Another airlift at Oaks

There was yet another airlift at Oaks today. Got this pic off someone's Strava I follow.

I don't know any other details other than it was a woman.

 

Yikes. Best wishes to the victim.

That's exactly where my friend's wife was airlifted last April while doing a Non-Dot riding skills clinic. Coach said "you can do this..."

 

Hmmmm ... I did take that pic from one of the Kearly's Strava. Likely just a coincidence as I don't know any details.

 

This picture looks to be post fire, so another one from his clinic? I hope not.

 

Noticed a couple of choppers hovering there today while I was out doing yard work and not riding my bike, figured it was a rider down.

I saw a guy cartwheel down chutes a year or two ago who looked like he had no business attempting it. Dropped in very slow, shaky, just could tell he was in over his head (no pun intended there). Luckily that guy was padded up for a DH race on his XC bike but makes me think that this scenario is more common than it should be. He was in a group and had that herd mentality, following a decently skilled guy who probably shouldn’t have taken most of his group down that way (he was “coaching” them).

 

I watched a couple (guy and girl) roll up to "The Plunge" (enduro/jump line) at Sycamore about a year ago. The girl was on a decent enduro bike, geared up properly. The guy was on a WalBike, no gear (including helmet). Suddenly, he tips down heading straight into a sketchy jump, sitting down. Bike bucks him right off, he goes flying face down into the dirt and tumbles down the hill.

She walks the bike down the hill to check on him.

Some people lack awareness of what their skill levels are.

 

A friend of ours.....OTB on the top of Chutes. She is still at UCI. That's all i got.

 

Bummer. I was pedaling back to my car as a fire paramedic raced towards the park. This was about 145-2ish.
Hope she is ok.

 

"Liked" because I appreciate the post. Best thoughts, vibes, healing rays, positive vibrations, prayers, mojo, karma and whatever else may help your friend...

 

Oh no...

Well wishes and prayers for a speedy trip home...

 

Hope she heals up quickly!

 

Quick healings!

 

I hope the rider get well ASAP with no long-lasting impact.



I have no details about this incident, but it seems to me the OC Sherrif is very quick to pull the airlift trigger.
I personally witnessed an airlift from the main divide for a broken ankle. By the time the aircrew got there we had 4 SUVs on the trail, and one fire truck (who ended up taking to bike downhill). I understand that the county doesn't want to take a risk, at times the injured rider might be a short walking distance to a smooth wide fire road.

I again I have zero info on the type of injury involved in this airlift, and I know that speedy medical attention could be life-saving. I'm just wanding out load who decide to sand the chopper and when?

 

From Linda's FB page:

Linda Briseno added 3 photos and a video.
12 hrs ·
So I took a good tumble today coming down Chutes A line, and I got to ride in a helicopter with some sweet Sherriff's! I was taken to UCI Medical Trauma center. I had some internal injuries, lots of lacerations, good road rash that involved a "lovely" cleaning of that laceration. Some of you know how that feels! My ribs hit the rock first, but luckily I only broke one rib. That's the first broken bone for me, and hopefully the last one! I had to have surgery due to the internal injury, but I'm doing well, just sore. Duh.

I saw the best in humanity today. So many wonderful riders who, I did not know who stayed through the whole thing to comfort me and keep me still. God was definitely with me today. Missy and Kym were equally awesome. Martin Mathews got a good workout today and came to get my bike. Nicole Leitnerwas able to go over to my place to be with Sophia until Amber, Sophia's step mom, was able to come get her while my ex headed over to the hospital to check on me. The OC sheriffs who came to rescue me were the bomb! While riding in the helicopter one of them held my hand the entire time.
I am so grateful for my friends, the guys who stayed with me who were total strangers, the nurses and doctors who worked with me today and there was a lot of them, and the rescue team!
Don't worry I finished my little training work out.

And to the folks in the county who turned Barham Ridge basically into a paved dirt road, don't you dare take a bulldozer to Chutes! It's good as it is. Those of us who mountain bike ride, know that what we do is a sport that comes with its risks, but we love it anyways! Signing off!

 

At the Oaks.....it seems like if someone get injured out on Barham Ridge or Chutes, they airlift out.

 

I am glad she added that. I have sympathy for these people who get airlifted after crashing on Ridgeline, but it seems to happen far too frequently there. I worry they are going to sanitize it one of these days. I do not know if one thing led to another, but I remember a woman crashed on Barham and had to be airlifted, and then next thing you know they plowed it.

The park should put signs up at the top of Ridgeline. I talked two people out of going down it last weekend who were clearly scared out of their minds.

 

Saw a group today where one guy rode his FS bike like a mechanical bull down it and then the guy behind him on a high end build SC Hightower got so far behind the seat I thought he was going to manual down chutes. Then two kids rolled up seeing that group go and one kid went down to check it out and said “we should probably take the other way.” Smart kid since his friend was on a big box HT.

 

They should absolutely add a sign up top that shows black diamond and points out the easier route to the left.

This is a bit of a special case where there are two routes down but it might not be obvious. Sometimes people think 'Well, this is a busy place and apparently everyone drops this o.k. so here goes...'.

 

Damn, so sorry to hear this rider took a bad digger. Heal up well, Linda Briseno!

As for the rest of you, remember...descending skills or hospital bills

 

This girl has a SPECTACULAR attitude! Best wishes for Linda's quick recovery. My hunch is she will be back at it ASAP.