Wednesday, 10:52AM, May 22, 2025 – Old Edwards Road
I had just gotten to mile 17, of a 20 mile ride and crossed over Hwy 78 to Old Edwards road when a black dog behind a fence started barking and running my way. I was thinking there was an opening in the fence up ahead, so I increased my speed and got my water bottle ready to squirt water at the dog if he got out. From a wooded area in front of me the dog came running, fast straight at me. The last thing I remember before getting to the hospital was squirting the dog with water as he got closer. I’m not sure of the actual event but i guessing the dog got scared of the water and tried to stop, but his momentum took him into my front wheel causing me to go down. From the data collected from my riding apps and phone records, we were able to figure out that I went down at 10:52AM the first person got to me at 10:59AM and 911 was called at 11:01AM. I have no memory of the accident, paramedics or the ride to the hospital, where I spent 1 night. I ended up with 7 stitches in my face, above my left eye, 4 fractured ribs, fractured scapula, clavicle, and hip. Below are the official results from the 4 CT scans and xrays taken at the hospital.

Narrative

HISTORY: Bicycle versus pedestrian, left shoulder pain, chest pain, head injury TECHNIQUE: Routine CT scan of the chest abdomen and pelvis was performed with contrast. Delayed images as well as sagittal and coronal reconstructions were also performed.One or more of the following measures were utilized for radiation dose reduction in concordance with the ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable): Automatic exposure control, adjustment of the KV or MA according to patient’s size, iterative reconstruction. COMPARISON: CT 6/17/2021 FINDINGS: CHEST: There is an area of pleural thickening or small hemothorax at the left apex related to fractures of the left first through fourth ribs anteriorly and posterolaterally. A fracture is also present of the left scapular body extending to just inferior to the glenoid. Aorta is without aneurysm or dissection. There is motion at the aortic root. Heart is without a pericardial effusion. There are a few tiny dots of gas in the anterior mediastinal fat without a pneumothorax. The lungs otherwise demonstrate dependent atelectasis. There are scattered calcified granulomas. Some calcified lymph nodes are also present in the mediastinum. 

ABDOMEN: The liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen are intact. The pancreas demonstrates 2 small pancreatic cyst at the pancreatic neck measuring up to 11 mm. There is an additional cyst at the pancreatic body measuring 1.5 cm. The main duct is not dilated. The adrenal glands are normal and symmetric. The kidneys demonstrate normal cortical enhancement and excretion. No stones or hydronephrosis. Visualized bowel is intact. No free air or free fluid. PELVIS: The bladder is well-distended with normal wall thickness. No free pelvic fluid identified. No abnormal pelvic adenopathy identified. Vascular structures are without aneurysm. There is a subtle nondisplaced fracture of the left anterior acetabulum

FINDINGS: There are partially visualized posterior left second and third rib fractures. No evidence of acute cervical spine fracture. No evidence of traumatic subluxation.

Impression

1. Fractures of the left first through fourth ribs anteriorly and posterolaterally. Likely adjacent small hemothorax at the apex. 2. Fracture of the left scapular body extending to just inferior to the glenoid. 3. Subtle nondisplaced fracture of the left anterior acetabulum. 4. Incidental small pancreatic cysts. Recommend nonemergent follow-up MRI abdomen with and without contrast in 6 months. This could be related to dilated side branches or intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms. Outpatient GI consultation should also be considered.

I make this post 3 weeks after the accident and I’m starting to feel pretty good. However, my clavicula quickly reminds me I try to do much. I did get a slow, easy 30 minute ride on my stationary bike this morning.

Thursday May16, 2024
Greenville, South Carolina – 200 miles round trip
Total miles on bike: 36.84

The Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail Network is a 28-mile multi-use (walking and bicycling) greenway that traverses along the Reedy River, an old railroad corridor and City parks to connect Travelers Rest with the City of Greenville, South Carolina.
Parking – there are several parking places along the trail – I parked at the Cleveland Park – it is right next to the Greenville zoo and has bathrooms. Going to the right as you are looking at the trail will take you to Greenville and then onto Travelers Rest.
Mileage from Cleveland Park to Travelers Rest: 11.82 miles with an elevation gain of 356 ft. In Travelers rest the trail he trail runs along Main street for a while and then extends north for another 6 or 7 miles – I did not do this part on this trip.
This route is very popular with many walkers, joggers and cyclist of many ages – you need to be careful. The trail up to Travelers Rest runs under canopies of big shade trees so you are fairly protected from the sun.

Driving up and back in one day after riding 36 miles was a little much. Next time, I would like to spend the night and do the whole trail. On May 23, 2019, Pam and I spent the night in Travelers Rest and did part of the trail. Pam wasn’t feeling great – I think it was the start of her cancer.

