Author Topic: Terrible news from NZ 1200  (Read 9677 times)

Terrible news from NZ 1200
« on: 15 March, 2017, 01:09:12 pm »
I'm sure many of you remember Micky Ina. Terrible news this morning that Micky was hit by a truck on the last day of the Kiki 1200 and died at the scene  :'(

I rode a fair chunck of LEL 2013 with him. He was a lovely man, a doctor and very keen randoneur who did many of the 1000k+ rides around the world. This is a dreadful loss to his family, his friends and the international audax community.
R.I.P. Micky  :'( :'( :'(

This is what the news is reporting so far http://linkis.com/www.stuff.co.nz/nati/xafnt

simonp

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #1 on: 15 March, 2017, 01:35:40 pm »
RIP Micky. It was a pleasure to ride with you and your friends in 2013. I had always hoped we would meet on the road again.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #2 on: 15 March, 2017, 05:05:58 pm »
RIP Mitsuaki Inagaki. A familiar face at some shared long brevets but I never rode with him.

From the news report, it seems that Chris Wilby is in a stable condition in hospital from the same crash.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #3 on: 15 March, 2017, 05:17:19 pm »
RIP Mitsuaki. Thoughts are with your loved ones.

Wishing Chris a swift and uncomplicated recovery!

simonp

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #4 on: 15 March, 2017, 05:31:05 pm »
I hadn't realised it was Chris W who I've ridden with a few times. GWS.

I rode with Micky and some other Japanese riders on the last day of LEL 2013. I had a nice message from one of them just the other day.

So sad.

Phixie

  • No gears and all the ideas
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #5 on: 15 March, 2017, 05:41:42 pm »
Wot Helly wrote.  Hope Chris gets back home ASAP.
At the end of the day, when all's said and done, there's usually a lot more said than done.

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #6 on: 15 March, 2017, 05:46:28 pm »
This is actually one of Damon's photos from LEL 13 (hope it is ok to post it here Damon).

045 by Lara Day, on Flickr
We had just ridden into one of the controls together (Ken, who is lighthousekeeper OTP was also with us).

I first met Micky on the road when I shouted to him he had missed a turn (his Garmin had frozen) and he rode alongside to say thanks. He was one of those people that even with a language barrier could make himself understood and quickly became a friend. He was humble and kind and would help out other riders on the road teaching them stretches while pedalling. When I introduced him to Simon and told him Simon knew a few words of Japanese he was absolutely thrilled. Even when tired he thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the ride, and I am sure he was like that in everything he did in life.

He was one of the special people you meet on long audaxes that make it such a magical experience. He took the time to savour the places and people along the way, and photograph everything not just ride from A to B. He turned 60 in December and was looking forward to a long retirement of cycling and taking care of his elderly mother  :'(. I know he was one of the main organisers of Audax in Japan too.

Gutted  :'(

Hope Chris W is going to be OK.

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #7 on: 15 March, 2017, 09:54:43 pm »
Never knew Micky, and as far as I'm aware, never rode with him either, but I can empathize with what his family might be going though right now - something pretty damn dreadful.
Condolences.
RIP
Garry Broad

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #8 on: 17 March, 2017, 02:02:47 pm »
I mentioned this to one of the people I work with in Japan, & he told me it's on the Audax Japan website. It's the biggest item on the home page - http://www.audax-japan.org/
It's not on the English version of the site (only occasionally updated), so to read it you'll have to right-click & 'Translate to English' on the original Japanese home page.
"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #9 on: 17 March, 2017, 05:33:51 pm »
I crossed paths with Micky a few times on LEL2013 (and I also talked to you at one of the late controls, Feline).  But I really got to know him at the Super Brevet Scandinavia, where we were both riding at the back.  He really was a wonderful man.  As you suggest, Feline, he had a way of overcoming language barriers--his English was limited, and my Japanese non-existent.  But he was always cheerful, and always generous.  My Luxos U had gone buggy with the rain on LEL, and I had lost my back-up light.  My light quit working altogether in the darkest corner of Sweden, and he lent me his, saying, "It is important for both of us to finish."  He was the sort of man about whom it can truthfully be said that everyone who met him loved him.

