A cautionary tale about riding alone
#1
05-14-2009, 12:56 AM
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: W. Oregon
Posts: 501
A cautionary tale about riding alone
I just spotted this in the local news out here in western Oregon.
This got my attention because I sometimes go out alone on these same types of remote logging roads. Many of them dead end at logging landings, many intersections are not signed, and if it's not hunting season, or near an active logging site, there will be little to no traffic. I try not to go out alone, but sometimes you just gotta get your ride on. I always try to bring enough to stay warm if I get stuck, a knife, a flashlight, a lighter, spare water and a few snacks. I also will leave a note for my wife about what areas I expect to be in and roughly when I should be back. I'd like to get a Findmespot satellite beacon, but then I heard that it doesn't work too well in the woods.
Any other advice or stories about riding alone, getting lost, stuck, hurt, etc... You never know when that little nugget of info will come in handy and save your butt.
The following is a press release courtesy Douglas County Sheriff's Office
A Roseburg man is lucky to be alive after plummeting down a 400 foot embankment late Saturday afternoon. Samuel Waderich of Roseburg was riding alone on a remote logging road off South Deer Creek Road near Lane Mountain. Waderich was riding a four wheel ATV when he failed to negotiate a corner and tumbled down a four hundred foot embankment. The accident was believed to happen around 7 p.m. and Waderich was not believed to be wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
Waderich was able to climb halfway up the embankment before he stopped and was unable to climb any further up the steep slope. Waderich laid alone on the deserted mountainside for hours unable to contact anyone for help. As darkness fell the temperature dropped into the 40s and Waderich wasn’t dressed for spending the night on the mountain. Fortunately for Waderich, Jordan Robeson was near his location enjoying a late evening drive in the woods at about 11 p.m.
The 22-year-old Robeson likes to drive remote roads in the mountains, and this evening happened to be within earshot of the injured rider. Robeson had stopped his truck and heard loud screams of “Help Me” coming from the dark mountain canyon below his vehicle. Jordan wasn’t sure if this was a prank, someone trying to lure him into the woods or someone really needing help. Jordan called his friend Garrett Botts and his parents Rodney and Jackie, who were quick to drive to his location and help him find the man screaming for help.
After they called 911 and reported the incident the Botts and and Jordan split up and each took a different road on each side of the steep canyon. They were trying to get closer to the man screaming for help. The Botts stopped there four wheel drive vehicle in a wide spot of the rough one lane road. They exited the vehicle and could hear the man screaming for help directly below them approximately 200 feet below the road.
Rodney and Garrett went over the edge of the hill with a flashlight looking for the man. As they got close to Waderich they kept asking him if he was hurt. He just kept yelling “help me” The Botts circled a little below him until they could clearly see him and confirm he was injured. Waderich wanted the Botts to try and help him stand up and climb up the steep hill but he was unable to stand on his own and they were concerned that they could cause more damage if they moved him. The Botts stayed with Waderich until Deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene.
Firefighters and Paramedics with Douglas County Fire District No. 2 were requested at 11:14 p.m. Paramedics were unable to get the ambulances close to the patient due to the steep rutted roadway. Deputies shuttled paramedics and their equipment up the hill to the location above the patient. Paramedics were at the patients side five minutes after midnight. Paramedics began evaluating Waderich and determined he would need to be carried up the hill in a metal “Stokes” basket.
Douglas County Fire District No. 2’s Rescue Team was requested and team members responded with a four wheel drive rescue vehicle loaded with steep angle rescue equipment. Rescue Team personnel arrived on scene at 12:35 a.m. and began setting up a rope system that could lower equipment down the steep hill and then raise the victim and rescuers back up. Captain Bill Combs who leads Fire District No. 2’s rescue team was on the scene and set up the lowering and raising systems.
Once the patient was loaded into the “Stokes” basket firefighters and rescue team members began to pull on the rope to raise the victim and rescuers. The Bott’s family were also recruited to help raise the victim up the hill. Seven people pulled on the rope with all of their might to raise the victim and the four rescuers to the roadway. During one particularly arduous pull Garrett Botts, clinging to the rope next to his mother, recognized that it was approaching 2 a.m. and it was officially Mother’s Day. He took the opportunity to wish his mother a happy Mother's Day, and certainly one she wouldn’t forget.
Waderich was safely raised up the hill and then carefully driven down the steep road in the back of a pickup to a waiting Fire District No. 2 ambulance. Waderich was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg 2 hours and 51 minutes after Douglas County Communications received the first call from Jordan Robeson.