The ride was easy and fun and I would recommend to riders of any age and ability

At 8 AM, on Sunday morning February 5, 2023, when I rolled out of the parking lot of the Sweet Magnolia Inn the temperature was 49 degrees. I was riding to trail head for this historic rails to trail. I knew it was going to warm-up quickly so I decided to wear biking shorts with a long sleeve thermal top under my jersey – I was comfortable. This trail is a fabulous 16 mile paved path that is flat and runs from St. Marks to Tallahassee Florida. Even though the official name for this trail is the Tallahassee to St Marks trail I have always found it more enjoyable to stay and start from St. Marks. However, the only place to stay in St Marks is the Sweet Magnolia Inn and since they only have 6 rooms you’ll have to plan ahead for reservations. There are several road crossing along the 16 mile route but only 4 stop signs for the bikers. There are also restrooms about every 3 or 4 miles and park benches along the way as well. 

Along the trail at mile 7 you will find the Wakulla station that has restrooms, picnic tables, playground and parking. At mile 11 you will find the Woodville station with similar amenities. The Tallahassee station at mile 16 has a restroom and parking and places to eat a short distance further down the road.  

The St. Marks to Tallahassee rails to trail is a great ride for people of all ages and abilities. The path is comfortably wide enough to pass walkers or slower riders and very shady. Sunday riders can have their pick from multiple churches of different denominations if they wish. Most of them have welcome signs for riders and emphasize No Dress Code Required. One church even put a water fountain right next to the trail for everyone to use.

Apalachicola National Park –  For mountain bikers and gravel bike riders. About a mile from the Tallahassee station there is a small trail head for the Munson Hill Trail System running through the National Park. There is no place to park a car here but there is plenty of parking at the Tallahassee station, a short 1 mile ride to this trailhead. There is a bulletin board at the trailhead that shows the trails on a map and gives other information to riders – about bears and other things. 

History of the Tallahassee to St Marks Historic Trail – In 1831, the Tallahassee Railroad received the first Congressional land grant ever given to a railroad. The Tallahassee Railroad (TRR) is Florida’s oldest incorporated railroad company. The company was formed in 1834 to build a 22 mile line from the state capital Tallahassee to the coastal city of St. Marks along the banks of the St. Marks River.

 In 1837 the first trains started traversing the railway. Local farmers and business owners wanted this railroad so they could move their cotton more quickly. After operations began approximately 30,000 bales of cotton were moved on the railroad by 1837. In 1856 the wooden rails were replaced by steel rails and the mule drawn carriages were replaced with locomotives. 

In 1983, the railroad stopped operating and a year later the Florida department of Transportation purchased 16 miles of the corridor and Florida’s first Rails to Trails began.  
More images from the trail

The 8th annual Camden Cycling Clubs Three Rivers ride was held on Saturday November 5, 2022. The three rivers bordering this event are the Satilla, Crooked and the St Marys rivers. The event started at the crack of dawn in front of the Howard Gilman Memorial Waterfront Park in downtown St. Marys, Georgia. 

This event offers participants options for 10, 30, 40, 62 and 100 miles rides. Since my longest training ride of the year had only been 35 miles long I decided a metric century (62 miles) would be enough of a challenge. Athens, GA, where I live and ride, is very hilly with some occasional steep climbs. I was very much looking forward to riding 62 flat miles. The metric century route had us go all the way out to the city of Woodbine and back. Part of the route took us on the busy Hwy 17 but the organizers had plenty of signs alerting drivers of the event and most of them were considerate.

At mile 12 of the ride there was a photo opportunity in front of a submarine at the entrance of Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. The rest stop at mile 16 was inside the Crooked River State Park. This is a beautiful state park situated next to the Crooked River with many huge live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.

These organized rides are fun because you get to meet and ride with some interesting people with different levels of conditioning. The first group of riders I met and rode with were part of the Savannah Cycling Club and they were fast. We completed the first 15 miles in 44 minutes (20m/hr) which was way above my normal pace. When you’re riding with a group however, riders take turns out front setting the pace and breaking the wind before moving to back and conserving energy in the draft of the riders in front. At the mile 16 rest stop I decided to ride with a slower group.

Before the event I thought I had stretched, hydrated and sipped enough pickle juice to keep the leg cramps at bay but, at mile 52 without much warning, the cramps hit both legs very hard. I had to get off my bike and try to walk the cramps out. I was off my bike for less than 5 minutes before an event support person on a motorcycle came by to see if I needed any help. Fortunately there was a rest stop at mile 53 where I was able to work out the cramps, with only 10 miles left there was no way I was going to let a few leg cramps get in my way.

The volunteers who manned the rest stops were extremely nice, friendly and easy to talk to. The food and drinks at the stops were also very good – Gatorade, peanut butter sandwiches, pickles and pickle juice, bananas, crackers, cookies and other treats.

If you are ever thinking about doing a group ride this annual event would be perfect.