Bivvy a month 2023.

[Verena]

Some excellent Men In Sheds stuff going on here at the last minute. That CITW even has a little annexe bit for next time!

3 Rooms in total, not sure of the history of it tbh maybe a store of some sort as there is a farm across the field. The annexe part has two small rooms but with no floor at all in either of them one looking like it may of been a bog at some point.

Partay??

[Verena]

BAM March 31...3 of 12...15 of 15

Once again faced with a last night stand, mainly due to work, on a day and night full of heavy rain.
Already soaked cycling during the day, my need to stay dry dictated a local trip.
Time to experiment with kit, very pleased with the outcomes, feeling readier than ever for WRT.
Used my Robens Starlight for protection from rain. New arrivals: Sonder Confucius loop handlebar, Alpkit Deluge 20 litre handlebar bag, Alpkit Cloudbase air mat, footprint made from heavy gauge polythene sheet.

Well done, made it, phew!!

I'm starting to doubt myself now, did I do a March one ?!?

[Leerowe76]

Definitely gotta try to get out earlier in April, not ideal this lastminute.com lark

[fatbikephil]

Right then.
The Ides of March has been and gone, April is in progress and sprung has springed (?)
As usual, I have ploughed through the last 17 pages (Reg is definitely posting too much) and come up with the following list of Bam completionistas.
Sean_iow
Verena
jimmy G
RIP
Blackhound
Frog
Bearlegged
Raggedstone
FBPhil
Josh
NeilA
Retired Tester
Pip
Gecko76
Moder-dye
Stinginglip
Wotsits
Leerowe76
Kernowsteve
Boab
Lazarus
Samwise

Late starter is Ergaster (Feb)

Could be a few late posts, get 'em in!

So awards-wise, I bring you shed wars!
Yes lots of cheeky shelters used this quarter so herewith the highlights....
Rude hut - John Allan in Feb
No hut - Gecko76 (cowering under a bit of wriggly tin)
At deaths door (or near to it) Frog, in the lychgate
Best birdy hide - Moder dye (with plenty of competition, are we heading for "sleeping in a bird hide a month"??)
Most luxurious tent - NeilA's pub marquee
Best overall accommodation - Leerowe76

Plus a few others....

Best Breakfast - Raggedstone in March
Widest interpretation of rules - RIP sleeping in his mates boat
'Bivvy equals bivvy bag only, you lot are all wimps', award to several people - Verena, Samwise, Gecko, Raggedstone, Kernow Steve
Going out in spite of the horrible weather and not being arsed award - me.

Some nice spring weather in the offing by the looks of things, plus easter bunny bivvys also on the cards!
See you in July!
Phil

[NeilA]

BAM March 31...3 of 12...15 of 15

Once again faced with a last night stand, mainly due to work, on a day and night full of heavy rain.
Already soaked cycling during the day, my need to stay dry dictated a local trip.
Time to experiment with kit, very pleased with the outcomes, feeling readier than ever for WRT.
Used my Robens Starlight for protection from rain. New arrivals: Sonder Confucius loop handlebar, Alpkit Deluge 20 litre handlebar bag, Alpkit Cloudbase air mat, footprint made from heavy gauge polythene sheet.

Well done, made it, phew!!

I'm starting to doubt myself now, did I do a March one ?!?

Thanks, the ultimate procrastination breaker!!

Indeed you did, using a clever survival tactic!!

[NeilA]

Definitely gotta try to get out earlier in April, not ideal this lastminute.com lark

[NeilA]

Right then.
The Ides of March has been and gone, April is in progress and sprung has springed (?)
As usual, I have ploughed through the last 17 pages (Reg is definitely posting too much) and come up with the following list of Bam completionistas.
Sean_iow
Verena
jimmy G
RIP
Blackhound
Frog
Bearlegged
Raggedstone
FBPhil
Josh
NeilA
Retired Tester
Pip
Gecko76
Moder-dye
Stinginglip
Wotsits
Leerowe76
Kernowsteve
Boab
Lazarus
Samwise

Late starter is Ergaster (Feb)

Could be a few late posts, get 'em in!

So awards-wise, I bring you shed wars!
Yes lots of cheeky shelters used this quarter so herewith the highlights....
Rude hut - John Allan in Feb
No hut - Gecko76 (cowering under a bit of wriggly tin)
At deaths door (or near to it) Frog, in the lychgate
Best birdy hide - Moder dye (with plenty of competition, are we heading for "sleeping in a bird hide a month"??)
Most luxurious tent - NeilA's pub marquee
Best overall accommodation - Leerowe76

Plus a few others....

Best Breakfast - Raggedstone in March
Widest interpretation of rules - RIP sleeping in his mates boat
'Bivvy equals bivvy bag only, you lot are all wimps', award to several people - Verena, Samwise, Gecko, Raggedstone, Kernow Steve
Going out in spite of the horrible weather and not being arsed award - me.

Some nice spring weather in the offing by the looks of things, plus easter bunny bivvys also on the cards!
See you in July!
Phil

Brilliant Phil

[Leerowe76]

Brilliant end of month report

[Lazarus]

Think I got three in in March [ as I also stayed on a boat and rode there on a bike]

Planning on a biggish bike ride some weekend if the weather holds and a local if not....also avoiding last minute.com again after the first two were last day of the month.

[Verena]

Yep, great write up

I always end up feeling there's a challenge there for me to try and get a more interesting award for something ...

Will get my thinking cap on....

[Leerowe76]

Came across this pepper pot looking ruin on yesterdays ride, not sure of its history but will find. Potential for a BAM just all the empty tinnies and tobacca pouches lying around would suggest not

processed-cac3800a-f2e4-4232-84ef-a488d42ce583_agiE9bvL by Lee Rowe, on Flickr
Open top for the night sky

processed-351b2320-4be8-49d2-bc02-1259d7dd2a64_0m2UsYbM by Lee Rowe, on Flickr
Nice steel door could be secured with a lock on the inside maybe for a bivvy

Getting some idea for the April BAM

https://www.wrexham-history.com/brymbo- ... rial-view/ A little history on this The Brymbo Bottle

[Moder-dye]

Good find. There's one along the coast from me I was thinking of, but it's a bit overlooked and no door.

I have been looking up old Royal Observer Corps bunkers in the area too. I was down in one years ago which was pretty cool, though I did have a bit of anxiety that some one would shut the lid and lock me in

[ledburner]

Came across this pepper pot looking ruin on yesterdays ride, not sure of its history but will find. Potential for a BAM just all the empty tinnies and tobacca pouches lying around would suggest not

processed-cac3800a-f2e4-4232-84ef-a488d42ce583_agiE9bvL by Lee Rowe, on Flickr
Open top for the night sky

processed-351b2320-4be8-49d2-bc02-1259d7dd2a64_0m2UsYbM by Lee Rowe, on Flickr
Nice steel door could be secured with a lock on the inside maybe for a bivvy

I hope you didn't lick the walls (that's regs job )...possibly remaining Lead smelting residues ...
https://ancientmonuments.uk/128246-brym ... rks-brymbo

[Leerowe76]

Nope nor did I touch anything in there, more likely to catch something of the beer can paraphernalia and spliff ends

[ledburner]

Nope nor did I touch anything in there, more likely to catch something of the beer can paraphernalia and spliff ends

...and don't trust local water sources, deffo bring your own ..
I suppose this applies to all bivvies in post- industrial locations.

Else Darwinism will reduced this niche bivvy sub group

[whitestone]

Set off yesterday AM on the Dales Divide (I'll do a quick trip report on that but basically it didn't go well) and ended up at a shooting cabin/shelter that we've used before. Cath turned up about an hour later and also bivvied there. I'd taken lightweight summer kit and was at the very limit of it so didn't have a good night's kip but Cath did say I was snoring at times.

