Bivvy a month 2022

[RIP]

Yep, welcome outside the asylum .

Looking forward to hearing about a bivvy/cave combo....

[Bearbonesnorm]

Never let it get too easy because the stories are never as good.

[summittoppler]

Last weekends Winter event didn't count as we had to pay to stay in the cosy wigwam so I had to get the ball rolling....
And if they all go like this I'll be a happy bikepacker!

Started pedalling at 4:30 which is just a few minutes after sunset here in Snowdonia. I was heading to a great viewpoint which has stunning views of the Snowdon Horseshoe. I've pitched close by about 3 years ago so knew what was coming. The area was the scene of an Aer Lingus plane crash in 1952 were 23 people lost their lives. More here: https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1784244

20220114_170915 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220114_171316 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220114_172450 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Tussocks on steriods! These were as deep/high up to my waist
20220114_174953 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220114_184837 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

2022-01-15_04-48-53 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220115_074623-01 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

The lights are the early morning walkers on their way up the Pyg track on Snowdon
20220115_071230-01 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

We'll just call this the 'Tussockometer'
20220115_094925 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

[Shewie]

Great pics Jeff, cracking place for a camp

I'm on plan C for next weekend, was originally going to head for Galloway but it sounds like a lots of the trails are still shut after Arwen, plan B was Ennerdale but there's a disease outbreak in some of the Larch so the chainsaw gang are in, so it's plan C now, I just don't know what it is yet.

[boxelder]

There will be a 4 year old involved...

How old is Ralph?

I can't remember how old he is, but he was about at my old house and I moved in 2016 so he's at least 6. He didn't start biving as early as Greg's little girl is going to. Greg's a better Dad than me.

Edit, scrolling back through Google photos he's in a picture taken Nov 2012 so he's at least 9. My pics don't go back any further. I've been with Jane for 14 years and he was a present from some of her friends so no older than 14.

Took a while to realise this is about a soft toy/mojo, and not that you couldn't remember a child's birth date

As posting things on forums increases the chances of accomplishment (does it?)...... I'm in, for a rookie year.

[benconnolli]

Just Eat Out

So the idea for this bivi has been lingering in my dreambox for like forever. It was simple; take my just eat bike and box out bikepacking.

Plan was bulked out as I waited between pick ups.

Finish a shift at work, swing by home, chuck bivi gear together, mop up as many takeaways as I can on my way out of town, have king of all midnight feasts in some ditch beyond the urban sprawl, wake up in a frost licked field, fill my lungs with delicious crispy air as I ride home in that winter glow, with rosy cheeks and hardy fulfillment.

Now, real life (bikepacking) just ain't that romantic.

Yet another person ordered drinks for me to deliver. Yet another spilled. Yet another mumbled "soz mate. They can't have put the lids on properly. Nothing I can do. Contact customer service from your email receipt and they will sort you out" as I was already mounting my getaway vehicle.

Round the corner I awkwardly tipped reminants out of the unweildly rucksack. Pressed completed on that job. Another pinged immediately! No time to clean. Gave it a vague wipe with hand tissues at the next pick-up. Such is life.

Once the shift was over I had a bit more of a clean, but the bag designers clearly haven't factored spilled drinks into the endless nook and crannies they managed to lump into a cube? Would have to bag up my kit like a proper trip.

The takeaway feast also fell victim of reality. Combination of being too hungry to want to set off cycling immediately, and seeing my bank statement. The entire first page was takeaways, in less than a week between paychecks.

By the time I'd got to the end of my street, all the frustrations of earlier were no longer relevant. Nothing beyond my beam of light mattered. I was out on my bike. Free.

One of the perks of going where nobody else wants to go, or in hostile weather, is that you get it to yourself. Now don't get me wrong, I love people, but I love not people too.

Ultimately the pragmatist in me beat off the romantic dreams of a sky full of stars. Frost is chilly and trees do a damn good job of taking the sharp edge off those brisk clear nights. Found a compromising border between the two where I could peek at the moon through bare branches. Not like I'd be able to see the view in the dark so may as well be comfy and hidden.

Was able to set up my simple bivi bag, foam mat, and sleeping bag by the light of the moon. Felt a connection with nature as I lay there, one which cannot be achieved by merely passing through. It needed me to mould into my environment.

Being warm despite the cold brings another level of cosiness, I've never considered myself cosy in nice weather. Another reframing of "bad" things.

Waking early needing a wee I felt revitalised, if not rested. After a seemlesss transition back to riding I was treated to a perfect storm of zen. My entire world condensed to a beam of light, shimmering off frost like pixie dust. A gentle gradient meant I just sat still and rolled. Taking it all in. Deep cold breath after deep cold breath. Ideal.

