Colorado Springs BOMB: A Roadie saved my life

I live in a very rural area, about six miles from town (Penrose...if you can even call a city with no stop lights a "town"). The main stretch of road between our house and Penrose...and to Colorado Springs (30 miles to the north) is highway 115...known to some as "the ribbon of death" - a name it has earned because of the frequent deadly car wrecks on the highway.

I have seen numerous roadies riding between Colorado Springs, Penrose and on to Canon City on Highway 115. I constantly scratch my head in wonder when I see roadies on the Ribbon of Death. There is a large Portland Cement plant in Penrose and there are 100's of these huge Portland Cement haulers constantly shuttling loads between the 'Springs and Penrose!

Just a week ago...we were headed to church in "town" (Penrose), just after turning south onto the Ribbon of Death and heading south down Beaver Creek Hill, I noticed a roadie working on a flat tire on the north bound side of the road. There was so little shoulder on the north bound side that the bike was actually protruding part way into the traffic lane.

Today, I had a lunch appointment in town with a good friend and decided to ride my heavy duty commuter rig to his house for lunch and fellowship (about 9 miles one way). If you know me at all...you know the utter dread with which I take to riding on the road. I avoid it at all cost...but I didn't have any other way to get to this lunch appointment. Turning off our rural road and onto the Ribbon of Death...heading south at least there is a very large shoulder - it's a good 12 feet. The opposite side of the road is where I had seen that roadie...the opposite side of the road was where there was as little as 6" of shoulder.

I watched on the way down the hill to see where the wide shoulder disappeared on the north bound side...and I thought I'd make a mental note..."do I risk my life and ride that tiny ribbon of shoulder...or break the law on the way back up the hill and ride against traffic, but on the side with the very generous shoulder?"

I had a fantastic lunch with my friend Don Haberman...and started cranking home. When I hit the uphill slope of Beaver Creek Hill on that Ribbon of Death, I remembered where the shoulder disappeared almost to nothing and made the decision.

I would ride up the hill...against traffic...and stay as far to the left as possible on that very generous 12 feet of shoulder.

I had to wait a minute or two to get a clear road...then I crossed.

There's no other way to put it...this hill pretty much sucks. I had been cranking for a while when I could finally just see my turn...about 1/4 mile away. I hear one of those cement trucks pass off to my right as it makes its way up the hill...on the side where there's 6" of shoulder.

As the truck passes...I notice...CRAP...he's ON the stinking SHOULDER...no wait...WHAT? He drifts off the asphalt shoulder...his right wheels dig into the grass...he tries to correct...next thing I know there's a CONCRETE truck sliding sideways and then ROLLING down the embankment where I should have been riding my bike!

I pull out my cell phone...call 911. A bunch of other traffic is already stopping...

I get to the wreckage just as a bunch of guys are arriving and trying to figure out how to get the driver out. The driver is ok, but banged up and he manages to get out.

I stood there for a few minutes...in awe...and wonder that I should have been on that shoulder if I'd have been "obeying the law of the road"...I'd have been squooshed like a grape...nothing more than a stain on the side of the road.

Thank you Lord for saving my life today. Thank you for the visual of that roadie's bike laying part way into the traffic lane...pretty much exactly where the wreck occurred and exactly where I should have been riding my bike.

Thank you Lord for saving the life of that driver.

I finished riding to the house (another 2 miles)...hopped on the ATV and rode back down to snap some pics: