I've been trying to go the lightweight route after buying a cheap but good 2 season 1 man tent, alpkit sim, 3 season bag etc. The light weight theme was lost on my mate who took a 40yr old traditional style lichfield tent stuffed in his panniers along with a onesie, sleeping bag and 2 litres of water.
We left for a local country park around 7.15pm and stopped at the local village for my mate to get his tea, roe and chips. It was around 8.15 when we found 'our' spot in the woods and started to set up our camp. The stove went on for coffee and we chatted for a while before getting into our tents for the night. Listening to the owls as I fell asleep was wonderful, not a sound of cars or people unlike home.
We both slept decent and I was awake and out of the tent by 6.45, waking to a gorgeous sunny morning. We drank coffee again and chatted not only to each other but to some very interested and enthusiastic dog walkers including an old chap that had been an endurance runner until he was 68 when injury form other sports stopped him.
It didnt take long to pack awat leaving no trace and I was home by 9am on Sunday morning.
It was a fantastic experience and I think Im hooked. Cant wait for Mid Wales in June.
My bike just before leaving
Waiting at the chip shop
My mates bike
Both tents, both bikes
Morning reflection over a cuppa
