If you haven’t yet heard Cecile Kellenbarger passed away at home, Monday April 4, 2011. Cecile was involved in many bicycle related projects. There are too many to mention here. She will always be remembered for the Wicked Wind 100. I know John would like to see many OZ Bicycle Club members come to the service. This will be a time that we all can celebrate her life and all that she has done for the bicycling community.

Memorial Service for Cecile Kellenbarger
Where: Eberly Farm, 13111 West 21St Street North, Wichita, KS.
Time: 2:00 PM on Sunday April 10, 2011

Anyone wanting to ride their bicycles to the memorial can gather at Heartland Bicycle Shop at 12:30 PM. The distance from Heartland to Eberly Farm is about 12 miles. For more information call Delores Craig at 316.304.4428.

As Roxanne mentioned, Cecile was involved in a huge number of cycling organizations and events. Here are just a few that I’m aware of:

• KanBikeWalk – Cecile was a founding board member, serving as Treasurer from 2007-2010, and her knowledge and experience was instrumental in establishing KanBikeWalk as a non-profit advocacy organization.
• Cecile served on the Board of Directors of Sunflower Recreational Trails
• Cecile was a founding board member of Prairie Travelers, which has built the Prairie Sunset Trail in Wichita.
• Bike\Walk Alliance-Wichita
• Wicked Wind 100 – Cecile had been in charge of the Wicked Wind 100 since 2004, and had helped grow the event into one of the premier rides in Kansas.
• Oz Bicycle Club – Board of Directors in 2006-2007
• Walnut Valley Metric
• Wichita Ski Club – President 1994-95

Here is her obituary from the Wichita Eagle:

Cecile B. Kellenbarger

Kellenbarger, Cecile B., 55, Boeing Analyst, passed away Monday April 4, 2011. Memorial service 2 p.m., Sunday, April 10 at Eberly Farm, 13111 W. 21st, Wichita. Preceded in death by parents, Frank and Betty Kellenbarger. Survivors: husband, John Moore; step-mother, Dorothy Kellenbarger; brothers, Garth Kellenbarger of Wichita and Lance D. Kellenbarger (Trisha) of Derby, KS; step-daughter Shelly Padgett (Mike) of Hillsboro, KS; grandchildren, Camden and Connor Padgett; nieces and nephews; Lindsey, Ryan, Audrey, and Christopher Kellenbarger. A memorial has been established with Prairie Travelers, Inc. P.O. Box 781033, Wichita, KS, 67278-1033. Downing & Lahey Mortuary East. Tributes to the family via www.dlwichita.com.

Cecile did much to promote bicycling and trails in Wichita and Kansas as a whole. She will truly be missed.

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Here’s the info about the fundraiser:

The Bike\Walk Alliance-Wichita advocacy group will host a fundraiser for injured Spanish cyclist, Diego Ballesteros. Kansas Safe Cycling, a fundraiser for the Diego Ballesteros Benefit Fund, will take place at Heroes Sports Bar and Grill on Saturday, October 16th, from 1pm to 4pm, and will include a group bike ride beginning at 11:30am from Heroes. Heroes is located at 117 N. Rock Island St., Wichita, KS, in Old Town.
The public is invited to attend the event, where there will be an update on Ballesteros’ recovery, information on cycling laws in Kansas, a silent auction, and food and drink specials.

A suggested donation of five dollars is requested, but contributions of any amount will be accepted. All proceeds will go directly to the Diego Ballesteros Benefit Fund, which was set up to help Ballesteros repay medical bills and expenses, and help fund any future expenses he will incur during his recovery.

About Diego Ballesteros

Diego Ballesteros is a 36-year old, world class Spanish cyclist that was participating in a race across America when he was suddenly hit from behind by a distracted motorist on a highway near Wichita, KS. In July 2010, after three and a half weeks of surgeries and rehabilitation in a Wichita hospital, Ballesteros was able to fly to his native Spain to continue his recovery. The lack of adequate insurance coverage by the driver of the vehicle and the race team left Ballesteros with medical bills and expense that will take years to pay back. Ballesteros is facing years of rehabilitation as he is currently paralyzed from the waist down. Donations can be sent directly to: The Diego Ballesteros Benefit Fund, Carson Bank, 4641 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS 67218.

