az_cyclist

I am sure his riding partner was taken to the hospital after a fall. I am not sure about Rick.

CbadRider

Oh no! Did he have another crash?

az_cyclist

We passed a crash during the second loop, before the first sag I think. An ambulance was there, and they were strapping his riding partner to a board. I later heard she had a concussion, but that is second hand information. I dont know about Rick.

Biker395 

I heard Isabelle and Chuck B (of California Triple Crown fame) each crashed. Isabelle broke her collarbone and some ribs. I think Chuck's injuries were similar. There are a couple of Adobo riders who crashed as well ... one will need surgery for a dislocated hip.

But as far as I know, Rick is fine! I'm pretty sure if he were injured, we'd have heard about it.

az_cyclist

I know two Adobo riders crashed several miles after the crash that Isabelle was in. They were following a tandem from Sacramento, and that team told us about that wreck at sag 2 of the 2nd loop.

sweetpea

Rick posted his completed ride on Strava and said in the comments he was fine.

az_cyclist

Thanks for the update, sweetpea

Rick@OCRR

Thanks for the concern everyone!

Yes, I saw the crash happen but dove for the shoulder (which was wood chips for some unknown reason) and just missed getting hit on the head by someone's bike.

So I didn't hit the deck myself but I did take care of Isabelle until the EMT's arrived and stayed until she was actually in the ambulance. They put Chuck in the same ambulance but I stuck around to guard their bikes until the SAG SUV got there to pick them up.

When the SAG left I was the only one there . . . really, still upset by the whole thing. Eventually I just started riding and felt better when I caught up to the Linda Bott tandem and talked with her about it as we rode along (she's good friends with Isabelle too).

I caught up to OC Rebel Peter Chen at the next checkpoint and finished the ride with him, rolling in about 8:15PM.

Rick / OCRR

az_cyclist

I checked in at 8:21... I thought I saw you getting ready to sit down for the post-ride meal, but then didnt see you after I got my food. Glad to hear you are ok, Rick. You guys passed us between the 2nd and 3rd sags.

Biker395 

Wanna hear something amusing? I think I heard about that crash by word of mouth within the hour of it's occurrence. Such is the sagebrush telegraph among cyclists.

I would like to have been the fly on the wall in that ambulance, with both Isabelle and Chuck in there. As long as you're taking a ride in the hurt wagon, you might as well have good company.

Rick@OCRR

Yes Victor,

Within the double-century community here in SoCal word travels fast. After "our" crash there was another one where (as I understand it) a couple of Adobo Velo riders went down. Apparently they hit a cone marking some construction, so no motorist involved with that one either (thankfully).

We all tend to think of this sport as relatively safe . . . until it isn't. And yes, I'm sure Isabelle and Chuck had some conversation in the ambulance! They'll never forget that ride.

Rick / OCRR

az_cyclist

Glad to hear you came thru that ok, Rick. Sorry about Isabelle and Chuck. One of the tandem teams from Sacramento told us about the second accident, between sags 1 and 2. They said a cone base caused the accident.

Oldairhead 

Rick,
After riding with Isabelle, and you early in the ride, and with Chuck just after lunch, I was so sad to roll up on the accident and see that both Isabelle and Chuck were involved. Glad you didn't get taken out as well.

After leaving the wreck site I rode with Randy (red cycling kit) who also went down in that crash. He was pretty skinned up and seemed to want someone to talk to so we rode together to the next stop. I think it is hard to continue a ride when these things happen!

Randy and I were quite surprised to roll up on the next accident site with the Adobo Velo riders. It was definitely a bad day for a lot of people.

Thanks for staying with the bikes!

Lonnie Wolff

Rick@OCRR

Thanks Lonnie, Yes, good riding with you! True, a tragic accident which I just missed becoming involved in. I was off the back of the peloton talking with Charlie Griffice when the accident happened right in front of us.

Here is Isabelle's update from her facebook page:

Chuck is recovering well too; all bandaged up from his road rash and his arm in a sling due to a broken collar bone but back to being as cheerful and positive as ever.

Rick / OCRR

az_cyclist

Thanks for the update, Rick.

Rick@OCRR

For Victor, az_cyclist and anyone else who knows her, here is a photo taken by Chuck Bramwell of Isabelle Drake with Peter Chen and myself trailing behind. This was just a few miles before the tragic crash on the Hemet Double.

Click photo to enlarge.

Rick / OCRR

Biker395 

Thanks, Rick!

And for those not in the know, Isabelle was part of the Raw Milk Cats team that recently smoked RAAM:



BTW, I think Chuck's injury is a broken scapula. Not sure if that's better or worse than a broken clavicle.

az_cyclist

Thanks Rick

Rick@OCRR

Yes Dwight, I was there but decided to wait until my wife finished to have dinner. Turned out to be a bad idea. First she had trouble with her lights and I had to drive back out on the course and give her fresh lights.

Then her front disc brake lost a spring and a brake pad fell out but I worked that out with her over the phone. She just took the front brake cable off; finished the last 20 miles with rear brake only.

I got back to the Motel 6, laid down on the bed for a moment . . . totally conked out, pretty much instantly. I barely woke up when she and Rosanne came in about 11:30PM. But . . . never did get back to eat dinner! Made up for it the next morning though with a decadent breakfast (all you can eat bacon ) at Home Town Buffet.

I don't envy all you Bull-Shifters with the long drive back to Arizona after every California double!

Rick / OCRR

az_cyclist

Hemet was not too bad. it was only about 5 hours to get back home.

Solvang was a tough one... 9 hours back home from Solvang. A much longer drive from Bishop or Davis. Driving home from the Grand Tour is not too bad. We like the CA Doubles, so we just figure in the commute.

One of the Bulls, who rode his 100th double at Solvang in March, drove home after Hemet!