Broken Leg Photos And Thanks

Jolene will be staying at the hospital overnight. She may come home tomorrow. The pain is still pretty high, but with morphine she can rest. We haven't seen the doctor again, but the word is she can't put her weight on it for 2 months (she'll be on crutches).

Here she is after I moved her off the trail and we got her comfortable (and gave up trying to splint the leg).


The Search and Rescue team goes to work. Get an I.V. and morphine in, sweet pain relief.


Strapped in the stokes and ready to roll down the trail.


If you look really hard you can see the breaks.



Thank You!

I'm sad Jolene broke her leg, but I was deeply grateful for all the help we received from friends and complete strangers.

- Within minutes of the crash, four guys on motorcycles stopped and stayed with us for 2-3 hours, instead of enjoying the ride they had planned. One of the guys was able to make the cell call that got help coming right away. Two guys rode down Tibble and brought back a jacket and blanket for Jolene. They got the fire going. They offered to give whatever they had to make a splint. They didn't know us, yet they treated us like friends. Wow.

- Josh and Nate stayed at least 2 hours to make sure we were OK. We had to badger them to leave with darkness fast approaching. And Josh has continued to check in us. Other mountain bikers also stopped and offered to help in any way.

- The Utah County Sheriff Search and Rescue Volunteer Team was amazing. The first two arrived on motorcycles, saw to Jolene then gave updates to the rest of the team. Next four guys arrived carrying the pieces of the stokes. Then the rest of the team arrived with the medical personel who jumped right in and got Jolene ready to travel. These folks buy their own equipment and spend personal time for training. When they get the call, they come running - dropping plans to see a movie, leaving a son's soccer game, etc. I am deeply grateful for what these people did for us.

- Every medical professional did a fantastic job - from the ambulance staff to the hospital doctors, nurses and staff. I was very thankful for their skill and service.

- Family and friends have been incredibly supportive. Jolene's brother works for the Orem Fire Department and he came to the ER on his day off - his medical knowledge and familiarity with emergency situations was very comforting to us. Jolene's Mom and Dad came immediately to the ER. I got calls, texts, facebook updates, etc. from her and my brothers and sisters. Friends, coworkers and neighbors expressed concern and offered help. And the people we know from biking and through the internet have wished Jolene well with kind words.

This flood of people rallying to our aid has deeply impressed me and filled me with gratitude. It seems there's a lot of bad news these days, but this outpouring of compassion reminded me how much goodness and kindness is out there. There's no way I can repay what all these people have given - all I can do is offer a heart-felt thank you!

Breaking News, Literally

Update 2: Surgery is done. The doctor said the tibia was pretty easy, but the fibula was tricky. She is in recovery now.

Update 1: Jolene is in surgery now. The doctor said it should go fine. She'll be home later today.

Jolene broke her leg mountain biking yesterday.

Riding along the ridge (157) trail just before the 4-way. I about went down on a downhill slight left-hand turn where the edge of the trail has sloughed away. Sadly, Jolene crashed.

She endoed and landed on her right leg hard. I was just ahead and heard her yelp then say "I broke my leg!" Sure enough her ankle didn't look right. When I tried to move her it hurt badly. I finally got her off the trail but by the way her foot was dangling it was clear both bones above the ankle were broken (tibia, fibula).



Not 5 minutes later four guys on motorcycles came by and stopped. One guy had an AT&T cell phone that got signal so he called and got Search and Rescue (S&R) on the way.

Mountain bikers also stopped including Josh (the photos are his) and the Bike Peddler group ride. We fiddle with some splinting ideas, but any little movement of her foot was incredibly painful so we decided to wait for S&R. But we all built a little fire to keep busy as the sun was setting.

As it was getting dark two S&R guys arrived on motorcycles. They helped and made radio contact with the S&R team. About half hour later the medical guys arrived - gave her morphine and put a vacuum splint on her leg. They loaded her in a stokes (a litter with handles at each and and a wheel under the middle) and wheeled her down the Deer Creek South Fork trail to a waiting ambulance.

This was the S&R response that arrived at the summit parking lot (photo by Josh).


At the hospital (UVRMC) they got her comfortable, took x-rays then got her in a room. She will have surgery today to install screws, plates whatever fix it up.

She wasn't happy about breaking her leg, but thanks to so many kind and helpful people she got off the mountain and taken care off. I'll have more later.

MIA

Since my last post (2 weeks ago) I rode in Park City with Watcher and the crew Thursday the 16th. It was a good ride - half or more in the daylight, the rest at night with lights.

We started at Park City Mountain Resort and went up Sweeney Switchbacks and part way up Johns then down 4:20 then up the dirt road to take Empire Link and Ontario Bypass up to MidMountain then across and down Spiro (pretty fun in the dark).

The Maples were starting to turn colors.



Then Saturday (the 18th) Jolene and I rode Big Springs to check out the autumn colors. We had a nice ride. The photos tell the story.









Jolene drove home and I biked by going up Dragons Back then up Betty and over on 051 then down Dry Canyon.