About the Bike\Walk Alliance-Wichita

The Bike\Walk Alliance-Wichita (BWA-W) was created in early 2010 to align cyclists, runners and walkers in and around Wichita for the common purpose of promoting active transportation through advocacy, public education and collaboration. BWA-W is a not-for-profit group of volunteer advocates and donors with a common vision: Wichita will value bicyclists, runners and walkers and create safer places for both recreation and active transportation. Visit http://bikewalkalliance-wichita.org for more information.

View the event flyer and press release.

Please give what you can to help this cause, and ride your bike to the event to show support for safe cycling in Kansas!

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From KAKE in Wichita:

The man who hit a Spanish cyclist who was riding in the Race Across America in June will not face criminal charges.

The driver was cited for inattentive driving and given a ticket, but police could not determine if there was anything illegal being done to cause the driver to drive onto the shoulder of K-254 Highway. Police checked cell phone records and could not find any evidence that the driver had been using it when he hit the cyclist.

Diego Ballesteros is in a rehabilitation hospital in Barcelona, Spain, after cycling enthusiast Ben Sciortino and his wife loaned him $21,000 to return home last month. Sciortino says Ballesteros’ friends and family have already reimbursed him but that Ballesteros will still need help.

“Diego had already forgiven the driver of the car that hit him,” Sciortino said. “He is in good spirits even though doctors in Spain have told him he will be paralyzed from the ribcage down.”

“He is still in the hospital and will be for quite some time,” Sciortino continued. “When the paralysis is as high as it is, he will not have use of his back muscles but will still have use of his arms.”

Ballesteros trying to put the accident behind him and look to the future. He hopes to continue his bicycling next year with the use of a bicycle that is specially-built for paraplegics that allows the rider to pedal with their hands.

Right now, Ballesteros’ need is financial. He will never be able to walk again and his apartment in his hometown of Barbastro is a 4th floor walk-up. He will always need help getting into and out of his wheelchair.

Friends in Wichita have set up the Diego Ballesteros Benefit Fund at the Carson Bank at 4641 East Douglas Avenue. Those funds are being forwarded to Ballesteros in Spain. [read more]

The driver was Keith J. Swoverland, age 22, of Wichita. Diego Ballesteros Cucurull was participating in the Race Across America (RAAM) as part of the 4-person COANFI Desafio ASPANOA relay team, which withdrew from the event when Diego was injured.

Here’s an interview with Diego, from KWCH:

Best wishes for your recovery, Diego.

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Well it is time to keep everyone informed with what is going on with Diego Ballesteros, the Spanish “Race Across America” rider. He was moved to a regular room at Wesley Medical Center yesterday afternoon. He still does not have any feeling from his waist or so down. He has a very positive outlook but says it is very hard under the circumstances. His doctors have told him that they feel the paralysis is due to severe inflammation. He did have 4 broken vertebrae but the spinal cord was intact. He also has 4 broken ribs and road rash galore, from face to toe!

His girlfriend, Ana, arrived Saturday eve following 24hrs of travel. Two from his support crew, Mattias and Chavi, remain to help him through the red tape involved with this kind of situation. What insurance covers and which insurance covers what, has been a real headache.

Their goal is to find a medical airplane to airlift him back home to Spain. The cost is prohibitive and whether or not insurance will cover is still in question. His girlfriend only has 10 vacation days and so she is hopeful all will work out. Another option is a rehab hospital in Colorado until he can board a regular flight. A local couple have opened their house (2 blocks from WMC) to these 3 to keep their cost of stay at a minimum. They are surprised at Kansan’s generosity and concern. (I’m not.)

