Cacophony Crashes!

Did my last long ride today, but the day has been dominated by good friend Cacophony's crash this morning.

We started off with him but then continued at their half-way point for a longer ride.

Crash report courtesy of El Cid:

"5 riders out this (Friday) morning. Harry Q and Gizzajob were heading off for a big one before tapering for the Etape Du Tour. Me, Cacophony and Rogan turned at Cavendish for an easy Friday potter.

Coming back between Beamsley and Nesfield, BAD CRASH.

It was on the 2nd blind bend. You know, the downhill before the ‘s’ bends where you can turn off for the Addingham bridge. The hedges are high on the right, its difficult to see what’s round the left hand bend, there is a small rough passing place for cars on the right hand side of the bend.

We always go single file round here. Today was no exception, Cacophony, Rogan then me. I looked across as we rode down the slope. I always look at a gateway in the wall to check if any cars are coming towards us. Today a car must have just gone passed the gateway before I looked and was coming towards the corner. It was hidden from us behind the dry stone wall.

Cacophony went round the corner. He was well on the left, brushing the foliage as you do on this corner when you take it well. The car was right there coming towards him. When he feels better he will probably be able to give us a better report of this bit. Rogan was still entering the corner and I was behind him.

Was the car coming too fast, or was it hugging the right hand side for some reason. I don’t know, but the road is very narrow at that point anyway. The timing of the meeting of bike and car was the worst it could be. Cacophony managed to miss a head-on with the car, and squeezed between the car and the wall, but he was hit in the area of the front wing/wing mirror.

I’m not exactly sure , but this looked to ricochet him between the car and the wall, with Simon ending up eventually on the floor at the other side of the road behind the car, having fallen heavily. The driver simultaneously swerved into the left bank.

Simon got to his feet , but it was obvious that his arm was broken as it was in the shape of a ‘J’ between his elbow and his wrist. There was also blood coming down his face from a cut above his forehead. How unlucky is this. Simon had washed the pads from his helmet in preparation for the Dave Lloyd Mega, and left it off. He NEVER rides without his helmet. We had just been chatting about the old days and how riding without a helmet is so liberating.

The driver was quite shocked, but we piled Simon’s bike in the back of his car and he drove off to Airedale Hospital. It seemed the best option for speed. Simon wanted to be taken home , but that is shock.

Update from Mrs. Cacophony (Miranda) - Wrist badly broken, staying in hospital tonight and having operation tomorrow. Probably staying tomorrow night as well. Been sedated - Cacophony will take a lot of sedating - he will be angry, frustrated , annoyed etc.

My heart goes out to him, the start of the summer, loads of good stuff coming up, he has been getting fitter and fitter. And then for this to happen. "

The good news is that I have spoken to him this evening and no surgery is required to reset his wrist, and he is back home tonight.

My ride details are at: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6094327