I am sure most of you have heard of my run in with a bull on the back side of Monitor Pass. This is my side of the story.
There is also Don Axtell's version of this story. And look how the story has changed, as it went from rider to rider.
It really started a week earlier. I spent this week following Don Axtell around. This was my first attempt at the Death Ride, so I needed lots of advise and pointers to get that mental and physical edge. We spent the week previewing the climbs. LeRoy Rodriguez also joined us. So, grabbing the bull by the horns, I rode what Don rode and ate what Don ate, including a hamburger. That was probably my first mistake. Maybe I ate one of the bull's friends!
D-day, I started at 5:30 AM - some people started earlier (LeRoy). My pack was loaded with PB-J sandwiches and Three Musketeers bars. I got to the top of Monitor ahead of (Don's) schedule. I then started down the other side, traveling between 40 - 50 mph. People were passing me like crazy. Up ahead I saw a couple of bulls running to the right of the road. They seemed to be chasing each other. I slowed down, thinking they looked kind of twitchy. Going around 40 mph I figured I would get past them pretty fast. At the last second, my bull changed directions and I slammed into him, knocking him down in the process.
I thought for sure I was going to die. I rolled and tumbled for what seemed forever, landing on my left side. The first riders who got to me were Tom and John, both with medical backgrounds (and just happened to be riding the Death Ride). I remember Tom being very good looking and I think I told him as much. As they started taking my vitals, LeRoy, Jennie Phillips, and Karl Schilling joined the group. Karl went back up the mountain a ways to slow down riders just getting to the scene. Jennie came right over to comfort me. I was screaming "I hit a #@%$& cow, I hit a #@%$& cow!" Thank God for Jennie, she cradled my head in her lap, reassuring me every second. I remember telling her to leave me and continue the ride, but she didn't, and just kept talking to me the whole time. LeRoy (an EMT) joined Tom and John to see to my injuries. One of these guys had gauze and bandages so they were able to patch me up pretty good.
Then, I saw Don standing behind all of these busy people. "Hey Don, I hit a bull. That wasn't on your schedule!" I started feeling better and turned to Jennie and said, "Let's finish this!" Jennie told me to relax and that I probably had enough for one day. Everyone then helped me to my feet. I was still convinced I could continue riding (shock maybe) until Jennie and Don showed me my bicycle. Jennie, Karl, and LeRoy took off to finish the ride, because Don was now there to take care of me. Don stayed with me until I got into a SAG vehicle. I gave him a big hug and told him not to worry about me.
Once on my way I called my friend Dawn to alert her about my bull fighting debut. Dawn lived near by so I had the SAG drop me off at her house. She was able to get me to an emergency room right away. I was there for about two hours when an ambulance brought in the other cyclist who was involved in my accident (the bull fell on him). Where was he all of this time? After getting ten stitches, Xrays, and a shot to my butt, I was released. My injuries included a deep cut to my left knee nicking the patellar tendon, a fracture of the radius bone in my left arm, and lots of bruises and contusions everywhere.
My next dilemma was how to get home. Once again Don, Jennie, and Karl came to my rescue. We caravaned home together, Karl driving my car. This was a good thing because I needed to be carried to a bathroom half way home. Longest day of my life!
Thanks to everyone for helping me out. A special thanks to Paul Vlasveld for helping to pack up my camping gear and delicates and to Johanna Jaffer for making house calls and massaging some of my pain away.
I'm already training for next year. No one warn the bulls!!!!
I found this different version of Pam's accident. Funny how much the story changes as it gets passed around. -Don
Subject: Death Ride report
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 18:13:53 -0700
From: gchiou@uclink2.berkeley.edu (George Chiou)
"It was somewhere along this climb that I heard about some woman who hit a cow. There were free-range cows in the area. I heard the more complete story after the ride. Apparently, a cow was on the road and a woman was descending using her aerobars. She aimed for a place she didn't think the cow would go instead of getting up and braking and centerpunched the cow, breaking 2-3 of its ribs and knocking it over. Meanwhile, she flew over the cow but was luckier than the cow, injury-wise."
Don, interesting..I found this one too... weird how things get changed....
Subject: Death Ride report
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1997 16:13:52 -1700
From: springer@uclink2.berkeley.edu (Sigh Springer)
"It was somewhere along this climb that I heard about some woman who hit a kangaroo. There were free-range 'roos in the area. I heard the more complete story after the ride. Apparently, a kangaroo was on the road and a woman was descending using her guide dog for the blind and putting on make-up. She tried to bunny-hop the kangaroo instead of using her shotgun and blowing the beast to high heaven and landed dead center in its pouch, waking up 2-3 of its baby kangaroos and one stray kitten. Meanwhile, search and rescue workers looked for days while she had amnesia and thought she was a kangaroo. They eventually found her, so as expected, our story has a hoppy ending. "