Northern California - bicyclist found dead on Hwy 9 near Redwood Gulch on Sunday afternoon

The initial report does not say if he or she was going uphill or downhill or if he was hit by a car. Anyone have any more information?

http://www.mercurynews.com/san-jose-neighborhoods/ci_15546551

The bike look mangled. It wasn't a tricky part of the road at all so I thought some car had hit him, but the report doesn't make it seem like that at all.

He was at the base of a 3 foot diameter tree. Maybe he flatted and went into the tree. Dunno.

I was thinking that there was no way, under normal circumstances, that he could've missed the curve. Who knows, maybe somebody buzzed him, or he wasn't paying attention, or something.

I'd have to look again, in real life, but I think this was the curve:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.259162,-122.095938&spn=0.001217,0.002808&z=19&layer=c&cbll=37.259075,-122.095972&panoid=6Cku5CuGdqyRyx1Zy1V84Q&cbp=12,201.98,,0,5

It's preceded by a couple of sharper, harder corners, so it's tough to go through it 'overspeed'...

The latest update states it was a solo accident:
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_15550068?source=rss

this sucks. this will mark the 3rd spot on roads I regularly ride where a cyclist has died.

That stretch of 9 is relatively straight. We'll probably never know what happened unless there was a witness. A front blowout, debris, anything could cause a loss of control.

Also possible that a car or motorcycle buzzed him and he lost concentration. Hwy 9 is not real steep, but some cars go real fast around the blind corners.

I wonder if the accident investigators will be able to determine if the tire blew before or after the impact. I just wouldn't expect that any blowout out be heat related on that road.

It's steep enough around there that I never really worry too much about traffic and have no qualms about taking the lane most of the way down. 40+ MPH is no problem at all. Much more if one is so inclined and geared.


We'll probably never know what happened unless there was a witness. A front blowout, debris, anything could cause a loss of control.Yep. It probably happened fast enough that there likely isn't even much evidence to be gathered. I think we can leave it at this:

Take it easy out there, folks.

Take it easy out there, folks.

Enjoy today, it's the only one of which you're assured.

The AltoVelo mailing list identified the victim as one of their club members. He was an experienced and cautious cyclist. They ask any witnesses who have not already talked to the CHP to do so.

That part of Rt 9 is pretty straight. Total speculation: I've seen cars turning up Rt 9 from Redwood Gulch Road swing way wide at the turn, all the way over to the downhill lane on Rt 9. This is because the angle of RG to Rt 9 and also because that turn is steep and causes cars to bottom out unless they swing wide. If you descend down Rt 9 be mindful of this.

That’s an interesting theory Andy. Or maybe a car turning left from RG onto Nine? This has been a depressing afternoon reading the idiot comments in the SJ Merc and simply contemplating the tragedy. It’s seems morbid to genuflect too much, but it does hit uncomfortably way to close to home.
Last year I nearly broadsided at 40 mph a pickup making a left in front of me at the Shvannah Chanelle winery turnoff (about ¾ mile below Redwood Gulch). It was the most unsettling moment I’ve had in 25 years of cycling in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I wondered if the driver really never saw me. I know I may be annoying or boring people about this, but right after the incident I mounted a LED headlight and have used it on all my rides since.

The country coroner has identified the victim as Jan Lipson of Cupertino
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_15550068

A cyclist AND a gifted scientist. Such a shame. Ygduf, you are right, gotta enjoy each and every day.