The 2021 MCC Pop Up Trial

Car 54 where are you? On Chilli Bridge (Photo : Steven Price)

The 2021 MCC Pop Up Trial was no push over. Although conditions were uncharacteristically dry for April, there were twelve difficult sections, many with restarts. Over 130 road miles and including hills regularly used in the Land's End Trial, the Pop Up Trial took competitors through a landscape they were lucky enough to only ever seen by moonlight. If they were unlucky, they got to not see it, as it was shrouded in mist or hidden behind sleet reflected in their headlamps. That's Exmoor in the dark for you.

Last year's Land's End was postponed and then cancelled due to Covid 19. Subsequently, neither the Edinburgh nor the Exeter Trials took place, despite hours of preparation work behind the scenes. The postponed Presidents Trial took place last October when restrictions were briefly lifted and I dabbled with some autosolos and autotests run by local motor clubs. In anticipation of MSUK permitting a gradual return to motorsport, the Motor Cycling Club sought to get everything in place to make something possible at least. In collaboration with the ACTC and the Launceston and Minehead Motor Clubs, the MCC put as much as possible in place so that when any starting marshal said "In your own time," we could proceed and maintain forward motion. Just like the Man from Del Monte, MSUK said yes to a limited return to competition from 1st April (no kidding) and the Pop Up Trial went ahead on the 3rd April!  

The restrictions were no passengers and social distancing at all times. This meant the use of IT and an upper weight limit for big trail bikes. Also, there would be no night run and no-one could stay anywhere overnight if not in their own house. Consequently, only fairly local entrants could manage the start near Dulverton and the finish at Lewdown on the old A30.

Fortunately, I was in the catchment area and got caught. The lack of a navigator/bouncer was partly overcome by IT innovations. 

I downloaded my route card and a variety of files for satnavs and phones. My satnav turned out to be too old to accept the route files (or maybe it was the operator was too old) but the files on my phone seemed to work okay. The cigar lighter in the recently face-lifted Arkley-MG didn't work, however, but I bought one of those new fangled back up phone batteries.

I set off from home in what I thought would be plenty of time but got to the unofficial holding control at Tiverton services just as number 68, Julian East in his X-90, was leaving. I was number 54!

I proceeded promptly to the Start Control in a layby on the A396, near Dulverton. The only trouble was that a combination of small screen and gloved gnarly fingers got me to Vanuatu on Google Earth. They say the South Pacific is very nice this time of year but I don't think it could really compare with Exmoor this weekend. More of that later.

Out of 34 entrants, only 7 were cars. I reckon motorcyclists were unfazed by the lack of passengers and more familiar with the IT anyway. Is there a demographic at play here? Are motorcyclists more youthful? Many of the car drivers subsequently said they were in full admiration of their navigators. Fortunately, I’ve experience of finding the way for Team Robert in the Candidi Provocatores Allard. My default option of edited hard copy route card served me very well. I missed only two turnings. I was slower as I had to stop and check occasionally. My preferred option for the future would be a satnav that accepts an upload of the route.

I’d be interested to hear what IT worked for my chumrades.

Chilli Bridge was the first section and a new one to me. It wasn’t too rough but there was a little confusion about the route to the next section, which was Edbrooke Lane. The satnavvies in their cars didn’t go through Dulverton like I did. By then, I was following my roll of A4 sheets,  clipped to the passenger’s panic handle on the dashboard. We still all found the right places, though. Edbrooke started off with very nice cobbles and the start marshal said it could be slippery when damp.

On my way to the Slade Lane restart (Photo : Peter Browne)

Slade Lane near Timberscombe had a restart right at the top. There was a sharp left hand bend and then a bump with lots of knobbly tree roots. I couldn’t get away so the pressure was off for a clean run!

I was so pleasantly surprised to have found the next section at Tar Cottages that I forgot to lower my tyre pressures. Consequently, I failed the restart in front of Dave Middleditch, Richard Tompkins and a host of other familiar faces.

