Dispatches From the Road: 2011 National EMS Memorial Bike Ride

May 14

Yes it's that time again. It's EMS week, and the National EMS Bike Ride (NEMSBR) is in full swing.

Once again, as in years past, there are two rides going on at the same time. More than 80 riders left Boston this morning, and one rider left Paintsville, Kentucky.

I chose to do the Kentucky ride.

Paintsville has been the starting point for the past four years. The start site was chosen by ride organizer Brian Kimberlin after Crista Birchurt, a friend of Brian's and a co-worker of his wife Heather, lost her life in the line of duty.

Christa was on duty one winter night when a car hit black ice and slid off the highway outside of town. There was minor damage to the car and no injuries, but the driver was six months pregnant, so EMS was called to check her out and make sure she and baby were alright. On scene, Christa helped the driver up the bank, and, as they were making their way to the ambulance, a tractor trailer slid on the ice and struck both Christa and the driver of the car. The driver was killed instantly; Christa had multi-system trauma and died in the emergency room. That incident still weighs heavily on members of the Paintsville EMS squad.

This year, I'm riding for two people from New Hampshire and wearing their dog tags in remembrance. After the ride, I will present their families with the dog tags.

One of the people is Harold Frey, a paramedic from Sandown Fire Department, who succumbed to a heart attack while on cold water ice rescue training.

The second person I'm riding for is Robert "Bob" Mckenny. Bob and I served for many years on the same department and ran numerous calls together. Bob passed away from complications of cancer this past Christmas Eve with family by his side.

Bob was a gentle man who had a very caring nature with his patients. He always had a smile on his face and a joke to tell. His death bothered me because he was four years younger than I am, and he was active and appeared to be in good health. The cancer suddenly appeared and progressed rapidly. Bob will be missed, not only by his family, but by many others. Including me.

The reports that I received on the Boston ride is that everything went well, with good weather and easy riding out of Boston down into Rhode Island. Rest stops were well stocked, and I heard that dinner was excellent.

There was a ceremony in Boston for Jonathan Lindsey, a young EMT who worked for Cataldo Ambulance. His parents attended the ceremony and were presented with his dog tags.

Tomorrow, both rides move on, hoping for fair skies, mild temperatures and safe travel for all.

May 15

I spent the night in Norton, VA, and had dinner with the on-duty crew from Norton Rescue. You know what happens when you try to get together with an on duty crew: they got called out for an accident. We were at a seafood/chicken/BBQ place and Ricky Cox, the crew leader had a chicken tender plate that must have had three pounds of chicken on it. I had a fantastic BBQ sampler with pulled pork, spare ribs and chicken. After a hard day of riding, it was delicious.

We made a stop in Neon, KY, yesterday at Neon Fire and Rescue. They had a line of duty death two weeks ago that we just found out about that day. Lt. Mike Webb FF/EMT had worked an ATV rescue, went home and suffered a massive heart attack and died. Mike was a friend of my support driver, Brian, and a close friend of Everett Duncan, who is also on Norton Fire and Rescue and a friend of Brian's. We spent some time talking with Everett. The event is still fresh in his mind, and he is still dealing with it. Brian and I both hope our time with him gave him some solace.

In Prestonsburg, KY, we had lunch with a group of EMS people who work for Transtar Ambulance. One of their young responders had his first pediatric code the day before, and I could tell that it was bothering him. When he was alone, I asked if it was a tough call and spent some time listening to him talk about it. As with any of us in EMS, pediatric calls can really get to you, and it was hitting close to home because he has a young child of his own. The call sounded like a tragic accident. The 7-week-old baby was sleeping in bed with mom, who woke up and realized the baby wasn't breathing and called 911. By the time EMS arrived on scene, there wasn't much to do except work the code. I told him about some of my pediatric calls, trying to reassure him that he wasn't alone and was experiencing the same feelings many of us have. I reassured him that he had people he could reach out to. I hope he will, and I hope our little talk helped.

Today's ride was good. A couple of hard hill climbs slowed me down a little bit, but going down the other side made up for all the effort expended. I broke the speed limit on one of the descents. The speed limit was 45 mph and I topped 53 mph. Oops. I rode through a few showers, but once they were done, I dried off quickly. Sometimes you have to like the Spandex.

