Primavera 2006- Sunday April 23

[aka_kim]

I did the 100k route, and started around 7:15 also. I did see a few of the high argyle socks, but didn't associate them with the Benicia club.

Although I personally had a good ride, I saw the worst thing I ever want to see while riding. A rider went down on the Palomares downhill, and I was among some of the first cyclists to find him. He was sprawled ackwardly across the road, face down, unconscious and bleeding from the head. Someone was trying to staunch the bleeding, and someone else had gotten a cell signal to call 911. The rest of us stood around feeling impotent and horror stricken, as more cyclists came to a stop as they rounded the corner to the accident sight.

Suddenly the guy trying to stop the bleeding frantically rolled the man over and began administering CPR. Two other cyclists with some emergency medical training began helping. They'd get a pulse, stop the CPR, and within a minute need to resume. Someone had a jacket to help keep the man, whose name was Richard, warm. Passing motorists looked at the site with odd looks, like wtf are those stupid cyclists doing blocking the road. Meanwhile, the good samaritans knelt in Richard's blood, alternately calling to him and doing CPR.

I finally left just before the paramedics arrived. I could do nothing to help, and suddenly had this overwhelming fear that the man would not survive. I was alternating between near sobbing and wanting to vomit.

I haven't heard anything about what happened, whether Richard lived or not.

[bikergal]

Wow Kim, that must have been so scary. Can you email the organizers and ask them if he's ok?

[Bike Goddess]

Oh my. I overheard that something had happened on Palomares after we got back but didn't know for sure. Hopefully we can find out more and let you all know.

[E2theD]

I'm part of the velogirls list and a few members knew the guy you are talking about. A few messages circulated today. His name was Richard Fitzpatrick and he passed away yesterday at Eden Hospital.

So very sad. Keep his family in your prayers.

Erin

[Veronica]

Oh that is so sad. My heart goes out to everyone involved.

Veronica

[miffy'sFuji]

Here is a news story about the accident:

http://www.chicoer.com/news/bayarea/ci_3749288

[bikerz]

Oh that is so very sad - and frightening. I really feel for his family and friends, as well as the good samaritans.

[aka_kim]

Thanks for the link, I've been trying to find some news.

I don't think he collided with anyone, though, as the story says. No one else was down, and I think if there had been a collision the other cyclist would at least have hung around. He did go down, or at least came to a stop, at a curve - but the downhill wasn't that steep and the curve wasn't that tight, and there didn't seem to be any debris in the road. I didn't notice any type of catastrophic bike/tire failure. Maybe he was just going too fast? Or had a heart attack or stroke, or something, while still on the bike?

Very scary, and unnerving. People often say how they'd rather die doing something they love than slowly waste away in a home - I'm one who says that too - but you know, there's nothing good about dying in the f*ing road.