The Crash on October Mountain

The Situation

Friday November 28, 2008. One of my treasured runs, known as the October Mtn 20 Miler , has also become one of my favorite biking routes as of late. This loop which includes a crippling 1355 foot ascent is the very source of my latest physical malady that has put me in operation shutdown for a minimum of twelve weeks.
I will quickly recap that day of destruction in an effort to put the most recent biking crash into perspective.
It was a Saturday morning in mid October, the 21st to be exact, and my body was starting its annual physical breakdown. At that point I was nursing an Achilles tendon injury and was attempting to do a barometer run to get a handle on the magnitude of the damage. A 13 miler in Bear Town State Forest proved that not only was I capable of running through this injury, I was up to the challenge of ramping my mileage back up to 100 plus per week.
Later that day, for reasons that I can not even ascertain, I set back out for an assault on Schermerhorn Road. Not only was I fortunate enough to complete this exercise in idiocy without frostbite and any broken bones, i survived several falls without any head shots rendering me lifeless.

This was a memorable run of sorts that at some point should have warranted a post. Not only did my body go into complete shut down at the intersection of Whitney Pl. Road, (mile 10 of 20), I was faced with the daunting task of traversing a nearly 2000 foot decent down a swollen riverbed laden with flooded sections, rock outcroppings, and deep marshes.
The aftermath was multiple pelvic stress fractures, hip joint bursitis, and significant osteoporosis as diagnosed by subsequent imaging studies. The full extent of the damage is still evolving as we speak, with another orthopaedic and Endocrinology consult scheduled for the coming weeks.

The Plan

Since running is my primary source of stress relief, having this outlet ripped from my very existence has caused a significant accumulation in desperate need of eradication. With nearly every avenue of mental cleansing through physical activity rendered impossible, cycling seems to the only vehicle with a pain to exertion ratio at a tolerable level. My 6 foot tall 145 pound behemoth of a stature makes weight training an exercise in humility and just plain sickness. The past week in the gym has been a living hell. With Skiing, snow shoeing, and running done till likely March or April, Biking will have to suffice as the least painful venue to feed that cresting body beating jones. Unfortunately, biking weather in these parts is just about done. Unless of course you are into sado masochistic life threatening activities, frozen surfaces, sub zero wind chills and vanishing breakdown lanes eliminate cycling as an outdoor activity after mid November. Both tomorrow and Friday are shaping up to accommodate a ride that is sustainable to life. Temperatures in the 40's with light winds, and what I had thought were road conditions void of ice.

A critical miscalculation was the effects of elevation and lack of direct sunlight on once muddy rural logging dirt roads.
Clearly it will be cold, but adequate clothing, accompanied by toe and hand warmers are all that is needed to pull this off. The previous weekend I did the very same October Mountain loop and had an outstanding adventure, frozen toes, fingers not withstanding.

This weekend however, I was equipped with a plethora of new winter gear and 3 sets of hand and toe warmers.
Before you classify this as pure madness, it is actually somewhat fun. That human V nature thing is always a source of adventure and pushing the body to the potential of survival mode is yet another reason to get amped up. Schermerhorn, (old Tower) Road is a brutal climb, a 1700 + foot ascent from mile 7 to 10. Mountain bikes and hybrids make this doable without the need to stop.

A few washed out sections and loose surface which cause some spinning out is the only real impediment to conquering this stretch without stopping.
The view from "lookout at Healing Point" is to die for. Not only is this the summit, and a reason for celebration for this alone, but the memories of past adventures at this very spot coupled with the stunning view to the North make this an energising juncture of the loop.

Lookout at Healing Point

A Northwesterly view from 2000 feet across Roaring Brook snaking through the October Mtn. State Forest. A spectacular view of Farnham Reservoir at 1600 feet. Off in the distance is the 3400 foot summit of Mt. Greylock flanked by the 1800 foot Taconic range to the west and the Pioneer river valley at the foothills of the Green Mtns. to the East.

