Crash at Towler's Bay Track: Stu (Dibbler) in Hospital

Our good man and valuable Mont 24 hr team member Stu (Dibbler) had a bad crash during last Sunday's group training ride at Towler's bay track.

He landed hard and stacked after a water bar on an otherwise "easy" part of this firetrail that descends from West Head Road down to Pittwater.

He couldn't get up and had strong pains in his hip/leg. (He was later diagnosed with a fractured pelvis).

We quickly abandoned the idea of getting him out via one of our 4WD's, and called 000 for an ambulance. In hindsight, this was the right thing to do, as any injuries or fractures require proper medical attention immediately, and any shifting of the patient could cause further internal injuries and invisible internal bleeding.

The ambo's arrived within 15-20 mins (from St. Ives base) with a 4WD ambulance and a normal ambulance; and also had the required keys to open the NPWS gates (!). They stabilised him via morphine (3 doses), checked his injuries and called for backup. A slight complication was that they had to get him out via a stretcher into the 4WD ambulance and then transfer him to a larger ambulance (at the trail head) to get him to ER. Overall they did an excellent job; and looked after him very well (one of them was a MTB'er himself, and admired Stu's new Scott Spark; and assured him that it's well taken care off)

Stu is now in Mona Vale hospital and is being treated for a fractured pelvis (long cracks in the hip socket); and will require to stay "in traction" for the next 6 weeks. He's doing OK and is in good spirits.... send him a note via this forum or the contacts on his profile (day time hours please only).

Stuart (Dibbler)'s Crash at Towlers Bay - the aftermath... fractured pelvis

This is when the ambo's decided to give him a third dose of morphine before the 6 of us lifted him onto a temporary stretcher...

Tight fit into the 4WD Subaru Ambulance

Transfer between 2 stretchers - ouch - into proper ambulance