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News, commentary and humor about bicycling and other topics of the day

 

Belleville roadwork a danger for cyclists

Cyclist Larry Luecking wrote a letter to the editor that appeared in today's edition of the Belleville News-Democrat. In it, he complains about road conditions on West Boulevard in the eastern part of the city.

(In case you're wondering why West Boulevard is in east Belleville, the road is named after a gentleman named West.)

After a recent resurfacing of West Boulevard, the surface of the road is now much higher, but the grates were left at the old street level, making them hazardous as they were before the positioning of the grates were changed. "All it would take is one moment of forgetfulness for a cyclist to be severely injured," Larry wrote.

Larry says he's sure there's other streets in Belleville with similar problems.

I don't know if there similar problems, but there are problems in or near Belleville and I know there are more in the St. Louis area. If you know of any, leave a comment. I'll get the ball rolling with four of them, two on roads and two on paths:

• The northbound lane of State Street Road near Lake Forest Drive in Belleville. Cyclists who enter the curve after a nice downhill have to be wary of a meter cover that's a bit below the road surface. If you hit that just wrong and at speed, you could be headed for a spill.
• Simmons Road north of O'Fallon. A bridge between Kyle and Bethel School roads has seams that are parallel to the flow of traffic. If you get your road tire stuck in one of those cracks, you're bound for a nasty fall.
• MetroLink Trail at North Green Mount Road in Belleville. I fear this is a major accident waiting to happen. Cyclists are forced to cross an extremely busy road to get to the other side of the trail. The concern here is that a cyclist -- especially a child -- who misjudges oncoming motorists' speed could be struck.
• Richland Creek Greenway Trail at Second Street in Belleville. Squared-off and high curbs make it somewhat difficult to safely make a turn onto the trail from Second Street.
  

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:07 PM

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Gerry Frierdich in the news

Previews for The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride appeared this week in two Illinois papers.

Teri Maddox of Belleville News-Democrat wrote an excellent preview of the ride in Thursday's edition of the paper.

"I can't believe how many people are coming out of the woodwork to donate money to me," Gerry told the News-Democrat. "It's crazy."

Gerry hopes to get back on the road soon with a hand-powered bicycle or "handcycle." He sees the chances of getting into another accident as minimal.

"If I would have been out there 10 minutes earlier or 10 minutes later, (the August accident) wouldn't have happened," Gerry told the News-Democrat. "It was a guy who fell asleep at the wheel, and he just plowed into me. What can you do to avoid that? Nothing. You've got to get back on the horse, so to speak."

The St. Clair Journal, part of the Suburban Journals chain of newspapers in the St. Louis area, published a feature on Wednesday about the ride.

Reporter Aaron Sudholt did an interview with Gerry, in which he revealed that even though his neck was broken in the Aug. 19, 2007, accident, his spinal column was not completely severed and that the swelling in his neck may go down enough that he could walk again.

"I'm taking it day by day," he said. "I literally don't know what I'll be able to do. There's a possibility a year from now I could be walking, but I don't know."

That article also notes that Keith J. McCoy, 23, the man who drove the truck that struck Gerry, will be facing a pre-trial hearing June 19. McCoy is charged in St. Clair County Circuit Court with two felony counts of Aggravated Driving under the Influence.

(Note: This post is an update version of a post that originally appeared Wednesday, May 28.)

Labels: Belleville, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:45 AM

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride

We hope you're planning to attend The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery
Bicycle Ride (http://www.chiefgetwell.com/roadtorecovery.htm) this Sunday, June 1, at Central Junior High School, 1801 Central School Road in Belleville, Ill. Here's some last-minute details:

REGISTRATION: Online registration
(http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1532377) closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, May 29, but you can sign up the day of the ride at the school. Although there is no discount for registering early, it does ensure that you will get our T-shirt, which includes artwork by Signal Hill School student Louis Holm. The cost of the ride is $25 for adults, $15 for children 13-17 and $5 for children 5-12. Registration is from 7 to 10 a.m., and you may leave anytime from 8 to 10 a.m.

FREE HELMETS: The first 50 children ages 5-12 will receive free bicycle helmets! The helmets are being donated by the Columbia,Ill.-based Helmets First! program, which is led by Dr. Joseph Cangas of Illini Pediatrics. Helmets First!

