Anyone up for a night out on the last weekend of January? It's my last chance to kick of my 2017 BAM campaign after I piked out last night. Planning a 2-hr bimble ending at a pub for dinner and camp in my local woods. Also happy to join someone else for a longer jaunt if you've got a route in mind.

Hello Tim

I think I am pretty much up for this, it'll be good to catch up.

I'll pop you a Whatsapp message so we can make a plan.

Nigel

Cheers Nigel. Be great to catch up. Got your whatsapp thingy and will get details back shortly.

Tim, whereabouts will you be? I don't know if I can make it yet but I like the idea of a quick trip

Possibly keen, whereabouts are you planning to ride from?

"Apologies for absence" - I've been told I'm not available . But jealous - "pub", "dinner", "woods". Perfect evening out. Have a great time. Not forgotten "SE Spring Thing" though....

Chaps, be great if you can come along.

Riding out from the green at Chalfont St Giles (goggley map ref below) near the duck pond (bring bread ... they are vey cute)

Meet at 4pm for a 2-3 hr bimble, dinner at a pub and bivvy in my local woods. It's an easy ride but hellishly muddy. You've been warned.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/The ... -0.5693507

I'd be up for coming along to this, if that's ok?

It will be my first time using my new hammock, so my endless faffing as I try to set it up should provide some entertainment for everyone

Not going to make this, shocking week at work and haven't seen the kids at all

Sussex Paul wrote:I'd be up for coming along to this, if that's ok? It will be my first time using my new hammock, so my endless faffing as I try to set it up should provide some entertainment for everyone

SP that's no probs at all. Ive been using my hammock for months and still struggle to set it properly. See you Saturday.

Great night out with Paul and Nigel. It tipped it down for 5 minutes just before we rendezvoused at my village green, but the weather was otherwise kind. I was hoping to spend some quality time feeding the village ducks, but sadly some louts had decided to ruin the aesthetics of the place my lobbing dozens of plastic bottles onto the frozen pond. Seriously. Boils my piss that does.

Anyhoo, we rode for half an hour then, at Nigel's suggestion we found the bivvy spot, and pitched up so we didnt have to do so later in the dark - very good idea. Nige got his tarp up over his bivvy bag and Paul and I hung our hammocks, before we off for a brisk 10 mile loop I was breathing through my ears most of the time trying to keep up.

Paul hit the deck twice - first up just as we left the bivvy spot as he tried to loft his front wheel over a root in a bank and second time clipping his shoulder on a tree in a narrow fast decent. No damage other than a rip in his rather tasty goretext camo coat. Bad luck comes in three though, and we had the pub in sight when Paul's rear mech succumbed to the mud and ripped his gear hanger clean off. 15 mins later, Paul now riding single speed, we rolled down to a nice meal and some proper middle-aged man chat. Dinner done we rode over to the bivvy spot and bedded down, waking quite late a clear morning. We brewed up, packed up and then headed off for a proper breakfast

Few pics below. Best is Nigel in his blue ant-mud booties the pub insists on, and then the morning after, experiencing the delights of the hammock. He's a convert.

Cheers fellas. Kent next month!!

Tim, Nigel

Thanks for this weekend, a jolly pleasant bimble, good company and a nice little bivvy spot.

I owe you a return leg down my way.

Paul

What make is the jacket Paul? ( probably shouldn't as the multicam is getting a bit much) also are those knee pads? Looks like tempting fate

The jacket is an old Gore Bikewear one, they don't make them anymore, but do something similar in a multicam print.

The kneepads belong to, and indeed are worn by, MTBNut, not they would have helped me

Knee pads were a leftover from the morning ride in the Surrey Hills... couldn't be bothered to take my shoes off.

In fact, they are a godsend when kneeling down in camp.