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Cyclist dies after crash at The Driveway
UPDATE at 5:51 p.m.:
By Pamela LeBlanc Austin American Statesman
Week after week, Kevin Underhill stood on the sidelines during The Driveway Austin Thursday Night Race Series this summer and watched the cyclists race past.
He peppered race organizer Andrew Willis and other cyclists with questions about bike racing. Thursday, Underhill, 40, decided to try the race himself for the first time.
A few laps into the criterium, held on a twisting, closed-circuit paved track east of U.S. Highway183, Underhill apparently crossed wheels with another cyclist in the back of a pack of about 40 bikers and was thrown to the ground. Two other riders went down in the crash but weren’t injured.
Underhill was taken by ambulance to Brackenridge Hospital, where he underwent surgery for critical head injuries. He was removed from life support and died Sunday.
“Even the physicians say it was one in a million tragic accident — they never had anyone die from a 25-mph bike race,” said Carla Underhill Norris, Underhill’s sister.
Underhill was the youngest of nine siblings and grew up in Seattle, where he had climbed and biked since he was 12. He worked as an electrical engineer at National Instruments in Austin until he retired 12 years ago. Since then, he spent much of his time traveling the world to bike and climb. He had spent months cycling across Europe and Japan, and was planning another trip to China.
“He lived his life going 90 mph, he just did,” Norris said. “He was extremely generous, he would do anything for anybody.”
Norris said her brother never wore a bike helmet — a sticking point with her. “(The Thursday race) was the one time he wore a helmet,” she said. “It saves 99.9 percent of people, but at the velocity he hit the ground, it wouldn’t have mattered if he had a helmet on or not. It was that intense an impact.”
Friends remembered Underhill as an avid rock climber nicknamed Chalkfather who was just getting into competitive cycling.
Rick Sladewski, who summited Mount McKinley and mountains in Ecuador and Mexico with him, described him as a patient, natural teacher who wasn’t easily rattled. “If someone wanted to join the group and were new climbers, we would turn them over to Kevin. I called him our safety officer. You had to adhere to Kevin’s rules for double checking harnesses and everything … He also had a grim determination to get to the summit.”
Christina Jeskey, who climbed around Austin and Mexico with him, said Underhill liked to play games, mentor students, study foreign language and train a lot, sometimes loading heavy sacks of rice into a pack and climbing stairs to prepare for an upcoming adventure. He was also known for his careful use and re-use of things.
“He had a pair of those travel pants with zip-off bottoms, and when he wore holes through the knees he just reversed them and switched legs so the holes were in the back,” Jeskey said.
Underhill was still riding the same bike he bought 19 years ago. His family teased him about it, but he’d replaced nearly everything on it but the frame.
This summer, Underhill had been riding weekly with the Lake Travis Cycling Club. “He was a rider who had a sort of contagious enthusiasm that made everyone want to go longer, harder and faster, and he will be missed,” said James Ezell, president of the Lake Travis Cycling club.
Minna Miller, who knew Underhill through rock climbing, says he had raced his bike in several time trials this summer, and was excited to race his first criterium at The Driveway.
Accidents happen frequently at The Driveway Thursday Night Race Series, which is in its fourth year, but are rarely serious. In the 22 weeks of racing this year, an ambulance was called one other time — for a broken collar bone. Of more than 3,500 race starts this season, three racers suffered broken bones, Willis said.
Holland Racing took over management of the series, which runs March to October, this year. The course is certified by USA Cycling. Cyclists pay $20 to compete. Underhill raced in the Cat 4/5 division, for least experienced racers.
“It’s a strong reminder that it’s a dangerous sport and I think people forget that,” Willis said.
A private funeral will be held in Seattle; a memorial service is being planned in Austin. Underhill’s organs have been donated.
“He died doing exactly what he loved,” Norris said. “There aren’t very many people who can say they did everything they wanted to do in life, but he did.”
pleblanc@statesman.com; 445-3994
The family photo above was one of Kevin’s favorite. It was taken during a recent cycling trip to Japan. He studied Japanese before the trip.
Earlier:
UPDATE from the sister of Kevin Underhill, who died after crashing during The Driveway Austin Thursday Night Races:
Carla Underhill Norris, Underhill’s brother, said the death was nobody’s fault. “Even the physicians say it was one in a million tragic accident — they never had anyone die from a 25-mph bike race.”