Diego rode as close to Marco Polo’s route from Spain to Peking, China 2 years ago in 100 days or so, all by himself, just shy of 13,000 km. He would stock up on water whenever he could as he had some pretty isolated areas. He has written a book on his trip which will be released in the fall. This year alone he had over 7000 miles logged on his bike. His physical condition was extraordinary and that will be in his favor.

Earlier, Diego had issued a public statement expressing thanks for his care:

Diego Ballesteros Cucurull, the bicyclist from Spain badly injured during the Race Across America when he was hit by a car on K-254 earlier this week, issued a statement of gratitude on Friday.

Ballesteros, 36, is in serious condition at Wesley Medical Center. He was injured at 6:44 a.m. Wednesday when a car drifted off K-254 about a quarter-mile west of the Butler County line and slammed into his bike.

He is in good spirits, hospital officials said, but is declining interviews. He issued this statement:

“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I feel support and love from people all around the world.

“I especially want to thank the people who are caring for me at Wesley, the law enforcement community and everyone who is sending me good wishes. It means so much to me.” [read more]

No word yet on any charges against the driver, Keith J. Swoverland, age 22, of Wichita. The Kansas Highway Patrol plans to present evidence in the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether criminal charges are warranted.

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The cyclist was later identified as 36-year-old Diego Ballesteros Cucurull of Spain, who was participating in the Race Across America (RAAM) as part of the 4-person COANFI Desafio ASPANOA relay team.

Diego was life-flighted to Wesley Medical Center in “extremely critical condition”. Deigo was later upgraded to “serious condition” and remains at Wesley. RAAM reports that Diego underwent surgery at Wesley, and “his prospects for a full recovery are good”.

The COANFI team has withdrawn from the race.

The Race Across America started in California six days ago and will end in Annapolis, Maryland. The route through Kansas included time stations in Ulysses, Montezuma, Greensburg, Pratt, Maize, El Dorado, Yates Center, and Fort Scott. The race has been run since 1982, and riders compete in several classifications, including solo men and solo women, as well as 2-person, 4-person, and 8-person relay teams. Racers ride around the clock, sleeping when they can. Even for the riders on relay teams, RAAM is an incredible athletic challenge.

Here is a well-done video from KAKE TV in Wichita:

According to the reporter, RAAM rules require a chase car to follow behind cyclists at night, to shield them from traffic, but a chase car is optional during daylight hours. In this case, Diego’s car had driven a few miles ahead in anticipation of switching riders on the relay team.

As you can see from the video, the road here, Highway K-254, is a four-lane divided highway with wide shoulders.

Although rumble strips can be troublesome on roads with narrow shoulders, this is one situation where they might have made a difference.

The KHP crash report lists the driver as Keith J. Swoverland, age 22, of Wichita. There is no word yet on charges. According to RAAM: “Our understanding is that in cases like this the driver is not cited. The Kansas Highway Patrol turns the information over to the DA. The DA then decides what action should be taken. We’re confident action will be taken. Owing to the seriousness of the case, it’s not a simple speeding ticket.”

According to preliminary comments from the Kansas Highway Patrol, “By all indications, texting was not a contributing factor. The driver looked away from the road and veered onto the shoulder, striking the cyclist.” The speed limit on that stretch of K-254 is 70 mph, though patrol officials said they do not know for sure how fast the car was traveling when it struck Ballesteros.

Additional coverage:

• KAKE: Cross Country Bicyclist Struck By Car Critically Hurt
• KWCH: Race Across America Cyclist Critically Injured On Kansas Highway
• KSN: Bicyclist from Spain injured after being hit by car on K-254
• Wichita Eagle: Racing Across America bicyclist critically injured when struck by car

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The changes were proposed by the Wichita Police Department, with input from the general public as well as the Oz Bicycle Club and the Wichita Bike-Walk Alliance. The changes were proposed because the existing ordinances were not bicycle friendly and were difficult to comply with and enforce.