Plans rarely materialize in bikepacking. All of the best bits of this one didn't happen. Instead, some incredible things you could never manufacture made it exactly the trip I needed it to be.

[Bearlegged]

Went to Wales. Slept on a precipice and had to fend off wild feral hogs. Didn't wander into the local nymphomaniacs' camp. Reg knows. It was great.

2022 BAM 1/12
2022 total bivvies 1
Current streak (months) 38

[Kumquat]

Well, I'm in but I tested positive for covid today. No I'm sure it will be fine, currently on 24/24. Hoping for a greater number of visits to the coast this year.

[lune ranger]

I’m unsure as to whether I’m going for an official BAM or not but as it’s January and I just have ticked off a cheeky bivi I’ll post here anyhow. The next 11 months will take care of themselves one way or another.
The overall aim for my cycling year is to do some long distance audax/road-packing, culminating in multi-day show stopper, route tbd. With this in mind I thought an after work bivi would be in order. Firstly as a way of increasing my weekly mileage up and secondly to get used to the bivi bag only ‘camping’ I intend to employ later.
Paying attention to the recent colder weather I packed my gear on Friday evening with a strict TLS protocol.
Taking only a set of woolly baselayer, socks and light gloves as extras over the riding clothes I was wearing. Synmat7 (short), Lamina Z, inflatable pillow, Tyvek groundsheet, Kloke bivi, toothpaste and 1/2 brush rounded out my packing list. This was crammed into the smallest bags I could manage, a single water bottle was added to the bike and I finished getting ready for work.
0630 on Saturday morning and I was on my way to work with the Garmin showing -2* and clear skies and wondering if the my sleeping gear was going to up to the job later tonight. Once at work I didn’t have much time to think about the coming night or even look outside the windows. Anyone saying Omicron is a mild disease should take a look inside an ICU and see what’s happening to the unvaccinated…. Fast forward.
2145 and I’m leaving the hospital not entirely full of enthusiasm when I feel the drizzle on my face as I get free from my mask.
Decision time. Head home or head off? Heading off won and I shortly found myself following the East bank of the River Exe towards the coast.
The riding is mostly flat and traffic free and I found myself feeling pretty pleased as I make good progress through the intermittent drizzle. As I passed the Commando Training Center at Lympstone there was of Troop of Nods being beasted on the Bottom Field, glad I wasn’t them I got my head down and turned the pedals that bit faster.
At Exmouth my route turned back inland and I climbed in earnest up onto Woodbury Common and swapped the road for a mixture of thick mud and hard pack gravel tracks.
I was rather impressed with the performance of my Schwalbe G-One Allround in the slop, the dimpled tread offering far more grip than I’d ever have thought.
I really enjoyed the 8km or so across the Pebbled Heaths, smiling to myself as the drizzle finally stopped and the skies cleared. 24km done and 6* C, nice.
Back on the road, I dropped my height and hooked up with the River Otter and pushed on into the night. It was getting cold down in the valley and with the clear sky, fog patches were building. Soon enough it was a full-on pea-souper. Visibility dropped and I needed to turn off my helmet light to be able to see. I was very glad that my main light was a StVZO compliant dynamo, the cut off beam made riding through the thick fog just about bearable. I was really enjoying it now.
Through Tipton St John and I left the river valley and began 6km of climbing up to the ridge of East Hill.
The climbing was made all the more bearable by the views unfolding over my left shoulder. As I gained altitude I left the fog behind and a nearly full moon highlighted a spectacular cloud inversion.
As I topped out I was rewarded with a section of pan flat road allowing me to get my average speed back up.
Descending towards the flat lands again I pulled on my windproof as I plummeted back into the fog.
What followed was the least interesting riding but it was familiar and relatively fast going. Drizzle started to fall again so I pushed on to keep warm.
It was after midnight as I road the cycle path towards Killerton House at the end of my ride. I entered the small Danes Wood having rode a respectable enough 60km/900m sac. My nights sleep was made that much better by the use of a pretty well made shelter. The sort you see in the woods all round the place - an A-frame of sticks made by kids.
By the time I was all tucked up it was just about 0100.
I felt pretty tied up, twisted and constrained in the bivi bag. I was however warm enough and the night passed fitfully for the first few hours before a good solid sleep later on.
0730 I was awake and the light was picking up. As I was in a local dog walking hot spot I didn’t waste any time getting up and away. This was where I regretted using the tiniest bags I could get away with. Getting the damp gear back into the bags with cold hands was a bit of a chore. Things certainly weren’t as neatly packed as the day before and the Tyvek was just shoved into the scraps of my bar harness. This was a learning opportunity though and I’ve learned my lesson and I’ll use a bigger dry bag next time.
I was out of the woods and in the road in less than 20minutes. Breakfast would wait till I got home a mere 4km away.
Greeted by the dog at the door, I returned a happy man and in time to open the chickens and pigs because everyone else had taken the opportunity for a lie in. I made the family pancakes and bacon with a sh1t eating grin having had a thoroughly good 12 hour nano-adventure

https://share.icloud.com/photos/097P6kC ... Broadclyst


https://share.icloud.com/photos/093QILm ... Broadclyst

[Chrisps]

