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Watch That Dog!

The past couple years I've enjoyed having John in Redlands record and send me tapes of bicycle racing, particularly the TdF. I'm going to leave the tapes here, and I'm slowing taking the time to watch highlight stages of the 2003 TdF. What a great race that was, and what a fight it was for Lance to win that year. I wonder what will happen this year as he goes for win number seven? It was sad to see that his team mate, Ekimov, was hurt in a training ride crash this week, and won't be riding the Tour with Lance. Sadly, I too lost my riding partner late this afternoon. John and I try to ride a couple times a week, heading up to the military checkpoint above Mera and then home again, for a distance of twelve miles. John hadn't done a lot of riding before, and he's really improved a lot over the past couple years. It's been great to get to know him on our weekly rides. As we were coming down the hill toward the Rio Alpayacu at about 35 MPH, John wasn't able to avoid a dog that was crossing the road. He hit the dog broadside, and went over the bars, landing on his shoulder, then rolling and skidding down the road for twenty feet. Unfortunately John wasn't wearing his helmet; he's leaving for the US in two weeks, and had already packed it away in his shipment. He did hit his head after he landed on his shoulder, and was fortunate to get away with a small gash. Several cars stopped and some people helped me get John off the road, and we put a t-shirt on his head, and another shirt to sling his arm because of the collar bone. I flagged down a pickup taxi, and we went straight to the hospital in Shell. A broken collar bone, ten stitches, lots of road rash, and a few hours later he left the Hospital Voz Andes. He's going to be OK, but he sure will be sore for a few days. The really bad thing is that he's travelling back to the US in two weeks, and won't be in any shape to handle the luggage. The really good thing is that he wasn't hurt worse. Oh, that and his bike is fine.