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Thread: The Exeter Trial – Simms Hill (10<100kb)

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    Senior Member John_Baker's Avatar
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    The Exeter Trial – Simms Hill (10<100kb)

    Not been to one of these before, I believe the Motor Cycling Club has been doing the Exeter Trial since 1910! This year there were 568 bikes, sidecars and various other categories of vehicles.

    While it was lacking some of the nasties of previous events, so it was dry, not too cold, many would say it was pleasant. The hill claimed many casualties, a particularly interesting moment was when a contestant snapped his prop shaft half way up the hill, a large 4x4 tractor was deployed to recover, which then got stuck and the poor thing did not have the grip or power to make it up the hill. Quite amazing considering the number of ancient MGs, VWs, Imps, Skodas,etc, which had all managed to slither their way up the thing!!

    Managed to take just under 800 pics – first cull took that down to 146 of which 50 were something a bit special. A special thank you to Adrian Harris for posting the original link and showing me the ropes, this is a great event and well worth making the effort to visit.

    1 – This old thing made me smile, photographs really do not do justice the gradient, this lightweight almost ended up in the fence...


    2 – some were fun and had tyres pointing in all directions like this pre-war MG


    3 – the passenger or “bouncer” has an interesting job, literally jumping up and down to increase the traction on the rear – I suppose it was one advantage to not having a roof.


    4 – I do like big air and some managed it quite spectacularly


    5 – old beetles seem to take it in their stride, that was if they could get on the right bit of track – most still made it!


    6 – it was very popular, must have been near 300 spectators on this one hill


    7 – another bouncer taking it seriously!


    8 – some lightweight specials, this was later in the day, using slowsync flash


    9 – another flash shot, amazed to see this guy only had one hand.


    10 – this was what it was all about


    Let me know if you want to see some anymore??

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    Local Lycanthrope Fen's Avatar
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    Re: The Exeter Trial – Simms Hill (10<100kb)

    Some excellent shots there. The look of fear on #07 is amusing
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    Re: The Exeter Trial – Simms Hill (10<100kb)

    Great shots John

    Haven't been to one of these events since the 60's (that shows my age) and had forgotten how much fun they were. I'm surprised H&S haven't put a stop to them.

    Yes please - let's see some more

    Cheers

    Ron D

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    Senior Member 4BIKER2's Avatar
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    Re: The Exeter Trial – Simms Hill (10<100kb)

    What great pictures, it looks like you had a great time there, and yes I would love to see some more
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    Senior Member Badgerman's Avatar
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    Re: The Exeter Trial – Simms Hill (10<100kb)

    Great set of pics John, bring em on...
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    Senior Member John_Baker's Avatar
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    You asked...

    Go on then, a couple more...

    11 - Marlin, lots of these made it look very easy


    12 - MG


    13 - Austin


    14 - not sure what this was....


    15 - Skoda


    16 - Toyota


    17 - something from Harry Potter...


    18 - some vehicles had special devices to adjust the pressure in the tyres, many went up with them nearly flat


    19 - some had bits missing, not sure when this lost its window, but possibly made it easier to see!!!


    20 - I would have liked this a tad sharper - finally...



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    Re: You asked...

    Hi John

    Glad to see you have posted some up already - and what crackers they are too.

    I particulary like No8 where you used slow sync flash. The rear part of the body of the blue car is clear and sharp, yet the wheels are spinning and the front of the car has 'up and down' motion blur, which makes the shot look very dynamic and dramatic.

    It never occured to me until I was looking a these - but the drivers obviously cant see where there going half the time - but I suppose when the front's in the air it hardly matters - as they cant steer anyway!!!

    yes it is surpring H&S hasn't stopped us all having fun.

    Personally I was well prepared to take a risk by spectating )

    I am not very enamoured with most of my photos (typical me), but have a few interesting ones, so will try and post some tomorrow.

    You did a great job with the photos and I am glad you enjoyed it.

