Bivvy a month 2018.

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summittoppler
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by summittoppler »

A bit late posting here as my PC has been out of action...
A few pics from my March camp 3/3.
A nice spot above the Ogwen valley, Snowdonia. A great little trip with a there and back route of about 15 miles with a hint of spring in the air.

Image20180325_171315 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Image20180326_065826 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Image20180326_071542 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

The best view for a Monday morning breakfast :-bd
ImageIMG_20180326_161725_588 by Jeff Price, on Flickr
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Wilkyboy
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Wilkyboy »

I'm just putting them here as a placeholder, but I have managed three bivvys so far this year —

January — "Pluggin' Mud up Oliver Cromwell's Hole" [map]— very, very, very muddy; wheels locked solid it was so muddy
February — "Double-bagging in Lady Bush Close" [map] — very, very cold; way colder than I was prepared for
March — "Square bagging up Worsted Street" [map]— worked out quite well and filled in quite a few squares on the map

All around Cambridge, which isn't really that exciting as far as this sort of thing goes. I'll get some write ups posted soon.
Last edited by Wilkyboy on Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by RIP »

"Lady Bush Close"????? Fantastic! I'm going to treat that as entirely above board as a literal location. Excuse me a moment, just off to check my OS Map 209.... I know exactly where my next BaM is destined for....... :-bd
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whitestone
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by whitestone »

This is an addenda to last weekend's trip as I had to recharge the camera to get the images off it :roll:

Anyway, this was our first bivy. Notice the two bivy bags on the left of the tarp. That's downhill :lol: My head was almost at the tie out facing the camera.

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The following night was a bit better.

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This was the view in the morning.

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This was one of the more interesting sections of riding/walking/hike-a-bike

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summittoppler
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by summittoppler »

Here's a few words, pics and a video from my Snowdonia camp.....

https://fat-bike.com/2018/04/bivvy-a-month-challenge-3/
BAM: 2014, 2018 & ......
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ericrobo
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ericrobo »

Superb photos there Jeff, and a lovely area..

Would you mind telling me where you started your off-road from ?
(ericrobo at talktalk dot net)
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summittoppler
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by summittoppler »

Thanks ericrobo
Started at SH 73245 66340
BAM: 2014, 2018 & ......
2024 Bikepacking nights: 3

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JohnClimber
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by JohnClimber »

4/4 and most importantly for me 24/24 (now relax :cool: )
from me last night with a few mates and beers, which didn't help me to get off to sleep at all :roll:

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This morning

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Work up at 6.15am to see this rain fast approaching the North West so quickly got up and packed away my kit before it rained (so there was no drying to do at home)

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And the obligatory bike with gear photo before the heavens opened and soaked me through on the way home
bgrunes
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by bgrunes »

4/4 done out with John C and a few others, great night.

Ride out from home, across to the Leeds &v Liverpool canal and then to the Bivvy spot

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Crossing the River Alt

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View down one the dryer sections of the canal
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Next morning left as the rain started to my first puncture, new tube fitted. Even though checked the tyre before fitting a member of the thorn family was still resident in the side wall so not long after flat again. All this included my Lezyne HV pump not being able to release the adapter of the base and the air release button stuck in so not inflating. A straight (shortest) run home ready to watch the Derby with a couple of beers in the afternoon.
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DiscoStu
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by DiscoStu »

Hi @Johnclimber & @bgrunes :wink:

It was indeed a good night - I hope the slightly pi$$ed up antics of us bivvy newbies didn't keep you awake too long! Great pics, I'm looking forward to the next one now. Can you start BaM in any month? :-bd :-bd

bivvy.jpg
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JohnClimber
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by JohnClimber »

DiscoStu wrote:Can you start BaM in any month? :-bd :-bd
Of course you can, but Jan to Jan is the traditional start, it's early to start in the spring, but come Autumn it starts getting hard
fatbikerbill
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by fatbikerbill »

here's a few from my Berwick to bolton trip the other w/e.

