[Closed] Exmoor Explorer

Yeah, got drowned as a rat last year. Guy I'm riding with says its gonna rain this year too. Good luck. 🙂

Actually, looks like Sunday dry and sunny! But rain Fri and Sat...

I'll be there too.

I'm hoping for dry weather and better luck this year - I had two punctures within the first hour last year and had to retire 🙁

First time I didn't finish in the last 7 years!

I'll riding, along with my daughter. Not sure how much of the 1, 2, or 3 loops we'll get in. Should be drying by Sunday, was incredibly dusty dry on Thursday evening

Any idea of the course? I just registered, so I don't know whether I've missed out on the pre-event emails.

Registration 7.00- 9.30am, Minehead Rugby Club. 10am kick-off. Three successive and progrssively more techy loops all start and finish from Rugby Club.

Each loop approx 10 miles.

Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't know whether any route details were given out in advance. I'm pretty familiar with the trails from Minehead, so I'm looking forward to it. Last time I did it was 2011 (I think!)

Well that was a lovely day out on the bike. Riding up and over North Hill to begin the day was a shock to the system, but the views and trail back down were worth it. I was a little surprised there wasn't more technical interest in the first two loops - it seems like in previous years there's been less forest road and more singletrack. The last loop really was a killer: the climb up through Alcombe was only just rideable!

From the top of the plantation looking across the Bristol channel:
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The famed tea and cake stop:
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And the spectators on North Hill:
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A cracking day out, with good weather!

Not too sure on the 3 loop format, starting in Minehead means you can't really get up onto the moor proper and there seemed to be a bit of a lack of singletrack in loops 1 and 2.

One of the great things with the explorer though is that the route is different every year so fingers crossed.

Not too sure on the 3 loop format, starting in Minehead means you can't really get up onto the moor proper and there seemed to be a bit of a lack of singletrack in loops 1 and 2.

I agree it could have made better use of the moor. It seemed like we did a lot of riding on the road to get to the trails. It must take a lot of imagination to change the route each year though. I guess they also have to cater to those who don't want 30 miles of super techy trails.

Marvellous weather (thank gawd!) & a grand day out. I'm not sure I enjoyed the course as much as pervious years, but I understand why they might have wanted to experiment with the format. As ever, the organisation, marshalling and cake was excellent. The final loop had some pretty brutal climbing thru the woods - & such was my state of relief at a subsequent descent, I managed to miss a course marker & dropped back down the valley. Idiot. 😳

As a side note, on the saturday I was meant to be getting a lift from Bristol with a mate. He called in sick, and so I caught the [url= http://westsomersetrailway.vticket.co.uk/ ]West Somerset Railway[/url] from Bishop Lydeard. It was ace - sling your bike in the guard's van & enjoy the scenery. 😀