The Boston group also had a good day. No rain and easy terrain to travel through. They are riding along the coast, so no big hills. At Mystic, CT, they got on the ferry to New York, Long Island. From there, they will continue on to New York City.

Tomorrow is a short day of 45 miles. We will leave Richlands, VA, and ride to Princeton, WV, over what I'm told are a few rolling hills. We'll see.

Stay safe.

May 16

Day three and it's an easy one as far as mileage goes, only 50 miles today, but not so easy with the hills, they just roll on and on. The day dawns with rain showers in the forecast, the skies are heavy, laden clouds hanging low. The tops of mountains around us are lost in them. It's raw and cool, today is a day for extra layers to stay warm and hopefully dry. But that is a small price to pay when I think of why I'm out here on the bike.

We, and I'm talking about both rides, are riding for 65 EMS providers who lost their lives this year while they were helping others. This ride is not only about remembering those who have died in the line of duty, but it is also to raise awareness of our profession and some of the dangers that we face. The domestic that we go into that all of a sudden goes badly…traffic accidents where passing traffic doesn't want to give you room to work in and you feel the cars brush you as they pass by…how about lifting the heavy patient and having your back go out? Ouch.

As a profession we need to take care of ourselves, both physically and spiritually, along with being as careful as we can while on the job, taking no chances, watching out for our partners. I know that that is often easier said than done for I have and I know many of you reading this have pushed the limits of safety to help another. Please be careful and watch your partner's back.

Last night we had dinner at Tazewell Fire and Rescue. The food, as it has been on all the stops on this trip, was delectable. Beef and ribs off the grill with grilled corn, baked potatoes and a table full of homemade desserts that was to die for. And I almost did. Four trips and each time I came back with a full plate. Even with expending 4,000-5,000 calories a day, I think I'm more than making it up for it.

The Chief of Tazewell, Billy Allison, and Assistant Chief John Brown regaled me with stories of some of their exploits of their EMS careers. I got to laughing so hard that tears were running down my cheeks. These two have worked many years together and you can see the easy way that they get along, the stories flowing as easy as water. In my six years of doing these rides I have found that is true of any fire or EMS station you go into, someone always has a story to tell.

Today's lunch stop was at Bluefield Rescue Squad in Bluefield, VA. We were lucky enough to catch the crews between calls. They have a 1950 Ford ambulance that is completely restored. They did a fantastic job on it right down to having the original stretcher. It started out as hearse for the local undertaker, then one of the coal mines acquired it and used it to take the miners to the hospital when they were injured. The squad plans to take it to parades and shows.

Tomorrow we pick up two more riders--our small group is growing.

May 17

We spent the night in Princeton, WV, where we had dinner with Lori Clendenin and her partner, David Farley, from Princeton Rescue Squad. They have an impressive new building, with a large bay for all the ambulances, heavy rescue and off-road vehicle, and an in house dispatch center, office for on-duty supervisor, computer IS office and a large day room for staff to hang out in between runs. In talking with many of the staff, I learned that they have a good working environment. If staff finds equipment they feel will help them do their work, the owner signs off on it, and the equipment quickly finds its way onto the ambulances.

Yesterday one of Princeton's ambulances was responding to a call when a cement truck drifted into their lane, forcing them off the road. Both crew members are okay with bumps and bruises, but the ambulance had extensive damage. We never know when something is going to happen to us on the job or what it will be.

When we rode out today one of Princeton's ambulances escorted us all the way to Blacksburg. I want to thank David Farley, who came in on his day off to do this, and his partner Maitland Bailey III. Special thanks to their employer and company CEO Stacy Hicks for paying for dinner, providing the escort vehicle and making a good work environment for his staff.

We started off with the threat of rain in the forecast and ominous skies. The clouds were lower than yesterday, and the temperature was cool. As I was peddling hard up the hills, my breath was visible, puffing out like a steam locomotive.

We rode to Roanoke, VA, today. At the 20 mile mark, our other two riders, Dr. Ken Turner and his son Kenny from Bristol, VA, caught up with us. It was enjoyable to have someone alongside to talk to as we travel down the road.

We were met 10 miles outside of Blacksburg, VA, by two rescue units and two tow trucks from a local company. The company was owned by Randy Caldwell, who drove for the Blacksburg Rescue squad and helped take care of the trucks. Randy passed away this past year, which is the reason the tow trucks were there to escort us into town. The police department also played a big part in our arrival, with officers at every intersection and traffic lights holding traffic for us as we passed through. At the Blacksburg headquarters we met with Randy's family and wished them well.

