BBR 2022
September 2022 the sun is shining the M6 has become a car park and I’m on my way to Coventry. Yes it’s time to start the Brit Butt rally. Once I arrive I do all the pre rally checks I get a bit of food and shortly we’re all called in to the briefing. Rally flags are handed out and they are the best type (shopping bag) even useful after the rally. Next come the rally books they are A4 sized at first my thinking is I much prefer the A5 version for storage A4 is so cumbersome but more on this later. The theme this year is castles so they are usually quite big and easy to find.I return to my room and start colouring the little flags on my map there are 90 possible locations all over the uk. Plus a possible 4 combinations bonuses and the statutory rest bonus which could be a combination of the three possibilities either 2hrs (2000 pts) 5 hrs (20000 pts) 7 hrs (23000 pts).
You can claim up to 7 hrs rest bonus and you can have more than one rest bonus. So if I take a 2 hour rest bonus I need to find at least 21000 pts in the extra 5 hours of riding. Taking the 5 and 2 hour rest bonus doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense as it’s a thousand points less than taking One 7 hour break. But I shelved that for now and take a look at the map there might be really big points available to make that worthwhile.
There isn’t. Having looked at the points available and where they are I’ve dismissed the shorter rest options completely so it has to be a 7hr break just because of the points value even the combinations aren’t making it worthwhile.
My first option is to rough camp it’s an easy solution to the rest stop and very flexible plus most importantly cheap. Rough camping for 7hrs just isn’t practical in the past few years I’ve opted to divert to home for my break and take the pain of the time lost in doing this.
So going to London is out their having a funeral this weekend so that’s best avoided. Scotland looks good but I can’t make that route work for me, in fact no route looks like putting me anywhere near home around the time of the rest break. I spend quite a bit of time trying to get this to work as spending out on a hotel goes against the grain. I make a brew and ring a higher authority and explain the situation. It looks like a night in a hotel room. My wife would prefer me to be in a hotel for the night. It’s something that I’ve not budgeted for, but I now see little choice.
From this point onwards route planning becomes a lot easier or so I think. Well Cornwall looks good but no one with any sense goes to Cornwall. Not having a lot of sense I pick Cornwall on Saturday then Wales on Sunday. Simple enough now book a room somewhere in south Wales. Last minute rooms are really expensive can’t find anything below £120 in south Wales. I expand the search and eventually find an ibis hotel at Bridgewater. This sort of messes the plan up so I adjust it to suit the hotel location this means adding some and dropping some in different places to make the timings right. There is a control very close to this hotel but its a daylight only one so I won’t be able to claim it as I’ll be arriving and leaving in the dark. And I end up with a plan, it’s still quite early around ten o’clock but I pack some of my gear and get myself to bed it’s a 6:30 start so later than usual.
I am up before my alarm and have some breakfast pack up and get myself down to the carpark in good time. Already there is a lot of activity in the carpark and we are told what order to leave in this saves a bit of chaos at the start. I chat with a few people no one seems to be risking Cornwall, Robert is parked next to me “where are you going” I ask? “Scotland” is the reply. Interesting Robert always has a good plan. We set off in order because of the exit from the hotel everyone has to go to the first roundabout; there are a dozen bikes in front of me and a group of bikes behind me. The bikes in front of me 180 around the roundabout and I go straight on, feeling concerned I look back everyone behind me has 180 around that roundabout as well I am alone and the only one going this way. I must have missed something really important in the planning stage.
I drive past the first few castles and end up at Donnington Castle, oops some ones put it on top of a hill and you have to walk to it. That is not good, I haven’t planned to stop that long setting off up the hill thinking of the time I’m losing I break into a run in full bike gear. I manage around 3 seconds and realise how stupid an idea that is even walking to the top is quite strenuous for some ones who is nearer 70 than 60. I also find a use for that A4 rally book it’s just the right size to fit inside the bag style flag and hold it still and flat. I get my first picture and descend to the bike. The suns up now and its warming up a bit, it was a bit chilly without a jumper first thing but hopefully it’ll be warmer now. As I leave another rider appears so I’m not the only fool going south, I wonder if he has picked up one of those controls I drove past. So of I go down to the next control Portchester castle right on the south coast, as I arrive another rider on a white bike is pulling away. So there are at least 3 of us going south! As it turns out he is heading into Cornwall as well and we keep crossing each other’s paths for most of the day. I quickly take the photo and I’m on my way again.
