"The Lights Are Out, The Party Almost Over!"

Kelly in ICU for several days

Writing this in retrospect after I got home, my body was beat up. I had the normal cycling injuries plus a few more: 9 breaks total including the Scapula, ribs, a few vertebrae and several other bones. A couple of jumbo hematoma on my shoulder, hip and side of knee. The SUV tire rolled over my head, fracturing the jaw and eye orbit. The left hand was buggered up also.

I was rushed over to the new Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. In the ER, they stopped the main bleeding by stitching up both eyes, my hand, arm, leg and icing down the hematomas. I managed to get a nurse to call my rando buddy, John Mestemacher at home. He went over and picked up Zaharah (who was doing an outside event at the San Marcos Senior Center).

Busted up left werewolf hand

Several hours later, I was up in Intensive Care Unit. I hung around for 3 days and received great care. Zaharah was there all day and John stopped by after work to check-up. Didn't seem my legs were hurting too bad, so I was anxious to get up moving again. They had enough of me by this time and transferred me down to a regular room (floor 4) They are all "private" rooms in the new hospital and it was nice. Unfortunately it was near the nurse station and sleep was a premium. I finally convinced them to keep the door closed so I could finally get some sleep.

SUV rolled over my Giro Helmet

Doctors were waiting for things to stabilize before jaw surgery. They had to put a plate in there to keep things together. Had surgery in the morning and all was well. Dr was an upbeat LaJolla Plastic Surgeon and liked loud music. Another day of rehab and I was released the next afternoon. Less than a week at Palomar Center.

John picked me up in his Element. We swung by the San Marcos Sheriff's Substation on the way home to see if the Accident Report was available or I could pick up the Madison from evidence. No to both. Once home, I could get out in the sunshine for some exercise again. I managed to set up the bike trainer in the garage and was soon trying to spin that in some semblance of exercising again. 


- randorides

North To South Brevet & The Big HIT

San Diego Top To Bottom 200km Route

Sandy had a organized Brevet today... his 200km down to Imperial Beach and back to Oceanside. I didn't like the entry fee or the whole day out, so I opted for a 130km populaire starting in San Marcos. I'd ride the route over to the College Ave. start and join up with them down to Torrey Pines before cutting off and finishing up the route.

I had been riding the Madison SS of late and had just done a new recon out to Pine Valley on the 22nd (Old Barham Town To Pine Valley #3160), several populaires each week & dusted off the Ursa Minor(#2084) & Rainbow 1.24(#2376) this last week on the blue single gear. Feelin' good, I left home early under nice weather and 2 layers up top.

I met Sam near the College Ave. McDonalds in Oceanside around 0600. No one around the big parking lot, so Sam checked the revised start location on his cell. Just down the street near the SLR Bike Path at Mace Buchanan Park. I handed Sam back some Cygolite cables and rolled down the hill ( I had borrowed cables to try to get my Cygolite 720 to work on the fly with external batteries. Sam's model 800 works but my #720 never did ). Sam wasn't riding today.. had to prep for a trip back to Indiana on family things.

I handed out some 10-paks of SDRando Cards to a few riders, chatted around and paid attention to Sandy's route instructions. I rode with Lisa N. and Osvaldo C. as we hammered along the SLR toward Oceanside. Several riders missed the Market control near downtown. I backed off and soon Hector joined up after Oceanside. I left our small group at Carmel Valley and headed Eastward. After a free banana stop near Camino Del Sur, I was pushing good as I arrived back in San Marcos on So. Rancho Santa Fe Ave.

Rolling northward, just after a green light intersection (San Marcos Blvd) and a slight downhill, a SUV abruptly turned
right, crossing the bike lane into the 7-Eleven. No signal, no warning, no chance! I was near 10 feet behind the SUV and couldn't turn left due to traffic flow. I eased the brakes, yelled and thought about jumping the curb. NO. The SUV did a slight curb hop into the driveway, so no chance there either. LIGHTS OUT!

Accident Scene: SUV dragged me some distance from the bike

I quickly realized people were buzzing around me.. a fireman and a off-duty nurse took charge. Ambulance only a few minutes away. Cover me up with something, stabilize my neck, keep me calm. I was lying in a puddle of fresh blood as the SUV driver came over and stated: "Sorry, I didn't see you". A San Marcos Sheriff soon arrived, cleared out the driver and took charge. A few minutes later, I was loaded up and on my way over to Palomar Medical Center in west Escondido.

Then the tough-stuff really began!

- randorides