# Mt. Evans | Saturday August 9



## Eyestrain (Oct 6, 2005)

This past Saturday, August 9, 2008, my wife and I rode to the summit of Mt. Evans from Echo Lake. We started our descent from the summit at about 11:30. About 6 miles down and at about 11:45 or so, she hit a massive pothole and went down really, really hard. Although I was in front of her at the time and did not see the actual fall, she recalled being thrown over the handlebars. She landed right on her face and her two upper front teeth were knocked back (not out) and were angled toward her throat. Her upper lip was badly cut up, and her nose and chin were also scraped, and there was about a 1/2 inch deep gash under her chin. 

Coincidentally, there were two cyclists almost directly across the street that witnessed the crash.

A nice couple in a grey SUV with a bike rack and first-aid kit gave us a ride to our car. I then drove my wife to Swedish, where she underwent surgery at about midnight to fix her broken jaw and put approximately 50 stitch her face.

Because my efforts were concentrated on first aid and getting my wife to the hospital, I never got the names of any of the people in the SUV or the cyclists who witnessed the crash. Although finding the people in the SUV is a longshot, I wonder if either of the two cyclists who witnessed the crash are on this board or if anybody on this board knows who they are. If so, please send me a message as I’d like to speak with either of them.

Thanks in advance.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

How's your wife doing?


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## Eyestrain (Oct 6, 2005)

Very well under the circumstances. The surgeon pulled the fractured jaw section holding her two front teeth forward to within .5mm of where it was and secured it with a brace that should come off in 4 weeks. She has 50 stitches in her face and I'm sure she'll have some permanent scarring and possible nerve damage. It's really too early to tell what this will look like in a couple of years.


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## Woolbury (Oct 12, 2005)

So sorry to hear about the terrible accident your wife had. Hope her recovery is quick and complete. One of my last rides up there, a cyclist was being airlifted after a bad crash from the big rollers in the road by Summit Lake. Evans is a great climb, but that road demands caution on the descent. Horrible road surface, perilous drops, bad weather and unattentive drivers make it one that I just cruise as carefully as possible. I had a friend who used to train on it frequently and would always hitch a ride back down.


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