McGill McGot Him Again… Mikie is Down...

Discussion in 'Crash Confessions' started by Voodoo Tom, Jul 12, 2018.


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  1. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Guys I don’t feel right posting this or know how to say it other than to just say it. Our buddy and fearless leader @Mikie went down hard last night on McGill trail. I don’t have too many details yet as to any injuries but I know for sure he took a helicopter ride and an ambulance ride and spent the night in the hospital. I suspect he will be just fine. When I know more I will update but in the meantime spill some imtbtrails love here for him and keep him in your thoughts and prayers for a quick and full recovery. Please DO NOT try call or text him or Cathy as I’m sure neither got any sleep at all. If I find out you did I will use my Voodoo super powers and break your bike in half, trust me.
     
  2. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    About 7:40 last night I got a call from @Mikie. He said he was on the lower section of McGill and had crashed and thinks he hit a tree and was stuck in his pedal. He said he was OK and could move but was in a lot of pain and could not get loose from his pedal and needed help. I made a mad dash and threw some gear and lights and my bike in the truck. As I started out the driveway I thought ok so if he’s hurt bad at all wtf am I going to be able to do by myself other than keep him company and keep him warm. I made a couple quick phone calls to some friends. My father in law owns the pizza parlor in Frazier and on Wednesdays there is always an informal meeting with the local 4wd club there. Several of the members are also members of the local search and rescue group and a couple are Kern county fireman so I called on some troops knowing they could probably get to him quicker than I would. Took me about 35 minutes to get to the base of Pinos doing about 85mph the whole way. I talked to Mikie a couple times on the way so he knew help was coming. Just before I got there my phone rang and my fireman buddy Kenny said he had already found Mikie and he was OK and they would work on getting him out. By this time there were tons of fire engines and ambulance personnel already there and waiting as well as the local search and rescue group mobilizing. A couple minutes later Cathy pulled up and we just tried to figure out what we should do and where we should be. I really did not expect a full blown rescue effort especially so darn fast. I just thought I may be able to get a couple locals to help me get him out of there. Apparently he was about ¾ mile below McGill campground and the fire personnel opted to call in the helicopter to lift him out rather than trying to hike him out on a gurney. The helicopter took him to the “Y” parking lot where the ambulance was waiting as were Cathy and I. He seemed good and was perfectly coherent and talked to Cathy for a minute before being transported by the ambulance. As I was rolling home about 11:30pm my phone rings and it’s Mikie calling me from the back of the ambulance just to say thanks. He’s a heck of a tough dude and such a great friend. That phone call tells me he will be just fine. That’s all I know for now and when I know more FACTS I will update. Again please DO NOT try to contact him or Cathy. I’ll let you know when the time is right.

    Helicopter ride...
    IMG_7646.JPG

    Then an ambulance ride...
    IMG_7647.JPG

    And then a pic of him all doped up sent to me from Cathy...
    IMG_7650.JPG
     
  3. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Dammit! Mikie is a tough one. I hope it's not too serious. Please keep us updated Tom.
     
  4. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Ho. Lee. Sh!t. Thanks for letting us know. All possible good vibes and thoughs to OFL.
     
  5. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    Thoughts and prayers and props to @Mikie and @Voodoo Tom and Co. Mikie, I respect that you test your limits. Hang in there, and we’ll get at it again soon. Let us know if you need anything.
     
  6. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    What the?!

    Thanks for the quick thinking and acting, VT. It's a boon to have a pal like you. Good work!!!!!

    Mikie! Ya renegade kid in a man's body...or would that be George of the Jungle? Watch out for that tree! Mostly, get well soon with complete recovery. Take it easy!

    And get yerself a PLB, man. Out of phone reception would not have been pretty. Luck worked for ya here; don't count on that every time.
     
  7. Sidewalk

    Sidewalk iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    The road is where I call home
    Name:
    Josh
    Current Bike:
    N+1
    Dude, you gotta bounce when you hit the ground!
     
  8. HBkites

    HBkites Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Huntington Beach
    Name:
    Sharone
    Current Bike:
    Why S7, Revel Rascal, Spark RC
    Get well soon @Mikie.
    Hopefully, the helicopter ride was just a (positive) overkill, and you ended up with only minor injuries to deal with.
    @Voodoo Tom way to step up when needed.
     
  9. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Awwwwwwww......man. I did not wanna hear this.

    Hopefully everything was done as a precaution.

    I’m sure he’ll bounce right back up.

    Healing vibes. @Mikie

    On a positive note, he got an awesome helicopter ride, and I hear that have great health insurance up there in Canada.
     
  10. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    We'll be thinking of you all down here... Although I have to say that is quite the impressive smile from the hospital bed. Get strong, Big Guy.
     
  11. doublewide

    doublewide iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Tallcan
    Nice work Tom!! Way to spring into action! I hope everything will be good with our Captain...
     
  12. scottay

    scottay Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Gods Country
    Name:
    Scottay
    Bummer deal! Was lucky cell phone worked....
    .
    .
     
  13. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    So true and for me, one of the reasons I refuse to stray from Verizon. I may pay more but 95% of the time out in the sticks, those of us with Verizon are the ones that have a signal. If I was riding solo in remote areas, I’d have to look into getting a PLB. I should get one anyway but technology and I generally don’t play well together. Healing vibes sent to @Mikie who needs to get ready for Downieville
     
  14. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    Sorry to hear this, prayers and healing vibes to you Mikie! Thanks go out to you also Tom!
     
