Mike, richard,and I started this morning as usual at 6:30. We ate breakfast down the road and despite a chilly morning and steady rain, we set out for christiansburg. We took a short break at 9:15 at max meadows and then set out again in our usual formation: mike leading, richard in the middle and me in the rear. It was still raining. Mike was about 400 yards ahead and around a curve when I heard a collision, metal on metal.
I moved up to get a view of what happened--a couple of cars blocked my sight--when I saw mike and his bike lying on the pavement. Mike was struggling to get to his feet and yelling at a young man, "what were you thinking?".
A sheriff's deputy drove up momentarily; the young man/driver (of a chevy blazer) was panicking; mike was bleeding from cuts on his upper body.
Mike's bike trailer was destroyed as the chevy pulled out of a side road and rolled over it and also destroyed the bike's rear wheel and derailleur. The little trailer probably saved mike from serious injury.
I went with mike in the ambulance to the wytheville hospital. They dressed and stitched his wounds then released him. He's very lucky.
When it became clear that we wouldn't be able to get his bike to a repair shop today--and as his post-trauma soreness increased--mike decided to end his journey (3800 miles) in southwest virginia. His wife is on her way here now from connecticut.
I will be sad tomorrow morning, especially, when richard and I set out in the dawn without mike.
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Wow! What a difficult moment that ended so much better then could have been.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you have lost your riding partner and that he has to end his journey in pain.
ReplyDeleteTake care good friend and see you...when is it we will see you?