Seems like a long time ago now as we sit in the Hotel in Inverness after Lorraine’s visit to Outpatients Raigmore to-day.

I see it was the 18th of February that I bogged the bike,the first ever time that I was completely stuck and could not get out without help.

Most times I would just get off and with my weight off it the bike floats a bit then drives out. Not this time. No chance.

Going nowhere, I had no option but to get the Torfer Winch, a fence post and rope, but Lorraine came too and we tried to pull it out, surprisingly it came out no problem. But the problem for me was that I had walked back to get the old bike and now I had to take one bike to Dry Harbour, then walk back for the now unstuck bike. Lots of walking.

I ran Lorraine to the Cottages to do some house keeping then started “Leapfrogging” the bikes, taking then a quater of the way and walking back for the other. Along the road I bumped into Lorraine heading home and that was fine. Then at the bottom of the hill near the garages on another “Leapfrog” I got the fright of my life when I found Lorraine off the side of the road, she had lost her footing and taken a tumble but as she was so close to the side of the road she headed over the bank and landed in rocks.

I offered to lift her up but it was plain she was not for moving, but her elbow was. We did not know it at the time but she had smashed her elbow. She said ” this is a Lifeboat Job”.

A quick call to Stornoway Coastguard and Portree Lifeboat was launched. They arrived quickly, I ran them run up to Lorraine and they took control of the situation. Meanwhile I ran about locking the show up, packing a couple of bags and got back in time to see the guys walking their casualty up to the Club Car. With some pain relief Lorraine could move and throughout the crew of the Portree Lifeboat were very professional, Adam the medic, Hamish, John and Stewart, I did not catch the rest of the crews names but well done them. A bumpy rideto the pontoon then half hour later we were in Portree where an ambulance was waiting.

An hour and a half later Lorraine was in Broadford Hospital where she spent a uncomfortable overnight, Friday morning ambulanced to Raigmore, one and a half hours after arrival in Inverness Lorraine was operated on and next day discharged to the local Premiere Inn for four days because the storm had set in and we were in effect, Stormbound.

Quite an experience which we do not want to repeat but we were lucky in so many ways and we must say the NHS is not quite finished yet, they did a great job. To-day the plaster is off but Lorraine is feeling it.

Back to Rona tomorrow for some R&R.