4 Corners
The trek continues Southeasterly to 4 corners before a turn to a nearly due Easterly route climbing another 500 feet before a descent giving back the entire 500 feet. At that point West Branch road crosses Depot Creek back into Washington for a 2 mile ride on freshly graded dirt roads to the intersection of Washington Mtn. Road.
A nice 4 mile ride on paved roads rolling back into pittsfield before the descent on in.
It is quiet a route with NO traffic and roads/ trails that will accommodate a hybrid.

The Ride

So that was the plan, a rigorous awe inspiring ride on a late fall afternoon.
I am sick as hell of weight training at the Gym. So I did the Schermerhorn loop at 2:30PM. I went and got 3 extra sets of toe and hand warmers and a very thin skull cap so my helmet would fit. Until today, I had, (yes, sad but true) been biking without a helmet for cold weather rides.
I was having an exceptionally sweet ride, accompanied by many photos, (as seen on Flicker). An impressive climb all the way to the summit WITHOUT stopping, for the first time.
As I climbed above 2000 feet the roads became quite icy. Varying conditions was a problem. Shade: ice, Sun: mud. Well as I made my decent down Whitney and made a hard left onto West Branch toward Washington Mountain Road things went awry.

The Crash
After taking a couple of breath taking pics of the setting sun, I was heading down a steep descent on west branch clipping along at about 20 MPH perhaps a bit slower. The road at that point made a sharp left and I was never going to make the turn on ice at that speed. The road was vacillating between stretches of muddy to dry to sheer icy stretches.
I tapped the brake and went right down. Keeping in mind that I made a direct impact onto a frozen surface with my already fractured pelvis, while pile driving my left elbow simultaneously. My head bounced off the same surface fracturing my helmet.
I was fortunate to have not completely rendered my bike un rideable. I was also fortunate to have had a helmet on, (some of you may differ on that) and to have only perhaps fractured a couple more bones.
My surplus of foot and hand warmers were a gods send as I spent nearly 45 minutes regrouping.
The next lower speed crash at the hands of a gravel surface was more of an aggravating experience than one of more physical injuries.
At this point my phone was dead from taking pictures earlier, so a ride home was not in the plan. Only 8 more miles of downhill.
As I sit here now, I am wondering what the hell I can possibly do tomorrow. I am guessing that biking is out, so for those of you doing that have fun.
I think I will go to Berkshire west and do something in the pool, sauna and or jacuzzi. This seems safe enough

GE whistle

whistle, originally uploaded by damasca_daniel.

I believe this is still used for the emergency management system. The old GE whistle from yester year.

October Mtn Nov 23

october Mtn2 Nov 23, originally uploaded by damasca_daniel.

View from "The Look out at Healing Point"

What a difference a week can make. One week later to the day, from this point at the summit of the October Mountain loop, the surface conditions had deteriorated significantly.

This route on in as it descends nearly 1800 feet, had gone from 50 degrees and a somewhat biting cold to a treacherous lethal icy ride.

Full Moon Birthday Run

November 13

As I sit at my desk, high above the City that is Pittsfield, on the 13th day of November, one day after turning 47, I am contemplating participating in a "Full Moon Run" with the PRR. While yet another late fall coastal low slices it's way up the Ohio River Valley, the current radar loop is indicating a dry slot poised to track just to the West of town. The Thursday trail runs that once snaked through Kennedy Park under the warmth of the late day sun, have transitioned to the weekly "Pub Runs" that will be confronted by a wide variety of weather conditions.The variable weather conditions have been a mere nuisance compared to the physical breakdown that has been evolving over the past month.

The Body Shop Visit

After yet another visit to the Physiatrist, or the local "Body Shop" for the pharmacological trifecta consisting of

• 3 IM injections of a Lydocaine/ Corticosteroid elixir.


• A prescription for yet another up titration of the Narcotics.


• And another weekend hooked up to the Empi Select Tenz unit.

For $20 bucks, not a bad return on investment. A couple Percocets, (7.5/325) an application of the deep heating balm and a quick 10 minute electrical shock treatment and I am once again optimistic that my body will be capable of yet another run.