ST. LOUIS REGIONAL BICYCLE FEDERATION: The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation will have a booth at our event to promote bicycle advocacy. We think it's appropriate for the group to be represented at a benefit ride for a seriously injured cyclist, and we hope the event will improve the group's visability in Illinois.

LIVE MUSIC AND KIDS ACTIVITIES: The bluegrass-country band Pick'n'likin will perform from 11:30 a.m.-1:30, and a rock 'n' roll cover band will play from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Lunch will be sold at a nominal cost. Non-riders are welcome to join us for lunch, the music and the opportunity to be with Gerry. Face painting, balloons and other entertainment will be available for kids.

USE METROLINK AND BIKE TO THE EVENT: With the price of gas the way it is, we know you want to save a few bucks when you can. It's a 3.1-mile bike trip (one-way) from the Belleville MetroLink station to Central Junior High School. After getting off MetroLink, take Scheel Street across Jackson Avenue. The name of the street then changes to Church Street. Take Church Street to East Main Street. Continue on East Main to the Veterans Memorial Fountain. At the fountain, turn south on South Illinois Street (Illinois Route 159) and take Illinois Street about 1.6 miles to Westhaven School Road. Turn left on Westhaven, and that will take you to the school. Here's a link to a map: http://snipurl.com/2awuy

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, bicycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:31 PM

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Ride

Just a reminder: There's still time to sign up for The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride on Sunday, June 1, at Central Junior High School in Belleville, Ill.

You can register for the ride in three ways. You can download the flier for the event and mail in your registration, but mail registrations must be postmarked by Friday, May 23. You can register online through Thursday, May 29, via Active.com (Active.com charges a small handling fee). You also can sign up the day for the ride.

If you can't come to the ride, you still can make a donation. You can make a donation online through Active Giving, or you can mail the donation to the Gerard Frierdich Trust Fund, c/o Bud & Sandy Gore, 2391 South 11th Street Road, Belleville, IL 62226.

Gerry has made considerable progress since the Aug. 19, 2007, accident -- Gerry's recumbent bicycle was struck by a pickup truck on South Greenmount Road in Belleville -- that left him paralyzed from the chest down. However, he still has a long way to go, and the proceeds from the event will help with his future medical needs and other necessities.

Nearly as impressive as Gerry's progress is the outpouring of support he has received from the Belleville and cycling communities. For example:

• Gerry rode a Bacchetta recumbent bicycle. Bacchetta donated not one, but two, recumbent bicycles for us to raffle. The winner of the first drawing will be announced in September at the Millstadt (Ill.) Biathlon, and the second will be awarded in February 2009. You can download the flier to find out how to buy a ticket, plus tickets will be available at various St. Louis-area events and at The Touring Cyclist shop in Fairview Heights, Ill. Keep in mind that winners from outside the St. Louis metropolitan area will be responsible for shipping and handling costs.
• Tom Egel, a cyclist from Ann Arbor, Mich., has taken up Gerry's cause. Tom plans on riding a century during this year's One Helluva Ride in Michigan, and he's set up a page at Active Giving to accept donations for Gerry. In about a week, Tom has raised more than $900 for Gerry! If you're motivated to raise money for Gerry in a similar fashion, I will be happy to help you set up a fundraising page. Just e-mail me at bike2eat@rogerkramercycling.org, and I will fill you in on the details.
• The organizers of The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride have obtained $13,000 in cash and in-kind sponsorships for the event. That will insure that all the money raised by the ride will go to Gerry. We are grateful for all the help we have received from businesses and individuals in the Belleville and St. Louis area!

Anything you can do help Gerry will be greatly appreciated!

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, bicycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:20 AM

Friday, April 25, 2008

Stooging, not blogging

I've been way too busy this week to do a lot of meaningful blogging, so here's a summary of the week so far:

Tour de Stooges: With the event almost a week away, most of my time not spent at the Belleville News-Democrat or in bed has been spent ironing out final details of the Tour de Stooges on Saturday, May 3, in beautiful Highland, Ill. We have well more than 200 pre-registered riders so far, and we expect a big rush before online registration closes at noon Wednesday.

