Eight amateur radio operators provided communications assistance for the annual Rothrock Grit Gravel Grinder (what a name) bicycle race through the Rothrock State Forest on June 3, 2023.  The race courses cover sixty-five miles over gravel roads and unimproved trails.  Between 250 and 300 riders participated.  Operations continued from 07:00 through 16:30 hours.  Though most of these races are uneventful but this year’s was different, with one very serious crash requiring a lot of radio traffic between headquarters and the crash sites.

Within fifteen minutes we had three incidents; an exhausted rider, a bicycle crash with relatively minor injuries, and a crash with serious injuries that required the injured rider to be transported by ambulance to a landing zone and airlift to a Level 1 Trauma Center.  Radio traffic involved summoning EMS and an ambulance for the most serious injury, transport back to headquarters for the other two victims, and information relay to headquarters so the Incident Commanders could initiate contact with the serious victim’s emergency contacts.  It all worked with little or no confusion and diligence on the part of the participating amateur radio operators.

Amateur radio operators participating were:

• K3CWP, Carmine Prestia
• KB1BH, Ken Johnson
• W3GEM, Greg Miller
• KB3KPP, Jason Terosky*
• KC3BHI, Brad Flubacher
• KC3AF, Ruth Tillman
• K3DWD, David DeCapria
• W3KCK, David Kolesar*

* Dave and Jason were instrumental in the crash situations as they both happened down the hill from their position.  In fact David found the most serious injury on the way to the first reported crash.  Jason transported the exhausted rider back to headquarters.

Communications throughout were handled professionally and quickly in the best traditions of amateur radio.  My thanks to the participants for everything they contributed!

Carmine W. Prestia, Jr., K3CWP, ARES Emergency Coordinator.