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Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 10th 03, 02:29 AM
Trekkie Dad
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Default Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail

July 4, 2003

I hate this trail. Itıs a hard ride, and every time I ride it, I come
back bloodied. Iıd done it twice before, and some insanity had taken me
over when I agreed to do it again.

³Can we go back now?² I cried shortly after we started on the Loon Lake
trail. A quarter-mile in, I had already scraped my right knee in my
first fall, and I could feel the bleeding under the fabric of my tights.
(I had worn them to ward off the inevitable scratches that come from
riding the brushy sections of this brutal trail.) Larry and Rory were
already well ahead of me, so of course they didnıt hear my complaints.

So I kept going, mostly pushing the bike and occasionally riding it. Now
and then it was occasionally pleasant with some spectacular views of
Loon Lake‹as long as we didnıt stop long enough to let the mosquitoes
find us. After working our way out of the lake basin, we descended on an
abandoned road that was paved with small granite boulders. It was a
miracle that I hadnıt gone down in this rock pile of a trail, though
there were a few close calls. Finally, we got to the cross trail that
was to take us to the Rubicon (jeep) trail near Buck Island Lake. I was
feeling hungry, and soon we would stop for lunch

When we got to the jeep trail, Rory decided to head toward a nearby
jeepersı camp, and Larry and I followed. The ³road² was dusty, rutted,
and potholed, but at least it wasnıt covered in rocks, so I let the bike
build up some speed on a gentle downhill.

BAM! Without warning an unseen hole swallowed my front wheel, and I went
over the bars and landed squarely on my right shoulder. Pain erupted
there and shot through me like an electric shock.

Irma, a jeeper who had witnessed my fall, ran over and asked if I was
all right. I was moving my right arm with some success and a lot of
pain, so I answered, ³I donıt think so.² She pulled the bike off me,
brought me a small bottle of water and asked who I was riding with. As
soon as I gave her Larryıs name she was yelling it out loud. Larry,
Rory, and several others came running. While I sat there Rory was
cautiously feeling my shoulder and said, ³Looks like he broke his
collarbone.² I asked for the ibuprofen in my pack and swallowed two of
them. I felt myself breaking out into a cold sweat, so I said, ³Iım
feeling shocky. I need to lie down.² One of the jeepers‹Jim, I
think‹helped me up by the left arm and helped me to lie down in the
shade in front of a jeep. Out came ice packs for my shoulder and another
bottle of water to drink.

It was clear to everyone present that I would not be leaving under my
own power, and they started working out a plan for a rescue. Cell phones
were useless. Radio contact to Loon Lake was problematic, so one jeeper
drove back to Spider Lake (about 45 minutes away) to establish a relay
and call for an airlift. Meanwhile, I had started to shiver, so I asked
for a blanket, and one was quickly produced along with a Mickey Mouse
pillow. Someone offered me a cold peach, which I ate after the shock
subsided. As long as I lay still, there wasnıt much pain. I was about as
comfortable as one could be lying on the ground with the occasional
carpenter ant crawling over me.

While waiting for help, names and numbers were exchanged, arrangements
were made for transport of my bike and other gear, Rory took pictures,
and Irma got out her video camera. We joked around a bit, and I
complained about being referred to as ³an elderly gentleman² over the
radio. One of the guys was asking me if I wouldnıt mind tightening a few
bolts on the jeep while I was under it. Another offered to buy my bike
cheap, since it looked like I wouldnıt need it.

I could see the helicopter circling about before it landed in a nearby
clearing and two men clad in navy came up an introduced themselves.
Frank asked me how I was doing, and I replied, ³Iıve been better.² I
told him I could probably sit up, but guessed that would not be allowed.
He questioned Irma and me about what had happened. At no time had I lost
consciousness, and I had full recall of the fall, though I had been in
shock. He explained what was about to happen: the neck brace, backboard,
and the IV.

As I was being prepared for transport, the helicopter was moved to a
better site, and Frank recruited volunteers to carry me to the landing
site. They had to slog through a stream, and Frank gave them explicit
instructions as to how to approach the helicopter safely.

Being loaded on the copter felt like being slid into a drawer, and my
head and upper body appeared in the cabin beneath Frankıs seat. He laid
an oxygen mask on my face and placed electrodes on my chest while
explaining that the flight would take about ten to fifteen minutes. A
blood pressure cuff on my left arm inflated and deflated at regular
intervals.

Soon we arrived at the hospital. ³Nice landing,² I said, and I suggested
they install a mirror on the ceiling of the copter so future
³passengers² could see where they were going. A whole new set of faces
appeared as I was transferred to an emergency room bed. Each person
introduced himself, and the nurse in charge informed me that I would be
taken of the board as soon as the doctor approved.

After being questioned, examined, and poked and prodded from head to
toe, I was relieved they found no other injuries. (I did request that my
knee be cleaned up, though.) X-rays revealed a broken clavicle (just as
Rory suspected), but other than a sling, ice packs, a cleanup of the
knee, and pain pills, no treatment was offered. I was discharged but
allowed to stay in the emergency room until the bed was needed. I was
offered a turkey sandwich and a soda, which I gladly accepted. I also
had use of the phone, so I could check on the progress of being picked
up and taken home.

It took Rory and Larry four hours to get back to Loon Lake and about two
more to drive to the hospital. By then I had given up my ER bed and was
sitting in the waiting room with my x-rays, prescription, discharge
papers, ice pack, and pain-pill-to-go. On the way out of town we stopped
for a bite, and Rory fell asleep in the back seat while Larry had to
listen to me recount the experience all the way home.

