Thursday 9 July, 2009
Page to Fargo, ND
E-mail to RAGBRAI-bound Group:
On the way to Fargo this am, we turned onto Hwy 4 and had the first tailwind in four days. I took off like a shot. The guys stopped to rearrange something, so I soon lost sight of them and they me.
At the Hwy 81 intersection, I waited for half an hour and then decided that I must have missed them when I ducked into a CS to use the restroom. So I continued to the next town. After half an hour there, still no guys.
My cell phone is dead so there was no way to get in touch. I asked passing motorists in both directions if they’d seen two cyclists. No one had.
Finally I stopped at a metal fabrication shop off Hwy 81 and used their phone to call Rick. No answer. Called Bill, and he answered. Said they’d had an accident and were at the Meritcare Hospital ER in Fargo.
Todd, the guy at the metal shop said he’d run me in to the hospital. (I was only 9 miles from Fargo.) When I got to the ER, I learned that Rick had broken his upper left arm and that Bill had bruised his shoulder, lost a deal of skin from his elbow, messed up a finger, and banged up his bike a bit. Rick had slowed and then perhaps misjudging Bill’s speed, pulled directly in front of Bill. Bill crashed into him at 25 mph.
We are in the Hotel Scandia directly across from the Meritcare ER. Rick’s friend is coming tonight in his RV and will drive Rick home tomorrow, or Rick will fly home tomorrow. He hasn’t made up his mind. Bill and I will see that his bike gets shipped.
On the way to Fargo this am, we turned onto Hwy 4 and had the first tailwind in four days. I took off like a shot. The guys stopped to rearrange something, so I soon lost sight of them and they me.
At the Hwy 81 intersection, I waited for half an hour and then decided that I must have missed them when I ducked into a CS to use the restroom. So I continued to the next town. After half an hour there, still no guys.
My cell phone is dead so there was no way to get in touch. I asked passing motorists in both directions if they’d seen two cyclists. No one had.
Finally I stopped at a metal fabrication shop off Hwy 81 and used their phone to call Rick. No answer. Called Bill, and he answered. Said they’d had an accident and were at the Meritcare Hospital ER in Fargo.
Todd, the guy at the metal shop said he’d run me in to the hospital. (I was only 9 miles from Fargo.) When I got to the ER, I learned that Rick had broken his upper left arm and that Bill had bruised his shoulder, lost a deal of skin from his elbow, messed up a finger, and banged up his bike a bit. Rick had slowed and then perhaps misjudging Bill’s speed, pulled directly in front of Bill. Bill crashed into him at 25 mph.
We are in the Hotel Scandia directly across from the Meritcare ER. Rick’s friend is coming tonight in his RV and will drive Rick home tomorrow, or Rick will fly home tomorrow. He hasn’t made up his mind. Bill and I will see that his bike gets shipped.
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| Hotel Scandia across from the hospital |
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| Meritcare Hospital, Fargo, ND |
We were to spend the night with some of Bill’s friends, who are physicians and who are leaving for “the lake” tomorrow. Now we will meet them for dinner.
Bill and I will be here tomorrow night also. I’m in Room 310; Rick and Bill are in Room 309; phone here is 701-232-2661.
Bill and I will be here tomorrow night also. I’m in Room 310; Rick and Bill are in Room 309; phone here is 701-232-2661.