Off to the Lantern

A nice group of ten hearty souls meet up at one of the finer establishments in our great city for a "Full Moon" run into the dark and rainy night. The plan is for a six miler that will flank one of the many lakes that our county has been graced with. Since the Full moon will be rising tonite at 4:21 PM high above a thick cloud deck, a full moon run will be an oxy moron of sorts. As I left work at 5PM yesterday, the Moon which had risen at 3:58PM, was shining down like a great beacon, over the Old Town Hall on park square. Tonite as I struggle to exit my Jeep, that same Full Moon is casting it's great luminescence high above the layer of dense cloud cover.

Perhaps I will recap the events of the Thursday night run in a subsequent post. For now, I will focus on a most special run on a most special evening with my most special friends.

Wednesday, November 12

As is the case with many of my posts, I will begin by incessantly rambling on about some celestial event. It should be no secret by now, that all of the months post September 21st, just plain suck. Now November, in all of its infinite suckism, has some redeeming attributes that make it almost tolerable. My birthday not withstanding, and Thanksgiving being perhaps the most horrifying event in the calendar year, the build up to a harvest moon is reason enough to not hang myself mid month. I refuse to waste valuable blogging time crushing Thanksgiving. Let's just say that any holiday or significant event that is focused more on the commercialization than the actual divine celebration is an insult to my very existence and an indictment of society as a whole. I believe Thanksgiving as defined by dictionary.com is the annual slate of thursday football games involving the Cowboys and Lions, while devouring a defenseless coop bread game bird.

The Run

My birthday, is an event that i prefer to cruise on through basking in anonymity. The cordial dialogue with my beloved folks in Myrtle Beach is perhaps enough for a total birthday fulfillment.

I don't expect cards from my immediate family, all I ask is that I have a day of little or preferably no aggravation. The thought of a Surprise party makes me tremble. I feel fortunate to be disdained by the majority of "friends" and family, in that regard so as that any sort of party in my honor will never happen.

Certain acts of kindness move me in a way that is very difficult to describe. Two of my running friends, Todd and Laurie decided that a run on my birthday would be a wonderful way to spend the evening. The fact that I was invited to a run, and that it coincided with my birthday were likely events of mere coincidence. I would however like to overthink this, and lead myself to believe that the run was an act of kindness on Todd and Laurie's part to spend time with me on this spectacular crisp late Fall evening.

On this nite however, under a thin layer of high clouds, we were treated to a filtered luminescence that was 98% full. With a temperature of 34 degrees, 10 miles of visibility and calm winds, the run up East Road in Richmond was spectacular.
By 6PM the Waxing Gibbous was high up in the Eastern sky. The rings surrounding the moon were causing a magnificent lunar Halo making a most perfect backdrop to a most perfect run.
The absence of light pollution caused by the city scape, enhanced the depth and vastness of the late fall night sky.
As we ambled our way up East road on a Southerly trek, the still crispness of the dry air was replaced by the ever-present barking of dogs in the not so far distance.
The cadence and tempo that were building as we ventured deeper into the country side, were abruptly halted as one of these creatures of the night appeared from the thicket.
As is the case with any dog, the uncertainty of the level of danger is un nerving. Todds attempt to quell the situation by casting a beam of light into the dog’s eyes while searching for stones and any other form of weapon proved fruitless.
Ms Peeps stood in idle silence, as Todd and yours truly displayed our cowardly manhood. While Todd was thinking self preservation, I was contemplating landing a law suit that would land me in the Florida Keys.
After being cased by a pair of luminating eyes, snarling and incessantly barking, the owner casually made her way down leash in hand.
I'm guessing that interrupting her night of Daytona 500 reruns and Budweiser’s was her reason for lashing out at us and not the dog. Her comment suggesting that "we get outta here" was about all I could take from her. My comments about the Animal control squad and Rover with a hole in his head didn't phase her.
The rest of the run was fantastic, and uneventful.
A post run feast on Panera Bread and idle chatter by the fire were a sweet end to a sweet night.

Perhaps the best birthday gift I had in quite some time.