Happy 32nd Birthday to Evan. He gets to go back to work today after being off for his surgery since Memorial Day weekend. After a few half days of light duty in EMS/Fire dispatch he should be back full-time on the trucks.
My 36 hours on July 3rd and 4th were full on and long! Lots of runs and no sleep, again.
But enough of work. After the 5th, I took off a day and went on the annual Men's Only Bike Trip; coming back to work at 1400 on the 10th.
MOBT '11 was a great time. John P did his normal yeoman's job at arrangements and logistics. This year we crossed over to Southern Indiana for three days of riding and four nights of enjoying cooler beer, drinking and eating at various dives, diners and bars. Riding this year were he and I, Scott N, Bro-in-law Ron H, Lars the hammer, and Harry H. We have a "sag wagon" nearby, carrying spare water, sport drinks, tools, and necessaries. Should the need arise, there's also room to ride a while when one "sags" behind a little too much. While not actually following, the sag should try to be in moderately close contact and proximity. Our regular sag driver, Hal, was recuperating from an aortic valve replacement so Dave S filled in, handling his first attempt at sagging with a resplendent effort. At an average age of 57, we ride very well; averaging 17-18 mph in any given terrain or weather, normally doing 60 to 70 miles per day.
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| Starting out in Madison, IN |
The first day we started out at the Ohio River, having spent the night at the Riverboat Inn in Madison. After about a mile of city streets we encountered our biggest climb of the trip. Up the escarpment on the North bank of the Ohio River to Michigan Hill, we climbed over 500 feet in 1.2 miles. Once on the upper plateau, we proceeded to Columbus(IN), where we were to stay our second night.
The first half of this leg of 55 miles or so was pristine country, with small towns, country stores and farms, all glowing in the warm morning sun with NO wind. At the village of Vernon we saw a pretty little town of Victorian houses and a few settler cabin structures.
Up the road a little further on came North Vernon and a major change in traffic, clutter and culture... all to the negative. Heretofore Rt 7 had been a two-lane road with moderate traffic. Now it was heavy truck and semis on four lanes through several blocks of traffic lights. The spotty country business or two became the sprawl of small strip malls, fast food and plastic. The clutter and culture were, to paraphrase Lars... " much better in Vernon". America's growth and progress is often neither.
After crossing US Rt 50 the road narrowed and the traffic stayed the same if not a bit heavier. At least two flat tires later we approached Columbus, having found no suitable lunch spot since leaving Vernon. The slightly rolling hills allowed for easy pedalling after the hills of Ross County. On one such roller, Scott lagged so that we soft pedalled over the crown, slowing so that he could catch up and we could return to our paceline.
Head down and with determined effort Scott climbed quickly behind us. So quickly that he soon caught us. He caught Harry, brushing by him and sending him off-road into the bordering grassy slope to the right. He also caught John, square in the middle of the left back. They both went down on the pavement. Once again, as with Randy's earlier spill, I looked back to see John sprawling over his bike and Scott laying motionless, face up into the sun. I pulled off, as did Ron, throwing our bikes to the berm. Scott's eyes were temporarily open but no one was home. Squinting, he closed his eyes. Harry had recovered from his rough ride and was walking up the hill. I yelled "Stop the traffic!!"
Harry did. Taking manual C-spine control, I barked at Scott to open his eyes again, shading them with my head and body. He tried to roll his head side-to-side. "Wiggle your toes, Scott!"... nothing. "Open your eyes!"... nothing again. Then slowly he obeyed. No reaction to me moving my shadow away from his eyes, I barked again "Look over here at me!" He tried to roll his head again but not his eyes. I barked it again, with the same response. On the third bark he started to focus on my voice and I breathed for the first time since taking control of him by the head and neck. "Wiggle your toes"... he did, slightly. "Wiggle your fingers"... better here. I breathed again. I cleared his C-spine after establishing no apparent structural damage other than a severely cracked helmet. Within those few minutes, a mile-long string of traffic had piled up both behind and ahead of us. Conscious, alert enough, we dragged him off the road and away from the threat of all of us being flattened. John was standing, self splinting what we determined to be a broken 12th left rib. Scott stood, shaken, not broken.
