Not good news coming out of the 1000 Warriors event

[Coach McGuirk]

I hope everyone you know is okay.


http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=7636047

5 bicyclists crash; 3 sent to hospital
August 22nd, 2009 @ 2:15pm
UTAH COUNTY -- Five bicyclists participating in a race crashed in American Fork Canyon Saturday morning when an SUV in front of them stopped suddenly, apparently to avoid a collision with another vehicle.
The Utah Highway Patrol says the cyclists were traveling down State Road 92 near Timpanogos Cave for the 1,000 Warriors race event, which is held in conjunction with but is not part of the Tour of Utah.
Around 9:30 a.m. the driver of a black SUV in front of them slammed on the brakes. At least two participants hit the back of the SUV; three more crashed trying to avoid the vehicle.
One cyclist was unconscious and flown to the hospital in very critical condition. Two others were taken by ambulance in poor condition. Two had minor injuries.
Some witnesses say a red SUV pulling a trailer traveling up the canyon crossed into the black SUV's lane, causing its driver to hit the brakes. Other witnesses say the red SUV got close to the center line but did not cross it.
An investigation is ongoing and UHP doesn't know if any charges will be filed.
SR 92 was closed for about two hours following the crash.
Fred Atkinson told KSL Newsradio he came upon the accident right after it happened. He said it was difficult to tell there was a bike race going on because he saw no signs or flags along the route.
Participants in the 1,000 Warriors race would have begun Saturday's event at 6 a.m. in Park City.

I can't believe they did not shut down the road for an event that contains this amount of riders.


http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=7636047

[beelzebabette]

I can't believe they did not shut down the road for an event that contains this amount of riders.

Agreed. Having seen the UHP approach to organized rides in Utah, I'm not completely surprised it wasn't shut down for the 1000 Warriors ride, but we were amazed watching the Tour of Utah today that, despite advertising Little Cottonwood Canyon would be closed, they wouldn't let people pass the main peloton, but all the riders behind them were on their own fighting traffic (and I'm not talking twenty minutes and more behind--one of the Land Rover guys was climbing solo and one of the race organizers called a UHP motorcycle up to force cars to give him a little more room and he was less than five minutes back). I'd like to see the Tour of Utah be taken more seriously, but I didn't see much hope with the three stages I've seen so far this year and was very disappointed. The one good thing I observed is I saw fewer stupid things from the people watching from the side of the road.

[chrisrenrut]

This is a tragedy for sure. But shutting down American Fork Canyon road on a saturday in August would not be a trivial thing. The amount of traffic for campers and cave visitors is very high. Any anyone who has been in the canyon on a saturday knows that you need to slow down and be very careful as you approach the Timp Cave parking area. Almost every time I've been in that situation you have to stop unexpectedtly as someone pulls out in front of you, or suddenly stops to wait for a parking spot.

We were riding motorcycles down the canyon 2 years ago and basically the same thing happened. Most of our group were already on alert because we knew we were approaching a congested area, but my brother was oblivious and ended up laying his motorcycle down. Luckily, he wasn't hurt and was able to ride away.

I'm not saying the bicyclist are to blame, and I feel very bad for those guys. Perhaps the organizers should have given some precautions to the riders prior to the start of the ride.

[Hazzard]

I just found out from a friend in Utah that the guy who was most severely injured is the brother of a good friend of mine. I guess he broke every bone in his face and is in a drug-induced coma after 13-hour surgerey, but doctors are cautiously optimistic that he'll survive.

Based on the latest news reports, it sounds like they aren't going to be doing that portion of the race anymore. You guys who have posted seem to concur that it's not a very safe stretch.

[Coach McGuirk]

I just found out from a friend in Utah that the guy who was most severely injured is the brother of a good friend of mine. I guess he broke every bone in his face and is in a drug-induced coma after 13-hour surgerey, but doctors are cautiously optimistic that he'll survive.

Based on the latest news reports, it sounds like they aren't going to be doing that portion of the race anymore. You guys who have posted seem to concur that it's not a very safe stretch.

It is a fine stretch and I have done it safely. but to have what is basically a race without having at least a rolling closure while the cyclists get through is moronic.

[RC Vikings]

My friends that rode the race said it was pretty dangerous. They said they were passing cars on these little two lane mountain roads without much room for error. They both expressed that they most likely wouldn't ride it again.

[RC Vikings]

Update on the injured cyclist at 1000 warrior

Please share this update with all cyclists, family and friends who are following Dave Collin's progress.

On behalf of the 5 injured cyclists in the 1000 Warriors Race last Saturday, thank you very much to all of you who sent get well wishes and shared information helping to clarify important crash details. I have tried to respond to some of you, but may not get the time to thank all of you individually. I wanted to pass along our deep appreciation on behalf of each injured cyclist and their families, as well as from our Red Mountain Brumbys cycling gang in general for your support and prayers. They are definitely having a great impact and I am compiling all of your notes into a document to share with our cyclists and their families.