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a brew in Grassington

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very muddy boots above Askrigg

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a snow Good Friday morning

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a very chilly night & a bike covered in frozen solid mud.
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JoseMcTavish
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by JoseMcTavish »

After cutting it fine last month, I thought I'd get April's bivvy in early and mix it up with an attempt at a 200 mile ride the following day. After my lovely wife took the kids down to Glasgow for the weekend, leaving me free and easy, I sneaked out of work an hour early on Friday and jumped a train from Aberdeen northwards. 6 and a bit hours later, I escaped from exchanging shanter with some pissed up yoofs from Wick and hopped off the train at Forsinard.

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I had the shortest ride to my bivvy spot possible, in the hope I'd get plenty of sleep in advance of the big ride back to Aberdeen the following day. Instead, I messed about outside, trying to get pictures of the skyscape, despite the high winds...

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I was camped out in an amazing bird hide, which due to it's spiral shape, pretty much funneled the wind to wherever you lay. Still, not a bad view to wake up to.

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Quick bite to eat and I set out about an hour later than I planned, after savouring the spot too long. 203 miles to go, starting with some boardwalk!

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Enjoying the sun and the headwind, I headed South to the first proper climb of the day near Kildonan station. I assumed it had been warm enough that the snow drift warnings wouldn't apply!

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It was lovely up top, but I didn't look in great nick for someone with 180 miles left to go!

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A few miles were eaten up on a fast and rough descent, followed by a quick stretch of A9 to Golspie, where I had second breakfast by the sea.

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After Golspie, I crossed The Mound and headed inland again to keep to quiet roads up Srath Carnaig, eventually dropping down again to Bonar Bridge.

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A short section along the main road took me to my next climb up Struie hill, to stay high for a while before descending again to pass Alness, Evanton and Dingwall, before finally making it to the Kessock bridge and Inverness for my halfway feed!

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A pit stop at McDonald's with an apple pie in the back pocket to go, left me feeling greasy and un-energetic as I mainly followed the national cycle route up towards the Slochd summit and Carrbridge. Next stop was Nethybridge where I had another snack and composed myself for the next bout of climbing.

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As i climbed up to the main road to Tomintoul, the rain started to make its presence felt, so I put on all my wet weather gear, figuring it was only going to get worse as I got higher - unfortunately I was right! Bridge of Brown passed and then Tomintoul, leaving me with what I 'd been dreading all day - the Lecht. I'd done it before, but never with 150 miles under my belt. It got dark just as I started the climb and I plodded up the steepest section fighting as much against the river flowing down the middle of the road as gravity itself. I saw the ski centre on the horizon and was almost disappointed I was going to make the top without being reduced to a blubbering walking mess.

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Luckily, the mild temperatures extended up to 700m, so there was no issue in letting rip as far as my lights could see on the descent down to Corgarff and then Strathdon, before wiggling my way across Aberdeenshire on the quietest roads I could find back to home and a nice cuppa.
ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ScotRoutes »

Ha ha - brilliant! I've recently been working on a route back from JoG to Inverness trying to stay off-road as much as possible. As you can imagine, much of it ties in with the first part of your ride. I've opted to head from Bonar Bridge to Croick and then reverse the HT550 to Contin before cutting in to Inverness along the Beauly Firth. I reckon it should all be do-able on the Amazon with gravel tyres.

Oh - and I love the bird hide/viewing platform. I'd already been eyeing it up as a bivvy point, on the basis that it might be the only thing in the area high enough to escape the midge :lol:
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whitestone
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by whitestone »

Nice one Craig :-bd I was wondering why your Strava activity started at Forsinard, now I know.
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JoseMcTavish
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by JoseMcTavish »

Cheers Colin, was a grand day out! I ended up on the lower level to keep out the wind better, but the upper would be ideal with a bit of breeze in the summer. I imagine midge levels are quite spectacular there at times!

That sounds like a good ride, there are so many extra tracks up that way that almost go somewhere too. You could also go South from Croick past Diebdale and drop to Strath Rusdale, followed by a climb and drop past the wind farm above Evanton. You'll probably get slightly more offroad miles for your money with your plan though!

