Cycle Oregon participant dies during sleep in Grants Pass

The Cycle Oregon camp at
Riverside Park in Grants Pass.
(Photo © J. Maus)

BikePortland has confirmed that a man died in his tent Thursday night in Grants Pass while participating in the Cycle Oregon ride.

Someone on the ride first told us about the situation Friday night and then confirmed the death with official EMTs. This morning, I spoke with Cycle Oregon ride director Jerry Norquist. Norquist confirmed that the death occurred on Thursday and that the Grants Pass Police Department is doing an investigation.

The deceased man was 59-year old John Aeby of Eugene.

According to a source on the ride, a man came to the medical tent to report that his neighbor — who had been feeling ill prior to going to bed — had not gotten up in the morning. “He walked up, and in soft tones, said that his neighbor didn’t go out on the ride, hadn’t moved his bike, and was unresponsive and stiff. ‘I think he’s dead’ he said.”

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It’s not yet known whether or not a stomach bug that has been going around the Cycle Oregon camp contributed to the man’s death.

According to various sources, as many as 200 participants have caught a stomach bug. About 40 of them were driven from camp in Glendale to a Grants Pass hospital treatment and Cycle Oregon officials immediately stepped up precautions throughout the campsite.

Norquist told BikePortland that, unlike it was first reported, the illness was not food-borne. He said the bug entered camp on the second day and they were not sure who had brought it in.

According to an article published in The Oregonian in 2004, this is the fourth death that has occurred in Cycle Oregon’s 23 year history. In 2004, a 60-year old West Linn woman died when she lost control of her bike and crashed over a cliff while descending on a mountain road near Williams; In 2002, a 44-year old man died of a heart attack while riding on Highway 26 near Welches; and in 1995 a 43-year old man from Eugene died when his bike plunged over an embankment.

Cycle Oregon stopped in Grants Pass for two nights and wraps up today with a ride into Medford.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Grant
Grant
14 years ago

I’m sorry to hear about the gentleman who died. Just to clarify one point. I was on the bus from Glendale to Grants Pass. Some of us got dropped off at a hotel to recuperate and the rest went on to the camp. As far as I could tell there was nobody who needed hospitalization for their illness. As for me, it took about 24-36
hours to start feeling human again.

Disastronaut
Disastronaut
14 years ago

Scary stuff.

sam
sam
14 years ago

Sad. I hope he had the best day of his life before he went to sleep.

Fliptasaurus
Fliptasaurus
14 years ago

Participants were saying he was riding a bike without gears or a brake.

Peter Magnusson
Peter Magnusson
14 years ago

I’m not sure folks are competely buying the “stomach bug” story. Though Jerry is a great ride organizer, he is not an epidemiologist. There were 7 people in our party on CO. In Glendale, 3 of them went through the same dinner line and all 3 got ill; one of whom left the ride. The other 4 of us, going through other lines, did not get ill. The circumstances and sudden onset are suspicious for a food-borne contaminant such as from an untrained server (ie, high-school volunteer). I would be very interested in from hearing from informed public health officials regarding this event. Furthermore, I would wish the CO organization would be more transparent about this occurrence. —–PM

Julie
Julie
14 years ago

Sad to hear such a story. I agree with Sam’s comment!

Fliptasaurus,
what’s your point?

Christina
Christina
14 years ago

Having been one of the community volunteers in Glendale, I can say that the volunteers, while not “properly trained” followed all health code rules. The food was prepared in the Cycle Oregon mobile kitchen, the volunteers all wore hairnets, washed their hands and wore gloves to serve the cyclists. I would be interested in knowing the cause of this man’s death before blame is placed on the Glendale volunteers…
My thoughts and prayers go out to the man’s friends and family.

Emily Hirsch
Emily Hirsch
14 years ago

a friend who was riding with me got sick on the ride home in the car after the ride was over. I don’t know what caused the sickness, but possibly a virus such as the type that often cause these outbreaks on cruise ships or in nursing homes. They aren’t necessarily food-borne. I think the CO organization responded very quickly with the hand washing campaign once the outbreak was evident. I think they did a good job and I don’t think they are hiding anything.

Joe Blow
Joe Blow
14 years ago

What does riding a fixed gear, or single speed, with no brakes have to do with someone dying??

Elly Blue (Columnist)
14 years ago

Apologies for letting the inappropriate and off-topic comment slip through. Please disregard it, folks.

Stig4
Stig4
14 years ago
lacorota
lacorota
14 years ago

Above all, my sincere thoughts to his family. He loved biking, and was enjoyed by everyone around.