The updated ordinance (#48-754) eliminated the following from the city code:

• Bicycle licensing requirements.
• Requiring the use of a bike rack if parking within a city block of a rack in core area.
• Requiring that police impound unsafe bicycles (and the associated $2 impound fee).
• Requiring bicyclists to operate within five feet of the right hand of the curb or edge of the
  street.

Kansas State Statute KSA 8-1590 requires that bicyclists “ride as near to the right side of the street…as practicable” and “Wherever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.” The new City Ordinance changes incorporate this language to be consistent and in compliance with State Statute.

Here’s a copy of the proposed ordinance marked with changes, plus a copy of the approved ordinance, and the agenda item report.

According to the Wichita Eagle:

Bicyclists can ride on the street and won’t have to be within 5 feet of the curb anymore, unless there is a “usable” bike path next to the street.

That’s the primary impact of an overhaul of bicycle laws city council members approved unanimously this morning. The changes also eliminate the need to license bicycles with the city and the need to use a bike rack if one is available within a city block.

Bicyclists praised the changes and the city’s outreach to riders in crafting the law. But they questioned what the definition of a “usable” path is and how it will be enforced. City officials said it comes down to what a reasonable person would consider a “usable” path.

City Council member Jim Skelton said he believes riders should decide what is “usable.” “I don’t want to see a judge deciding what is usable,” he said. [ read more ]

It’s good to see Wichita synchronizing their ordinances with state statutes. Laws that vary from place to place only lead to confusion.

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This is Bike to Work Day, Bike to Work Week and Bike Month in Wichita. The “I Bike Douglas” movement will kick off Saturday. Now, if only Wichita could become a bike town.

As the bicyclists at a community meeting Tuesday night described it, Wichita currently is a “car town” full of drivers with bad attitudes toward bikes.

Turning Wichita into a bike town would require more bike-friendly planning, including more bike lanes, paths and racks.

The proposed city ordinance updating bike rules will help, by junking the unused bicycle licensing system and, like state law, requiring bicyclists to “ride as near to the right side of the street … as practicable” (rather than, as now, within 5 feet of the right hand of the curb or edge of the street).

Wichita also might want to imitate Hutchinson’s new Public Bike Project, which will put specially painted bicycles around downtown for the sharing (or the taking, human nature being what it is).

Bicyclist solidarity will be served by Saturday’s “I Bike Douglas” kickoff, with events including maintenance and safety clinics, a vintage bike display and three guided hour-long tours focusing on architecture, art and photography-friendly sites.

Of course, no ordinance or advocacy may help with the “bicycle haters,” as Wichita City Council member Janet Miller called them, who either don’t know or don’t care that cars and bikes alike have legal rights to the roadways and the responsibility to share them with caution.

But bicyclists are simultaneously getting exercise and acting to curb air pollution and the nation’s oil addiction. When they are on Wichita streets, they deserve respect, imitation and a wide berth. They do not deserve to be honked and hollered at as if they are somewhere they don’t belong.

Huzzah!

Wichita already has a lot of the elements of a bike-friendly community: a great groups of bike shops, enthusiastic clubs (Oz Bicycle Club, Coasters Bicycle Club, Kansas Singletrack Society), bike blogs (River City Cyclist, ICT Cycle Chic, Cycling in Wichita), an organization to promote bicycle commuting (Bike Wichita), a very good bike path system, cycling-friendly topography, and usually-reasonable weather.

So how does Wichita take the next step, from a place where cycling could be great, to a place where cycling is great?

It’s simple: Ride bikes.

The more people riding bikes, the more bike-friendly a community becomes. It can be tough to take that first pedal-stroke, but after that, momentum will come.

Get out and ride, Wichita!