Underhill was the youngest of nine siblings and grew up in Seattle, where he had climbed and biked since he was 12. He attended the California Institute of Technology, where he earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering. He worked at National Instruments in Austin until he retired 12 years ago.
“He had such a drive to see the world. He just loved to be in nature,” she said. “He lived his life going 90 mph, he just did. He was extremely generous, he would do anything for anybody and it was just a tragic accident.”
He once rode his bike across Europe, and returned in October from another long cycling trek in Japan. He was planning his next cycling trip to China.
In all those trips, Norris said, her brother never wore a bike helmet — a sticking point with her.
“(The Thursday race) was the one time he wore a helmet,” she said. “It saves 99.9 percent of people, but at the velocity he hit the ground, it wouldn’t have mattered if he had a helmet on or not. It was that intensive an impact.”
She said he still rode the bike he bought 19 years ago. “He pretty much replaced everything on that bike 20 times or more,” she said. “The only thing that was the same was the frame. We teased him about it.”
Underhill’s organs have been donated and will affect the lives of at least 10 people, she said.
“He died doing exactly what he loved. There aren’t very many people who can say they did everything they wanted to do in life, but he did.”
Earlier:
Kevin Underhill, the cyclist injured in a crash during The Driveway Austin Thursday Night Race Series, died Sunday after he was removed from life support.
Underhill had been coming to The Driveway for two or two and a half months to watch and ask questions about the races, according to race organizer Andrew Willis.
“He was near the back of the group is all I know,” Willis said of the Cat 4/5 race in which Underhill was riding Thursday. “From riders who saw it, it sounds like he was really nervous and riding really stiff. He got a little freaked out, crossed wheels and did a face plant.”
Forty-three or 44 riders were in the race when the accident happened. An ambulance was on hand and rushed Underhill to the hospital, where he underwent surgery for head injuries.
Family members decided to remove life support for Underhill on Sunday. His organs will be donated.
Accidents are not uncommon at the race series, but usually result in scrapes or bruises. Since this year’s series began in May, three people have suffered broken bones, Willis said. Bike helmets are required.
Underhill was a rock climber and bicycle tourist who had been cycling most of his life.
“He was a really humble, reserved guy and clearly the kind of person who researched things and really got all the info he could before he did something,” Willis said. “He was doing everything right. It was just a horrible, horrible tragedy.”
Permalink | Comments (22) | Post your comment Categories: cycling
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By Bruce
August 17, 2009 2:01 PM | Link to this
First off, condolences to Kevin’s family. Second, are their any editors left at The Statesman? This hard news story should not be in the “entertainment” section - that is an insult to the Underhill family. As a hard news story, it should be written by a real reporter capable of providing context. Hardly anyone knows what “The Driveway” is outside of the hard-core cycling community. Kevin’s family and friends deserve better than his death being reported in the same section and in the same sloppy way as “news buzz” stories are written.
By Pam LeBlanc
August 17, 2009 2:16 PM | Link to this
Bruce, look for a story in tomorrow’s metro section. Pam
By Anative
August 17, 2009 2:36 PM | Link to this
Bruce, Pam is a great reporter and feature writer whose work I enjoy reading. It is sad to read about this incident, but I’m glad the paper employs reporters to report these things at all. As a paying subscriber to the print edition, I help support Pam’s salary and am glad to do so. In any case, we all need to rethink what we post online and consider if we would as easily say the same thing to someone’s face as we would post online. Rude rhetoric (that we wouldn’t consider repeating in front of our own mothers) is leading our community and our country down a dangerous path.
By Bruce
August 17, 2009 2:37 PM | Link to this
Still no excuse for this story showing up as a blog entry first, Pam. No offense to you, but the AAS does not meet the basic standards for news judgement or content, as most other dailies do.
By Pam LeBlanc
August 17, 2009 2:57 PM | Link to this
Bruce, if we can post a story as a blog item we can get it on the webpage quickly instead of waiting for the next day’s print version.
By Bruce
August 17, 2009 3:07 PM | Link to this
Pam, your pursuit of immediacy of coverage has led to posting a link about this man’s death that leads readers to this poorly-reported item in a blog. This is another example of how giving blogs the same play as hard news seems to pose a problem for publications like The Statesman. Make whatever excuses you want, but having a main-page weblink connect readers to this “story” as the first reporting of Kevin’s death is shabby. And Anative, it is EXACTLY Kevin’s family that I am thinking about while posting this “rude rhetoric” (your term, not mine). The Statesman is being incredibly rude - and unprofessional - in the reporting of this man’s tragic death.