I'm happy to share a quick update on our two cyclists who were admitted to hospitals and most seriously injured---it is very positive. Steve Beck was released yesterday from IMC Hospital and his lung is improving and his road rash a 30 stitches are healing well. He hopes to be cleared to fly home Thursday and is spending time with family locally in Utah and also visiting Dave Collins at the UofU Medical Center. They are partners and best friends and he said Dave is progressing on the road to recovery. On Monday Dave Collins had a 13 hour surgery to repair all the bones in his face which were broken. He is on a ventilator and his jaw is wired shut, but yesterday as he was coming out of his medically induced coma, he was responding to friends and families voices by squeezing hands and eye movements. The Dr's and Dave's family are very positive about his progress so far. He will undergo another surgery on Friday to repair two remaining bones in his jaw and eye socket area which they were not able to finish on Monday. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers going forward.

On that note, I must make a comment on the truly miraculous nature of this accident. All 5 of these cyclists are great men of faith as well as good friends and cyclists. It is chilling to have read and pieced together the emails of those of you who were first on the scene and realize how Dave's life was literally saved by those who had a perfect compliment of medical skills and training. This was NOT mere coincidence. Without sharing names allow me let me tell you why.

The first on the scene was a cyclist in the race who is in a PhD program and is a "licensed physical therapist in Park City, former US Ski team medical staff trained in first response, race course triage and emergency medical coverage".

Shortly thereafter followed two University of Utah Doctors who were an hour late getting off on their Sat ride (not in the race) and instead of riding north of Salt Lake City decided to ride south and UP the American Fork Canyon, which put them on the scene precisely at the time of need to help save Dave.

Within a minute or so two other Drs arrived on the scene who were cyclists in the race.

About the same time a Medical Green Beret who's car was stopped close by due to the accident came to help and another car driver close by had a first aid kit which was used.

It is remarkable to contemplate the breadth of the highly trained team of Pediatrician, Orthopedic Surgeon, Orthodontist, Obstetrician, PT Emergency Triage and Green Beret Medic that tended to Dave and that they would all be in that place at that time. I and Dave and his family believe that this was divine providence to save Dave's life. All those who helped him have commented that it was a team effort and it indeed was miraculous! I know you will agree when you read one of the accounts from the cyclist who was the Park City Triage PT first on the scene.

"I was about fifty feet behind Dave and saw him and his teammate explode off the back of the SUV. I was first on the scene and began checking vitals while he was face down in the road. He was breathing and had a pulse so I didn't move him. This went on for a couple of minutes and then two other cyclists came on to help and said that they were both doctors. Maybe 4-5 minutes later as we were all kneeling by him and discussing his condition he began to twitch like he was having a seizure and then he started vomiting. We could hear him start to choke, his breathing weakened and he began to lose his color. The three of us made the difficult decision to roll him onto his back to re-establish his airway. I took his head, the other two (plus one other helper) rolled his body and in normal "log roll" fashion we got him on his back. As I held his head and applied light traction one of the docs lifted his jaw forward, held it, and Dave started to breathe on his own and his color returned. He and I held this position for about fifteen minutes until the ambulance got there while doc #2 was monitoring his pulse. It wasn't until we turned him over that we realized the extent of the trauma, and as I held his head I couldn't believe that he was still alive and breathing. He must really be a fighter.
I don't know the names of the other guys who were helping but it was a team effort. I can't tell you the relief I felt when I found out later that Dave was ok and had not sustained any significant brain or spinal cord damage considering we did have to move him to keep him breathing.
Please give my best wishes to Dave's family and other teammates that were injured."

As a wise man Jeff Holland has said, "Angels are still sent to help us. Most often it is to comfort, to provide some form of merciful attention and guidance in difficult times...not all angels are from the other side, some of them we walk with and talk with --here, now, every day. Some reside in our own neighborhoods."

I have no doubt that it was not coincidental that these expertly medically trained people were literally "angels", whose timing and skills were miraculously and divinely aligned to be in the "neighborhood" just in time to administer urgent medical attention to save Dave's life and tend to the others.

Thank God to all of you wonderful Dr's, 911 caller & dispatch, the Police, Ambulance responders, Helicopter team & Hospital Staff, Rick Bennett's response team, fellow cyclists, bystanders and anyone else who assisted for your heavenly help.

Sterling Baer
Red Mountain Brumbys
http://www.azbrumbys.com/index.php?

[UtahDan]

I'm not a biker so this is just a question asked from ignorance. I know that when I am driving I make sure I keep enough distance between me and the vehicle ahead of me that if they slam their brakes on or hit something, etc., I can stop. Maybe less so at lower speeds, but I am hyper conscious of this at high speeds. I assume this is the same for cyclists? And if I am right that you can only be safe at a safe distance, and they were not, then it sounds to me like it is unreasonable to ask a cyclist who is in a race to navigate a canyon that has vehicles that are moving slower than they are, because how could you EVER safely pass?

[PaloAltoCougar]

Thanks for posting that report, RC; a very nice read.