Did I tell you I hate this trail?

For pics and info about the trail, and to read Rory's account, go to:
http://www.tahoebike.com
Click on the link Loon Lake Loop at the bottom.

TD feeling better day by day

--

World Without Cars Dictionary of Vandemisms (2001) is available at:
http://trekkiedad.freeservers.com/wwc.html
ICQ# available on request
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  #2  
Old July 10th 03, 03:08 AM
P e t e F a g e r l i n
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Default Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 01:29:42 GMT, Trekkie Dad
wrote:

|July 4, 2003

| I could feel the bleeding under the fabric of my tights.

Tights? July 4th?

Good God man!

Maybe the MTB Gods decided to punish you for excessive fredliness?


  #3  
Old July 10th 03, 03:39 AM
gabrielle
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Default Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail

On Wed, 09 Jul 2003 18:29:42 -0700, Trekkie Dad wrote:

BAM! Without warning an unseen hole swallowed my front wheel, and I went
over the bars and landed squarely on my right shoulder. Pain erupted
there and shot through me like an electric shock.


Crikey.

Heal quickly and well.

gabrielle
  #4  
Old July 10th 03, 04:13 AM
Pete
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Default Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail


"Trekkie Dad" wrote

BAM! Without warning an unseen hole swallowed my front wheel, and I went
over the bars and landed squarely on my right shoulder. Pain erupted
there and shot through me like an electric shock.


OUCH!

TD feeling better day by day


Heal quickly.

Pete


  #5  
Old July 10th 03, 04:51 AM
Trekkie Dad
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Posts: n/a
Default Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail

In article ,
P e t e F a g e r l i n wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 01:29:42 GMT, Trekkie Dad
wrote:

|July 4, 2003

| I could feel the bleeding under the fabric of my tights.

Tights? July 4th?

Good God man!

Maybe the MTB Gods decided to punish you for excessive fredliness?



LOL

Hey, I KNEW I was destined to fall. The tights have neoprene inserts
sewn in, and are pretty good at protecting from minor scratches. If only
the neoprene covered the knees...but then they wouldn't be flexible.

I also wore protective covering on my arms--sort of like arm warmers but
with an open weave and padding over the elbows and forearms. Also
full-fingered gloves.

Even on July 4, that getup was not uncomfortably warm at that elevation.

Next year you can go in my place.

TD (if only I'd been on the road, where I belong)

--

World Without Cars Dictionary of Vandemisms (2001) is available at:
http://trekkiedad.freeservers.com/wwc.html
ICQ# available on request
  #7  
Old July 10th 03, 05:50 AM
P e t e F a g e r l i n
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Posts: n/a
Default Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail

On 10 Jul 2003 03:55:22 GMT, Mike DeMicco
wrote:

|Trekkie Dad wrote in news:trekkiedad-
:
|
| July 4, 2003
|
| I hate this trail. ItÂıs a hard ride, and every time I ride it, I come
| back bloodied. IÂıd done it twice before, and some insanity had taken me
| over when I agreed to do it again.
|
|Yep, I did this ride about 5 years ago with Bob Ward/Hairbrain Adventures.
|He called it the Loon Lake Death Ride and March. I biffed more than a few
|times and probably walked more than rode. Contrast this with some techno
|dude who claimed in rec.bikes.off-road that it was easy and he rode all but
|100 yards - although he came across like he was pretty much a legend in his
|own mind. YMMV.

Sounds like Mark Weaver's description. Given his level of riding, I
don't doubt the veracity of his report.

  #8  
Old July 10th 03, 09:06 PM
J'm Sm'th
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Default Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail

P e t e F a g e r l i n wrote:

On 10 Jul 2003 03:55:22 GMT, Mike DeMicco
wrote:

|Trekkie Dad wrote in news:trekkiedad-
:
|
| July 4, 2003
|
| I hate this trail. ItÂıs a hard ride, and every time I ride it, I come
| back bloodied. IÂıd done it twice before, and some insanity had taken me
| over when I agreed to do it again.
|
|Yep, I did this ride about 5 years ago with Bob Ward/Hairbrain Adventures.
|He called it the Loon Lake Death Ride and March. I biffed more than a few
|times and probably walked more than rode. Contrast this with some techno
|dude who claimed in rec.bikes.off-road that it was easy and he rode all but
|100 yards - although he came across like he was pretty much a legend in his
|own mind. YMMV.

Sounds like Mark Weaver's description. Given his level of riding, I
don't doubt the veracity of his report.


Weaver ever get off of the motorcycle and back on a bike?

--
J'm


To Reply Direct, Remove Clothes.
....-.-
  #9  
Old July 11th 03, 06:24 AM
P e t e F a g e r l i n
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Posts: n/a
Default Crash Report: Loon Lake, Rubicon Trail

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 15:06:56 -0500, J'm Sm'th
wrote:



Contrast this with some techno
| |dude who claimed in rec.bikes.off-road that it was easy and he rode all but
| |100 yards - although he came across like he was pretty much a legend in his
| |own mind. YMMV.
|
| Sounds like Mark Weaver's description. Given his level of riding, I
| don't doubt the veracity of his report.
|
|Weaver ever get off of the motorcycle and back on a bike?

Not that I have heard.

The last word available on the 'net:

http://www.geocities.com/Pipeline/3195/

 




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