Bicycle World: My old buddy Hal Leventhal at the Belleville, Ill.-based Bicycle World wanted a Web site, and now he has one: bellevillebicycleworld.com. The version I created for him is a rough draft just to get something on the Web. I'll be working on the real version of the site after Tour de Stooges dies down.

Roger's on Twitter: I decided to create a Twitter site. Why, I really don't know what I'll end up doing with that site, but I'll probably use it to promote items on this site plus briefly discuss personal things that don't really fit on this blog. So far, my only two followers are Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. I'm sure they really care what's going on in my life, but I'm following them just for the fun of it. If you have a Twitter site and want to follow me, be my guest!

Belleville News-Democrat: My employer has a knack of throwing special projects my way either in the weeks before Tour de Stooges or when I go on vacation, but both of these projects I'm working on are worth the effort I'm putting into them. I can't publicly discuss them at the moment because I don't want to tip off the competition, but they will be of interest to our readers.

Don't expect to see too much here in the coming week, but I hope you're keeping up with the news about Tour de Georgia on the news feeds in the right-hand column and seeing what other bicycle bloggers have to say.

Labels: Belleville, Tour de Stooges, Web site

Roger 1 comments links to this post 12:35 AM

Friday, March 07, 2008

Belleville to develop new bicycle trail

In case you didn't read about it in today's Belleville News-Democrat, the city of Belleville, Ill., is planning to build a new bicycle trail.

The West Belleville Bikeway would connect Citizens Park with Dapron Drive near Memorial Hospital. By my calculations, that's only about a mile and a half, but the city hopes the trail eventually extends north and south to allow people to ride their bikes from one side of town to the other.

The News-Democrat also reported that the neighboring community Swansea also applied for a state grant for the second phase of its bike trail, extending the trail from Centennial Park to the MetroLink Trail and East Belleville Bikeway in Belleville. Village leaders had put the phase on hold last year while they waited for Metro, the St. Louis mass transit agency that operates the MetroLink light-rail system, to complete plans for a second phase of its trail so the two could connect.

Angela Fletcher, a spokeswoman for Metro, stated in an e-mail to the News-Democrat that the next phase of Metro's trail is planned to run three miles from North End Park, where it connects with the East Belleville Bikeway, to the Memorial Hospital MetroLink station.

Even with the proposed trails, we have a long ways to go. Our neighbors to the north, Madison County, has about 100 miles of trails. St. Clair County only has about 15 miles.

The News-Democrat article also includes a quote from Jim Klenn, the co-producer and director of the documentary "Tour de Donut: Gluttons for Punishment." Not surprisingly, Jim is in favor of extending the Belleville area's trail system.

Labels: Belleville, St. Clair County, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:43 PM

Monday, March 03, 2008

Reunited and it feels so good

I know the hardy souls who are able to ride their bicycles all year long won't be impressed, but I got around to getting in my first 14 outdoor cycling miles of 2008 on Sunday.

Even with the strong, steady winds that usually go along with unseasonably warm days in Midwest -- we were up in the 70s -- I had to get out Sunday. I rode from my house to lunch at the St. Louis Bread Co. restaurant in downtown Belleville, then I rode the MetroLink Trail to Southwestern Illinois College.

There were a lot of families and kids on the trail, which I think it is a good thing. It's good to see people using what few trails we have here in St. Clair County, and I hope someday officials in this county will learn something from our neighbors to the north, Madison County, and build more trails here.

Dave Luecking, who writes the 10 Speed blog for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, also hit the trails Sunday, and he offers a few tips in trail etiquette in Part 1 of his Bicycling Survival Guide. I agree with Dave with the points he makes about cyclists, but my experience on trails also is that a few non-cycling users of trails also can be less than courteous.

I blew a few chances this winter to get some decent miles in because of work on the Tour de Stooges and The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Ride. I tried being a winter cyclist years ago, but my lungs get too sore, no matter what I did, because of residual effects from my childhood asthma.

It looks like it may be a while before I get back outside on the bike. We're expecting about 7 inches of snow tonight and Tuesday and cold temperatures the rest of week.

Labels: Belleville, cycling, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:33 AM

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Belleville dog is Numero Uno

The world's second-most famous beagle -- sorry, Snoopy remains No. 1 -- was bred and born right here in Belleville, Ill.

Tuesday night, Uno won Best of Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York.