We finished the day with the ride into Roanoke. Along the way we traveled in and out of showers, with one big downpour that lasted for about two miles. That can be a long time on a bicycle. Dinner tonight was hosted by Cave Springs Rescue Squad, who has hosted dinner for the ride every year that it has passed through Roanoke. Unfortunately, all the squads were busy on calls so we didn't get to visit with them. But the ladies from the auxiliary were there to provide one of their fantastic meals. Doing this ride does bring some benefits, and one of them is to sit down and break bread with some of the most wonderful people on earth. The ladies had fried chicken; cheesy mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, peas and tossed salad waiting for us. All this and a table full of different pies and cakes for dessert, and, if that wasn't enough, ice cream. What to choose, what to choose.

Waiting for me at Cave Springs was Bob Bruch, who tracked me online after finding an article I wrote several years ago about traditions and how this bike ride is the start of a new tradition that is truly EMS. In the article, I wrote about giving the dog tags I wore that year for Johnny Carson, Jr., to his mother and the effect it had on me. Bob was good friends with Johnny, and he contacted me to talk about the ride. Bob lives in the Roanoke area, so we made arrangements to meet each other tonight.

It was like meeting an old friend that you haven't seen for a long time. We shook hands, we hugged and we cried. It was quite a moment for both of us. Then we talked for the next three hours about our lives and our families, and told stories like all good EMS people do when they get together.

Speaking of stories, the ladies of the auxiliary had a few of their own that had us all in stitches. These ladies all started in the early days of Virginia EMS and have seen a lot of changes over the years.

All in all, it was a remarkable evening, with everyone sitting around the table, easily passing the time and stories like comfortable old friends. This was truly one of the most relaxing and enjoyable evenings of any of my past six rides.

The riders who started in Boston spent the night in New York and were able to take in a Mets game from luxury box seats. Way to go, Jules, for scoring those tickets.

Today, they also had rain to contend with, but it was worse than ours. Their start was delayed by an hour, but eventually they had to go in the rain, as they have a tight window to ride through the city. Thankfully, it was a short day of riding for them. Tomorrow they go through New Jersey and head into Pennsylvania, where they will stop at Gettysburg.

Until tomorrow, stay safe.

May 18

We left the hotel in Roanoke and headed north to Staunton, VA. It had showered over night and the skies were trying hard to clear. The sun kept sneaking out all morning, and by early afternoon it was out most of the time. We had clear sailing on into Staunton. Kenny and I took turns napping in the sag wagon. My legs are getting tired with all these hills we keep climbing.

The riders on the Boston route were not so lucky. At one time they huddled under an overpass to keep out of a shower. Later, it rained so hard the riders were taken off the road and bused to the hotel for their own safety.

With only three riders in our group, I get lots of time to talk to the other two. Ken Turner, who is an ER doctor at Bristol Hospital, first found out about the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride four years ago, when he was on the interview committee for a new flight medic for their hospital flight service. During the interview process, he asked the prospective hire what he did in his spare time. The prospective hire went on to tell him about the bike ride, the reasons for the ride and his role in it.

The story of the ride interested Ken, as they had lost one of their flight paramedics in an accident earlier in the year when his car was struck head on by a drunk driver. Ken decided that he should do the ride to remember that medic and all the others who lost their lives that year. Some of the flight medics on his staff were having a difficult time coming to terms with the death of a coworker, and this was his way of standing with them. He has been doing the ride ever since. This year, his son is with him, participating for the first time.

What about the paramedic in the interview? That was Brian Kimberlin, our route coordinator, escort and sag wagon driver. He got the job.

Today was uneventful, with a few long climbs and fast descents on the back side of the hills. Lunch was a stop at Lexington Fire & Rescue, where we had a picnic lunch.

We made one unscheduled stop in Buchanan, VA, where Johnny Carson Jr. had lived and volunteered. The rescue squad has disbanded since my last trip here two years ago, and the county has taken over the ambulance duties. When I was last in Buchanan, they were just starting work on a memorial center dedicated to Johnny and his father. It is now finished.

