Hey dudes, good vibes your way
Thanks Mig.
She was a friend of some tarckers, some of whom were riding this route with her on that day. I have ridden with her on a few .83 rides and campouts in the past.
No one witnessed whatever happened.
Condolences to all.
I am so incredibly sorry for your loss, yāall. Truly terrible. Good vibes your way.
so sad today
She was instrumental in getting me into all this in the first place. I went out to Robās bootleg race in Ravenna and she was the first one to talk to me and make me feel welcome. Say what you want about her, but she had an uncanny ability to connect with people and make them feel welcome. And for me, that was what I needed to stop lurking and start riding.
All day I just keep thinking about what in the world could have gone so horribly wrong.
Iām not a helmet shamer and fully support people having the freedom to do what they want in regard to helmets but Brock posting multiple links in the the Helmet Freedom USA Facebook group today is so gauche.
Agreed. I want to call him out on it. Feels tasteless.
Iāve often taken my helmet off on rural roads or hot days. Hell, I think most of us have at one point or another.
Sorry Seattle folks. Shit happens, and sometimes weāre not okay. Hugs.
Really sad story. Hugs all around.
cross-shared from my facebook:
It was supposed to be an easy day.
The Sisters to Smith Rock Scenic Bikeway is a 35-mile road ride connecting the towns of Terrebonne and Sisters in central Oregon, descending gradually and crossing the Deschutes River roughly halfway through the route at Lower Bridge Road at the Borden Beck Nature Preserve. Iāve ridden it many times over the years, even in years before the state designated it as a scenic bikeway, and Iāve always found it to be one of the most enjoyable roads anywhere. It is a beautiful place.
Travel Oregon says that āat no points are there sustained or treacherous sections that will overly challenge the novice riderā.
I donāt know much beyond whatās been reported already or what youāve read from the news.
But Iāll try to tell you what I know while itās still fresh in mind.
Katie was so incredibly happy at Smith Rock, as happy as I think Iād ever seen her in the years Iāve known her. It was the first time sheād been there and I knew she loved it. She told me that after the trip she was going to drive back down from Seattle to spend more time there. Weād chatted about a few things at breakfast, like the terrible cars weāve owned.
After breakfast, we all returned to the campground and packed up the bikes for the dayās ride. I was working just a little slower than everyone else that morning and Paul and I were the last to leave the campsite. Iād assumed that relative to the rest of the riders that I was a minute or two behind and that Iād catch up on the road. As it turned out, they had all stopped for pictures at the Smith Rock day-use area or to get food in Terrebonne, so I ended up riding the route by myself.
Sometimes we travel together, but we often ride at our own pace and rarely as a full group on these trips. After less than two hours on the road, I reached the campground in Sisters shortly before 12:45 PM and saw I had messages on my phone.
Zack - 12:15 PM: āRob,call me asap. Emergency.ā
I immediately called him. He let me know that Katie was deceased.
Zack was the first rider on the scene. He was riding some distance behind her and there were no witnesses to Katieās fall. The rest of the group had stopped at the site of the crash while the road was closed for investigation. We agreed that there was nothing more we could do at that moment and that we needed to regroup. Everyone would ride to Sisters and we would decide what to do from there.
After Zack and I finished our call, I decided to end the ride and get everyone else home.
I started making phone calls while I waited. I called Angela in Portland and she started driving to Sisters to pick us up. I called a local U-haul dealer in Sisters to reserve a truck to get the bicycles and camping gear back to Portland. I looked up Katieās parents on Facebook and left messages to call me so I could forward their contact information to the Sheriffās office. I also called my parents because I felt very alone waiting there and needed someone to talk to.
Zack arrived at the campground and we hugged each other. I really wanted to cry but I was feeling so worn out.
Once Joe and Tom arrived, I let them know that the plan would be to return to Portland that night. The four of us all went to get something to eat at Three Creeks Brewing while we waited for everyone else. Once Angela arrived, we picked up the truck and packed it with the bicycles and camping gear. I received a text with Katieās momās number and left a message with the Sheriffās office. Their detective called me back as we left Sisters and informed me that theyād notified Katieās parents.
Tom ended up riding in the trunk of Angelaās Subaru all the way to Salem due to us not having quite enough seating for everyone, but it worked out. As we arrived in Detroit Lake and I started getting cell reception again, I began receiving a flurry of calls and texts from those that had seen the breaking news reported by the Bend Bulletin. The story had been picked up by KOMO, The Oregonian, and The Seattle Times.
We dropped Paul off in Salem to be picked up by his father. The rest of us continued north to Portland. Clarissa met us there and transported Zack, Kale, and Zach back home to Seattle. Tom and Joe left to drive back together. Afterwards, Angela and I dropped the truck off and got a hotel room to spend the night in Portland, too tired to do much of anything else.
Right now, I am extremely grateful to everyone that helped us get back to Seattle and those that have reached out with messages of support over the last 24 hours.
I have been overwhelmed by the task of keeping my composure and getting everyone home as safely and quickly as possible. The group pulled together and has been through things that no one should have to experience.
I will miss Katie a lot.
Honestly, the guy should just move back to Portland.
Heāll find itās a much easier city to Amsterdam-ize instead of Seattle.
Hugs, everyone.
Such a sad story. Condolences to all of her friends out there.
Condolences. So, so sad.
I am so proud of you Rob
For anyone with an interest in riding bikes and playing pinball - Pukesprints (bicycle racing for the terminally stupid) is putting on a Bicycle/Pinball Biathlon in August.
yup
Everyone should do the Mountain Fondo. This one is $40, but the rest of their events are free and fully supported, so I donāt mind giving them money after all their generosity.
Damn, they got all their routes under lock & key.
Well everything else is widely publicized, well supported and totally free, so itās reasonable to keep your marquee route on lockdown so you can make a little bit of money back.