More recent Wichita bicycling news: Make Wichita better for bicycles, Bicyclists bemoan ‘car town’ attitude at meeting, Wichita City Council to vote on bike laws, Wichita Council Defers Vote on Changes to the Bicycle Ordinance

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Although the new design appears to be a work in progress (many links aren’t working yet or consist only of boilerplate text), it’s a great start, and long overdue for “one of the oldest and largest cycling clubs in the midwest”.

Also of note is a new email newsletter and a new Facebook page for the club. The site also advertises a Twitter feed, though that doesn’t appear to be active yet.

Nicely done!

You can check out the new web site at http://www.ozbikeclub.com/.

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Hey, all you drivers, please remember that there are others on the road who are on two wheels, whether it is a motorcycle or a bicycle… Please look out for us. A buddy of mine was struck by a car Saturday. It happened out in the country so no reason for not having seen the guy … he just turned left and T-Boned my friend Dave Wills.

Here’s what Dave had to say for himself:

For those who have not heard I was hit by a car yesterday. I was heading east on 21st, and the car was turning left onto Colwich Rd. He t-boned me, sent me sailing, and my flip should get me a 9.5 at the Olympics (deductions for not getting the landing right). I have a dislocated shoulder, compression fracture of the 3rd lumbar, cracked rib(s), and good ole’ road rash. The bike is toast obviously.

On Twitter, Dave (@dew68) said: “The Oklahoma race was a no go. Instead I decided to see what it is like to be hit by a car. I do not recommend it. It hurts way too much.”

As far as I know, the collision did not make the papers, and I have no information on any citations or charges against the driver…

Dave Wills races for the Specs Racing Cycling Team. You can learn more about Dave on his Hookit page. The photo of Dave is from the Overland Park Grand Prix Criterium, part of the annual Tour of Kansas City.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Dave!

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Steven Darrow was a promising young graphic artist who had worked on high-profile projects and held successful art shows at Final Friday.

He was “just on the cusp of a fabulous career,” said Michele Benefiel Guiol, his mother.

That all changed one night last summer.

Darrow, 23, was “messing around” on his bicycle with a group of friends next to the old Cox Building on Douglas next to the railroad overpass, she said.

Darrow couldn’t afford a car, so he rode his bicycle everywhere.

He and his friends were swerving in and out of pillars after sunset on July 25 when Darrow slammed into one. He fell backward, breaking his right clavicle and fracturing his skull in several places.

He wasn’t wearing a helmet.

“He was an avid bicyclist, but he wasn’t a safe bicyclist,” Benefiel Guiol said. “He never wore a helmet.”

Read more from The Wichita Eagle: Wichita family advocates bike helmets after man’s accident

We can debate the merits of that last statement (there’s far more involved in safety than just helmet use), and there’s no guarantee that the outcome would have been any different if he’d been wearing a helmet, but it’s pretty clear that this type of accident — the low-speed impact of a fragile head against an immovable object — is exactly the type of incident in which a helmet can be most useful.

According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, “A very high percentage of cyclists’ brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated by different studies at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent.”

And incidentally, you don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money to adequate protection. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute found that Cheap helmets and expensive helmets perform equally in impacts: “When you pay more for a helmet you may get an easier fit, more vents and snazzier graphics. But the basic impact protection of the cheap helmets tested equaled the expensive ones.”

In Wichita, Steven Darrow is now back home with his family, but he’ll never be the same. Part of the frontal lobe of his brain had to be removed to save his life. He’s “had to learn to do everything all over again: walk, eat, handle basic tasks. He now lives with his parents, able to answer questions but unable to carry on a conversation.”

His mother hopes to use Darrow’s accident to increase awareness about the value of bicycle helmets, and hopes eventurally to start a company that manufactures bicycle helmets with Darrow’s artwork on them. “We’re trying to find something good from this,” she said.

For adults, use of bicycle helmets is a personal choice. For myself, I see very few reasons not to wear a helmet.

What about you?

See also: Injury-Control Recommendations: Bicycle Helmets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Demonstrating Bicycle Helmet Effectiveness: A How-to Guide (PDF) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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