Bicyclists who believe they are not subject to the laws of gravity are becoming a serious problem at the Regent’s Slide. Here is a link to the video of the slide, taken about 3 weeks ago that I posted back then, just to remind people of what it is like. The incident described below happened this past Friday and was sent to me this morning, Monday. Please, PLEASE, do not attempt this maneuver. You will put not only your life in danger, but that of our first responders, too.
What a friend who witnessed the incident sent me the following account:
Biker was told repeatedly he couldn’t get through. Biker said he was going anyway. Not belligerent, more apathetic to the warning. Closure attendant followed up and observed the biker had ridden up to the slide and apparently proceeded across it. He had called LE and State Parks when biker carried on. SP arrived and observed backpack and the arm of the biker in the boulders at the ocean edge 150’ below the highway level at the bottom of the slide slope. SP initiated a rescue response, walking along beach from Big Creek south to the patient. Meanwhile, biker became mobile and proceeded along the beach with his bike southbound along the beach, past vista point and beyond. Big Sur Fire climbed down to join SP. Both caught up to biker half mile down the beach who had ditched bike and was attempting to climb the cliff. They convinced him to come back with them for treatment. Patient seemed confused, had lacerations on arm and complained of head injury. Spoke of falling on the slide, hitting his head and having a rock roll over his arm Patient was walked back to rescue rope on north side of regents and recovered. Driven in ambulance to Post Ranch and airlifted to hospital in cervical collar.
CHP Oscar cited him for several infractions.
As I write this Danny called me saying there’s another biker approaching the slide to attempt it!
At the risk of being crudely insensitive, folks like these cyclists are first order candidates for the Darwin Award. Putting first responders in harm’s way through careless and callous disregard for warnings and closures inspires me to harsher terms, but I shall restrain myself. Having made some rather dumb decisions backpacking in Grand Canyon, and riding motorcycles at “brisk speeds”, I owned whatever happened.
I was once stoopid enough to cross an active landslide too, when I was twenty. The good folks of Turkey watched the American fool in amazement, and no doubt would have risked their lives to retrieve my carcass or would have notified the embassy, but many people would have been victimized by my actions and would have been placed at great risk to do it. If I had gotten buried, so be it. Leave it there to rot.
Those required to “fix” the errors of the past (e.g., building a road in such a location, undercutting steep slopes in the process) also are put at risk. How is this different–despite “good intentions?”
Thanks to my Dad, I am cautious to the point of wimpyness! I absolutely never want to be one of those people who risks the lives of first responders and others! Hope he recovers though.
Kate,
I’m not surprised by the stupidity of this bicyclist. As a long time, runner have been run off the road by them. Alot of them don’t seem to have consideration for anyone.
It’s too bad that this person had to put our brave first responders in danger.
Richard
Rocky Creek
Thank you, Kate. We urge touring cyclists and others to heed the warnings, for benefit of all impacted! https://bikemonterey.org/bike-buzz-summer-2024-news-from-bicycling-monterey.html
I’m on a few Facebook groups for cyclists and people ask all the time about whether highway 1 is open. I always tell them that it is illegal and dangerous to try and cross the slide. I then usually share the route that I’ve taken inland to get from Monterey to SLO. Not as pretty as Big Sur, but much lower risk of falling off a cliff!
Good reminder to all. However, @rcsbsmith, there’s no need to group all cyclists together as ‘them’, and treat the actions of one person as evidence relevant to a the whole group.
And yet the California Coast Classic Bike Tour by the Arthritis Foundation still states on their website that they art riding from SF to LA VIA HIWAY 1 thru Big Sur on September 23 & 24th! No wonder people think the route is open. If I were signed up and raising money for that I’d be rather upset.
I might add that two of the last four encounters with people insisting on climbing through the slide over the past week were on foot, two on bicycles. Three were not people that were likely to read the news, nor plan ahead. They were either unhoused or visibly with a mental health issue. The fourth thought they had it all figured out on their own using digital maps. Despite that driving completely through the Big Sur highway has not been possible since December 2022, there are still tens to hundreds of people driving up to the closures at both ends, daily, surprised that the road is closed.
Mark, Yes, Apple Maps on my iPhone does not show any blockage on Highway 1. But when I ask for route to Cambria, it only gives me routes via 101. I did “Report an issue” on Highway 1 south of Lucia Let’s see if Apple corrects it.
Risk is good for the soul but there is always a cost and some people cant do math.
This section of California is for experienced cyclists, all the cycling apps, maps and websites warn riders about the risks.
Difficult route: Monterey down Carmel Valley and through Indians. (Currently closed).
Easy route: Highway 1. (currently closed).
Easiest route: Monterey to Salinas, Amtrak to San Luis Obispo. (Bicycling 101 is hell).
Bruce, if I zoom in enough on the screen, the closed section of highway is visible in red. The closure is there so the navigation through it isn’t available.