http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/content/news/2008/08/17/allison0817.html
High-altitude fall mars Aspen bike trail ride for Dick Allison
Click-2-Listen
By MARGIE KACOHA
Daily News Staff Writer
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Lee Hershfield
(enlarge photo)
Richard Allison, shown with his dog Pax, is recovering from a
mountain-biking mishap in Aspen, Colo.
Wear a helmet — check.
Carry a cell phone — check.
J. Richard "Dick" Allison Sr., the retired Palm Beach real estate
professional, is recovering from cuts, bruises and a concussion
following a mountain-biking mishap in Aspen, Colo.
He followed the basic rules of wilderness biking, but broke a big one
by not giving his body a chance to acclimate to the 8,000-foot
altitude before setting off on the Rio Grande Trail, he said.
He ended up sliding face down, head first about 30 feet down a steep
slope.
His body was repeatedly sliced by thin shards of naturally occurring
shale.
"It basically ate him up," said Pitkin County Deputy Sheriff Jeff
Lumsden, who was involved in Allison's Aug. 1 rescue. "He could have
fallen 100 feet."
Allison, 69, was stopped by roots and a culvert running under the
gravel trail.
"It gave me something to grab on to," he said.
Not that he necessarily remembers grabbing anything.
Allison and a friend from Pennsylvania were in town for the Aspen
Music Festival.
Allison had no intention of going for a full-out ride. He just wanted
his friend to see the view from the trail.
And according to Allison, his friend advised against a ride that
morning. Allison said he knew better but couldn't resist what he
called "a real gorgeous morning."
So out on their bikes and up the mountainous trail they went.
"All of a sudden, I fainted," Allison said. "I shouldn't have gone out
that morning. I should have acclimated."
Allison went down the slope of the deep ravine and was covered in
blood when he came to rest. His friend administered CPR and called
911.
"I was out of it," Allison said.
Allison said he remembers being inundated by water — freezing water —
from the culvert.
"He was drowning," Allison said. "I was drowning."
Allison went in and out of consciousness while being retrieved from
the wet, rocky slope by 23 rescuers from the Sheriff's Office, the
Aspen Volunteer Fire Department, Aspen Emergency Medical Services and
crews from the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails program, according
to Lumsden and the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office news release about
the incident.
In addition to all the cuts and bruises, the hillside spill also
affected his hip.
Rescuers strapped him onto a rescue sled, hoisted him up the hillside
and took him to the hospital.
As rescues go, Lumsden said, this one was not as difficult as it might
have been, because Allison was close to the road, an old railroad bed.
"We were able to drive the ambulance right to him," he said.
According to the local news release, Allison's bicycle accident was
the fourth such serious incident in unincor****ated Pitkin County in
two days.
Lumsden said such emergency calls come in most weekends.
"That's what we do," he said. "We have lots of mountains."
Allison's wife, Annette, and son, John Allison Jr., flew to Colorado
upon learning of the accident.
"All we knew was that he had fallen off the trail," his son said.
They flew back to Florida Aug. 7.
"I'm grateful, very humbled," Allison said Wednesday from his Palm
Beach home.
"I thank God about 20 times a day."
Allison said he's done with high-altitude scenic rides but plans to
continue regular rides in Palm Beach.
He and his wife are planning a lengthy, relaxing cruise at the
beginning of the year.
Allison said he still believes it's im****tant to take risks.
"I just made a mistake," he said.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are
fond of!
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
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