[metaslider id=2760]
ESCA [Un] Reliability Trial or ‘Five punctures and a GPS’
48 miles in 4 hours – piece of cake, time to stop for tea and a beer at the end!
Well, that was the plan, we started ok abet with a gps which wouldn’t show turn by turn directions but after a couple of wrong turns in Hailsham it was off over the Pevensey Levels. It wasn’t long before we started seeing groups huddled over punctured tyres along the road. Half distance we were just fine comfortably up on the ‘clock’ but aware the second half of the course was bound to be ‘lumpy’. It was just after Brightling the problems started with Paul Harris first to puncture.
A few miles further on ESCA virgin Adam Grange had his turn on the pump only to stop a few miles later with another. Close examination of the tyre this time revealed a sharp shard which was duly removed. At this point time was tight but it was still possible – just. We then realised Paul Harris had left his sunglasses at the second stop, more time lost.
Rejoining and now really started to ride. Half way up a hill into Mayfield it was Richard Woodward’s turn to flat this time with a piece of glass. This was the one which blew any chance of getting in on time, but a little further on Richard again flatted with yet another piece of glass! With just 4 miles to go we had already abandoned our attempt and we were already well outside our finish time, and to top it all it began to rain!
In the end I believe the only reliable East Grinstead rider was Steve Dennis, but hey we enjoyed it, kept the group together (almost), but does anyone have a spare tube they could lend me, I appear to have run out!
PW
