UPDATE: Change in location for Cinderella Training Ride #2

[cindysue]

Upon my return from the 20 mile ride, I was very sad to hear of an accident that occurred towards the end of the ride (about mile 27).

One of our fellow TE members (you know her as Helga) was coming up on a manhole cover in the road, saw it, pointed it out to the riders behind her, but underestimated the hazardous situation that a slick metal surface can prove to be.

So, what happened? I wasn’t there and can only tell you what I was told, but here’s what I know:

So, even after recognizing the manhole cover and pointing it out to the riders behind her, Frances rode over the cover, her wheels slipped, and she went down, hitting her head on the road. Thank God for her helmet (which by the way was split down the side!).

The fire truck and ambulance came quickly and transported Frances to the hospital. I joined Frances’s husband and fellow TE member, BikerZ (who was right behind her on the bike) at the hospital.

The short story is Frances is doing fine. She has some serious injuries but nothing that requires surgery at this time. She will stay overnight in the ICU for observation and I (or BikerZ) hope to have an update for everyone sometime tomorrow.

Some lessons learned for the day:

ALWAYS wear a helmet!
Don’t underestimate hazardous situations (red lights, metal surfaces, etc.)
Bring your ID and insurance and keep them in an easy to find location.

By the way, Helga is an experienced rider, rides up to 100 miles per week, and has toured Europe on her bike. The point is everyone is vulnerable to accidents, even the most experienced rider. Please don’t be overly confident. Despite warnings at the beginning of the ride not to run red lights, and to avoid slippery surfaces (manhole covers was explicitly listed), I saw a number or riders run red lights. It’s just not worth it ladies! Please put safety first!

EDIT: see BikerZ's post here: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=4943