hey hubbers, its fun to share our stories how is this for bad luck !!!! so i start in VA, nervous and amped to try and do my best time yet...... first obstacle, the ripples as you leave Tarlton...... #1 Water bottle goes flying after those ripples, my lucky water bottle, so i leave the back of the group to turn around and fetch the bottle...... #2 Takes me about 6 km's to finally catch the last stragglers of the group, i try get my rhythm going, after a couple of KM's..... boom flat tyre !!!! i start changing the tube and a white hilux stops behind to assist... i check the tyre to feel if the culprit is still there and find nothing, guy helping does the same and nothing. new tube and away i go..... #3 Riding as hard as i can to try make some time up and i start seeing a small group of guys and i recon, cool might still work out to be an ok time, then guess what........ boom flat tyre again , white hilux stops again, tyre off and we find the sharp piece of wire on the side wall, we must have missed it the first time , now i have to use patches as i only carry 1 spare tube.... we patch it with these crappy green instant patches ( what rubbish), takes us a little longer but soon on my way. #4 going down the first set of nice downhills and i starting feel a bit more positive and thought things were going to be ok.... guess what.. lol, the guy who helped me did not close my saddle bag ( yes i know i should have checked ), so out flies my tube and it gets wrapped around my cassette, thank goodness it did not lock up my back wheel as that would have been the end of me!!! i had to pull over for a 3rd time to remove the tube , guy in the Hilux is very apologetic but said he did close it, i thanked him for his help regardless........ #5 on my merry way and believe it or not, sometime before magalies, boom flat number 3...... seems the patch i used was not holding on as it should, and now i have no spare tube or bombs..... i am also under the impression that i have lost my bomb adapter and tyre removal tools whilst the saddle bag was open . so with no other option i walk lol, i am sure some of you must have seen me lol. thanks to the VB rider who stopped and offered me a tube, thinking that i had no other spares/tools i said thanks but i can't do much without it ( big mistake, i could have used my skewer handle to remove the tyre at least) I keep walking until i meet some riders who hit the pot hole on the dip by magalies, they generously assist with a pump, thanks to the CHOC's rider who left me his bomb and adapter, if you read this let me know who you are so i can pay you back for it....... #6 i manage to patch the leak again and make my way again, i pass the water point and believe that finally i might just finish the race........ but alas, boom flat number number 4, on the climb after the 50km odd water point i stop again. this time remembered to use the skewer to remove the tyre, use my last patch and try the "CHOC'S BOMB" but it only had a little air left so i am strander...... emptying out my back pocket i found my tyre lever....... so i had my final temper tantrum and shortly after i saw one of the pick up crews... and i had no choice but to say "please take me back..." sad day for me lol moral of the story...... check your tyre PROPERLY for what caused the puncture......... keep proper patches......... other riders don't often stop to help, if they do take all spares on offer, you never know you might use it....... and a skewer handle takes a tyre off pretty easily...... always remember where you put your stuff, don't assume so after so much hype for this race, i was disappointed but i am a firm believer that everything is meant to be, everything happens for a reason , i believe Someone was looking after me and there was no ways i was to finish the race anyways, hope you hubbers had a good ride!!