"We knew from the very beginning that he is a special one," Uno's breeder and owner, Kathy Weichert of Belleville, told the Belleville News-Democrat before the win. Weichert owns K-Run Kennels in Belleville. "He is the kind of dog every breeder dreams of producing. There is no other way to put it. He is what you strive for."

The Page A1 I designed for the News-Democrat was a bit of a headache because the award wasn't given until about 10 p.m. CST Tuesday. I'm supposed to have our first edition Page A1 out by 11:30 p.m. Plenty of time, right?

Not really.

We had one picture taken Monday already in the slot, but I was hoping for a photo from that evening to put in there. The photos from The Associated Press didn't start trickling in until about 10:15. I had picked one of Uno howling after his victory, but I was hoping for something better.

The photo we ended up using came about 10:40, but there were a few problems. One, the original photo was a horizontal photo, and the photo had to be a vertical because I had no time to do a completely new layout. Two, Uno's genitalia were clearly showing. Three, Uno's handler had one of his hands very close to Uno's crotch.

I took a few moments to crop the photo to what I needed and rushed it to our pre-press department for toning to make sure it reproduces correctly on our printing press. Many thanks to Jill Beiter for taking the late photo and working so quickly to get it right.

It took a few more minutes to make final crops to the photos and cuts to the stories to make everything fit. It was 11:05 p.m. before I could print proofs for my copy desk colleagues for our last chance to catch mistakes before they go to print. There were other deadline pages that also needed to be proofed, so I did let go of the page until 11:34, four minutes late.

After deadline, several of us had a late drink at the Blue Agave club in downtown Belleville. One of my colleagues, Dale Parker, seemed really excited about the beagle's victory.

"They ought to put a statue of the beagle on the Public Square!" Dale exclaimed. "They should have a parade for the beagle!"

Given that it doesn't take much for Belleville to have a parade and that they're well-attended by the public -- people chain lawnchairs to sign posts more than seven hours in advance of the city's annual Shrine Circus Parade in June -- I would not be surprised to see Uno atop a Belleville firetruck cruising down Main Street.

Labels: Belleville, dogs, newspapers

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:24 PM

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride

the Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride is now open!

The ride will take place Sunday, June 1, at Central Junior High School in Belleville, Ill. Registration will be from 7 to 10 a.m. The cost of the ride is $25 for adults, $15 for children 13-17 and $5 for children 5 and under. You can sign up in one of three ways:

• Through Active.com (Active.com charges a small processing fee)
• By mail, using this PDF form.
• You also can sign up the day of the ride.

If you're unable to attend the ride, but still want to make a donation, you can do so through Active.com.

In case you're not familiar about the story of Gerry Frierdich, Gerry was critically injured Aug. 19, 2007, when his recumbent bicycle was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville, Ill. The driver of the truck, Keith Joseph McCoy, has been charged in St. Clair County Circuit Court with two counts of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence, a felony charge in Illinois. The case is pending.

The accident left Gerry paralyzed from the chest down, and proceeds from the ride will be used to pay for Gerry's future medical care and other necessities.

Gerry, a Belleville native, is a 1977 Cathedral Grade School grad and a 1981 Althoff Catholic High School grad.

After high school, he remained in Belleville where, for more than 20 years, he worked as an award-winning Master Photographer with Crafty Eye Studio in Belleville. Gerry has earned the respect of others in his field as well as the thousands he has photographed. Gerry’s name, face and talent are known throughout Belleville and the surrounding communities. He has set the bar through his photography by his ability to capture the best in each and every one of us.

Before the accident, Gerry not only was a cyclist, he was an avid golfer, runner, boater, skier, snowboarder and archer.

In addition to seeking riders, we are seeking sponsors for the event. To learn more about the event, including sponsorship opportunities, visit the ride's Web site.

We hope you will be able to help out Gerry and spread the word.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, Gerry Frierdich, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:56 PM

Friday, February 08, 2008

Man charged in bike trail attack

The Belleville News-Democrat reported today that a man has been charged in the 2006 attack of a woman on the MetroLink Bike Trail in Belleville, Ill.

The attack prompted organizers of the Tour de Belleville, a nighttime ride held in July, to use proceeds from the 2007 ride to help purchase emergency call towers for the trail.

