RAIN (Ride Across INdiana)
RAIN (Ride Across INdiana) |
RAIN, Ride Across INdiana Ride Report
July 18, 2009
It was my seventh consecutive year on the RAIN ride, which has always been an enjoyable challenge. This year, Tom Armstrong, Ed Scharfenberger and I rode as a recumbent team, on three Bacchetta bikes. Although it didn't turn out to be our personal best time, we put in a respectable effort with an average of 20.2 mph for the whole 162 miles. The weather was near perfect, with record cool temperatures for a July day. There were over 1200 riders from all over the country. As Ride Captain for the Louisville Bicycle Club contingent, I was pleased that we filled up part of two pages for the signup sheet, a great turnout from Louisville for a long ride, far away from home. Were it not for what happened next, I could say it was the best RAIN ride yet. Then, disaster struck.
Sixty-Eight miles into the ride, in Plainfield, Indiana, we were stopped waiting for traffic A large motorcycle was coming to a stop, close to the shoulder of the road, when a small sedan barreled into him from behind at high speed. The motorcycle was hurled more than a hundred feet forward, smashing into pieces while the motorcyclist was catapulted into a back flip straight up in the air about 15 feet. The driver must have panicked at that point, because as her vehicle passed under the airborne rider, she hit the accelerator instead of the brake sending her crashing through the fence and at least 300 feet off into the adjacent field. The rider completed a half turn in midair and slammed down onto the pavement striking his shoulder and his head. Unfortunately, the motorcycle rider was not wearing a helmet. The car continued into the field.
Three of us rushed across the intersection to render aid, applying careful pressure with a rag to slow the copious bleeding from his head wound. My fellow recumbent rider Ed was very helpful with that task. I had to stop one bystander who wanted to straighten his head. I yelled for her not to move his neck because of the possibility of spinal injuries. He was unconscious but still breathing; however, there was a significant depression in his forehead, where his head had smacked the road. A moment later, two ER nurses hopped out of their cars to help with the first aid. I called EMS.
Meanwhile, the rider regained consciousness, screaming and struggling. He said he couldn’t breathe. There was a black substance in his mouth which turned out to be chewing tobacco. One of the nurses fished it out to clear the airway, but then the poor gal was yelling—he had bitten her, hard! Nonetheless, we took it as a good sign that he was still breathing, yelling and kicking--he was still able to move his arms and legs. We tried to keep him still until EMS arrived. A moment later, a police officer arrived, and then the EMS. The officer controlled the scene and then took our statements.
The driver of the sedan, a woman in her early twenties, was unhurt, but inconsolable, sobbing and repeating over and over that she didn’t see him. She had a male passenger, also uninjured. Her car, however, was heavily damaged, probably totaled.
Incredibly, another driver, impatient at being held up at the scene, started honking his horn. I was busy with the injured man, but Tom told me afterwards that the cop was furious, “You! Now! Pull over!” Tom said, he could not make out the conversation that followed from the distance he stood; however, from the tone of his voice, the officer was giving him a stern lecture.
Eventually, all our statements were taken by the police and we were free to go. Fortunately, no bicyclists had been involved in the crash. However, we were not able put in our best effort on the ride after the incident, the mood being quite somber. With some hours to talk it through, our group pulled itself together, making a strong finish into Richmond.
RAIN is a great day trip, and always fun to have thousands of cheering fans along the roadside, taking pictures, applauding and offering encouragement. For many, 162 miles on a bicycle in one day is a hard won achievement, and a point of pride. We'll be back.
Lesson of the day: Motorcyclists and bicyclists out there, please wear your helmets.