And that was my last ride. I got the nasty cold Jolene had and it hit me for a full week. I now have more sympathy for Rick being laid up for 6 weeks (how did you survive?). I think I'm over it and hope to be out riding soon. It's clear I'm a cycling addict, I've been having withdrawals and miss the mood boost I get from riding. Get out for some Fall riding before it's gone!

Mmm, Mmm, Crest

Today it hit me I haven't done the Crest this year. Well I can't have that, so I drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon after work today.

I wanted to ride the Crest then down Mill D. This is usually a shuttle ride. I think you see the problem. I stopped at the Mill D trail head, but didn't see any bikers there to hit up for a shuttle. So I drove to the top and hoped for providence. (Riding back up the road was plan B so I packed lights.)

I started at the switchback, but if I had been thinking I would have gone up a little more to Guardsman Pass and started there, since I've never done that connector trail over to Scott's Pass (even though Alex just blogged about it). Next time.

I plugged up Puke Hill and saw two riders at the top, Sally and Drew - they agreed to drive me back to my car. Praise the sprocket!

The Crest feels like the top of the world.


And such good single-track.


Here's Drew with The Spine in the background.


I had a good flow going and rolled everything except The Spine (but I made it on the second attempt). Majestic mountain scenery + playful trail + cool, sunny day = a sublime ride.

We arrived at the Mill D trail head around 7 pm (started around 5). For some reason the Crest seems like a longer ride, but it can be done after work, even now with less daylight. So go get some!

Thank you to Sally and Drew for driving me back to my car - it was nice to not have to do that long road climb and get home an hour earlier.

Park City Point 2 Play

The point of the Park City ride Saturday was play.

Mark joined Jolene and I for 3 hours of riding. The weather was perfect, 55-60 (too bad the PCP2P race wasn't this weekend). The Fall color is touching some of the trees. The trails were in good shape, often nicely tacky, and very little dust.

We start up Daly Canyon again then up Ontario Bypass, north on MidMountain, down Johns, then up Loose Moose and up a service road back to MidMountain northward, up Crescent Mine Grade, down Thaynes road, down Powerline, and back on MidMountain to finish with Empire Link.









It was a good mix of satisfying climbs, fast flats, and big-grin descents. Park City is prime right now. Plus there are many trails I have never been on. This won't be my last ride in Park City this year.

It was also the debut of my new favorite jersey, the Salt Cycling FLY. Everything is right with this jersey: full hidden zipper, modified race fit (not too tight, not too loose), no elastic sleeves, good length, grippy bottom hem, and bold graphics in unique color scheme. And it was even hand delivered (OK, I'm on Rick's way to work, but still). I need to ditch the camelbak to show the giant fly on the back.

Riding The Stairs

This story used to be longer. But I read it with fresh eyes and it just sounded lame. So this is all it is:



I've tried to ride the stairs at Dry Canyon several times over the years and always bailed. Tuesday (and this morning) I rode the whole thing. It's a small thing but it made me happy to finally ride it.

Now I want to smoke the pipe, even just once.


Lately the bikes have need attention. New fork seals, chain and cassette for my bike. Put the fork from my hardtail on Jolene's bike (since hers died.)

Rode the Bridal Veil loop tonight - Water Tank, Betty, Belt, Frank, Water Tank, Dragon's Back, Pipe Road, Nun's Park, BST, Indian Hills. I really enjoyed the ride. No one else out, just me alone on the trails. Saw the blue rock, a tarantula and 3 piles of deer guts (yep, the hunt is on). Still didn't make the top switchback going down Indian Hills, but did on the 4th try (I think I've got it now). Lots of cruising, felt great. Man, I love riding bikes!

Unusual Excitment

There was in the place where I live an unusual excitement on the subject of mountain bike racing. It commenced with the Intermountain Cup, but soon became general among the region of country. Indeed, the whole district seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different race events, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, “Single speed here!” and others, “29er, there!” Recently a race from point to point has captured the imagination and caused no small zeal among the people.

My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant.

At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain a recreational cyclist or take up racing in earnest.

So, in accordance with this, I retired to the woods of Payson Canyon. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day.

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself on my bike, I clipped in and began to ride.

---

Yesterday I rode the Blackhawk loop with Jolene, Mark and his brother Paul. The trails were in good condition and we had a very enjoyable ride. The day was sunny and bright but not too hot.

We rode at a good pace and took several breaks to regroup, eat or just look around. And we horsed around trying some stunts multiple times. Paul made this attempt to go over some logs.



Paul and I had flats but they didn't take long to fix.

Jolene gets props for cleaning a rough climb on the Rock Creek trail. I got bucked off on a rooty section but Jolene finessed it.

The long descent of Jones Ranch was a highlight, as was Bennie Creek (even though Jolene blew out her fork on Bennie).

We ate at a non-chain drive-in in Payson - I had a cheeseburger and hand-cut fries with sauce and Jolene had a scone with honey butter. A nice way to end the ride.

I thought about the PCP2P race a few times and easily concluded I was happy with the ride we just finished. But I do want to ride up in Park City some more now that the revival is over.