AustinBike Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 Saw life flight on my ride today. someone crashed and broke a leg. Hope he is alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Magnet Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 Saw the same thing. Heard his leg was messed up but he’ll live. Be careful out there people. We need to keep those hospital beds open.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxagent Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 I saw reports it was not a broken leg. It was a leg impaled on a broken off branch pointed at the trail. Rider was reported to have not even fallen into the "spear", but was impaled as he rode by. Heard they ended up cutting the branch off the tree and left it in his leg while getting him to the hospital. Let's be careful what kind of things we leave behind on the trail. Best to CUT branches back to the trunk (preferred) or back to a branch collar. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crane Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 3 hours ago, cxagent said: Heard they ended up cutting the branch off the tree and left it in his leg while getting him to the hospital. Makes sense. I'm certainly not a medical professional but was taught that you don't pull out anything impaling somebody in the field unless it's preventing then from breathing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 The firemen went past me as I was doing the Mopac climb and one of them was carrying a chainsaw. Wondered what that was for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tip Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 1 hour ago, AustinBike said: The firemen went past me as I was doing the Mopac climb and one of them was carrying a chainsaw. Wondered what that was for. Trail sanitation! Grrrr! (too soon?) 3 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 (edited) There was a ton of sanitation on the new Violet Crown portion of the GB (as well as other places). Someone is digging those drainage ditches. It reminds me of the bonewipe that was doing trail modifications and hanging the laminated "trail maintenance guides" on the GB a few years ago. I have a theory about the trail guide person's identity now. I think they are on this board. Just F---ing Stop It. Now. Edited March 15, 2020 by AustinBike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoAmI Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 13 hours ago, cxagent said: I saw reports it was not a broken leg. It was a leg impaled on a broken off branch pointed at the trail. Rider was reported to have not even fallen into the "spear", but was impaled as he rode by. Heard they ended up cutting the branch off the tree and left it in his leg while getting him to the hospital. That explains the huge dressing we saw around it when we rolled up to the scene. I hope he comes out of this okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamwa Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 7 hours ago, AustinBike said: There was a ton of sanitation on the new Violet Crown portion of the GB (as well as other places). Someone is digging those drainage ditches. It reminds me of the bonewipe that was doing trail modifications and hanging the laminated "trail maintenance guides" on the GB a few years ago. I have a theory about the trail guide person's identity now. I think they are on this board. Just F---ing Stop It. Now. On Sweet 16? You mean water bars like at Walnut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 No, they dig a trench perpendicular to the trail to "drain" it. But they are totally random and not in places where water accumulates. Also saw some rocks being removed an some trees were cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Gringo Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) Turns out this was a friend of a friend. He sent me pics today. I'm not posting them out of respect for his privacy, but I will say . . . wow. I've had a similar injury that took out ~a tennis ball sized chunk of flesh . . . enough that the ER doc asked if his students could watch the stitching method. Nothing compared to what this rider had. He is a serious trooper. Edited March 16, 2020 by El Gringo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddbrider Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Wow. Most of us have probably had those moments where - after a crash - we look around and say something like, "Man, that would have been so much worse if I had landed a few inches one way or the other." I guess the laws of probability dictate that there are going to be some riders that aren't so lucky. Hopefully, he can make a full recovery and be back in saddle soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Magnet Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 9 hours ago, El Gringo said: injury that took out ~a tennis ball sized chunk of flesh . . That is a graphic that I didn't need but it really drives the point home about being careful out there. I know the goal is not to end up in a casket with a perfectly preserved body but I'd prefer to not be a few tennis balls short. Ouch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Curious about this--was his injury so severe that he required heli medevac? Is helicopter access so available in Austin that it's easier to fly him out than wheel him out on one of those all terrain stretchers with one big wheel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 On 3/15/2020 at 8:31 AM, WhoAmI said: That explains the huge dressing we saw around it when we rolled up to the scene. I hope he comes out of this okay. Standard procedure when you go through NOLS training - cut off the branch, leave it in place, let the surgeons deal with it. "Remember, you are NOT surgeons!" our instructor would yell at us pretty frequently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Gringo Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 1 hour ago, June Bug said: Curious about this--was his injury so severe that he required heli medevac? Is helicopter access so available in Austin that it's easier to fly him out than wheel him out on one of those all terrain stretchers with one big wheel? Yes. It was quite severe. Quite a large branch (actually, think small log size) went completely through the leg. As I understand, it went through the bones and completely dissected the achilles. I suppose there were multiple factors in play: 1) Given the size of the projectile and the extent of the damage, it would have been very difficult to transport him through BCGB terrain. 2) With damage like that, you are in danger of losing a limb (the doctors were concerned with this, but evidently they avoided that outcome). When I shattered my tibia and broke my ankle in AF, I was evac'd (by a Gator - very painful ride down the mountain) to the urgent care at the bottom of the mountain. After sending my x-rays to an ER ortho in Taos, they instructed me to get to Taos ASAP. They performed an emergency reduction on my tibia before sending me to Taos. The concern was that such massive damage resulted in reduced blood flow to the ankle. The ER ortho was concerned that I would "lose my ankle." Time is of the essence. I don't know the rider, but I understand he is a top athlete and has a long road to recovery. Keep him in your prayers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack_turtle Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) many of us will have some free time this week (and maybe weeks after), and that free time would be better spent outdoors than indoors. but if the rains come, trails could be in poor shape for riding. we should all spend some time cutting branches like this one. I did that a bit Sunday afternoon. it's a great upper-body workout too! the pocket chainsaw will kick your butt. Edited March 16, 2020 by mack_turtle 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoAmI Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 4 hours ago, TAF said: Standard procedure when you go through NOLS training - cut off the branch, leave it in place, let the surgeons deal with it. "Remember, you are NOT surgeons!" our instructor would yell at us pretty frequently. Yep, that goes for most stab wounds if the item is still in the person. As we were approaching him, hikers were telling us it was a broken bone, so when we saw it, I assume it was a compound fracture, not knowing it was a puncture.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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