Far Out Son of Lung...

A rider down, a life lost.

Yesterday Rock Gal and I were just getting home from climbing at Summit when I called Lee. I was looking for a place to watch the World Superbike races from Phillip Island and figured he and Sean would have it on Tivo. Neither of us renewed our membership in the TSBA, for different reasons, but he was still lurking there on the site. He found a thread about that morning's SMR. They'd had a rider down, and he was killed in the accident.

Darren Lund, Lun on the board, ran wide coming through a tight left hander on 51 in Glen Rose. He and the bike ran into a culvert and he was killed on impact. I didn't know him well, but I knew him from the board and form social gatherings like Lunch runs and perhaps Starbuck's on Tuesday.

I called John. As the ride leader he prides himself on never having a rider down on the south side SMRs and prides himself on leading a clean and fun ride. They have a good safe pace but the roads can be tricky. The corner in question was a decreasing radius left and Darren must have overcooked it and run out of road. PErhaps there was mechanical failure, we'll never know.

Rock Gal and I cleaned up and headed for John's place to give him some company. He's taking it hard. It isn't his fault, but he still thinks of ways to make it his fault. The route he chose, his pace, changes to one thing or another. Ultimately Darren was on his own, no one cane ride for him.

Cathy was the first person to reach him, and I know she is taking it hard as well. She, JohnW, Virge and someone else performed CPR for 28 minutes before paramedics arrived... John said as soon as he saw him he knew it was too late. At least he went quick.

Godspeed Darren.

posted by GreSam @ 15:49