For anyone on a budget looing for a stem cell: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/fabric-bottle-cage-id_8487122.html Just bought one for the wife, tried it out yesterday and for the price it's a good deal. A bit smaller than most stem cells it holds a 500ml bottle well. Effetive height is 13cm, overall 17c...

If you are sailing from West Loch Tarbert you could either on the way out or back have a look at a couple of locations near Lochgilphead Loch Sween, the top end of the loch is very sheltered, very pretty and with good sea life etc. The River Add from Bridgend down to Loch Crinan is an easy Grade 1. ...

Klymit Ozone for me. Being a shorty (5'6") means I can fold the pillow on to the mat which is super comfy if like me you are a side sleeper so needing that bit of extra support.

I can usually tolerate wet legs, only really using waterproof trousers in mountaineering situations. I usually carry a pair of cheap as chips waterproof fell running trousers from Pete Blands for mooching around bivvy's for additional warmth protection and as above if anything goes pear shaped. I go...

Teeto, like you In have the Trailstar clone, which I like during thunderstorm season, just about all summer here. To supplement it for other times I got the DD super light, slightly bigger than the Alpkit but two fewer tie out, which tbh I haven't missed. Would recommend.

Last couple of weeks have seen big improvements in the weather over here, been settled at 20+ C this last week. Managed a couple of good rides this week and my good lady was rather amused to see the return of the cyclists tan



Irony alert.

The miserable spring weather really held up getting to grips with the garden makeover as the soil was sodden, but yesterday got it finished!! Well at least what was needing done, there will be more excavations come September, and I have a feeling some serious tree pruning may be necessary. Two beers...

And left lying on the front porch a set of maps covering the WRT and Jenn Ride.

Another option would be a Genesis Longitude. It is outside your budget but I picked up a 2017 model for just above your budget in the end of season sales. It has eyelets and brazeons for just about everything which was attractive to me as later this summer I'll be using it to tour, set up a base cam...

"No pals to ride with". Check "Not suffered a WRT before". Check "Daren't enter the Golden Sands chip shop alone". If there's sand can I bring my bucket and spade? "Simple minded". Most definitely. "Slow and fond of a beer". The best bivvy's always s...

In preparation for the WRT and my Scotland visit. Mucky Nutz Gut and Face fenders, got both just to see how they work, nice and light compared to what I have. Lezyne Flow SL side loading cages (L&R) disappointingly my favourite bottles have the groove in the wrong place but others fit. And a few...

Got them, now to order some maps and birthday greetings Stuff.

Some cracking photographs John. Can I ask where the coastal shots and brickworks were taken?

Well the WRT is what it is and that is why I am looking forward to my first. However, I do have a bit of experience in the outdoors and although I have never done a Trailquest I do get the format having a few Mountain Marathons under my belt. After a few of those my favourite opion became the Long S...

This week is going to be a complete and utter disaster for me. This house crap has broken me. :( It'll be worth it Richard :-bd Moderdye, I'll be putting in some numbers this Friday, generally though it's been a very poor few weeks for one reason or another, after a cold that morphed into a chesty ...

Thanks Mike that's good to know. I was realty disappointed when on my last visit back to Scotland that I couldn't find a supermarket selling the "instant ground coffee sachets" anywhere, that is anywhere in Argyll! I did try some of the coffee bags (meant to be good) but they were so bad I...

I'm quite happy with my DD SuperLight (small), it's marginally bigger the the alpkit version, fractionally lighter and cheaper. It may miss a couple of tie outs but with three along the long mid line it gives me enough flexibility for what I need, though others might disagree. For poorer weather (fo...

That's me in :grin: This will be only my third visit to Wales, both previous times to Snowdonia, approx 40 and 20 years ago, seemed about time for another visit :lol: Just checked the route from here in Mohacs with via Michelin, 2247 km, 1396 miles, 22hrs 9min driving time (aye that'll be right!) :o...

A wee bit late :oops: 05.01.18: 76.7 15.01.18: 76.2 I would have like to have lost a wee bit more, but I've been suffering from a bit of back pain this last week so activity levels are down, that plus the weather is chuffing awful. Just spent today sitting reading, at least I managed to leave the b...

A wee bit late :oops: 05.01.18: 76.7 15.01.18: 76.2 I would have like to have lost a wee bit more, but I've been suffering from a bit of back pain this last week so activity levels are down, that plus the weather is chuffing awful. Just spent today sitting reading, at least I managed to leave the bi...

Better late than never? Here are a few pics of my July bivvy which I have just managed to upload to Flickr. Elsewhere Scotroutes post had drawn my attention to the Moray Way which I like the look of. Having kayaked and canoed the Spey and ran the Seyside Way (a long time ago) it seemed apropriate to...

05.01.18 First weigh in 76.7 kg
Thanks Moderdye

Would like to be in too please. Last year went well till July then after that Peugeot back on everything I lost
Peter

I tend not to compare the weight of bag and shelter when deciding which to use, it's more about the utility of it. The Ascent excels on those trips where I'm completely unsure when, where and for how long I'll be stopping (if at all) as it will work anywhere with least faff. If you fancy a trip to ...

Happy New Year Stu and everyone else that makes Bearbones such a great place. Hope to meet up with some of you in 2018.
P