Constantino is all about safety.

Byline: Mark Conti 

COLUMN: CYCLING

When Pearson Constantino regained consciousness, he was trapped under a parked vehicle with a shattered hip, broken femur, crushed lumbar vertebra and severe head trauma.

He was not aware of what had happened until he saw his mangled bike.

While riding along Central Park Avenue, a Westchester County bike route, in Greenburgh, N.Y., on June 29, 2006, Constantino was struck from behind by an SUV.

The driver fled the scene, leaving Constantino helpless. Unable to extricate himself because of the injuries, he passed out from the pain.

After two surgeries - repairing his broken left femur with a rod and his L2 vertebra with a procedure called kyphoplasty - and almost two years of physical therapy, Constantino hit the road on a cross-country bike ride with a message urging greater safety on the streets. Cyclists need to be more visible, and drivers need to be more aware of bicyclists.

"We need to do more to protect ourselves. The whole idea is sharing the road, not reclaiming it," Constantino said.

He said cyclists can protect themselves by wearing more colorful clothing, making eye contact with drivers and letting drivers know where they are going by using signals.

"I'm not anti-car, but I think people's willingness to be oblivious needs to be addressed," he said. "Cyclists need to be more aware and friendlier to drivers, and drivers need to be more aware."

To that end, Constantino bicycled across the country, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, with his older brother, Peter Constantino. The two traveled through Central Massachusetts on Tuesday before ending their 3,500-mile trek Wednesday. The trip began Aug. 12, Pearson's 30th birthday, in Newport, Oregon, and concluded on Cape Cod.

Rolling into Central Massachusetts last week on his Raleigh Cadent FC, a full-carbon performance hybrid, Constantino broke his derailleur hanger and couldn't find a shop in the area with a replacement. The steadfast cyclist - undeterred by injuries, an accident in Iowa and about 20 flat tires along the way - jumped on his 29-inch Gary Fisher mountain bike and completed the ride.

The two brothers, riding on U.S. Route 20, passed through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts. Despite many days with rain, including the two through Massachusetts, and others with temperatures above 100 degrees, the brothers completed their longtime goal. Along the way, they talked to bicycle organizations, students at schools, young people getting their driver's license about the importance of sharing the road.

According to Pearson, he was one of 44,000 cyclists injured by a motor vehicle in the United States in 2006. He said three cyclists were killed in New York the same month he was struck while riding.

While traveling through Iowa, Constantino was riding along the road and collided with a car pulling into a parking lot at a bank. Though Constantino had the right of way, the car turned in, knocked him to the ground and continued on her way. Constantino said they chased her down, and she said she didn't see him, and she didn't appear at all remorseful.

Some drivers, he said, just don't realize the threat they pose to cyclists, a little bump from a vehicle could injure, debilitate or kill a cyclist.

"Though most drivers are respectful, I still don't think they know what they are doing," he said. "I still see a need for awareness."

After his accident in Greenburgh, which is near White Plains, N.Y., Constantino's rehabilitation took him from a wheelchair, to a walker, to crutches and then to a cane. He still has some difficulty walking at times and cannot jog or run, he has some memory loss and back pain, especially when climbing during a bike ride, which still remains his favorite aspect of cycling.

A tougher mountain to climb may be getting motorists to understand cyclists' concern.

"We can only hope that we've made a difference," he said.

The 50-day cross-country journey was captured on film by Julia Wrona, Constantino's wife, who has been working in documentary filmmaking for more than six years. The film will be called "The Long Bike Back." She said she is very happy with the response she has received from distributors.

"Everyone I've spoken with has been interested. It's a very strong story," she said.

Editing of the film, which includes his recovery as well as the cross-country bike trip, will continue to next spring. She said she hopes to have the documentary in theaters, at film festivals and on television, maybe HBO or PBS.

For more information on the film and Constantino's recovery, visit www.longbikeback.com.

Ride features Wachusett

A 62-mile ride that includes a climb of Mount Wachusett will be one of three rides in the seventh annual Jackson Ride on Oct. 12.

The event, which also includes rides of 16 and 32 miles, will start at the Grove Street soccer fields across from Anna Maria College in Paxton. Registration will be held from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the rides start at 9 a.m. Presented by Team Bike Alley, the ride benefits the American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts Adopt-a-Day disaster Relief Program.

The 16-mile route passes through Paxton and Rutland; the 32-mile loop travels through Paxton, Rutland, Hubbardston, Princeton and back through Holden; and the 62-mile Wachusett Metric Century, which includes the 16- and 32-mile routes as well as a Mount Wachusett climb and sections in Sterling.

The cost is $20 per person, but those who pledge to donate blood to the American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts within 30 days ride for free.

The ride includes refreshments at rest stops, mechanical support and one raffle ticket per rider.

There will be music, a barbecue and a raffle drawing at 1 p.m. For more information, contact event organizer Dan Delorey at [e-mail]. Anyone willing to volunteer may call [phone].

Mark Conti can be reached by e-mail at [e-mail].