The Londons present the concert proceeds to Greenlea rescue helicopter staff. From left, pilot Bernie McQueen, paramedic Tony More, Angie and Garth London, crewman Libbie Faith. Photo / Supplied
The Londons present the concert proceeds to Greenlea rescue helicopter staff. From left, pilot Bernie McQueen, paramedic Tony More, Angie and Garth London, crewman Libbie Faith. Photo / Supplied
It was a case of what goes around, comes around for boutique lodge owner Angie London when she suffered a nasty injury on the Timber Trail recently.
Angie and husband Garth, who own Taupō's award-winning Whakaipo Lodge, have been holding fundraising concerts for the Taupō-based Greenlea rescue helicopter for three years.
And their habit of paying it forward has paid off - both have been rescued by the helicopter after finding themselves in sticky situations not of their own making.
Garth's was in 2011 after a climbing accident on Mt Ruapehu.
For Angie, her Greenlea rescue helicopter moment came on June 13 when she and Garth were biking the Timber Trail with NZ Herald Travel writer Elisabeth Easther.
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They had just passed the summit of Mt Pureora, about 15km into the ride, when Angie's bike had a major mechanical problem, causing her to fall off. Unfortunately for Angie, her feet remained clipped into her pedals and she fell into a drain alongside the track, badly injuring her arm. It swelled up to twice its usual size and was intensely painful, meaning she could neither ride nor push her bike.
While the couple were well-prepared, they were at 1000 metres, the temperature was only 5 degrees with the wind chill bringing it down to around zero, and Angie could not ride or walk herself to safety.
The decision was made to call for help. Although the Londons normally carry a personal locator beacon, on this occasion they had forgotten it but luckily they were at one of the few trail spots where there is cellphone reception. Another rider rang for help and the Greenlea rescue helicopter arrived within 30 minutes.
It dropped in paramedic Tony More who assessed Angie's arm and gave her some pain relief before she and Tony were winched into the helicopter by crewman Libby Faith and pilot Bernie McQueen flew them to Waikato Hospital.
Luckily, her banged-up arm proved not to be broken and when Garth picked her up, they headed back to Timber Trail Lodge to thank the riders who had stopped to help and shout them drinks. Angie was able to go home to Taupō, sporting a haematoma the size of an orange, the next day.
After Angie's extraction, with the help of some other trail users Garth was able to get himself, his bike and Angie's bike 8km back to a forestry road where he was transported to the Timber Trail Lodge to pick up his car keys and then the Ongarue trail head to collect his own vehicle.
He says he was very grateful to the two couples - DoC workers and their partners - who cut their own trip short to help out. Garth reimbursed them for their petrol costs and he and Angie have since hosted them at Whakaipo Lodge to say thanks.
"We had them for a night and shouted them a meal and sat in front of the fire and chatted, it was really nice to be able to thank them."
Greenlea rescue helicopter paramedic Tony More (left) waits with Angie London to be winched off the Timber Trail after Angie injured her arm mountain biking. Photo / Garth London
However what was really fate, or karma, or coincidence about Angie's rescue was that every year the Londons host a winter concert at Whakaipo Lodge and for the last three years the beneficiary has been the Greenlea rescue helicopter. This year's concert with band Many Chiefs raised $2000 and was held just two weeks after the Timber Trail rescue.
Garth says curiously, it's not the first time the rescue helicopter has come to their aid. He himself had to be rescued after being injured in "a pretty big rock fall" while climbing on the Mangatoetoenui Glacier on Mt Ruapehu in 2011.
"So we are pretty staunch supporters of the Greenlea rescue helicopter ... it's just an amazing service."
Garth says Angie's rescue was a reminder of the importance of being prepared. Between he and Angie they had the right gear, and their silver survival blanket also came in handy when helping the helicopter find them in the forest.
