As we climbed up Oakenclough out of Coldwell Clough, we saw a constant stream of not very cheerful looking riders coming the opposite way on a 38 mile race starting in Hope. I decided to open the gate onto the field beside (the way we always used to go before the fence was built) so we'd not be in their way. Julia said she just saw a pair of legs in the air, not the actual impact, but as I followed the others I saw a cluster looking over the fence, and when I got there I saw a bloke lying on the ground guarding his shoulder. I thought it was a broken collar bone, but he said it was dislocated. Some of us climbed over the fence and wrapped him up, as Ben (a vet as it happens) said it was important to keep him warm and there was a chill breeze. Graham and I sat close on either side to provide some warmth and shelter from the wind while Paul called out the grid ref to someone on the phone to mountain rescue. Julia had made a sling out of an inner tube (she was in the Brownies) and Graham adjusted it for comfort. Riders continued to stream past, some enquiring if Chris (the faller) was OK, some just concentrating on the race. Julia made some comment about the unsuitable footwear of one of the riders so I asked if that was to be the entertainment while we waited, slagging off each passing rider 🙂
They said yes, so I pointed out Chris couldn't even ride his bike properly, which made even him smile 🙂 He asked me to get his phone so he could call his sister to collect his bike (this was his main worry as he didn't think MR would look after it for him). I noticed he suddenly went very quiet as he tried to stow his phone and realised he'd jogged his shoulder and was in more pain 🙁 He started to shiver so we wrapped him in a space blanket too. JP crowded close for warmth so I pulled him in for a cuddle and he said "No tongues!" :o) I was more diffident about Chris as a) I don't know him b) I was worried about jogging his shoulder.
Then some utter nobber, who'd been clearly rubbernecking as he rode towards us, fell off his bike, hitting Graham, Julia and JP and very narrowly avoiding landing on top of poor Chris (I gave him a shove out of the way). He rode off apologising shamefacedly.
Someone thought they heard a siren, but then I suddenly heard rotors and spotted a helicopter making a beeline straight for us thatnks to Paul's accurate reference. They dropped into the field nearby, and a very pretty nurse, another paramedic and the pilot came over and started checking Chris out. Once they'd given him some morphine (he said his pain was 9/10!) they also broke out the Entenox before cutting (with his permission) the arm of his jersey to get a look at the injury. It looked bad, with a big bump on his shoulder. He said it was ashame he had no mirror, so I took a shot and showed him on my camera, which had him effing in alarm! While this was going on, mountain rescue arrived in a landy. I was surprised they'd not been told about the air ambulance, as it seemed unnecessary duplication of effort, but they were kind enough to take Chris's bike back to Hayfield to leave it with the marshals (setting his mind at rest). They decided against stretchering Chris to the huey as it was only 50m to a gate in the fence and he was able to walk there with support and more gas & air.
They lifted off for Whythenshawe soon after, but not before the nurse had asked me about mountain biking clubs as she was interested :o)
pics soon…