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    Senior Member Dave_Cox's Avatar
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    Re: You asked...

    Great shots John, these events are really fun! Number 14 is a special based on one of the Hillman/Singer Imp-type cars (badges missing so can't definitely say which model.)
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    Senior Member GDN's Avatar
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    Re: You asked...

    Great shots John. What a superb event to go to... Looks like a lot of fun. 8)

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    Senior Member John_Baker's Avatar
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    Re: You asked...

    I am not very enamoured with most of my photos (typical me), but have a few interesting ones, so will try and post some tomorrow.

    You will be surprised, I am sure you have some great images!! You always do, I look forward to seeing them...

    Dave – re badges

    There was some real ambiguity in some of these things – how about this one!!


    Lots of special stuff – Buckler




    Gary – fun

    Some things you just knew were just not going to make it, how about these two, they looked like they were having serious fun and enjoying the whole thing – one of the many who ended up sliding/reversing back down...


    Techno bit - all images taken 1DII plus my trusty 35-350L which had not been out for a while, no way I was going to change lenses at the event – Settings ISO 800, lens wide open, shutter speeds from 1/30” up to 1/800” - would have loved to have tried the 12-24 but would have needed to get even closer!

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    'Two Breakfasts' OneTen's Avatar
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    Re: You asked...

    Some really good shots there John. It looks like a great day out, I quite fancied it but forgot all about it, maybe next year.
    Richard...


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    Senior Member miked's Avatar
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    Re: You asked...

    Looks like you had a very enjoyable and productive day, John - cracking good pix. Well done!
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    Senior Member John_Baker's Avatar
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    Re: You asked...

    It looks like a great day out, I quite fancied it but forgot all about it, maybe next year.
    Richard - I should have rung you, sorry about that, I was not expecting to get out, I was supposed to be clearing the kitchen, but ended up meeting Adrian at Trago and had a lift in. This is one of three “classic” runs, the others go to Lands End and Edinburgh. The Lands End looks interesting and take place at Easter (10/11 April this year), I fancy having a watch of the Blue Hills stretch! Could be fun - more details on the MCC site www.themotorcyclingclub.org.uk

    cracking good pix

    Thanks Mike, was something new to me, was a better day yesterday for spectators. Today was overcast and drizzly, would have made it more fun for the vehicles, but grime for the watchers.

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    Senior Member Rustyknight's Avatar
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    Re: You asked...

    Great shots John. Looks like a very entertaining day.

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    Re: You asked...

    A greta set, looked like it was a cracking day. How far were you from the cars?
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    Re: You asked...

    Richard - I should have rung you...
    No worries John, like I say I had forgotten and ended up busy doing other stuff.
    Richard...


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    Senior Member John_Baker's Avatar
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    Re: You asked...

    How far were you from the cars?
    Put it this way, when the chap broke his prop shaft I could have dropped my leg a couple of inches and put my foot on his bonnet, I suppose we were about 1 ft above the roadway – later we moved across to a nice space, we finally realised this was the place that many cars slide into…
    Here is a close encounter picture.


  18. #18
    Senior Member John_Baker's Avatar
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    Ani Gif

    My first attempt at an animated Gif - not perfect but it gives you an idea of the event... AniGif 500kb - takes time to load...

  19. #19
    Senior Member Badgerman's Avatar
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    Re: Ani Gif

    My first attempt at an animated Gif - not perfect but it gives you an idea of the event... AniGif 500kb - takes time to load...
    That's clever John.
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  20. #20
    Senior Member John_Baker's Avatar
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    Re: Ani Gif

    Thanks Colin, I have tried it again on another sequence, OK so they are not quite 5D2 standard – this is the Austin 7 Sports – 12 images combined, I think I was working at slow speed so these were possibly 3 fps, but definitely not set for continuous shooting.
    Austin 7 - Ani Gif (large file 1.4mb)

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