We ended in Staunton today and had dinner at their rescue squad. It had been a busy day for the squad's two duty crews. They had covered 18 calls for the day and were out on call when we showed up. We had dinner with Marta and her friend, along with the ladies who made a fantastic lasagna and homemade cake for dessert. If this keeps up, I won't be able to get into my bike shorts.

Tomorrow, on to Fort Royal.

May 19

Another overcast day, but the skies are lighting in the west. Hopefully it will clear out and we'll have clear sailing. Cool this morning also, I rode with my jacket and leggings, for which I was glad to be wearing later in the day.

We are in the Shenandoah Valley now riding on route 11. The big hills/mountains are behind us and we are gradually descending to the coast. We are three riders strong of equal ability even though there is a 20- year-old with us with boundless energy. Every once in a while his dad and I reach down deep and smack him down. Our pace is quick; we maintain a steady 22-25 mph on the flats and are able to stay in the mid-teens on the hills. And we don't take many unnecessary breaks.

We did make a stop in Woodstock, VA, one of our rest stops from when we went to Roanoke. It was good to see some of the friends that I had made there over the years. And Brian has laid the groundwork of making that an end point for the day on next year's ride. It's amazing how these people step forward to help when we need it.

After six years and almost 3,000 miles of doing this ride, I had my first mishap today. In Harrisonburg I was crossing over a railroad track and didn't go over straight enough. I watched in awe, horror and dismay all at the same time as my front tire slid out from under me and the back tire followed. On my way to meet the ground the thought that went through my head was, "This is going to hurt." It did. I bounced a couple of times, banging my head on the pavement (thank goodness for the helmet), dragging my right elbow along the ground. I watched as Ken's front tire went by my head missing me by inches. Dr. Turner was quickly by my side to check me over. I was able to move everything okay and came out of it with some road rash on my elbow. He pronounced me fit to ride and offered me a work note for the next two months if needed. I may take him up on it. My leggings I had put on to stay warm saved me from a lot of road rash.

This same railroad track got one of riders three years ago; she sustained a more serious injury of a broken wrist.

Colleen Hayes from Harrison Rescue was escorting us through the city to their base. She quickly had me bandaged up and ready for the rest of the day. Thank you, Colleen.

As for my bike, I bent the derailleur hanger and had to go to the local bike shop for repairs. After explaining my situation--the crash and being on the bike ride--they were nice enough to get my bike on the stand for quick repairs and had me back on the road in 10 minutes.

Thankfully the rest of the day was uneventful. Now we are off to Washington, DC, where we meet the group that started in Boston. I'm looking forward to meeting up with lots of old friends.

May 20

Finally, the clouds are burning off, sun is coming out, there's no humidity. This is going to be a good day for riding. Everyone is eager to get going, and get going we did.

Manassas is our final stop for the day, 45 short miles away. We were on the road late this morning--9:45. Someone, namely I, was moving slow. It's been a long week, and I'm starting to slow down. Or so I thought.

We headed out of Front Royal, VA, on Route 55 with a leg-burning, five mile rolling climb. Once over the last hill, the terrain went downhill for the next 40 miles, with only a few ups along the way.

The pace started off slow, but within a few miles we had it up to 23-25 mph and over 40 on some of the descents. The further we went, the looser my legs got. I started to crank it up, and, before I knew it, I had put close to a mile between the Turner boys and myself. I was feeling it rolling into the hills, snapping the gears down, keeping the momentum going, losing minimal speed. The lead escort was trying to keep far enough ahead of us to take pictures, but he didn't gauge the distance or our speed very well. Just as he would start to get out of his vehicle, we would roll up on him and he had to scurry back in to stay ahead of us. Once I passed him before he could get moving. After about 10 miles I started to slack off, then young Kenny took over, keeping up the pace and pushing the lead escort. At one point, we lost sight of both of them.

Three hours later, we were at the end stop in Manassas. Three miles from the end, I had one of the closest encounters with a vehicle on the road that I've ever had. Going downhill at a brisk 26 mph on a curve where the shoulder of the road was washed out into a gravel and rock-strewn deep ditch, a full-size pick-up towing a 26-foot camping trailer passed me on the curve so close that the trailer was inches from my handle bars. There was no place to go. I don't know how I avoided being hit. It must have been the two people I was riding for looking out for me.