  15. pperrelle

    pperrelle iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Oracle, AZ
    Name:
    Paul
    Current Bike:
    Ripley V4 & Ripmo V2
    Crap, hard to hit "like" on that one. Good job @Voodoo Tom rallying the troops to get Mikie out of there. Heal up quickly Mikie!
     
  16. scan

    scan iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    fran allas
    Current Bike:
    Scott Spark
    Hey bro, heal up . Good to see you smiling on the gurney!
     
  17. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Guys I didn't do anything other than come to my senses and make a couple phone calls real quick. One of them just happened to be the right call. I lived in Frazier Park for almost 40 years and being a small town you pretty much know the right people. I can tell you though that I owe a few old pals up there some ice cold beer for jumping right on it.
     
  18. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    You don't do anything other than sign up with NOAA for free and pull your beacon when you need it. You never have to touch a computer; fill out the paper form and every two years update your info on the phone. <$300 for a PLB, no other cost.

    No deflections, humble guy. You owned it and made it happen, straight up. Your buds were instrumental in the heavy lifting, but you were the key.
     
  19. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    Very reassuring to know that if they (rescuers, any of us) were in the same position as Mikie that this is what any one of us would want, for people to jump into action and get what needs to be done ,done! And you got it done Tom. All of our thanks directed at you are well deserved!
     
  20. blixet

    blixet Well-Known Member

    Location:
    San Gabriel Valley
    Name:
    Tom
    Current Bike:
    Transition Scout, TJ Ti
    Sounds horrible scary. Glad people got to him so quickly. I had to make the call to my wife once, "It's a bad one." Not good.

    Mikie, wish you good healing vibes man.
     
  21. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    Trees are cool. Hitting them sucks! Major healing vibes @Mikie!!!

    And awesome work, @Voodoo Tom. Exactly the response needed when it counted.
     
  22. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Oh Sh!t!!! :eek: :thumbsdown::poop:

    Great work Tom to get the posse rallied so quickly. I am so glad @Mikie had cell reception and was conscious. Mt. biking can go really bad in a hurry, I just hate it when one of us has to prove it!

    Mikie, you are a strong MoFo in mind, body, spirit and heart. Healing rays, postitive vibes, thoughts, prayers, mojo and everything else positive headed through the ether to you. Your community is here for you.:inlove:

    As for the rest of us, get your locator beacons for lonely solo rides!
     
  23. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Hey fellers,
    Doped up and awake now.
    Thank you for the well wishes! There may be a few mispelled words.
    Was having an amazingly fun ride. Did not see it coming but had a huge pedal strike on a big rock that catapulted me off the trail and I hit a tree head on. I think the contact points was the back of my head and right shoulder blade as I arched over the bars. It happened lightning fast, bam! Done. I must have fractured my pelvis when I hit the ground. I thought I broke my neck.

    Laying there I did a quick what has feeling check and saw relatively everything worked. I thought I broke some upper ribs on the front and back but did not.

    I was laying face up on the down side of the trail with my left foot locked in my pedal and excruciating pain in my right groin (the pelvic fracture). Could not move. Started getting scared.

    Wiggled my cell phone out and had 3 bars. Called Cathy but she was at Church. Called @Voodoo Tom as I know he grew up here and his Dad was on search and rescue.

    Tom made it happen as Tom ALWAYS makes it happen.

    Waiting for the first responders, I began to panic, so I forced the bike to flip over as I screamed and cried and got unhooked from my pedal and worked myself into a sitting position and just shivered and waited. I was getting cold and the shivers were becoming violent and out of control, possibly Shock was setting in.
    Search and Rescue guys found me first on Mountain Bikes. By this time it was pitch black.

    Things get hazy here. 7 maybe 10 headlamps shining down in my face, A thousand blood pressure checks concerned my blood pressure was too low, shivers like I was in shock.
    Tried to stand me but that was not going to happen based on my right hip. I screamed like a banshee when the guy tried to stand me up. I was embarrassed.

    Called in the choppah! Pain IV and they loaded me in a basket. Dropped me at the Y.

    Two pelvic fractures and some very bruised ribs. Was going to need surgery for internal bleeding but the bleeding stopped in the pelvic area. In the hospital I now have to prove I can walk (which I now understand to mean take 3steps with a walker) to get to go home.
    Keep you guys posted
     
  24. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Is the tree okay? Too soon? :p
    We know you are out there @Mikie. Talk to us!
     
  25. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    I posted while you did. Good to hear from you!
     
  26. doublewide

    doublewide iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Tallcan
    Did they cut off your spandex? :laugh: :inlove:
     
    tick, Tom the Bomb, trmn8er and 24 others like this.
  27. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Holy guacamole, brother – glad things came together like they did. From here, you know the drill, just follow protocol. Good outcome considering possibilities.

    Holler if I can do anything other than continuing to post like there's no tomorrow on IMTBT :)
     
  28. Racer X

    Racer X Member

    Location:
    A valid location
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Kona Explosif
    Heal up Mikie. Don't rush it. I'm glad you're still around. There's always something to be thankful for. :D
     
  29. Makoto

    Makoto Member

    Location:
    Costa Mesa
    Name:
    Mike
    @Voodoo Tom solid work buddy and I appreciate how humble you are. @Mikie heal well buddy.
     
  30. Redman

    Redman iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Henderson, Nv
    Name:
    Kevin
    Current Bike:
    SC OG Hightower 29'r
    Rub some 'tussin on that pelvic area and get back to shredding! At least I got my Tailwind order before this happened:thumbsup:

    In all seriousness, glad to know you are ok @Mikie. Praying for a quick and full recovery.
     
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