is it worth spending a bit more?

Not much to gain unless you spend considerably more. Do remember that some bivvy bags (especially lighter ones) aren't waterproof and only act as a bag cover, so will require a tarp.

You might find a new mat is all that's required. We lose more heat to the ground than we do to the heavens.

If there's budget to consider then it's hard to see beyond an XL Alpkit Hunka. I say XL as they offer quite a bit more room than a standard version which allows you to place your mat inside should you wish. Do you need a tarp? In truth that depends whether it's raining. If it is and you don't have o...

the footprimt size of my trekker stealth will be smaller than most tarps

Not sure it quite works like that - footprint implies resting on the ground whereas a tarp doesn't, so a tarp can be set-up in dense forest etc when you might not be able to with a tent even if it were smaller.

Which one’s the owl?

The one that doesn't look like he's still alive purely out of spite.

Have you taken up falconry Stu?

I've dabbled for years but only with owls (it's a long boring story). I think I've had Teapot for around 25 years and he's probably approaching 30 now.

Here is is Bob https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMmVs2rrfJzsAY7wUSiYwWETmfYs9Iyqm0gppkKMX3FLIwzn_YzCaqyCn2pq7KmY_ymHeK7gotYfeFPVxYtowuqTBWB69meYj3NV8Pq2MqJ1HDdoY3f6Mo9hMO-7diRouTX-w8KGH1gWEn0QqNMpqRrhHwl1L8NOkvsp25uH4Ql6NWH8UhJNeLRqk4cUX/s3475/Joolze_Dymond_Stuart_Wright_B...

He's residing all des' res' in the barn currently but once he's back home I'll take some Bob.

Cheery because after some time, the sun has finally hit the yard. That might not sound like much but having the sun return to the Towers is something of a special moment each year

Also, I'm building Teapot the owl a new house and it's coming on nicely

It's a usb light Richard, just plug it into the battery be be amazed

A brief message from my contact ...

NRW have done some ‘restructuring’ effectively putting the trails under recreation and the centre under commercial so it could be that they’re going to get a private investor in to run the cafe and centre - that way NRW have no outlay for wages etc

I suppose the trails themselves could remain open but I worry the secondhand bike market will be flooded with lightly used 170mm travel ebikes

I know the bloke who manages the shop at cyb, I'll see if he knows any more.

It's probably the perceived "faff factor" I generally consider myself too lazy to use a tent as I see them as involving faff. Not just the actual pitching / striking but packing and drying out, etc. I can have a tarp up in under a minute, down in less and then simply stuff it in my pocket...

I may be wrong but I can't help thinking that generally (elsewhere perhaps rather than here), I see less and less reference to the use of tarps and generally more focus on tents - albeit often lightweight models. At one point, tarps were almost universal issue but are they disappearing and becoming ...

Its why we go directly to Dee

You're really not wrong John

Always nice when you can speak directly to someone with the authority to actually make a decision rather than a monkey who simply wants to pass the buck.

I've carried a small knife on the odd occasion but don't recall ever really using it as I found that I can carry out most of the tasks I might use it for, with the handle of my spoon

I would also like to add .... 'the people you go with'

Gatewood Cape I imagine.

Nice work Allen, did you by chance slip a few BB200 clips in there too

and then Strata Florida

Careful, you know what happens when you throw electrical appliances into the bath.

i reckon it is possible Shaf but you'd need to train your body for it. It's a process which can take a while and isn't always pleasant.

Might be worth chatting to Richard Shaf.

Chew and me flew to Milan as it was much cheaper than flying into Torino from Manchester. Rode mostly through the night and the following morning to arrive like fresh daisies ready for the off the following day. Flew back from Nice. Carried CTC plastic bike bags with us which we'd cunningly modified...

Mostly today ..... https://scontent.fbhx4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/419757226_709502364606454_3467275310677324441_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=dd5e9f&_nc_ohc=xvUQyGI2Nc4AX9yYMln&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-1.fna&oh=00_AfD_-h5v-e3CvEdXlVj8oI-Dxgtw-fFSob0VqwPD1DkFfw&oe=65ACB...

Plenty

What, like Iron Maiden?

I hope not, although it might explain the continual desire to run to the hills.