I've been meaning to do BAM for ages, but never quite got round to it... so have decided to make a concerted effort this year, especially seeing as my family were kind enough to band together and buy me an MLD eVent Soul bivy for Christmas, which I have lusted after for some time!

I have to admit, my first BAM was a little lacklustre, as work / life conspired to mean that I didn't even leave the house until 8:30pm! Still, there's a spot that I have fancied bivying for a while, but its a little cheeky... so what better time for a cheeky camp than arriving at 10pm on a Sunday evening in the middle of January, intending to leave long before dawn?!

It was great to get out the house on a lovely clear night with a full moon. I took a book to read, but ended up just lying watching the stars and the planes slowly cruising out over the Atlantic.

I've never actually bikepacked in winter, as until I discovered Brynje a couple of months ago, I've always really struggled with temperature regulation while riding, so always favoured trail running and hiking - especially for multi-days - at this time of year. This did throw up one challenge; My normal winter camping strategy of doubling up a NeoAir Xlite with a thick CCF mat doesn't work so well bikepacking (unless anyone has a clever idea of how to mount a CCF pad to a bike without blocking lights / suspension travel?). So even with my -9C bag, it was a slightly chilly night... but the few times I did wake up was just a nice opportunity to look at the stars for a bit :).

Overall, a good start, and the new bivy was excellent. Very comfy (with the pretty pointless stiffening wire removed) and only a minor bit of condensation dampness at my feet, which wasn't enough to have bothered me on a multiday (and I hate condensation)







Full Size Images (sorry about the awful quality. Didn't have my tripod; must try better next time)

[boxelder]

Fell at the first hurdle. Set off Thursday a.m. for a decent ride and a camp out with a mate (who makes nice bags - mr Vear on IG https://www.instagram.com/p/CYteix-MU50/.
Few hours round Buttermere, Honister, Borrowdale had us in Keswick at 3.30pm hungry for baked goods. Brysons was out of pies
Had to resort to Greggs and should have recognised it was an omen. Decent sunset on the ride over to Thirlmere, then a long chat in a dark farmyard with a lonely farmer, whose hatred for UU knew no bounds. Extricated ourselves and carried on to find a road block - the aforeslaggedoff UU were clearing storm Arwen damage and the road we needed to use was shut and 'policed' at both ends. This meant we couldn't reach the small hut with fireplace we were going to cook and chill in before camping. Chill was the correct word too, as it was now sub zero. Headed up St John's in the Vale to Threlkeld thinking about options and decided it was too cold to camp. Stopped in the little shelter on the Keswick rail path to cook tea and then back over Whinlatter and home for a bath. 75Km, three pies, trail side hot choc and whisky (50:50 mix as mr Vear doesn't like the liquid gold), but no bivi. Will nip out next week and tick that box.

[ton]

Andy, is the threlkeld path open all the way from keswick ?

[boxelder]

Yes, has been for a while Tony.

[ton]

perfect. cheers mate.

[Bearbonesnorm]

My plan was an assault on the lowest of the five Plylimon peaks .... I set off sometime just before dark and started climbing. I felt quite chuffed cruising along any flat bits as I'd clicked all the way to the bottom of my cassette and it felt really easy. However, that was fairly short lived when I realised that I only actually had the lowest half of the cassette available I considered stopping to sort out said gearing but thought bollox to it as I knew that flat sections would be few and far between.

Steady progress was made until I found myself at the highest point of the forest with easyish access to the mountains. I'd decided to use the very first part of the Severn Way and then cut across to my target. As I got higher, the wind got steadily worse and somewhere around the source of the Severn, I decided that the idea of sleeping up high was stupid and once again, said bollox and retraced my steps.



I'd walked past a suitable spot on a few occasions, so decided to head into the shelter of the forest and spend the night there. What followed was a cheeky roller coaster ride (some will know what I'm talking about) which deposited me right bang into the middle of some forestry operations. I was pretty dry and clean up to this point but two miles later, it looked like I'd been laying concrete with my entire body and bike. With that out of the way, I continued to my designated spot to discover that last months storms had flattened the lot. That's right - bollox.



