Resident hoisted into rescue helicopter

The Ventura County Sheriff's Aviation/SAR Unit rescued an exhausted off-road motorcycle rider at 8 p.m. Nov. 17.

Simi Valley resident Howard Bilsky, 50, was last seen at 3:30 p.m. near Sunset campground in the Los Padres National Forest near Hungry Valley State off-road park.

Bilsky was riding with other motorcycle riders when he was unable to continue. The rest of the group left him to seek help.

The sheriff's department was contacted at about 6 p.m.

Air Squad 9 was sent, staffed with a pilot, two rescue crew chiefs and a flight paramedic. After checking several trails that Bilsky could have taken, he was found walking on the Piru trail without his motorcycle.

Bilsky was hoisted into the helicopter, as there was no place to land due to the terrain, and flown back to his campsite. He was not injured.