Exmoor explorer 110525

 

10 riders signed on for this years Exmoor explorer run organised and led by yours truly. The weather from home was great and my app said there may just be some fine rain after lunch for a while so I was looking forward to leading on nice dry roads. The usual route was visited on Thursday, but 2 of the roads I normally used were closed so much time was spent trying to find a way around, typically, the diversion offered was just miles long and would not have got us to the Rest and be thankful for one of their lovely carvery’s on time as they had a big party arriving a little after us.

With Nick and Ian bringing up the rear, we set off at 1050. I had a following rider to mark the turn onto the Rackenford road but then there was no one so I had no option but to

Wait at the next turn.  Suddenly, hidden by a large vehicle, the remaining riders turned up causing a bit of a queue up, but soon on our way we got to Molland and on to the lower moor. A ride across this took us down to the lovely historic Marsh bridge before the turn up on to the middle moor passing Tarr steps on the way. We dropped then into Exford and on to Wheddon cross and our lunch stop, here I learnt that the earlier hold up was due to a BSA deciding it didn’t want to come out to play.

After lunch things got a bit tricky as the rain came whilst we rode over Dunkery beacon leaving things wet and slippery for our to ride over the ford on the Cloutsham road, where my Honda seemed to loose its grip for a while leading to a bit of shimmying and dancing!. 

In Exford we came across a bottleneck of horses, cars and ourselves but once through that things were clearer to Withypool and back over the moor to our finish at the Riverside caravan park.

We have an evening ride out on the 22nd to Wembworthy and next run will be from Jonesey’s café at Winkleigh on June the 8th.

Thanks to everyone who came yesterday for your resilience and patience, and no thanks to the rain makers.