As for the “bug,” I fell sick late Friday afternoon in camp. It began with multiple trips to the blue rooms for volleys of vomiting from both ends. CO arranged a bus ride for 50 of us on the final day back to Medford. A helpful CO volunteer ensured I had as much comfort possible (ice, hydration) for my last night in camp.

The reports from the medical tent varied, but it was certain a few went to the hospital for IV assists. I figured it’s a crap shoot for getting sick when that many folks assemble from all over the planet into such a shared use environment. It’s not the first time I’ve suffered “bugs” from big organized rides. Kudos to CO doing all they could.

vern
vern
14 years ago

A camp mate was sick on thursday and saged. I was sick in camp on friday.
I don’t think it was a server as new people got sick every day. Of the 4 people i talked to that were sick we all had used the hot water for tea,coco or instant coffee. Went by the medical tent three times and was told i must have an electrolyte imbalance. Pretty disappointing medical advice. I didn’t like the look of the black gunk in the threads of the water bottle filler spigot either. but i didn’t notice that till daylight. So how many water samples do you think they took all week trying to locate the source of the problem? Somebody must be in charge of health and safety. does anybody know?

Peter Magnusson
Peter Magnusson
14 years ago

To Christina and all of the Glendale volunteers–
You misinterpreted my original post. There was absolutely no attempt on my part to connect the in-tent death with the GI outbreak – I didn’t even mention the unfortunate mortality. I personally think it was unrelated.
With regards to the GI mini-epidemic,I would request informed public health knowledge about the matter.
We are all indebted to the volunteers for making the ride what it is.
Prayers and condolences go to the deceased man’s friends and family.

Agribob
Agribob
14 years ago

My friend LaRee and I both new John. She and I were both on the ride and are devestated to learn of his death. We last saw John at the Heaven on Earth ODS rest stop Thursday morning. He was stronger and faster than the two of us and was having an enjoyable ride. BTW, he was riding a standard road bike.

John was an avid bicyclist and had done CO on previous years. We have also ridden with him and his daughter at several NW Tandem rallies and on other local group rides.

John worked for a non profit children’s service agency in Eugene and was committed to helping children. He will be missed.

Rest in Peace, Bob and LaRee.

Tom Howe (Contributor)
Tommy
14 years ago

John Aeby wrote a number of bike advocacy articles for the Eugene Register-Guard. Here’s a good one on avoiding knee pain:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=20020502&id=JnUVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qOsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2466,376211

Search for John’s name on the same site to find some of the other articles he wrote.

Christina
Christina
14 years ago

Thanks Peter-
I do know that I, my daughter and several other volunteers got sick following the stop in Glendale. I didn’t eat anything there and the only drink I had was brewed coffee. Perhaps it was just a stomach bug- notorious for fast and easy transmission when there are that many people gathered together.

Again, my condolences to John’s family and friends.

Peter Magnusson
Peter Magnusson
14 years ago

Thanks to Cycle Oregon for their very rational and reasoned explanation of the likely cause of the gastro-intestinal outbreak during CO 2009. If you look at the CDC web site, you will see that the likely culprit, a norovirus, is transmitted by direct contact with the virus. In their words:

How do people become infected with noroviruses?
Noroviruses are found in the stool or vomit of infected people. People can become infected with the virus in several ways, including:
• eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus;
• touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus, and then placing their hand in their mouth;
• having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing symptoms (for example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing foods or eating utensils with someone who is ill).

It’s clear that the advice regarding hand washing is paramount in the efforts to prevent spreading the contagion.

We can keep Cycle Oregon healthy by following the simple recommendation of wash, wash, wash.

Peter Magnusson, MD

Holt International
14 years ago

Holt International Children’s Services is saddened to announce the passing of John Aeby, Holt’s Director of Communications.

John began working at Holt in May 1979.  He was one of the longest serving staff at Holt and had a unique position of creating the message of Holt for nearly three decades.  The office is filled with John’s photos, his words and thoughts are reflected in every communication — he had a special gift for creating video presentations and over the years he documented Holt’s work with great skill and passion.  His love of Holt’s ministry to homeless children is evident in every photo and story.   
 
Most of all, John was deeply beloved — for the gentle, compassionate, funny, steadfast person he was.   As a couple, John and his wife, Clarice, were an inspiration to everyone who knew them.      
      
The sudden loss of John is profoundly felt by everyone in the “Holt family.”  John was a critical part of Holt for thirty years.  His dedication to the mission was unwavering and he was at the center of the organization in countless moments, large and small.
There are not words adequate to express how much John meant to Holt and how he will be missed.  It was John who always took the lead at these times and already his absence is deeply felt.