workout

German mountainbiker dies in Tyrol

Maine man killed in W. Pa. mountain bike crash

Mountain biker seriously injured

Mountain biker hurt in fall at Moses Gate Country Park

McDonald's executive dies in bike plunge

The managing director of McDonald's Switzerland has been killed in a mountain bike accident in the Swiss Alps.

Mountain biker hurt in fall at Moses Gate Country Park

US Findings in the Scrotum of Extreme Mountain Bikers1

Abstract

Short report

Mountain biking injuries in rural England

Herald staff

Mountainbiker rescued after serious fall on Lympstone Common

Bike accident means Edison principal Chuck Tansey will miss school opening

by Rex Hall Jr. / Kalamazoo Gazette Saturday September 05, 2009, 12:10 PM

Injured mountain biker airlifted to hospital

Mountain biker lucky to be alive after crash

SES leader dies in mountain bike event

Family, friends seek help for Piedmont woman injured in bike ride

Broken neck can't stop Woodbridge cyclist Lauren Liden

Centerville man dies while mountain biking

Mountain biker overcomes fracture

Mountain biker who died named

Hincapie leads charity ride

2010 Race for Tara date announced

Press Release

His son, his hero

Article Photos

Copter rescues mountain biker, 50, after crash

Girl plunges down gorge into River Braan

Mountain biking girl, 16, lucky to be alive after 90ft river gorge plunge

Bike from the dead

A SCHOOLGIRL cheated death yesterday after plunging 90ft off a bridge into a freezing, raging river when she was thrown from her mountain bike.

Neilson working toward Olympics with one hand; Close to being healthy after bike crash

Mountain biking girl, 16, lucky to be alive after 90ft river gorge plunge

Ferguson breaks leg, but hopes to compete again in February

'Cover-up' NHS boss is suspended

Broken wrists, nose for mountain biker

Showing the way

Cyclist's body found in creek

Woman killed in bike accident named

Mountain biking injuries in children and adolescents.

Coquitlam Search and Rescue save injured mountain biker

They were called to Eagle Mountain

Mountain biker airlifted after fall

Sam Danniels brings 'heart and soul' to slopes

'I'm not looking to come 15th,' says Canadian skier of his first Games

Worcestershire News Mountain biker airlifted to hospital after fall

Mountain biker hurt in forest near Wrexham

Biker shrugs off freak accident with smile

Kevin Myatt says he 'felt like I was famous' when Rotorua Hospital staff came to check out his injured hand. Photo / APN

Boy hospitalised after mountain bike accident

Colorado Springs man injured after fall on Mesa County trail

87. MDC Ordered To Pay $2.9 Million To Injured Bicyclist

88. Mountain biker airlifted to hospital

90. Two in hospital after mountain biking accident

School reels after biking death

92. Retired UCCS dean dies after bike crash

http://www.kjct8.com/Global/story.asp?S=12534008

Retired UCCS dean dies in mountain bike accident

Helmets no protection for the spine in popular sport

Abstract

97. Mountain biker missing for four days found alive

99. Mountain biker hurt in head-on crash into log

100. Mountain Biker Injured Tuesday Evening

101. Pennsylvania mountain biker hospitalized after crash near Two Top Mountain

By Tonya Bina
SKY-HI DAILY NEWS
Grand County, Colorado

ON THE MOUNTAIN
Mountain biker dies of heart attack

By REILLY CAPPS
Writer

by Rex Hall Jr. / Kalamazoo Gazette
Saturday September 05, 2009, 12:10 PM

Worcestershire News

Mountain biker airlifted to hospital after fall

The biker fell about 200 feet.
Watch Carolyn Costello's report

154. http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/local/news/pastor-lees-son-injured-in-mountainbike-smash/3940272 /

Pastor Lee's son injured in mountainbike smash

157. http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/8902018.Cyclist_died_three_days_after_injury_between_Hackpen_and_Overton/

Cyclist died three days after injury between Hackpen and Overton