Bystanders had called EMS and one thoughtful soul passed us, stopped at a nearby carryout and brought back a 10 pound bag of ice. Here and now I'll say that Scott is okay and after a day in the sag, rode with us on the third and final day. But now on to my professional observations of the EMS proceedings that ensued. After 6-7 minutes the first responder unit arrived consisting of one paid EMT and his driver in an SUV. 3-4 minutes later an engine manned by two vollies (apparently untrained) arrived. After 9-11 minutes a sheriff cruiser arrived. At around 15-17 minutes a hospital based paramedic ambulance arrived.
I am NOT suggesting anything but the best intentioned actions took place. BUT in Scott's "Golden Hour", which is the 60 minutes following a major traumatic event, one-fourth of it was gone before definitive scene care was established. AND it was ONE paramedic!
Yes, the first on-scene EMT could have activated a Med helicopter, if needed.
Talking to the sole Medic as Scott signed refusals, we compared notes on their method of tiered vs our front line medic response. No question in my book which is better for the patient.
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| Built around 1905 , still open and successful |
After another mile and a half and one more flat we rode into Columbus, hot, tired, a little sun burnt and HUNGRY. In the center of town Lars and John found a wonderful ice cream parlor/cafe right next to a First Thursday Downtown Gala being set up for later. We headed for the motel, showered, cooler beered and came back for the Gala and dinner afterwards at a Bistro after visiting a micro-brewery.
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| Yes, we have it hard on these MOBTs. |
MOBT '11 was most enjoyable in terms of weather, route and terrain. The terrain for MOBT '11 was gentle to rolling hills, with the exception of our beginning climb. The weather was hot in the 90's and winds mostly favorable. We had no rain except for when we stopped on the second day for lunch. After a 40 or so mile morning, we had been riding through mostly country and county roads, watching clouds mount in the East. Meeting up with US Rt 50 just West of Versailles ( that's 'sailles like in the boats) we stopped at the only place in town. Sitting down, we looked outside and Ron remarked, " Look at that Rain!" It was coming down in buckets, letting up and completely stopping as we finished a delicious lunch. Despite the downpour, back on our bikes and further down the road, the surfaces were dry!
Rt 50 on into Lawrenceburg was very hairy for the first 10 miles or so. In the valley at Versialles State Park we encountered narrow, twisting lanes with no berm, a sharp dropoff to the right and a guard rail on the side less than 2 feet away. Add to that a procession of tri-axle dump trucks and semis; well, let me just say that I had no time to snap any pics! The road opened up to four lanes after the 10 miles of two lanes. The berm was wide, even though the wind had shifted and we were fighting it off our right shoulders all the way in. The riding was good and easy. We clocked 78 miles for the day.
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| Barge and tow traffic on the Ohio. |
The last two miles dropped into L'burg down the same escarpment type that we had climbed the day earlier. Construction and loose softball sized boulders from a highway cut made for a dicy descent. Harry hit one rock and had a flat. At the motel we repeated our after ride ritual as before; polishing off the evening with a rack of ribs and a few beers.
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| View from the front porch of The Riverboat Inn. |
Saturday morning was a bit foggy as we headed onto the riverside road that would bring us back to Madison and our start off point at the Riverboat Inn. Views of the Ohio and its valley presented on nearly every turn. Passing by several casinos and through small river towns, our last day's ride was fast (with no wind), fun and over too quickly at the 68 mile mark.
Following cooler beer, showers and stowining bikes and gear, Ron and I hit a few antique stores in downtown Madison before they closed. Later we all shared the porch with NASCAR widows, as the KY Speedway was hosting its first bigtime Left turn-Pedal-Left turn Race. We walked to a nearby shrimp house for dinner.
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Cooler beer on the porch! Road ID courtesy of Ty.
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Our trip, despite the accident,
was most excellent.
Our new sag driver did wonderfully.
The riding was great. the weather was great.
Since C was still laid up from the emergency appendectomy, Spencer and I ventured out to a Wednesday at the Ross County Fair. I gave him carte blanche to any activity there. We spent the entire time at the midway, lunching at Uncle Al and Aunt Gretta's Lion's Club Diner. Kid Day at the Midway was one price for all afternoon.