Brian, my escort, and the fire chief from Manassas were just past the corner waiting for us with eyes as large as saucers. I wasn't sure how close the truck came until I saw the looks on their faces.

We got the bikes on the support vehicle and rode over to Glen Echo Park, MD, to meet the riders from the Boston group. It was good to meet and catch up with a lot of old friends, who are more like family.

From Glen Echo we rode the bike paths into and around Washington, DC, to Alexandria, VA, and into the Hotel Weston. It was nice to see how this larger group came together as a unit, cheering each other on and joking about the escapades and difficulties with the weather encountered along the way.

Until tomorrow, stay safe.

May 21

It's Saturday, so no getting up and riding today. It's almost a day of rest. Many of the riders went into DC to see the sights. Today is my day to pack the bike up for shipping home, then see some of the sights and sample the food that the restaurants in Alexandria have to offer.

This evening was our annual end-of-ride ceremony. All the names of the people we rode for were read off. As each name was read, the rider who had their dog tag rose. By the end of the reading, we were all standing, and there was not a dry eye in the room.

Jennifer Frenette, president of the National EMS Bike Ride, gave a short speech, as did Gregg Margolis of DHHS, Tim Perkins from the Virginia Office of EMS, and Steve Berry, PIO for the Muddy Angels. Something else was new this year: Three riders and wingmen riders gave short speeches on why they ride and what the ride means to them. All in all, it was extremely nice.

After the ceremony, we were treated to a light buffet and drinks, then dancing into the wee hours.

A few final thoughts:

This past week has been a challenge for me. I did this ride for several reasons, one of which was to help keep the Kentucky ride going. As I rode out to Paintsville where we would start, I got to see the route I would be riding on the first two days. To say I was intimidated is an understatement. There were some big hills. I hadn't trained as much as I should have, and I was nervous. I also got to thinking that other than Brian being there to watch my back, I was all alone. When I started planning this, it didn't bother me that I would be riding alone. I wanted that quiet time. But on the ride over those hills going to Paintsville, it hit me, and I didn't know if I was really up for the challenge. I kept telling myself one pedal stroke at a time, and that's what I did. Suddenly all those pedal strokes added up, and before I knew it, I was through the first day and over those first big hills. I kept doing that every day. When the Turner men showed up, it got easier with someone else to set the pace, being able to draft off another rider and the camaraderie. Eventually, I reached the goal I had set for myself--no matter how tough it got, I was going to finish this ride into Alexandria.

Emotionally, I was riding for two people, and I didn't want to let them or their families down. I spoke to them often as I pedaled along, asking them for help to make it up the next hill, to give me strength in my legs to go another mile. Pointing out things of interest along the way, I enjoyed my time with both of them. When I get home, I plan to meet with the families and present them with the dog tags I wore for them.

Physically, this was a demanding ride for the first four days, but worth every pedal stroke. The hills were long and steep, but the downsides were exhilarating. On the few flats I was able to set a fast pace, and the day I broke the speed limit was a blast.

Some numbers: Miles ridden: 466; hours with my butt on the saddle: 27:10; average speed: 15.1 mph; average calories burned each day: 4,500-5,000; and average heart rate: 140-155, depending on the hill. I think I passed my stress test for this year.

All through Virginia, we saw turkey vultures circling around in the sky. One day we passed through a tree-lined area where more than a dozen of these birds perched in the trees, watching us as we pedaled by. Another time we scared them from some tall grass on the side of the road, where they were feasting on some tasty morsel, I'm sure. The three of us wondered if they were waiting for one of us to drop so they could swoop in to feast.

I have no regrets for doing this ride from Kentucky, and I challenge anyone reading this to consider coming out next year to join us on either the Northeast or Kentucky ride. It will change your life forever. I have found no way to describe how this ride can affect you, from the families you meet to the riders and wingmen who become closer than families and the people who lost their lives that we dedicate these rides to. It has to be experienced to realize the true meaning.

Please come and join us--riders, wingmen, we need you all.

Until next year, stay safe.

Mike Kennard has been in EMS for 33 years. He currently works as a paramedic at Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NH, and is a program coordinator for the State of NH Bureau of EMS. Married with two daughters and five grandchildren, Mike is a retired assistant chief from the Nottingham (NH) Fire and Rescue Department. Contact Mike at grumpy1medic@gmail.com.