By Brian
August 17, 2009 3:08 PM | Link to this
Quick doesn’t always mean better. A more thorough vetting might have kept the offensive third paragraph from ever appearing. How could anyone possibly think it was a good idea to keep a quote like that in a story about a man dying?
By Ride a bike
August 17, 2009 3:15 PM | Link to this
What terrible news. My heart goes out to his family.
By bruce
August 17, 2009 3:20 PM | Link to this
Pam, your pursuit of immediacy of coverage has led to posting a link about this man’s death that leads readers to this poorly-reported item in a blog. This is another example of how giving blogs the same play as hard news seems to pose a problem for publications like The Statesman. Make whatever excuses you want, but having a main-page weblink connect readers to this “story” as the first reporting of Kevin’s death is shabby. And Anative, it is EXACTLY Kevin’s family that I am thinking about while posting this “rude rhetoric” (your term, not mine). The Statesman is being incredibly rude - and unprofessional - in the reporting of this man’s tragic death.
By newsmom
August 17, 2009 3:45 PM | Link to this
what IS ‘the driveway?’i’m one of those readers who figured something had been edited out of the story…
By newsmom
August 17, 2009 3:47 PM | Link to this
what, exactly, IS ‘the driveway’?
By Pam LeBlanc
August 17, 2009 4:06 PM | Link to this
Hi all, The Driveway is a closed circuit, paved, twisting loop track located east of US Highway 183, north of the Colorado River. It’s mainly used for motor vehicles, but hosts cycling races once a week on Thursdays.
By Stan
August 17, 2009 5:00 PM | Link to this
Bruce, please chill out with this.
Have some respect man.
By Laura
August 17, 2009 5:14 PM | Link to this
Amen, Stan. Amen. Pam, I just wanted to thank you for including this, and every story, in your blog. Your blog keeps people in the know without having to search the website or through the paper. My heart goes out to the family. God bless!
By LA
August 17, 2009 5:31 PM | Link to this
have a little foresight w/ sensitive subjects… maybe she didn’t even read the posting.
good they’re writing a full article
By VC Slim
August 17, 2009 10:16 PM | Link to this
Pam, thank you for rewriting the story and adding a more personal and touching side to Kevin’s life. He will be missed.
By Tracy Nelson
August 18, 2009 12:09 AM | Link to this
Pam, thank you for reporting about Kevin’s death. I saw FB posts that a cyclist had died, but it wasn’t until I saw your blog with the photo that I realized that the cyclist was someone I had become acquainted with last spring. He had a heart of gold and a love of learning. I am so sad to know that he has died…
By Mark Cathcart
August 18, 2009 8:01 AM | Link to this
I met Kevin a few times this summer as he joined the Jack and Adams Sunday shop rides, for which I’m one of the rides leaders. He was a great guy, genuinely nice, inquisitive and full of enthusiasm to learn.
Despite his quirky appearance, his old school bike, and clothes, he was an adept road cyclist and always interesting to ride with and talk to on the deck after the rides.
Sadness is always appropriate when these things happen, and my thoughts go out to the family. However, as others have mentioned, what a great guy, how he spent his final years is an inspiration, I only hope I have half his drive to learn when I retire. RIP Kevin, its the motion not the muscle that will be remembered.
By K. Joseph
August 18, 2009 10:00 AM | Link to this
Nice obit for Mr. Underhill in the Statesman this morn (8/18). The accounts of him provide a description of a decent and modest human being. My condolences to his family and friends.
Also, nice work by P. LeBlanc to get some data and report fairly on the risks of racing at the Driveway.
By Mary
August 18, 2009 5:42 PM | Link to this
I can say that this article is greatly appreciated by Kevin’s family and the author did a wonderful job. Kevin is my uncle and he was an amazing man and will be greatly missed - I know I have learned a lot about the world, seeing it through his eyes as he traveled the world and brought back amazing pictures of his adventures. Thanks again for the support from his friends and fellow cyclists and climbers.
By Bob
August 19, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this
Does anyone know how he retired at the age of 28?
By SRJeff
August 20, 2009 1:08 AM | Link to this
Kevin was Summa ***-intelligent and as virtuous as others on here have said. That he retired early in life (I can’t ascertain that, objectively) only reinforces my experiences knowing him from high school. My prayers lifted to his grieving family and loved ones. I never saw the guy the least bit upset.
-Jeff