Fear is good for the soul...Part 2

Continued from "Fear is good for the Soul:"

As soon as Kristen yelled for help, 4 of us were scrambling up the rock to where PBR lay.

When I 1st saw PBR, my initial reaction was pure shock... PBR was laying on a pile of jagged boulders and rocks, his head hanging over the edge and blood raining on the ground beneath him. His hands were down by his waist and he was staring up at the sky in a moan of blinding pain or a convulsion...I knelt beside him as another rider Joe took ahold of PBR and spun him around into my lap. Blood immediately filled the palms of my gloves and the front of my jersey and I could see a large gaping hole in his right ear from which protruded cartilage. Surprisingly, though, with the amount of blood that was spilling, there only appeared to be minor scraps to his neck and face. Joe was asking PBR a series of questions and after about 2-3 minutes PBR regained himself enough that he could start answering his name, age, and questions about his family.

PBR started to try to get up, talking about continuing the ride, but Joe and I held him back telling him to take it easy. We told him the ambulance was on the way but he immediately declined to it.Being so close to Mt. Herman road, I decided to hike to it and ride back down to get my truck so we could cart PBR out.

One of the Springs riders decided to ride down with me and as we rode, we passed the ambulance and a firetruck headed up to where the others were getting PBR out. When we hit the 1st climb, I powered through it and dropped the other rider (he showed up as I was about to pull out of the parking lot). I threw his bike on the truck and rushed back up the mountain.

When we reached the trailhead, PBR was standing and talking to the Paramedics, declining an ambulance ride. I took PBR and Spike back down to the main trailhead where we met Jerry who had ridden his bike down. There was talk from PBR of not going to the hospital and I said, maybe a bit hostilely," Dude, you got a hole through your ear that I can see daylight through!" That seemed to end the argument and we were off to a hospital in Highlands Ranch.

Some three or four later of sitting in the Emergency Room lobby, The docs finally released PBR with 19 stitches in his ear and other then a concussion and a sore back, He had a clean bill of health.

That day was perhaps the worst day I've ever had on a bike and I hope its the worst I ever get to endure. Here's to you PBR, Heal up quick and lets ride again soon.