It was a clear day, warm and sunny – not the type of day that would lead you to thoughts of destruction and disarray, of mayhem and misery.
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The road stretched out before our group. We had flown down hills, swept around curves, and climbed the mini-mountains of the north coast. Now, we sat back and relaxed on the front porch of Rancho Nicasio, enjoying a cool drink, our front wheels anointed with the liquid that had fueled that man / bike machine, our fallen friend – taken too early, much too early.
“Just a can of Coke – that’s all that I need – enough fluids and sugar to top off my tank, a little caffeine, and I’m good to go. Less than an hour of riding, two more hills, and let it roll back home.”
It was a refrain we all remembered from a song no longer sung. Illness had taken our friend from us. Shortly before his death, we made a promise to celebrate his life whenever we came through this place that he had loved so much. Marin is a great place to be a cyclist. He never let us forget that.
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We headed out from our rest stop, splitting up at the Lucas Valley turn off. Most of our group had parked in San Rafael while I rode in from Larkspur to meet them. Now alone, climbing to the crest of Nicasio Valley Road, I focused on my breath. In and out, easy and free of restriction, I knew I was ready for next week’s BikeMS tour.
I crested the hill, waved to a small group heading uphill slowly, and looked down at my cyclometer – 41 mph – this was the fun side of the hill.
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Slowly, I became aware of the clanging and banging noises. Closed in, restricted – I was a torpedo loaded into the launch tube of a submarine. Where am I? This isn’t Nicasio Valley anymore. Where the hell is my bike? Where are my shoes, my helmet, my clothes?
I was about to be pulled out of a scanner at Marin General Hospital. My bike clothes – the parts that hadn’t been shredded by my skid along the asphalt, had been cut off of me. My bike – surprisingly undamaged – had been stored by the paramedics who found me and brought me in. I hurt or, should I say, I HURT!!
And so, it began…
Mark 2.0 
great story. what happened next?
By: grimesgetaways on March 5, 2011
at 1:31 pm
Short version (only the MAJOR challeges):
The next month (9-10/05)was spent in CPMC-Davies rehab center. I was paralyzed on the left side of my body and had to work hard to overcome that. A few months later I ended up in the hospital again. The artery in my neck that I’d torn threw another clot into my brain. The “high” point of this episode was going into cardiac arrest (The things we do for fun!)
I rode in the ’06 BikeMS: Waves to Wine and a good number of other rides since and was able to return to many of my normal activities until this spring, when I lost much of my vision (MS & TBI / cerebrovasuclar stuff.)
I’ve already signed up for the 2011 Waves to Wine (http://ht.ly/48hd6) – maybe on a single, maybe as stoker on a tandem… Ya gotta get up off the mat. See ya’ out there!
By: Mark on March 5, 2011
at 2:01 pm
Good gosh Mark … I’d no idea that your challenges were from a bicycle crash .. all along I’d perceived ‘bike’ to be motorcycle. And your injuries were due to your coasting fast down a hill, no less. Dear man .. you are so blessed to be alive!!
By: CATherine on June 24, 2012
at 11:03 am
It has to be an emotion laden memory for you. Surreal. Thank you for sharing it with us.
By: Debbie Hampton on March 5, 2011
at 3:39 pm
Emotion-laden, you say? Hey , it only took 5 1/2 years until I was comfortable writing about it without holding by breath. That was the end of a year’s time that was quite an upheaval in my life.
By: Mark on March 5, 2011
at 7:36 pm
Wow! You, Mark, are an excellent story-teller. You kept me wanting more from the story, and, as an English major, I can tell you that it’s an easier concept to grasp than achieve. Congrats.
And congratulations on getting the courage to write and share about your wreck.
I sustained my TBI 22 years ago, and although I was able to talk about it, I couldn’t write about it until nearly two years ago. Nothing special, I was just stupid–at age 16, who isn’t?–and wanted to go faster…
Currently, I work for the Brain Injury Association of Tennessee (http://BrainInjuryTN.org), and I see people in all stages of recovery after brain injury. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to touch so many lives and provide them with a sense of hope.
It was a pleasure to read your story.
PS Just in case you want to check out my own story and blog, the URL is http://LifeWithHeadInjury.wordpress.com.
By: onthemarkwriting on July 14, 2011
at 8:10 am
Just subscribed to your blog. I’ll be sitting down with it later today. This morning I switch over to the MS side of things and work on the local BikeMS ride (http://ht.ly/48hd6)
It’s good to see a TBI survivor working to support other TBI survivors! You have a special inside knowledge.
By: Mark on July 14, 2011
at 8:26 am
The road is forever changing. I am glad you are moving along with it. Some how at a loss for words, which doesn’t happen often. Today I will take the first step…Susan
By: Susan Riley on June 24, 2012
at 11:38 am