MCC and its Road Based events

[Stephen Bailey]

How about a "Triple RR" Derbyshire to Plymouth run.

Keep away from the established routes we usually use in the West, using only better C class roads (no A or B roads except where absolutely necessary) where possible, keeping to a (generous) time schedule. "Gold" Medals or certificates for finishers with downgrading for lateness etc.

Easy to access the start - say around Buxton - and easy to return from Plymouth (or somewhere in the south west) - finish at a hotel or similar.
En route half a dozen/dozen marshals placed at strategic points with rubber stamp to mark yer card - including the start and finish. Simple. Relies on route finding (no route card; just coordinates, as in a scatter rally), even given the next set of coordinates at each marshal/"section". Only full cards and on time (within 30 mins) get a "gold", within 1 hr silver, 2hrs bronze.

Run overnight? If you prefer the scenery, run during the daylight. It could be an afternoon start, and an evening finish, with a celebratory dinner....nothing too onerous, but worthy of a celebration of the original club intentions, and of the three trials today. It could be a weekend run, the actual run overnight friday into saturday, or saturday daytime giving entrants time to get to the start, enjoy the run, enjoy the evening, and have sunday to return.

It could have classes - age related? older classes having easier timings? I think classic/special vehicles ought to be encouraged.

In essence a compilation of the Somerset scatter, the Centenary runs, the three trials, the Welsh weekend all rolled into one. Maybe via Prescott or Wiscombe as well....or the toll road at Porlock.

I'm happy to find a route.....

I like it.

Me too.... 

[Stephen Bailey]

Good to start (and possibly) finish fairly central. That way no one has too far a journey to begin or end with... 

[Stephen Bailey]

What about the following:

Two day event.
Not overnight.
Start and finish at the same point (just like the trials used to be).
Dinner and hotel after day 1.
Transport of an overnight bag provided by the club (or you just have to carry it yourself).
Every finisher gets a medal - Top 3rd a Gold and so on.
Optional unobserved sections

This might sound vaguely familiar to those who know the history of the club 

Also sounds good..... 

[Tim Kingham]

Couple of points
1.Both end to ends included some mild off road sections like running through Kilder forest on the borders

2.Somehow a:t a special event ie 120 years I think we need at least the length of an end to end ie a night a day a sleep a day. ( not including getting to start or going from end)

The hardest for me on the first trial was the tarmac hill where stopping at the start line on my DR  two up with both brakes on I slid down the hill for 50 feet backwards steering via the mirrors! it was only later I found out those with pillions could opt out that sections
Hardest on the second trial on my Trials outfit was on the way home when the back wheel spokes started coming out!

[Paul K]

it was only later I found out those with pillions could opt out that sections

Looks like someone didn't read the instructions .  Still, you can always blame your navigator .

[Susan TP-Jamieson]

IDEA FOR 120th EVENT.      Have 3 starts, -   Say Sth West, North,  & Midlands, the route from each start takes in iconic MCC hills, and / road section, all converging at a Finish in Meridian, centre of England, and inspiration for Triple Award, for overnight stop, and possibly a driving test type of event the following day.
In addition allow passengers/bouncers, the opportunity to select say a 1/3 of the observed sections to be the driver, with the 1st Driver taking up the Bouncer role. Each successful climb by a passenger scores an extra point.
You never know this might encourage more to take up the sport as a driver, as many of us, including me, experienced life as a bouncer before taking up the driving  challenge, if could also help to make drivers  appreciate the work of a bouncer/passenger, and the challenges that they face, I.e scrutineering paperwork, and clean storage of route card, all issues that have been commented on recently.

[Keith Johnston]

Here's my discussion starter for a road based 2021 event - in outline

- A two day daytime navigation event held over a weekend in June 2021
- Starting somewhere near Abergavenny in South Wales and finishing somewhere near Abergele in North Wales [or maybe reverse direction]
- Hotel stay inclusive in the entry fee on the Saturday night in central Wales with a celebratory Club dinner
- A choice from up to 20 'controls' on each day in some of the most remote and beautiful parts of Wales all on metalled roads. Points awarded based upon the remoteness of the control.
- Up to 350 miles per day
- One compulsory manned control/special test tie breaker each day held on hard gravelled tracks on private land
- Open to ALL vehicles [provided road registered]
- Finishers certificates for all and 1st, 2nd and 3rd class awards for participants depending upon total scores   

If successful, option to run in subsequent years in Scotland and Northern England and maybe become an annual event.

[Mark Gregg]

well to mark a 120th Anniversary we should do so by understanding and marking that anniversay so London to Edinburgh following one of  the very early routes in 24 hours  and to make it a challenge on the second day complete the North coast 500 in 24 hours..  now that would be a challenge and a challenge is what it should be.

[Jason Potts]

    and a challenge is what it should be.

I definitely agree.

Please do the anniversary justice and make it hard work. Just like it was 120 years ago. 

[Jason Potts]

How about London to Nordkapp. 

[rick howell]

Actually, I'm a little puzzled about celebrating 120 years. What does it represent? It isn't a real milestone like the centenary;  it doesn't create a story for the media to latch onto.

So wouldn't the 100th Land's End (due in 2022 by my reckoning) be more auspicious? and the 100th Exeter in 2028*? (not certain where we are with the Ed but you get the drift...). I mean we could actually run to Edinburgh, or Land's End or run the Exeter on Boxing day....as a one-off special event. With all the publicity it can muster. What if we staged vehicles representing the trials down the years - Triumph model H anyone? Acetylene lights perhaps? A Brough? We already have a number of pre- and post- war cars....

After all, we need that publicity to get noticed.

*The Exeter could be held twice in 2028; once in Jan 2028, and then again in Dec 2028 if held on Boxing Day. It's a tuesday by the way.

[Tim Kingham]

Perhaps the first thing to settle is simple or challenging....  or both?

[david@whitepost.me.uk]

How about a route which includes green lane sections.

Not necessarily observed or technical but add a bit of interest. 

I can't get excited about riding my motorbike on normal roads.  I can just go and do that anywhere.

[Celia Walton]

I managed all three of the centenary trials on my very much used and pretty reliable 1935 Ariel (solo), often travelling with other motorcyclists, with comparatively little mechanical trouble.  Followed the route given, one overnight stop at Carlisle (for the Edinburgh one), then stayed in Edinburgh.  Two days ride back to Oxford.  But then, I was only in my late 50s early 60s at the time (advancing years affect us all).   
My point is that longer special MCC events should be approached the same way the three main MCC trials are; start in one place, do the route, go home.   Big problem is finding people to do all the work in running them.  Maybe I just like things done the old fashioned way?