Michael W. White, formerly of Cahokia, Ill., was charged Feb. 1 with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery and criminal sexual abuse. His bond has been set at $200,000.

The woman was jogging on the trail near McKinley Avenue the night of the attack when the suspect knocked her to the ground, got on top of her, covered her mouth with his hand and grabbed her breast, police said. He let go after she managed to kick him in the groin.

This year's Tour de Belleville is slated for Friday, July 11. Phil Elmore, the chief organizer for the event, says proceeds from this year's ride will be used to install flashing signals on the bike trail at busy intersections within the city's jurisdiction.

Labels: Belleville, Tour de Belleville, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:58 AM

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Chief is coming home!

Gerry "Chief" Frierdich is coming home today!

Gerry, the Belleville, Ill., recumbent cyclist and award-winning photographer critically injured in August 2007 when his bicycle was struck by a pickup truck, will return home after spending months at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis County and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Gerry is paralyzed from the chest down, and he has limited use of his arms. Friends of Gerry have been remodeling his home so it will be accessible to him.

I've been spending much of the week working on a poster and fliers for the event, hence the lack of posts this week. The work on the benefit ride, planned for May 31, is much more important than working on this blog.

In addition to the ride and other events in 2008, the Kiwanis Club of Fairview Heights will be putting on The Branson on the Road show April 11-12. If you purchase tickets with the form at the ChiefGetWell.com Web site, a portion of the proceeds will go to Gerry's trust fund.

As always, you can learn more about Gerry at the ChiefGetWell.com site.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:40 PM

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Chief's Road to Recovery

If you're looking for a bicycle ride for a good cause, keep Saturday, May 31, open for Chief's Road to Recovery bicycle ride in Belleville, Ill.

This is the benefit ride for Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, the Belleville recumbent cyclist and photographer critically injured Aug. 19 when he was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville.

Friends and family of Gerry, along with the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society and the Touring Cyclist store in Fairview Heights, Ill., met earlier today to start making plans for the ride. In the weeks to come, we will be seeking sponsorships from Belleville-area businesses to make the ride a success.

Also in the weeks to come, we will be setting up a Web page for the ride at the ChiefGetWell.com site, which provides updates about Gerry's recovery, and setting up online registration for the ride through Active.com. When both sites become operational, we'll post information here and other cycling Web sites to spread the word.

Gerry is making progress in his recovery at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, but there's still a long way to go. Gerry's unable to walk or ride a bike, but he is able to move his arms.

There's a strong possibility Gerry will return to Belleville this month. Proceeds from the ride will be used to help pay for his rehabilitation, renovations needed for his home and other expenses not covered by insurance.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:46 PM

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Walk-in vs. drive-thru

It never ceases to amaze me how much time -- and gasoline -- are wasted in fast-food restaurant drive-thru lanes.

I, too, once thought drive-thru lanes were wonderful things until I finally saw the light about 18 years ago. Tricia, a friend of mine who worked with me at The Telegraph, from 1989 to 1991, and I went to grab some lunch to go at a McDonald's in Alton, Ill. As I pulled in, she urged me to park the car and order the food inside. She told me it would be faster that way. I was skeptical, but I listened to her.

It turned out Tricia was right. We ordered and received our food well before the car that would have been ahead of us in the drive-thru lane reached the window!

Over the years, I've found that most of the time I've been able to get my food much faster by walking into the restaurant than waiting in the drive-thru, including today during a visit to a McDonald's in Belleville. (Yes, I know eating fast food isn't the best thing to do, but sometimes it's necessary.)

There was a long line of at least seven cars in the drive-thru lane. I, of course, walked into the McDonald's to get my meal. I took a look at the last car in line in the drive-thru. There was no line at the counter, and I got my food in a reasonably fast time. I looked outside, and that car still was sitting in line. I sat down and was nearly halfway done eating my meal before that car pulled away from the drive-thru window.

I much rather spend my money on bicycle tubes or lattes made and served by my niece at Mosaics on Main Street in downtown Belleville than on gasoline wasted in a drive-thru lane.

Thanks, Tricia, for teaching me that money-saving tip.

Labels: Belleville, conservation, food

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:13 PM

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Tragic accident can't take away photographer's spirit

The Sunday edition of the Belleville News-Democrat has an extensive feature about Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, the Belleville photographer and recumbent cyclist seriously injured in an accident Aug. 19.

