Today began with a few people needing a nice long stretch after hiking in Yosemite. We packed up our bags, grabbed our bikes and went out of the family camp to the road so we could have breakfast, our route meeting, and do our ABCs without disturbing the camp. Our ride was suppose to be a nice one into Modesto as we were having a nice descent to around 60 ft above sea level. However, as we were the first people to not stay in the park our route was a new one, had never been tested, and we didn't know what lay ahead.
We soon found that the net descent didn't mean that we didn't have to also climb along the way. Our first 15 or so miles were full of up and down mile long rolling hills. It was fun but still a bit of challenging riding at parts. Once again though we were leap frogging and passing each other which let us cheer each other along.
When Justin, Ben, Brad and I reached our first turn we almost missed it as it was a keep left onto a different road mid a big down hill. We decided to pull off and stop to chalk so people would know and make the turn. We were then excited to start the next leg as it looked to be a great down hill it even had a sign that made it clear we wouldn't have to be pedaling much.
When we started on the hill or should I say mountain, we realized it wasn't going to be fast it was going to be real fast and for me it was too fast. We quickly put room between each of us and we're all holding on our breaks really hard. It was windy and steep. We guessed a minimum of 12% down grade and we were right. It was also mountain side.
Before I keep going I will say everyone is okay. However, Justin was leading our group and his tire tore a 3 inch sliced shape hole between the bead and the tire wall. He was already breaking hard which was lucky because he stopped fairly quick by he hit a rock fell off his bike. He then landed on a rock that cut his arm a bit. We were all spaced out so we all could stop before him and the whole group pulled off quick. The location was also next to maybe the only pull off on the hill. We quickly made a bandage for his arm and we're happy he had been wearing bike gloves that protected his hands. When we checked the tire it looked like the bead May have torn due to the heat from the breaking.
The tire had to be replaced and we were in the process of calling the van whe a pick up truck pulled up and said a girl was up the hill alone and had just been in a bad accident. Justin and I grab our bags and hop in his truck, Ben stayed with the bikes, and Brad started running up the hill. Brad then hoped in the back of the truck when we told him it was a bad idea to run.
We made it up there quickly, there was a Forrest employee there and Alice had pulled off to help to, but Stephanie Munro had had a bad spill. She was standing in a lot of pain and with road rash on one side. Once we were up there Alice headed to the top to stop anyone else from coming down and to send all riders on an alternative route. I helped Steph sit down and keep calm, Brad slowed traffic around the curve, and Justin called the van. The Forrest employee and I checked Steph out and we're about to load her into his car to go to the regional medical center.
Other people had already called a fire truck and ambulance, they arrived right as Steph was going to get in to the car. The closed off the road to all cars and checked her out. She didn't want to go I. The ambulance and they said it looked to be only bad road rash so she didn't have to. They helped clean her a bit, checked her out, and then helped us put her in the van to the medical center. Justin and Brian went with her to the medical center. Ben walked down to the bottom and road on to lunch from there. Brad and I went to the top, where our bikes had been dropped off for us. We talked to Alice and then waited for the sweeps so we could direct people the new route around the bad hill.
From there the ride went fine. We had no more incidents and everything was okay. Brad and I particularly took it extra slow as we had been shaken up quite a bit. We did enjoy the view though going down the alternative route. We made it to lunch ate with a bunch of people reassured them Steph was okay and rode on.
When we started on the hill or should I say mountain, we realizedit wasn't going to be fast it was going to be real fast and for me it was too fast. We quickly put room between each of us and we're all holding on our breaks really hard. It was windy and steep. We guessed a minimum of 12% down grade and we were right. It was also mountain side.
Before I keep going I will say everyone is okay. However, Justin was leading our group and his tire tore a 3 inch sliced shape hole between the bead and the tire wall. He was already breaking hard which was lucky because he stopped fairly quick by he hit a rock fell off his bike. He then landed on a rock that cut his arm a bit. We were all spaced out so we all could stop before him and the whole group pulled off quick. The location was also next to maybe the only pull off on the hill. We quickly made a bandage for his arm and we're happy he had been wearing bike gloves that protected his hands. When we checked the tire it looked like the bead may have torn due to the heat from the breaking.
The tire had to be replaced and we were in the process of calling the van whe a pick up truck pulled up and said a girl was up the hill alone and had just been in a bad accident. Justin and I grab our bags and hop in his truck, Ben stayed with the bikes, and Brad started running up the hill. Brad then hoped in the back of the truck when we told him it was a bad idea to run.
We made it up there quickly, there was a Forrest employee there and Alice had pulled off to help to, but Stephanie Munro had had a bad spill. She was standing in a lot of pain and with road rash on one side. Once we were up there Alice headed to the top to stop anyone else from coming down and to send all riders on an alternative route. I helped Steph sit down and keep calm, Brad slowed traffic around the curve, and Justin called the van. The Forrest employee and I checked Steph out and we're about to load her into his car to go to the regional medical center.
Other people had already called a fire truck and ambulance, they arrived right as Steph was going to get in to the car. The closed off the road to all cars and checked her out. She didn't want to go I. The ambulance and they said it looked to be only bad road rash so she didn't have to. They helped clean her a bit, checked her out, and then helped us put her in the van to the medical center. Justin and Brian went with her to the medical center. Ben walked down to the bottom and road on to lunch from there. Brad and I went to the top, where our bikes had been dropped off for us. We talked to Alice and then waited for the sweeps so we could direct people the new route around the bad hill.
From there the ride went fine. We had no more incidents and everything was okay. Brad and I particularly took it extra slow as we had been shaken up quite a bit. We did enjoy the view though going down the alternative route. We made it to lunch ate with a bunch of people reassured them Steph was okay and rode on.
In the afternoon Brad and I then joined back up with Ben. Going down a hill the road felt extra bumpy and I debated if I had a flat. Brad then said we had to stop for a flat. I assumed he met me, but turns out we both had rear wheel flats. We stopped changed them and kept going.
Back on the road the ride was going nice but about 7 miles later I had a second flat, this time on my front wheel. It was a long day but riding with them we enjoyed speeds that felt like a tail wind while the air felt like it was hitting us like a head wind. We decided this was the result of the fact we were at sea level, the air wasn't thin, and we finally had a flat ride. We cruised into a gas station for a water refill, ice cream cookie sandwich, and a photo with the chief of police, who saw us and wanted a quick pic.
After that we had 20 miles left and the three of us went quick. We passed through Oakdale and into Modesto and road along a bunch of cool trees. We weren't sure at first what they were but soon realized they were almond trees.
At the host, the Church of the Bretheren, we cleaned up, relaxed, were rejoined by Steph and Justin. We had a delicious host dinner of pastas, salads, and desserts. While eating Noah looked up the mountain, Old Priest Grade Road. It is the secon steepest hill in California and it drops 1,500 feet over 1.8 miles. it was an average grade of 15%, min of 12%, max of 20%, and when I spoke to a few bike shops, people at the game, and then a few others, they all knew it and said it was crazy hill. Right before dinner we also had two great B&B alumni showed up to visit. It was great to hear some more crazy SUS stories from the past.
Following dinner a group of us went to the local single A baseball game. The team was the Nuts and they are part of the Ricky's organization. It was also really cool when we were the MVP Moment in the second inning. They honored us, gave us a ball and pin, and put us on the jumbo tron. We also caught a fowl ball later and just had a good time.
On the way home we topped of the night with an in n out stop. We all had a little or big late night snack, got hats, and stickers. It was a great night and we are all the day ended well. We are all also grateful that Steph and everyone is okay after a long day.