It was around 9pm now and I was starting to get hungry and a little cold. I decided to search a few areas close by in the hope that there'd be enough room for one man and his bivvy bag. Thankfully, luck took pity on me and within ten minutes or so I'd located a flat(ish) patch on the edge of the trees. It offered some protection from the wind and with enough overhead branch cover to make condensation less likely.





A quietish night if we discount whoever it was testing a rally car round the forest at 3am.

1/1

[RIP]

Great to hear a bit of that mojo's back. Looking forward to "next month's thrilling instalment"

[Mandicky]

It's been several years since I last posted on this forum - amazed I remembered my username and password first try! Especially when you consider how often you'll find me stood in a supermarket aisle looking blankly at the shelves trying to remember what I've come in for...

Anyway, myself, my partner Anna and her son, Edward, are all trying for a BaM this year. I know it should be obvious but we didn't ride our bikes to our first bivvy - hoping Stu will take pity on us? It did have all of the classic components besides bikes: a fine weather forecast which led to snow, sub-zero temperatures, frozen water bottles, howling winds and falling trees (we'd picked a nice, old tree plantation) Up at 6am, packed (badly) by 6:15 and home by 8. 3rd January 2022.

Anna and I followed this up with the Winter Event, bivvying in woods near Machynlleth with some top friends AND bicycles! 8th January 2022.

It's unlikely that we will manage to take bikes for every bivvy so if we can't get an exemption for that rule we may not be eligible for the coveted badge but I'll continue to add our trips here anyway - unless Stu forbids it.

I may even learn how to add photos

[ScotRoutes]

As I recall, Stu's previous comments on this have been along the lines of 'the clue is in the name' so a bike needs to be involved. Of course, we all had to get quite inventive during lockdown so various options were used, including going for an unloaded ride then coming home to sleep in the garden.

[RIP]

Aye unfortunately ze rules are in the first post. Although I don't think there's any 'rules' about what you can post where, although there may be etiquette .

[ScotRoutes]

2022 campaign is under way

I headed off after dinner to another favourite spot. The weather forecast was mild, low winds but 98% cloud cover. As I was riding there, I started seeing lots of stars so I knew something was amiss.

The area I wanted to bivvy in was a wee bit exposed but I carried on regardless, throwing the tarp up and getting comfy.

It was an opportunity to try some "astrophotography" using my new phone.


(The tarp edges on this one look a bit blurred as they were flapping in the wind).


5 minute exposure

I had a look around the woods for a suitable, more sheltered, bivvy spot but when I returned the wind had died so I just stayed where I was, got into my bag and fell asleep listening to some music. That was fine until the moon came out and woke me up as it was shining straight into my eyes,


Spooky skull post!


I had a bit of a fitful night as the wind picked up again but I couldn't be bothered moving. Anyway, I was awake to see the sky going pink with the sunrise and packed up to head home.


2022 - 1/12
Consecutive - 62
All time - 97

[NeilA]

How time flies, January nearly gone and thoughts of BAM 2022 vanished in a sea of procrastination and busy lifestyle. Then today Leigh gets hold of me and the dream is now live. Am up for this years BAM ! First ride/bivvy Saturday 29th Jan...

[Shewie]

Jan BAM done

Had a nice steady drive up to the Borders on Friday, rocked up to the parking place around 3pm, faffed about with the bike and luggage for half an hour then set off up the glen to find a camp. I've been to the area a few times and know what rough country it is in parts, scruffy forestry and lumpy tussocky ground but there are a few gems along the way so I decided to keep it low level and headed for a spot I'd camped at before.

A couple of mates would be joining me later with a plan to ride out together in the morning, but that didn't quite come off so it was just the two of us the next day, neither of us particularly bike fit at the moment so we decided to do a 30km out and back on Saturday rather than the slightly more ambitious loop I had in mind.

Still not happy with the amount of crap I seem to be carrying, given the benign conditions and the chance to get away with lighter kit it still felt like too much. Do we do kit shakedowns on here?

IMG_0128 by Shewie, on Flickr

[RIP]

Do we do kit shakedowns on here?

Everybody likes a gory kit list dissection . Good a way to while away some spare moments as any. "In a caring, safe and supportive environment" of course .

Doesn't look like that much on the bike? Ah, just spotted that rucsac on the tree, always a bad sign . Unless it's actually a portable shower bag perhaps .

"Whaddya got?"

PS. In the interests of keeping a lid on things the spreadsheet merchants are specifically banned from this discussion .

[RIP]

Oh and are those two tins on the ground essential to the enterprise? There's a good 880g, and 1000cc-ish of storage space, to save right there

[Bearlegged]

...are those two tins on the ground essential to the enterprise?

Have you forgotten your dried frog pills again?