The Last 15 Miles

[Slowerthensnot]

Great stuff to ponder, thanks for sharing

[adelorenzo]

Scary story, glad you are able to tell it. A few thoughts:

Did you ever think about starting a fire? Thinking rationally, of course, a big warm fire would have been my first move.

Hard to believe that those two people left you out there like that. Glad to hear a fellow racer stepped up.

In terms of your questions of how racers respond to this situation, up here in the North the code of the trail is that you always help a fellow racer in need. There are many stories from the Yukon Quest (dog mushing) of this happening even at the highly competitive front of the pack.

My wife was in the Yukon River Quest (700 mile river race) this year and their boat found a solo kayaker in a similar state. They helped him out and made sure he got fed and safely to the next checkpoint. They would have done it regardless but that race has a rule where, if you do not assist another racer in obvious distress, you are banned from the event for life. If I was a race organizer I would adopt a similar rule.

17. Teams in Distress
Any team witnessing another team in obvious distress is compelled to render all assistance possible
until a safety boat arrives. Failure to offer assistance in an emergency situation will result in a
lifetime disqualification from Yukon River Quest for all team members.

[Done]

They would have done it regardless but that race has a rule where, if you do not assist another racer in obvious distress, you are banned from the event for life. If I was a race organizer I would adopt a similar rule.

It's hard for me to imagine someone not helping another rider on the trail, rules or no rules. While not everyone here agrees on everything, I have no doubt that we'd all be there for each other if things went sideways. Even Dave Harris and I would help each other out, with absolutely no hesitation. Right Dave?

[riverfever]

Adelorenzo...I was actually getting ready to build a small fire in between and under the boulders I had found to hide out from the rain. I think someone earlier made a comment about how that might not have been a good idea in the state I was in but it's hard to explain. I'm pretty sure that a small fire in the area I had selected would not have resulted in something equal to Hayman (a huge forest fire here in Colorado in 2002). Trust me...I know that sounds odd from the guy who also says he stared at a rock for 10 minutes thinking it was a person but I'm still amazed that I hid my bike, ran hysterically, got out of there, came back 12 hours later and knew EXACTLY where that bike was. I don't know if I mentioned this but as soon as I saw the medic that was waiting for me, I told him I thought we had met before. On the way he tells me we are going to head to his car for an evaluation. He tells me his car is a Honda Pilot with a roof box on it. I asked him if it was maroon in color. It was. I'll never know all the answers to this but I think it has forever changed me. 

[wookieone]

I was thinking of the RAAM riders in my low point, just before the Cape Of Good Hope, they are such an inspiration for me to see how far and hard I could push myself. Then I remembered that they have a whole team of folks to manage their relative derlirium. I had to remind myself that I was my only monitor and not a good one as I was already plenty weird. I agree that this is a potentially dangerous direction for the whole multi day racing scene, is it worth it, not so sure. My life is the same as it ever was, it is good, but taking myself to the extreme limits of what my mind could handle hasn't reaped any massive rewards, other that knowing that I Can Push Myself really really hard. This isn't new stuff, but it is real and scary. Sorry to hear about Chris's experience, hope everyone calms down post CTR! Ethan suggested we do a no night riding CTR! man I would be slow at that! take care everyone....Jefe

[Marshal]

Hey Chris, next time we see each other lets talk some….…. 

I have been reading along and you seem to be zeroing in on how all the pieces fit.

And I think a small part of that fit is sort of like this:
I have made calls out on the trail where I try to meet/please my perception of what someone else’s expectation may or may not really be.  IE: ride to way to hard to try to meet Sharon at the pre-arrange spot within the pre-agreed time frame. Get so sick I am way late and so sick when I do arrive sick and puking all over (and over and over) she questions the whole thing that much more. 
I guess what I am saying is I have learned the hard way that when I am “out on the trail” I have to be very selfish in the sense I put what’s best for the moment ahead of what might or might not be best for someone I love but who does not happen to be out there with me.

And hey--you sort of pulled a 180 this yr and went from perhaps quitting just a tad bit prematurely to not knowing when or how to stop. Ha, you way over overcompensated and for good or bad happen to have a big enough motor to dig a huge hole. .

Anyway I was impressed with your ride and I think you should give it all some more time.

[surfsled]

Do you remember seeing the moose before spring creek riding up the dirt road wilderness detour climb with all the ATVers? You seemed fine then. I think this is you.
Last time I saw you guys was when you passed me in the early afternoon evening heading up to treeline near Coney. I kept going thru the night.
Sorry this happened to you. I did the Montezuma's Revenge in 2006 and they checked your state of mind in the ski patrol HQ before you dropped back down Lenawee trail into Zuma. This was early/late morning for most mid pack racers in the Revenge. Maybe there could be a checkpoint like this near Hotel draw or Silverton with volunteers? So glad you are OK!
Jeff Rank

[Done]

Maybe there could be a checkpoint like this near Hotel draw or Silverton with volunteers?

No. Please. No! Although there's been quite the debate about specifics, the CTR is SUPPOSED to be self-supported. The last thing that we need is checkpoints. Riders need to take care of themselves, or face the consequences. Personal responsibility and all that jazz.

[joeydurango]

Toby, we agree on something!  No way on checkpoints!

[Done]

Toby, we agree on something!  No way on checkpoints!

Joey, I think that we probably agree on more than we both realize. If you were in Fort Collins (or if I were in Durango), we'd have a couple of beers and sort things out.

[joeydurango]

Actually I figure the same thing.  Forums are a terrible place to attempt in-depth conversations... maybe someday we'll have the chance!

[surfsled]

I agree no checkpoints as well. Just don't like to see this happen esp. to a Veteran CTR racer. Just throwing out suggestions.
Seems like the race is becoming super popular and it the intensity of it is no joke.. disclaimer or not.
I worked night shifts in hospitals for 8 years and know what it means to be sleep deprived... I had lots of sleep deprived moments with
critical decision making.. I think working night shifts for that period helped me alot in this race.

[Done]

I agree no checkpoints as well. Just don't like to see this happen esp. to a Veteran CTR racer. Just throwing out suggestions.
Seems like the race is becoming super popular and it the intensity of it is no joke.

Bad things can happen to veterans and newbies alike on the CTR. It's supposed to be a very demanding experience--which includes a degree of peril. People will screw up, misjudge themselves, have accidents, etc. That's how we learn to improve. Everyone needs to figure out for themselves what's safe, and what's not. While nobody wants to see a repeat of Chris' experience, I expect that we'll see worse in the future. When you're doing something real, expect reality to take a bite every now and then!

[Done]

Actually I figure the same thing.  Forums are a terrible place to attempt in-depth conversations

Uh oh, we're agreeing again.

maybe someday we'll have the chance!

Something to look forward to!

[riverfever]

Jeff!! We didn't ride together that long but it sure was fun while we did! Yes I do remember seeing the moose down on the left on that long climb. First moose I've seen in the wild.

Congratulations on a super ride.

-Chris

[delete this account]

 

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

Wow Excellent post and story thanks for sharing it.

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

No. Please. No! Although there's been quite the debate about specifics, the CTR is SUPPOSED to be self-supported. The last thing that we need is checkpoints. Riders need to take care of themselves, or face the consequences. Personal responsibility and all that jazz.

I hope self policing works because many of us spent many hour over many years getting mtn bike access to the trails in Colorado.
It would really suck if you racer lost that right for the rest of us.