Break Neck Bike Ride


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Middle East » Iraq » West » Al Asad Airbase
June 25th 2008
Published: August 10th 2008
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Mark and I decided to take another bike ride around the perimeter of the base. We took off about 1800 just as the sun fell below the ridge. We rode all the way to the end of the base before ascending to the top of the ridge. We made good time past the old bunkers and were enjoying the cooler temperature (110). As soon as we got to the halfway point of our ride Mark got a page to return to the hospital. Mark holds the additional duty as a flight nurse. He will hop on the MEDEVAC chopper and treat patients in flight from our hospital to other hospitals in theater. Our hospital offers certain specialties that others do not. However we do not have capabilities to treat certain illnesses and injuries, so if a patient is in need we package and send them to a trauma treatment center with higher capabilities. So, Mark’s pager goes off and we are on top of the ridge and see the hospital about 7 miles away. There is no short cut to the bottom of the ridge - what a helpless feeling. Mark and I tear down the trail at break neck speed trying to get back to the hospital so he can get suited up and ready for transport. I am thinking the whole time, we have to slow down a bit or the flight nurse is going to become a patient. We fly to the hospital in 30 minutes (7 miles). A hard ride. When we arrived the doctor had decided to keep the patient for observation, and in the mean time they called a new flight nurse since we hadn’t yet arrived. Needless to say I got a great workout. Mark bought me a cheeseburger for the trouble. A great time was had by all.

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10th August 2008

Riding bikes
It was great to read your new entries! Sounds like you aren't letting any grass (sand) grow under your feet! Guess Mark didn't know how fast you can go on a bicycle when you get going!!!

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