Bill Watts
usa
Bill Watts

Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #11 on: 17 March, 2017, 07:06:31 pm »
I rode with Micky on several events and in the future will always ride with him again.
Will miss you my friend.
which way is up

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #12 on: 17 March, 2017, 10:52:12 pm »
Micky was a charismatic figure. He stood out in a way that drew the camera to him, so I've got a couple of minutes of good video of him. I met him on LEL 2013 and at Mile Failte in 2014.

Some people are immediately engaging, and he was one of those. My mate Dave had a longer chat with him at the end of Mile Failte, while I was out filming the late finishers. Dave's a keen photographer, so they had that in common, and Mickey told Dave about his ski instructing in the winter. I'd like to do a tribute to Micky, as he embodied the international contact that is so valuable about Audax.

However, I've got another engagement tomorrow, and on Sunday we're going skiing to La Plagne. I was in two minds about the skiing, but I've got the money, and I'm not getting any younger. I decided to go by asking myself what Micky would have done. Here's the video of Micky that I have, I'll be thinking about Micky while I'm on holiday.


T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #13 on: 18 March, 2017, 10:13:25 am »
I didn't know Micky, but I rode a chunk of PBP 2007 with Chris, and he stopped off here with a chum in 2010 on their way home from the MM. We had been planning to do LEL 2008 together before my coronary problems cropped up.  Glad he's out of ICU & stable.

I gather from Chris's FB page that they were side-swiped by a trailer. Right bloody mess it made.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight


T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #15 on: 18 March, 2017, 05:13:45 pm »
Looking again at the photos, I certainly saw Micky at PBP 2015, but never to talk to. It's damnable.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/90535154/Cycling-community-mourns-loss-of-Japanese-rider-killed-near-Twizel?cid=app-iPhone

Chris "moderate to serious". I wonder what that means.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #16 on: 18 March, 2017, 05:16:30 pm »
Has there been any update on Chris?

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #17 on: 19 March, 2017, 09:00:33 am »
My brother has just been to see Chris in hospital He was sleeping a after an intense physio session. Staff say he is progressing and is scheduled for discharge on 24th of March

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #18 on: 19 March, 2017, 09:03:06 am »
Thanks for that. Progress is a good thing.

HK and I may have ridden with Mitsuaki, into the finish of 2010 Mille Miglia.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #19 on: 19 March, 2017, 09:17:00 am »
Thanks indeed.  Any idea of his injuries?  Intense physio sounds good.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #20 on: 19 March, 2017, 02:27:21 pm »
Unfortunately I don't know what injuries Chris sustained but at least physio sounds hopeful

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #21 on: 19 March, 2017, 02:34:21 pm »
It does indeed. Thanks.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #22 on: 19 March, 2017, 06:01:57 pm »
My brother has just been to see Chris in hospital He was sleeping a after an intense physio session. Staff say he is progressing and is scheduled for discharge on 24th of March
Is this the same Chris Wilby from the Scottish Ride? http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2014/listevent/?Ride=14-393

I wonder what sort of injuries lead to a week in hospital, but only (mainly) treated by physio.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #23 on: 19 March, 2017, 06:06:49 pm »
Just come back from a holiday in NZ, spookily I was on that bit of road about 10 days ago, staying in Twizel.

That road is arrow straight and pan flat, it runs past the local airstrip where you can take flights up around Mt Cook, up and over the canal which transfers water between lakes for a hydro-electric plant.

My experience over 7000km in 3 weeks in NZ is that the roads (certainly on South Island) tend to be quiet, but fast.  100kph is the limit, but most traffic runs at that speed.  Didn't see that many cyclists on South Island and none in the Twizel area that I recall.

Viz is for miles in the collision location, no trees, no distractions. 

Very sad.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Terrible news from NZ 1200
« Reply #24 on: 19 March, 2017, 07:03:35 pm »
Is this the same Chris Wilby from the Scottish Ride? http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2014/listevent/?Ride=14-393

I wonder what sort of injuries lead to a week in hospital, but only (mainly) treated by physio.

Mr Wilby is unique.

The three weeks I spent in hospital last year was mainly treated with physio (and traction for the broken bit). It is the unbroken bit that is giving me the most grief at the moment.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...