Re: Bolivia's 'Death Road' claims life of U.S. mountain biker

On Apr 27, 3:22=A0am, Tom Sherman <sunsetss0...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:
> Mike Vandeman blathered:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:08:55 +0100, "Ronnie Guthrie"
> > <ronnieguthrie@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> >> "Mike Vandeman" <mjva...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> >>news:cic614h4e7n0ibl7fei8ui9gsdkbj6hc2e@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >>> On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:09:25 +0100, "Ronnie Guthrie"
> >>> <ronnieguthrie@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> >>>> "Mike Vandeman" <mjva...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> >>>>news:7ee51413vncfdam3hols3g2io31hk3qka6@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >>>>> On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:06:43 -0700 (PDT), Bruce Jensen
> >>>>> <bpnjen...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> >>>>>> On Apr 24, 9:53 pm, Tom Sherman
<sunsetss0...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> >>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>> Mike Vandeman blathered:
>
> >>>>>>>> Evolution at work:
>
>>>>>>>>http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/21/news/Bolivia-US-Tourist-=
Dea...
> >>>>>>>> LA PAZ, Bolivia: A U.S. tourist has been killed after losing
cont=
rol
> >>>>>>>> of his mountain bike and plunging off a cliff while biking down
> >>>>>>>> Bolivia's treacherous "Highway of Death," rescue officials said
> >>>>>>>> Monday.
> >>>>>>>> Firefighter Ramiro Torres told The Associated Press that
Kenneth
> >>>>>>>> Mitchell died Saturday afternoon after falling about 230 feet
(70=

> >>>>>>>> meters).
> >>>>>>>> Officials at the U.S. Embassy in La Paz confirmed the
56-year-old=

> >>>>>>>> Mitchell's death but declined to release his hometown.
> >>>>>>>> Mitchell was riding with one of several tourist agencies that
off=
er
> >>>>>>>> guided trips down the mountain road, which is known for its
> >>>>>>>> breathtaking views, hairpin turns and steep drops.
> >>>>>>>> Bus accidents killed hundreds of Bolivians a year there until a
n=
ew,
> >>>>>>>> paved highway was opened in 2007.
> >>>>>>> Dude, the guy was cycling on a ROAD. That is NOT mountain
biking.
>
> >>>>>> Exactly. =A0I'm with you on the small-trail riding, Mike, but
> >>>>>> c'mon...this is a motor vehicle roadway. =A0Motor vehicles plunge
t=
o
> >>>>>> their deaths here too.
> >>>>> So you think riding a mountain bike on a mountain road has nothing
t=
o
> >>>>> do with mountain biking? You are weird.
> >>>> So what damage to the environment was he doing by riding a bike
(moun=
tain
> >>>> bike or whatever) on a road designed for motor vehicles?
> >>> Obviously, he rode off-road. DUH!
> >> I think not. =A0Check your facts first Mr Vandeman. =A0He was riding
on=
 a "road"
> >> (http://tinyurl.com/2l84y6)
>
> > You guys are INCREDIBLY stupid! How do you think he ended up off-road?
> > He rode off-road! DUH!
>
> No dude, the deceased was out of control once he left the road. Whether
> or not he remained in physical contact with the bicycle after going over
> the cliff, he was not riding the bicycle at that point. Furthermore, the
> deceased was not intending to leave the road unless he was planning to
> kill himself.
>
> What happened is not riding off road. DUH!

The  re****t I read said

"On Monday, Kenneth Mitchell, 56, of Fullerton, California, died when
he tumbled from his bicycle and fell over a cliff along the highway."

That would make him a hiker since he wasn't on his bike at the time of
going over the cliff.

Another cyclist was killed (same article) on the paved section on
Thursday, so much for the health benefits of road biking.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24311931/