Grizedale Forest Stages December 1st.
Graham Steggles/Emma Bain Car 90

Grizedale? It will be affectionately known as Grimsdale from now on in my eyes.
Passing scrutineering is now a simple affair and doesn’t worry me as much any more. This is probably through meticulous preparation and attention to detail!? We arrived late and missed signing on by 30 seconds. When they said 8.30pm prompt they meant it! As we were running car 90 we had plenty of time to sign on in the morning and go back for breakfast. In service before the start we decided to change a bush in the N/S front suspension leg as there was plenty of play. The tyres were pumped up and oil and water checked for the 14th time!
The start initiated my stomach trying to get into my mouth again but by the time we crossed the line all was well. A short drive to stage 1 was accompanied by a slight pulling to the right under acceleration but I put up with this. “100 uphill hairpin left, 45 right,” “Oh I’m scared theres no road on my side and a big drop”, “straight” came from Emma. I had no time to take in the instructions as I hit a large hole on the offside shaking the welds on the shell and making the pull get even worse. Then the car wouldn’t steer around lefthanders and I realised I had a flat! I drove through as fast as poss but it was really not up to rally speed

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At the end of stage 1 we changed the wheel and realised the bottom ball joint was dropping off as well. Stage 2 went a little longer before we had a N/S/F flat tyre! I’d done it once so I carried on but tried to keep my speed up only to see the front tyre come off taking the wheel arch extension and front bumper with it. 1st time I’ve driven on a rim and I have to give the Pug credit as it still remained quickish but with a mile to go I had to stop as the brakes were being knocked back by the rocks hitting the caliper. We changed in stage and found only the outer rim of the wheel left exposing the caliper. A maximum was taken and into service we went.
The bottom ball joint hole in the hub was ovalled and we had used both our spare wheels! Never had a puncture yet and having 2 I thought I was covered for the rest of the event! The bottom pinch bolt was tightened to maximum by Jim and Malcolm whilst Jan and Michelle tried to ply us with hot tea and boost our confidence in what was looking like another DNF.
I decided to go out just for a finish hoping the ball joint solution would hold. Stage 3 was a short 2 miler and 4 was a repeat of 3 so it looked like a steady drive would see us through to the next service halt. Not to be I’m afraid as stage 3 went OK but slow and on the last few corners of stage 4 I felt the car handling oddly again. At the end I quizzed the time control crew and they confirmed a flat N/S/F tyre. I pulled up outside the control to squirt a whole bottle of tyre weld into it to no avail, I tried to look around the back of the tyre for a hole but couldn’t see one and as I came round the front again I saw a 2 inch (that’s 50mm) square slice through the sidewall. 1.30pm, game over, call the trailer, get to the pub and start drinking! 11.00pm and we were all very drunk (apparently we went at 9.30, cant remember), luckily we were booked in for Saturday night as well.
So, 1 wheel trim, 1 bumper, 1 hub, 1 wheel and 3 brand new Colway plus 4’s a vast amount of money and an enjoyable break later we think this may have put paid to our last event on 29th Xmas stages as I cant afford to fix it yet. I wont say a lot about reinforced sidewall Colways as they all punctured in the sidewall! Leave it at that eh? Thanks to everyone who helped and waved back at us when we were stopped at the side of the road waiting for the trailer.
G.Steggles/E.Bain