A Roseburg man is lucky to be alive after plummeting down a 400 foot embankment late Saturday afternoon. Samuel Waderich of Roseburg was riding alone on a remote logging road off South Deer Creek Road near Lane Mountain. Waderich was riding a four wheel ATV when he failed to negotiate a corner and tumbled down a four hundred foot embankment. The accident was believed to happen around 7 p.m. and Waderich was not believed to be wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
Waderich was able to climb halfway up the embankment before he stopped and was unable to climb any further up the steep slope. Waderich laid alone on the deserted mountainside for hours unable to contact anyone for help. As darkness fell the temperature dropped into the 40s and Waderich wasn’t dressed for spending the night on the mountain. Fortunately for Waderich, Jordan Robeson was near his location enjoying a late evening drive in the woods at about 11 p.m.
The 22-year-old Robeson likes to drive remote roads in the mountains, and this evening happened to be within earshot of the injured rider. Robeson had stopped his truck and heard loud screams of “Help Me” coming from the dark mountain canyon below his vehicle. Jordan wasn’t sure if this was a prank, someone trying to lure him into the woods or someone really needing help. Jordan called his friend Garrett Botts and his parents Rodney and Jackie, who were quick to drive to his location and help him find the man screaming for help.
After they called 911 and reported the incident the Botts and and Jordan split up and each took a different road on each side of the steep canyon. They were trying to get closer to the man screaming for help. The Botts stopped there four wheel drive vehicle in a wide spot of the rough one lane road. They exited the vehicle and could hear the man screaming for help directly below them approximately 200 feet below the road.
Rodney and Garrett went over the edge of the hill with a flashlight looking for the man. As they got close to Waderich they kept asking him if he was hurt. He just kept yelling “help me” The Botts circled a little below him until they could clearly see him and confirm he was injured. Waderich wanted the Botts to try and help him stand up and climb up the steep hill but he was unable to stand on his own and they were concerned that they could cause more damage if they moved him. The Botts stayed with Waderich until Deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene.
Firefighters and Paramedics with Douglas County Fire District No. 2 were requested at 11:14 p.m. Paramedics were unable to get the ambulances close to the patient due to the steep rutted roadway. Deputies shuttled paramedics and their equipment up the hill to the location above the patient. Paramedics were at the patients side five minutes after midnight. Paramedics began evaluating Waderich and determined he would need to be carried up the hill in a metal “Stokes” basket.
Douglas County Fire District No. 2’s Rescue Team was requested and team members responded with a four wheel drive rescue vehicle loaded with steep angle rescue equipment. Rescue Team personnel arrived on scene at 12:35 a.m. and began setting up a rope system that could lower equipment down the steep hill and then raise the victim and rescuers back up. Captain Bill Combs who leads Fire District No. 2’s rescue team was on the scene and set up the lowering and raising systems.
Once the patient was loaded into the “Stokes” basket firefighters and rescue team members began to pull on the rope to raise the victim and rescuers. The Bott’s family were also recruited to help raise the victim up the hill. Seven people pulled on the rope with all of their might to raise the victim and the four rescuers to the roadway. During one particularly arduous pull Garrett Botts, clinging to the rope next to his mother, recognized that it was approaching 2 a.m. and it was officially Mother’s Day. He took the opportunity to wish his mother a happy Mother's Day, and certainly one she wouldn’t forget.
Waderich was safely raised up the hill and then carefully driven down the steep road in the back of a pickup to a waiting Fire District No. 2 ambulance. Waderich was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg 2 hours and 51 minutes after Douglas County Communications received the first call from Jordan Robeson.
Any other advice or stories about riding alone, getting lost, stuck, hurt, etc... You never know when that little nugget of info will come in handy and save your butt.
#2
05-14-2009, 01:21 AM
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 327
Unfortunatey i ride alone all the time. I take my time and avoid risky trails. But u never know do ya. Always let wife know where im going. I think i'll go even slower now! the slower u go the more u see and the ride lasts longer. Bonus!
#3
05-14-2009, 12:21 PM
Ride WITHIN your abilities and slow down. I frequently see fellow riders riding new trails too fast around blind corners and over the crest of a steep slope. What's on the other side?
#4
05-14-2009, 02:46 PM
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 21,060
I ride alone 90% of the time. But I never go anywhere that looks iffy. I also wear the gear, I have a GPS and I tell people where I am going. I also have 2 first aid kits with me all the time, and a cell phone and my gun. Do I wish I had people with me all the time? Absolutely, not just for safety but its a lot more fun to ride with others. Am I going to stop riding or wait till I can beg someone to go with me? Never going to happen! Thanks for the story, good reminders. A couple of years ago we had a kid killed here and 2 others hurt real bad. But there were things they did wrong from the get go. They were drinking, it was 2am and no helmets. What is it with a lot of quad riders and not wearing a helmet???
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