About 6:10 that morning, he was riding his bicycle on the shoulder of South Green Mount Road in Belleville when a pickup veered off and slammed into him.

Gerry doesn't remember the accident, according to the article by Sunday Magazine editor Maureen Houston. He woke about five weeks later, a quadraplegic. Cervical discs 6 and 7 in his spine suffered severe damage from the impact. Every ligament and tendon near the discs were torn.

He has paralysis from the chest down. He can move his forearms, but has no fine motor movement in his hands. His diaphragm is weak, but building his strength back will help him breathe easier, said his sister, Robyn Weilbacher.

Over the last couple of months, Gerry dealt with four broken ribs, a blood infection, pleursy, pneumonia, a collapsed lung, a traecheotomy, multiple infections, peripheral vision loss in his right eye, constant pain in his back and left arm, and a lot of wondering about the future.

"It's scary," Gerry told the News-Democrat. "You wake up and you just can't move. I'm taking it day by day. If I think about it too much, I get depressed."

On Thursday, Gerry was transported to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for up to a year of rehabilitation.

To raise money for his expensive treatment, friends of Gerry are selling the T-shirt shown at left. The shirts are $15 for adults (sizes S, M, L, XL and XL) and $12 for children (sizes S, M and L).
To place an order, contact Sandy Gore at 4gores@charter.net or 618-277-5129. So that your order doesn’t get delayed, please specify the number of shirts and sizes. Payment will be due when your order is picked up. You can get more information about the shirt and Gerry at the Chief Get Well Web site.

There is a strong probability the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society will help friends and family of Gerry put on a benefit ride in the spring of 2008.

To date, no charges have been filed against the driver of the pickup truck, but my understanding is that the case remains under investigation by the St. Clair County State's Attorney's office. It was only recently that investigators were able to speak to Gerry about the accident.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:56 AM

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Chiefgetwell.com

Friends and family of Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, the Belleville photographer critically injured Aug. 19 when he was struck while riding his bicycle on South Green Mount Road in Belleville, have created a Web site, Chiefgetwell.com, where people can get updates about Gerry.

Gerry did indeed have surgery on Friday, Aug. 31. Unfortunately, the surgery uncovered some things that an earlier MRI had not. Here's an excerpt from the Web site:

Most disturbing is that there is a severed nerve in the spinal cord, and sadly there is little that can be done for something like that. The doctor is still unable to predict what the final outcome of Chief's injuries will be once all is said and done.

Gerry is still unable to breathe on his own. He's on a ventilator, and doctors hope to perform a tracheotomy Thursday and attempt to take him off that instead, the Web site reported.

Chiefgetwell.com has a link where people can e-mail their get-well message. Friends and family also are planning to put a message board on the site, but that wasn't up and running as of this morning.

Please keep Gerry in your thoughts and prayers as he goes through a very difficult recovery.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:58 AM

Friday, August 31, 2007

Gerry Frierdich update

Gerry Frierdich, the Belleville cyclist injured in an accident Aug. 19, remains in critical condition at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, Mo.

In addition to the injuries he suffered, he also was stricken with a form of pneumonia that has delayed needed surgery. The Belleville News-Democrat reported in its Friday editions that Gerry was expected to undergo surgery today (Aug. 31).

"We thank everybody for their prayers and concerns and thoughts," Gerry's sister, Mary Skees, told the News-Democrat.

Unfortunately, he is unable to see visitors, other than his family, but cards are greatly appreciated. The address is St. John's Mercy Medical Center, 615 S. New Ballas Road, St. Louis, MO 63141. You also can send words of encouragement by e-mail through the hospital's Web site.

Friends of Gerry also are planning to set up a Web site where people can post their get-well wishes and other messages. I will link to it as soon as I hear word that it's ready to go.

Charges still have not been filed in the accident. The Belleville Police Department told the News-Democrat that the accident remains under investigation.

(This is an update of an item originally posted Tuesday, Aug. 28.)

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:00 AM

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Metro-east cyclist hurt in accident

Award-winning photographer Gerry Frierdich is in critical condition after he was hit by a pickup truck Sunday morning while riding his recumbent bicycle, the Belleville News-Democrat reported today.

