One Tough Broad

"Snap back to reality, up, there goes gravity.."

While Eminem wasn't rapping about cycling, the reality of riding a bike is that, at some point, every cyclist will confirm the laws of gravity and hit the deck. This past Sunday, approximately 2.5 hours into a training ride south Black Mountain, Amy crashed while descending a mountain at 30+ mph. After hitting a disguised rut in the road, she lost control of her bike and flipped over the handlebars, landing on her head and left shoulder. Although unconscious when myself and teammate Frank got to her, she quickly came to as Frank called 911. Despite being in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, the first responders were in church right at the top of the hill, so help arrived almost instantly after the call was placed, with EMTs from the local VFD around the corner arrived soon after. The first-response care was excellent and we are forever indebted. Amy experienced amnesia for the day's events, but even by the time the ambulance arrived, her memory was steadily returning. Evaluation in the ER at Memorial Mission hospital in Asheville revealed a broken left collarbone but no concussion, her crushed helmet having done its job. Follow-up evaluations on Tuesday confirmed no hidden head trauma. Additionally, a follow-up x-ray of her collarbone revealed that it broke in a manner in which a child's more elastic bones would, stymieing her orthopaedist and making for a very clean, non-displaced break that will heal well with a much lower chance of calcification.

In a testament to her character, Amy has taken this painful rite of passage in stride, still claiming that it pales in comparison to pushing out a 9-pound baby boy after 26 hours of labor. We of the male gender are having to take her word on that one. In fact, her first question to her coach was, "How long before I can start training again?" Tough indeed. So, Amy has come out of the experience with more resolve as she looks toward racing in 2010, and we had a bonding experience with teammates that was unwished for but nonetheless positive. Erica, Frank, Joey, Andy, we are glad you were there with us.

And to all you kids out there - stay in school, say no to drugs, say your prayers, and ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!