Susan spent four days the week before last at my place recovering from a spill she took on Mt. Lemmon. I still can't believe what happened to her--as a crash going down Mt. Lemmon at 30 35 mph certainly means major injuries--guys go to the hospital for that.
But Susan made it through the "shredder" as she said, with only superficail wounds. I am still amazed she wasn't hurt worse or even killed, mes amis.
I will relate her story here:
As the RBA for Arizona Brevet and Randonnee, Susan is the brevet official the day of the rides. It is a lot of work and I owe finishing tough brevets to her tenaciousness. She rides the courses to one, create them, and two to make sure they're safe and do-able. Then she must ride the brevet solo and unsupported the week before so she can get credit for the brevet--and then the next week run the brevet for blokes like me.
Coming down Mt. Lemmon the week before last, she hit something unseen in the road--and at 35 mph--she tumbled down scenic Catalina Hwy, hugging Terra Firma along the way.
She told me she rolled--and rolled--and then rolled some more. Cars stopped and everyone piled out to her rescue. But after a moment of catching her breath--it appeared nothing was broken. She was bloody. Her jersey and arm and leg warmers and shorts were ripped. But no broken bones.
She picked up her bike and proceeded to mount the thing, but stunned witnesses of the crash wouldn't have it and she and her bike were driven down to the shopping center at the base. Gerry Goode, rock star of Randonneuring here in the USA fetched her and drove her back to my house.
She said they talked for two hours non-stop about Paris-Brest-Paris on the trip home--probably the toughest PBP of all time. This makes him a hero in my eyes and any other randonneur that has attempted that super-human contest!
I was riding with Steve in Scottsdale, and I had no idea what had happened to Susan. When I got home Saturday night--I was quite floored when I saw her and heard the tale of her crash. Again Gentle Readers, I was amazed that she was even able to walk away from the accident--
As the days followed, she slowly recovered but it looked painful for her. I made a few trips for gause and bandages for her. She took a few days off from work but soon on her way back to Phx. And there she was at the start of the brevet strong as ever!
1 comment:
Sorry to hear about Susan. Since getting back on the roadbike I am a bit shy of speeds over 30 now that my face is so much further forward (on the bent it is a feet hit first type scenario with no rolling). Hope she recovers quickly. Road rash is no fun.
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