By this time more and more people are out and about, and the reason you don’t go to Cornwall is the traffic I’m soon plodding through congestion on the major roads. But at least its dry and sunny this has fetched out the camper vans in force clearly the challenge for camper van drivers is to achieve the longest tailback possible. Once you get of the major routes in the south west there is a tendency to be on small lanes just the width of a car with 12 foot high hedges. Experience has taught me caution on these lanes as you can’t see much except to the next bend, so progress becomes slow in places.
I collect some controls and bypass others and I’m going towards Dartmouth castle. The sat nav has nicely routed me via Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, lovely every body’s going to the sea side it’s a sunny day. I arrive at Dartmouth ferry hadn’t spotted that last night in the planning stage but it provides a pleasant stop, as the ferry has just pulled out and is moving away from me. Why is this always the case on rallies? I take the opportunity to ring home as I do this every day on every rally just to say hello I’m here and well etc. Also this gives me the opportunity to eat a sandwich well it is around lunchtime now.
Dartmouth castle, photo taken. This was once a lighthouse but has not been used since 1886.
Continuing on into deepest Cornwall towards Plymton castle the instructions are to photograph a blue plaque. The chap on the white bike arrives at the same time as me; we both trudge of around the castle looking for the sign. We find it tucked behind a bench and a couple are sat on the bench blocking any view of the sign. We politely ask them to move or if they prefer hold our flags they opt to move for a few seconds whilst we take our photos. As we return to the bikes the chap on the white bike takes his helmet off, he must be stopping for a break. I haven’t that luxury I’m very conscious that I still need to reach the tip of Cornwall for the controls there and get back out to the Watermouth castle whilst it’s still daylight as it a daylight only control
I’m struggling to stay on schedule due to traffic, but by keeping the time down stopped at controls I am managing to claw back some of that time being lost. The heavy traffic is no surprise so at the planning stage I made sure I put in generous stops to compensate. Watermouth castle and its late evening but still daylight, I relax a little just one more control which is an anytime control and then the hotel to get to for the compulsory stop.
As evening sets in the roads are emptying out and I make good progress in the light traffic but its full darkness by the time I arrive at Tiverton castle. I drive past the castle and miss it completely then end up in a one way system. Eventually I make my way back to the correct location where is it? It’s quite small by castle standards and very badly lit. Reading the instructions bike and me in the photo, so I drive into the entrance to apply my headlight on the area to be photographed. First problem is its a slight downhill gradient so the light isn’t high enough to do the job I shunt and manoeuvre to the best possible position which is still poor. Selfie stick out and take picture, check picture. Darn that’s no good all you can see is blackness and a very bright red tail light. Into settings set night mode etc and try again the bright red taillight still dominates the picture plus only half of the flag and my face is blacked out I try again and again. I’m really struggling with this selfie I can barely see what’s in the screen down to poor lighting then, I discover once you’ve selected night mode when you reverse it to take a selfie night mode switches off!! There is no flash available and you can’t select night mode with the picture reversed. Not using the selfie stick I can get something reasonable. There isn’t a sole around so a helpful passerby is not possible. Holding a torch in my spare hand illuminates my face. The picture is quite interesting at this point looks like something from a horror movie you can just about see what’s required but it isn’t good. I’m cursing and spitting feathers the mobile phone just isn’t up to the job required of it. The settings on the phone are the problem. I’m at best poor holiday snap standard. How many points is this worth it turns out only 200 when I check the rally book. I pick the best from a bad bunch of pictures and send and hope for the best. I’ve wasted a lot of time on this control. But you have to make decisions; I could spend another 20 minutes on this and still achieve no better or take a chance the photos good enough and keep to my schedule.
Next stop ibis hotel Bridgewater as I pull off the motorway there is a 24 hour petrol station not 200 yards from the hotel, I had spotted this last night but am surprised at just how close it is a real bonus that will help a lot. So I get my receipt and retreat into my hotel room. I’m roughly on schedule and settle in for the night.