Gerry, who works at Crafty Eye Photography in Belleville, has ridden frequently with the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society.

Gerry was riding south in the 600 block of South Green Mount Road at 6:10 a.m. when Keith Joseph McCoy, of St. Charles, Mo., hit him from behind, according to Belleville police, the News-Democrat reported.

Keith McCoy, 23, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado, apparently fell asleep behind the wheel, Belleville police Sgt. Dennis Weisbrodt said. McCoy's twin brother, Kenneth, was a passenger in the truck and also fell asleep.

Gerry, 44, was taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville and he was later airlifted to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, Mo.

Weisbrodt said the accident is still under investigation and Keith McCoy has not been charged.

Gerry and I worked together for a brief time in the 1990s at the News-Democrat. Gerry worked in our pre-press department, putting together the pages that people in my department designed.

Gerry took great pride in altering a child trailer so that it would carry golf carts, and he often rode his recumbent to his regular golf games.

My thoughts and prayers are with Gerry.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 9 comments links to this post 4:38 PM

Friday, February 16, 2007

MetroLink bicycle trail to be expanded

The Belleville News-Democrat reported Thursday that St. Clair County, Ill., will see major bike trail construction in the next year. Linking trails will eventually cover 10 miles of ground, said Mike Buehlhorn, executive director of the Metro-East Parks and Recreation District.

The proposed extension to MetroLink's bicycle trail would travel to the Swansea and Memorial Hospital MetroLink stations. It would mostly run parallel to the MetroLink tracks, and construction could start next summer and take about eight months.

Taulby Roach, project manager for MetroLink's bike path, doesn't yet know what the extension to Memorial Hospital will cost, and bids have not yet been sought for the project, the News-Democrat reported.

Meanwhile, the village of Swansea is planning a trail that will connect the MetroTrail with and existing trail between Centennial Park and Old Collinsville Road.

To see a map of existing and proposed St. Clair County trails, download this map (PDF file). The map does not include the Scott-Troy Trail, a trail under development that will link Scott Air Force Base with the Madison County Trails system and Troy, Ill.

Labels: Belleville, cycling, Illinois, St. Clair County, Swansea, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:31 AM

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Bicycling for Brough

The Belleville City Council has given its approval to the Bicycling for Brough fund-raising ride April 21-22 at Central Junior High School in Belleville, Ill.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the story about Sgt. Jon Brough, he was blinded and severely injured on Nov. 10, 2006, when he was shot in the face during a police raid to arrest a man accused of killing a Swansea, Ill., couple. Belleville residents have rallied to help Sgt. Brough and his family, and Bicycling for Brough is the newest effort to assist them.

The Touring Cyclist shop of Fairview Heights and Johnston Realty are organizing the event. The cost is $15 for individuals and $30 for families. Students will have the opportunity to collect pledges per mile for the ride. The ride will offer 4-mile, 8-mile and 30-mile routes. The shorter routes are designed for grade school students and less-experienced adults, while the long route will take more experienced bicyclists toward Millstadt.

You can find out more about the ride by contacting Touring Cyclist store manager Dawn Weber at 398-6800 or fhstaff@touringcyclist.com. Information soon should be available at Touring Cyclist's Web site, but you can sign up for the ride today through Active.com.

Labels: Belleville, cycling, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:34 AM

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Bikeless in Belleville

As of this afternoon, I am bikeless in Belleville. Fortunately, this is a temporary situation.

My mountain bike is in the shop because my rear wheel needs to be replaced. I've been popping way too many spokes, a big reason I don't ride the mountain bike more than I do, so I'm getting a stronger rim and all-new spokes. At the same time, my road bike is in the shop for its winter tuneup.

Since my third bike is currently in the hand of my nephew, Julius Parod, I do not have a bike at my humble Belleville home. I'm not too concerned because the weather is likely to turn colder next week, and my week will be full with work and events related to the 46th anniversary of my birth.

Speaking of my nephew, he's likely to outgrow my old bike in the near future. He's already almost as tall as I am (6-foot-1), and I wouldn't be surprised if he's taller than me by Easter. Since he's only 16, I wouldn't be surprised if he has a few more inches left to go.

Labels: Belleville, cycling

Roger 0 comments links to this post 6:58 PM