Not sure about panthers and lynxes, but I can imagine there's a few cougars you might need to watch out for in North Wales. Don't fancy your chances of getting out alive either!

That's it, I'm now in a club! First time for 30 years.

The lightest I found are some Peter Storm "waterproof" trousers from 30 years ago (when I were a lad). 100grams. However they are not windproof or waterproof and are a nasty shade of blue (and 3 inches too short). If value for money and windproof is needed I would go for Montane Featherlig...

I used a silver foil emergency blanket at the El'n Back. Worked a treat and only cost £2 or so. Bit of a 1 use and chuck it type thing, but it was waterproof, light (100g) and reflected some heat. Not huge though (a bit shorter than me, but wasn't a problem). Wasn't slippy like Silnylon so I didn't ...

take some money / cards
do you need the shock pump?

Have a good trip though!

Not a patch on you lot: Big 6 berth canvas frame tent - never use it as far too big 6 berth dome tent thing - now worn out big 2 person dome tent thing - hardly used (bought when the kids stopped coming away with us) 2 person festival tent Terra Nova Laserlite comp - 40th birthday present - I though...

How do you guys cope with only a couple of bikes? I seem to have a policy of never selling a bike (maybe because by the time I can afford a new one, the old one is almost worthless!) Bill Nickson road bike from 1989 or so - Deddaccai tubed, 8 speed Durace but the frame has rusted through so now conf...

Don't think I saw who found Gnorm on the El'n Back last weekend, so go on, who found him, where was he and what was the prize?

I have a Miry map board that makes studying the map on the move and rotating it much easier - it just doesn't fit my oversize bars (yet - small modifications required). 1:50k maps for off road and 1:250k for road offer a good compromise - if I am off on a long road ride I will normally carry a road ...

Having just done the El'n Back and quite a few other rides using just a GPS (Garmin 800) with a preloaded route, I m tempted to go back to using paper maps (maybe this is just my trailquest roots coming through). Whilst a GPS makes exact positioning relative to the route much easier, I am struggling...

Cracking weekend - not sure when the guys who took the photos were in the Elan Valley, but their weather didn't look like mine! I had big plans, and on Saturday almost completed them (didn't get as far as St Harman though) and Sunday I couldn't face a brutal slog through a bog, so had a pleasant roa...

Would love to do the WRT, but it's always the bank holiday weekend when other half has plans to get away (not on a bike). Sounds like the perfect format so far, and I would encourage that free stuff doesn't become normal so it's expected. A few fun giveaways or spot prizes for the best/worst navigat...

FLV, drop me a note (email in profile). There's a few of us who do a Tuesday night ride from Beausale - we go out through Shrewley, Claverdon, Snitterfield - it's a 30km steady ride. Either that or tie up with the Bikeyard bike shop - they have regular evening rides (I don't go out with them, but th...

Going to use a bivvy this year (tent last year) as I need to justify it now I have it. Plus it should be just as comfy as a tent in a cold wet windy Welsh hillside.

Other half permitting I am up for this. Need to convince her that the 300 mile drive each way is worth it, so if anyone wants to share transport - pick up anywhere north of Warwick I may well be able to help.

Tubeless is the future! My MTBs are all tubeless, but with standard tyres. I use 24" inner tubes (Schwalbe as they have removable valve cores) split all the way round and used as a rim strip, fit the tyre, inflate it using either a gas canister or my home made tyre inflator (2litre pop bottle a...

Not sure if it counts, but sub 5lb is possible - I did the BB200 with under 5lb of kit (silnylon tarp, Rab TopBag, alpkit drysack, small toolkit, waterproof and spare base layer). Wouldn't have liked to sleep out with that kit though as it was quite cold that night! On a warm night it is more feasib...

Mmmmmhhhh - very interested. How would you get back to the start point? Could fit in as a great training ride for PBW double or something like that. Just laying out my calendar for next year so I'll stay in touch......

Hi Stu,
do you have any of these left? Would make a good little pressy to myself...

Food, particularly cake, and the obligatory hipflask.

go on then, how do I post a pic?

Montane Prism jacket - hoping it's cold for El'n Back so I can sleep in it!

Roval skewers (2nd hand) for my spare race wheels, and spare rotors to get another set of wheels set up as a spare set.

Soon to be getting some winter boots - looking forward to that!

FLV, head south from Leamington down towards Napton / Kineton/Edge Hill area - (and Burton Dassett), much nicer than heading north. North has a fair bit of flooding at the moment on some of the back roads round Kenilworth etc. And avoid off road. It is utter crap at the moment (and will be until 202...

I'm in. No mates who like sleeping out though! :(