Next morning I’m awake before my alarm so make porridge etc before setting of, it was a bit chilly first thing yesterday so I decide I will wear a jumper. Its 4:13 when I get a receipt and pitch black my next stop is Pembroke castle, I’m now riding past a number of controls in fact I’ve done a lot of miles since Tiverton castle and scored nothing. The plan is to arrive at Pembroke as the sun comes up, in the mean time its bloody cold out here I start to watch the temperature and it’s down to plus 2 at times and I keep hitting patches of fog, its pigging cold. I’m so glad I put that jumper on. Having time to think I go over the plan in my head and it occurs to me today is Sunday and I’m likely to be somewhere in rural Wales when I next need fuel, petrol stations that are open can be hard to find in these areas. Don’t ask me where but somewhere in south west Wales I spot a petrol station open. I stop for a toilet break and fuel up its still pitch black.
There is no point in being early at Pembroke because it’s a daylight control so that fuel stop on the way could be a real bonus later in the day. I arrive at Pembroke castle just as its coming daylight. It is still cold but now the suns up it should start to warm up a bit.
I meander my way up through central Wales to Anglesey picking up a few controls. Its pleasant riding for the first half of the journey with next to no traffic on the roads. Of course Beaumaris is busy I did expect this Beaumaris always busy.
Next is Conwy Castle then a cross country run back to the start. Pulling onto the A55 I soon hit stationary traffic I wasn’t expecting this! I have to filter Progress is now slow. What I really need is a nice B road that runs parallel to my route the sat nav isn’t the largest screen and I’m not finding anything obvious, I depart the A55 at the first realistic opportunity and I eventually see Conwy castle and Gerald’s already there, we wave as I drive past looking for a parking spot. This is the first rider I’ve seen since the tip of Cornwall. I take my picture and depart Gerald has left before I finish.
The plan only has two more controls so I’m heading towards them now. Next is Beeston Castle it’s around 14:00 and it’s nicely warm now. Shortly after Beeston I stop for a comfort break on a country lane. As I put my sidestand down I see a 5 pence piece right where the stand is going. Strange but picking up the coin makes me really happy.
The final control of the day is Shrewsbury castle. I take my photo at the final control and I’m heading back towards the finish now.
I have made good time since Conwy and it looks like I’ll arrive with a bit of time in hand. When I produced the plan on Friday night I noticed two controls really close to the finish. There was a small difference in the points value the furthest one being a few points more. Doing a quick sum in my head I reckon I can make the furthest one and get back.
I soon find myself on the M6 heading south and the M6 is stationary again. I’m making really slow progress. The sat nav has me on motorways most of the way there. This is not going to work I’ll run out of time the late penalties would soon eat up any points gained. So I abandon that plan head to the finish. I know the other one is extremely close to the finish and decide to assess again when I reach the junction. Arriving at the junction I realise I’ve time for an additional control. The A and B roads are pretty clear and I’m soon at Brinklow Castle there are a couple of others there as well, I pull up alongside Steve and take my picture. I take a few seconds to chat to Steve I’ve not really spoke to anyone since Saturday morning except to say could you move please I need to take a photo. Steve has just come from Warwick Castle “how long did it take to get here?” we discuss the chances of making it there and back Steve bravely says go for it, but he is on his way back to the finish with plenty of time to spare. I’m thinking penalty points. I ask a 3rd opinion the sat nav not the most reliable source for this decision but. The sat nav gives me a route across country so no motorway that will make one hell of a difference, I give it a go with the proviso to watch the time if I start to get held up then I’ll just abandon it. Coming across country works I get the picture and a bit of harassment from an old woman about taking it and being there? This is really odd most people are only too happy once you explain and will even hold flags etc to help. I still make it back in the allotted time which is good news as that extra control was risky. I have my first coffee of the weekend it tastes really good, shortly food is served and we all retire to a small room for the awards.
As the results are read out I am in the final 3 me John and Robert, 3rd place Robert that’s come as a surprise he usually wins. Just me and John left before I know it some ones saying I’ve won. In the end a great couple of days of riding with some interesting places visited and new routes taken. Success as always comes down to making wise decisions, but I don’t always get it right