I remembered tyre pressures from then on and got away alright on Felon’s Oak although Roger Ugalde shouted out “Fail!” as I pulled up to the restart box. Just below it was a really rough and stony section. Felon’s Oak was the first of the Land’s End trial hills and one I had only tried in the dark up to now. It looks splendid in daylight and the sun was now fully out as I headed off for Exmoor.

There followed a long road section to Beggar’s Roost. I had a very welcome pasty and coffee at Barbrook filling station. I was really hungry by then but running pretty well to time. Another restart and another get away on the Roost itself, although in the videos it looks like I pull up quite abruptly. Perhaps a gentler stop would help my performance on more difficult restarts.

Exmoor looked fantastic on Easter Saturday. Countisbury Hill was especially impressive and some of the roads to Simonsbath took me by great ravines that I had never seen before.

Riverton – another old friend - had another restart and was suddenly cold out of the sun and at Sutcombe we were told no stopping and no cakes! The Sutcombe locals were still pleased to see us, though, and I had a good chat with John Deacon on the start line in his Francis-Barnett hat. There were some lads egging me on through the water splash and when I was able to pull in to pump my tyres up another pair were eager to take photos.

The long road down to Angel Steps was another scenic section. It took us passed Roadford Lake and through quite unfamiliar country for me.

I like the front wheel pawing the air! This is Angel Steps. (Photo : Peter Browne)

The last time I tried Angel Steps, was on the 2019 TamarTrial, when there was a wicked restart and I punctured a brand new tyre and had to descend to the bottom to change a wheel. I'm over it now.

Angel Steps had the best what3words title of all our destinations – branching.sublime.menswear – but seemed to be living up to its reputation. The Beetle of Nigel Webber and Ashley Clarke in his red MX5 came back down again as I approached. After some of the usual ribaldry with Nigel Cowling, it was my turn for a go.

Without a restart, I was able to maintain forward motion over the rough bit wot dun me in last time. After that there was a rock slab. Fortunately, this was dry and, by gassing it and lighting up the tyres on the Arkley-MG, I got up it!

I was ever so pleased at the top and so was Richard Goodman in his Marlin. He got up, too! The only trouble was, his travel guides were now taking the failure route so we proceeded to Lew Woods with the course closing Fiat Panda right behind us.

And rest! Time to tell tales of regained traction and exploding ignition coils

I had noticed little white arrows at junctions. It dawned on me that these were courtesy of the benevolent Launceston & North Cornwall MC so the way through the woods was easy to follow. After the special test, I ended up in the familiar wood yard but did the next sections in the wrong order. They weren’t numbered on my route card.

Rip and Roar was almost a Crash and Burn. It looked like it needed a concerted blast up a forestry hill. It was in between substantial trees and full of tree roots. I tried to do a “Dick Bolt” and blast up on just the rear wheels but one of the bigger trees developed the fibreglass equivalent of magnetism and I had to stop before I hit it. I still have no idea how Dick does it.

Simon’s Folly, which I should have done first, was rough and tight and nadgery but very satisfying.  

Chin wag at Jethro's with Dave Middleditch and Stuart Holton

And then it was the finish at Jethro’s club at Lew Down.

I was sorry not to see any of my motorcycling chumrades so don't know how they found the Pop Up Trial.

Stuart Holton in his Salamander Special was waiting for the course closing Fiat Panda. They were bringing him a section of zorst that had succumbed to a bump somewhere. I also got to hear about Nigel Webber’s climb of Tar Cottages. Dave Middleditch said it took him ages but he somehow maintained forward motion of his Beetle even if, at times, it was by the millimetre.

I’d seen him pulled up at the last junction but one with his engine lid up and a rising plume of smoke. He said his coil had exploded! Fortunately, he had a spare so completed the trial.

I look forward to the return of the classic long distance trials format again. Maybe this time next year the Land's End Trial will be a viable event again. However, there is already talk of another Pop Up Trial, possibly later this year, and I think that will prompt huge interest after the success of this experimental event.