No real run as we missed February.

[Verena]

Absolutely glorious weather this Easter weekend, isn't it?

Hopefully lots of you are out there doing fun bikepacking type stuff.

I went out late morning Friday till Saturday lunchtime, for a bigger ride by my standards, and my April BAM.

Set off from Brecon over the Eppynt and down to Llanwrtyd Wells, reminiscing about the last time I was there in November for the Real Ale Wobble.... I was somewhat more sober this time . Forced to purchase an ice lolly as I'd remembered that I'd forgotten to bring a spoon or anything similarly suitable to stir my coffee or my freeze dried evening meal with, let alone eat it... ice lolly stick was the closest I could find that would do the job
IMG_20230407_130125 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

On up and to the infamous Devils Staircase which was my first visit there by bike... I got as far as all the way to the very first grit bin ! I blame the fact that I was carrying bikepacking bags... yeah right.... I might have pushed on a little bit further, but I was going so slow I was scared I might not be able to unclip in time at the point when I was losing my balance.... and fall or wobble across the road - not a good idea, as it was quite busy with tourists. Still, very glad I finally had a stab at it.
IMG_20230407_134633 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230409_064130 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Absolutely stunning road over to Tregaron - met the same cyclist again who I'd met when I was last there in the autumn - Steve, wardening at Dolgosh Hostel!!

IMG_20230407_162139 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Quick pit stop at the lovely pub in Fair Rhos for a top up of salt and liquids, then onwards through Cwmystwyth, through the always lovely Elan Valley as the sun was starting to set, and like a pro arriving at the chosen bivvy spot just as it was getting dark.
IMG_20230407_171522 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230407_172523 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230407_173622 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230407_185102 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230407_190028 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230407_185655 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230407_192815 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230407_201832 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr


I had a really rather tasty freeze dried meal of salmon and broccoli pasta, flapjack and a lovely cup of tea, and sat there for a bit watching the stars come out, before I spotted the lights of my friend making his way up the hill and over the dam. He'd ridden a somewhat (!) longer loop from Abergavenny via Mach and Aberystwyth , and knew just where to find me as we've bivvied there a couple of times before.

An amazing moon rose as we drank more tea and chatted before trying to get some sleep - it was starting to freeze by now.

IMG-20230409-WA0009 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

As usual, much fidgetting and getting up for pees, being quite cold and sleeping not a lot, but all to be rewarded with a wonderful sunrise.

IMG-20230409-WA0011 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Some sheep came over to see what was going on
IMG_20230408_065752 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG-20230409-WA0014 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

I have never seen the reservoirs so still, amazing to see the hills reflected in the water.
IMG_20230408_070949 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

IMG_20230408_070954 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

We rode off, literally into the sunrise, to the Halt in Rhayader, where we filled up on coffee and a rather large breakfast, then rode on a bit more together before heading our separate ways again.

IMG_20230408_113344 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

4/12

[fatbikephil]

Those reflection photos are amazing!

[ledburner]

Those reflection photos are amazing!

Agreed A bit hypnotic, also the reflections are the same tones a landscape, not darker.. remarkable.

[Leerowe76]

Great pics Verena

[Raggedstone]

Fabulous trip that V and wonderful pictures

[RIP]

Enjoyed reading that over breakfast, lovely. Am assuming that weather will also be present over there for the WRT....

[Blackhound]

Enjoyed that report and photos, Verena.

[Verena]

Enjoyed reading that over breakfast, lovely. Am assuming that weather will also be present over there for the WRT....

Oh absolutely, I insist!!

[ledburner]

Those reflection photos are amazing!

Agreed A bit hypnotic, also the reflections are the same tones a landscape, not darker.. remarkable.

The 2 reservoir photo I guess will 'photo-stitch together & match very well. That'll make a cracking panorama.
I use 'Bimostich' on my android phone.