24 December 2023

Back to OVMRT

I had picked Tim up on a Tuesday evening. And then Wednesday to Friday I was at work. So I figured we should use the Saturday to go on a bit of a jolly. The weather forecast was okay, so I figured we may be able to go on a small road trip and have a picnic outside. I also figured we could pop by the base of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team, to say thank you for coming out to help us, and let them know how the situation had developed since. I can imagine it can be quite nice to talk to your casualties later. 

I had grabbed my crutches from the garage, because I figured that if we would do a little walk, we should both be on crutches, for reasons of equality. And we set off, over the old road to Cwm Idwal. It looked like the deeper inland we would go, the worse the weather was, so I stopped the car fairly early on. Maybe we didn't want to do a picnic in the rain! And we decided to first do a little walk.

View from our walk: Rainbow



View from our crutch walk: further inland, the weather gets worse

We also noticed it was very windy. It actually wasn't picnic weather at all! Maybe we needed to change our plans a bit. But we could do our walk. So we headed into the wind, in order to have it easy on the way back. Walking on crutches is quite tiring! Even though the main strain tends to be felt by your hands, and that is not really wind dependent.

We hobbled a fair distance, considering circumstances, and then turned back. We decided to have coffee and cake in the car. At least the cake wouldn't be blown out of our hands! And then we went to OVMRT base. We were warmly welcomed. And we were offered a cup of tea.

I introduced us as the Moel Faban casualties, but there was no need; the rather garrulous chair of the team, Chris Lloyd, recognised us immediately. He had been at the Landrover that took us to Bryn Hafod y Wern. And after the cup of tea, he offered to show Tim around on the base. (I already know it, mainly through a casualty care course.) The man can talk about the team until the cows come home! Even if the cows have to come from the other side of the world.

When we finally managed to rip ourselves away I wasn't sure what to do, but I decided to drive back over Llanberis. It wasn't the sort of weather in which we would want to get out of the car, but at least it is a beautiful touristic route!

When we got home we just sat by the fire and drank tea. And had the High Street produce our dinner. The next day I would bring him back home, so this would be last dinner together. Maybe a reason to make a big effort, but I was more interested in enjoying it without having to do much slaving in the kitchen.

The next day I brought him home again. And I didn't have to worry about anyone looking after him there. He can do it himself by now!

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