Hey Bob, I had been thinking of going all the way to Thurso and then riding down to Forsinard on the Friday night, but figured I'd need more sleep and went for the sensible option! There's something about the area I've always liked too.
ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ScotRoutes »

JoseMcTavish wrote:there are so many extra tracks up that way that almost go somewhere too.
Yeah - Loch a'Bhealaich to Crask looks tempting too but possibly a bit too much hike-a-bike.
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JoseMcTavish
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by JoseMcTavish »

The first bit would be great on the Amazon, but would get less fun from about halfway along Loch Choire onwards. On an MTB you can get almost to the top of the pass.
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whitestone
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by whitestone »

I've opted to head from Bonar Bridge to Croick and then reverse the HT550 to Contin
Colin, the climb up from Deanich Lodge might be the hardest/roughest part of that
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ScotRoutes »

whitestone wrote:
I've opted to head from Bonar Bridge to Croick and then reverse the HT550 to Contin
Colin, the climb up from Deanich Lodge might be the hardest/roughest part of that
Yeah - I've cycled that bit both ways. Mostly rideable I reckon.
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by ScotRoutes »

A bit of an impromptu get-together means April is done already and now I've no need to panic for the rest of the month :grin:

Another trip down Feshie for a cold one (frost on surfaces this morning) and a chance to try out the new quilt. It's certainly warm enough with my other layers on even at those temperatures. Should be ideal in the warmer months too. The upper cord has already been ditched and I'll persevere with the other two to see how I get on with them. A disaster was averted when Ross and I managed to scrape together enough spare pegs for Neill, who had forgotten to pack his.


ImageP1050042 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

ImageP1050048 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

ImageP1050046 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

ImageP1050049 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by fatbikephil »

4/4 AKA The Scottish Spring thing. A select bunch of me, Blair and Jamiep rode some trails round Fife, drank some beer, stayed at the Fife 5 star bivvy spot, rode some more trails went home.

In view of the on-going debate about what is or isn't Bikepacking, I'm confused, however we experienced the following, (all typical of a Scottish mountainbike trip :wink: ), so I'll let the panel decide:.....
The sun blazed down both days and it was warm.
The wind was behind us pretty much all the way round, thanks to a 180 shift overnight
We rode great trails
Did a massive hike a bike climb
There was enough mud to be fun (Blair went knee deep) and make the bikes look like we were hardcore adventurers, but not so much that it was an impediment to progress
We had a fire (in a stove)
One of us cried (me after eating the worlds most powerful chilli and again the following morning in the bivvy toilet)
We waxed lyrical about the amazing experiences we'd had and how it had changed out lives ( = drank beer in the pub and talked sh*te)
We suffered (me after eating said chilli and Blair after drinking a bottle of Newcastle brown)
We ate cake
:-bd
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whitestone
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by whitestone »

You were going well then Phil until you mentioned suffering and Dog :shock:
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middleagedmadness
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by middleagedmadness »

a trip down to see scott and spend the night on the long mynd , set off saturday afternoon in lovely weather ,followed the ncn 81 out of bilston down the canal and into telford then picked up the silkin way into iron bridge , then a few bridleways and some tarmac down into church stretton having a quick stop of for a quick pint,
met upwith scott and had a few more pints and a bit of grub before as he puts it a perky climb upto the summit .
woke the next morning to complete mist on the hill so it was a slower spin down to the bottom for breakfast and then a spin home all in it was 120 milesand a fair bit of climbing
ImageIMG_20180414_175949 by Stuart Dean, on Flickr
a quick pint on the way down
ImageIMG_20180414_165132 by Stuart Dean, on Flickr
one of the more passable bridleways
ImageIMG_20180415_055919 by Stuart Dean, on Flickr
a bit of mist in the morning
ImageIMG_20180415_102458 by Stuart Dean, on Flickr
who said us 2 wheel tramps cant be civilised
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Piemonster
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Re: Bivvy a month 2018.

Post by Piemonster »

We ate cake
Pffft, no mention of friendly hill runners.

I’m offended!
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