Bivvy a month 2019

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Escape Goat
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by Escape Goat »

redefined_cycles wrote: Sun Apr 07, 2019 10:59 pm Thanks EG... btw (not sure if I'd have anything of interest but) you're also welcome to any of my gear in the meanwhile whilst you get yourself all sorted over the years/years. Remember, by quality and buy once... buy crappy (dont assume that expensive means quality) and keep buying over and over.

When I initially started getting gear I made a few threads on here for real world reviews... one was regards forks (and i got the Prongs which I do so love dearly) and the othwr was 'to see' lights and I ended up with the MTBbatts Lumenator (again which I do so love dearly)... Wish he'd had some nicer designs though but thats just me being silly. Epic gear is just epic innit
Thanks mate, very kind of you. Hopefully I'm posting here each month I do a bivvy so it counts?...
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whitestone
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by whitestone »

Chris, I think our January bivy got posted in the Winter Event thread. We bivvied in the farm buildings at Hafodwnog, the one with the bothy "inside" the new corrugated zinc shed.

I could count Feb I suppose: dossed in the sports equipment store at the event centre for the Rovaniemi 150 as I didn't fancy waking the B&B owner up at 5am!
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redefined_cycles
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by redefined_cycles »

Escape Goat... Yup does count indeed I would say and your posts are much enjoyable. Welcome to my man sized bivi bag (army issue goretex that'll take a right good beating) for the WRT if you like. Just please dont wash it (I try not to wash gear unless its done very carefully.. not that it stinks and is gping well)...

800g mind :roll:
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summittoppler
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by summittoppler »

Zippy wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:12 pm
summittoppler wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2019 5:21 pm I'll post this here but I'm out of the 'official' BAM as my Feb one was a paid for jobby at the Eigiau cottage even though the setting was s[pot on.
I think this is your first reported Bivvy on the BAM 2019 thread. I’ll tot you down for March as it can go towards the stats…!?

I'm another who was on the winter event, I'll keep at it anyway :smile:
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Escape Goat
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by Escape Goat »

redefined_cycles wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:04 pm Escape Goat... Yup does count indeed I would say and your posts are much enjoyable. Welcome to my man sized bivi bag (army issue goretex that'll take a right good beating) for the WRT if you like. Just please dont wash it (I try not to wash gear unless its done very carefully.. not that it stinks and is gping well)...

800g mind :roll:
Hey, I have the same one! Haha, I'll be finding a lighter weight bivvy bag, and smaller, to carry less rubbish! Haha! :-bd Thank you so much for your offer, but it sounds like it will be a similar pack size to my current one. thank you so much though :)
redefined_cycles
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by redefined_cycles »

Not a problem Faffer. :-bd to be honest I did briefly contemplatw sending you my shiny (literally.. slippery too) new used Borah bag. But then pinched myself (relatively speaking) and reminded me that I'm not actually that nice.

No point waiting for the Hunka XL btw. I think they probably have 19 mass produced and sent through from China at a time and there will most likely be 19 people who manage to pull the trigger before you (I considered a Hunka XL many months ago and at that time it was also awaiting delivery...

Why not look elsewhere :smile:
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Zippy
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by Zippy »

whitestone wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 6:54 pm Chris, I think our January bivy got posted in the Winter Event thread. We bivvied in the farm buildings at Hafodwnog, the one with the bothy "inside" the new corrugated zinc shed.

I could count Feb I suppose: dossed in the sports equipment store at the event centre for the Rovaniemi 150 as I didn't fancy waking the B&B owner up at 5am!
Bob - I've now totted you down for being on track for 2019 :-bd
summittoppler wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:31 pm
Zippy wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:12 pm
summittoppler wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2019 5:21 pm I'll post this here but I'm out of the 'official' BAM as my Feb one was a paid for jobby at the Eigiau cottage even though the setting was s[pot on.
I think this is your first reported Bivvy on the BAM 2019 thread. I’ll tot you down for March as it can go towards the stats…!?

I'm another who was on the winter event, I'll keep at it anyway :smile:
Jeff - I've put you down as going for it but missed Feb :-bd


Zippy wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:12 pm
There have been 41 reported Bivvy’s in March, with a total of 30 people who have managed Jan, Feb and March sequentially in 2019.

So that's actually 31 people for Jan, Feb & March sequentially. :cool:
javatime
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by javatime »

Last gasp March, late write up - 2/2 (Started in February) Apologies to Zippy...

Had mixed feelings about embarking on BAM2019, having got my badge for 2018 – but headed out locally on a Sunday night to get the tick and keep my options open…

Took the NCN 26 around out to Portishead for some estuarine views and appropriate accommodation – and very surprised to spot a large mammal grazing down by the shoreline with the Canada geese. It turned out to be a deer that must hide in the wooded areas the rest of the time. Salt marsh venison anyone ?

It had been a sunny weekend and the dog walkers were out in the later dusk so in the interests of discretion I adjourned to The Poacher, that was deserted, a pint of Bass with the pub Sunday papers then back to base.

A decent sleep in my winter bag, a morning brew then porridge from the bag with contrasting morning views – the cranes and industry of Portbury to the north, and the Cornish fishing village pastiche architecture of Port Marine to the South.

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I joined the off-road commuters back to Bristol on the Pill Path NCN 410 – I imagine doing it every day they are fast and a shouted “Good Morning” from behind really means “move over slow boy”.

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I pushed up the Leigh Woods detour, enjoyed the ride through the beech avenue, then over the suspension bridge, coffee in Cotham and home. In the end pleased I made the effort to get out and returned feeling motivated for the day !
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MuddyPete
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by MuddyPete »

Another impromptu super-local under my favourite Christmas tree, as for January BaM, as Reg's bio-fuel willow plantation has been harvested. :shock:

Surpringly chilly, frosty night. Awoke to a deflated pillow at 3am, but it was a toasty 30°C inside my sleeping bag :cool: .
Kept wondering if I'd dropped my phone; couldn't sleep, so packed up and rode home to a cuppa, cosy bed an my phone on the cabinet :roll: .
4/12 :-bd
May you always have tail wind.
mountainposture
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by mountainposture »

Got a quick Peaks trip in for April. That’s 4 out of 4 for me and Joolze.

Jan- winter ride thing
Feb - Dales
March - Peak
April - Peak.

Next one is in Wales somewhere at the start of May.

Loving all the write ups.
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TheBrownDog
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by TheBrownDog »

Just back in after a quick local overnighter to give my new Big Agnes Flycreek a test run. Usual story: home early from work, packed the bike, unpacked, packed again. I was going to take my chair and fire stove and cook a meal, but decided to do a couple of extra miles and eat at the pub instead. Glad I did as they had fresh trout on the specials. Thus it was an easy 10 mile loop to the pub, nice very meal and a single pint of ale (without Rich3rd or MuddyPete setting the pace my pint lasted 90 minutes) Dinner done and it was up into the woods to find a flattish spot to pitch up.

I had a quiet night with few interruptions, other than a weird waking dream that I'd somehow camped in the middle of the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and woke up to find a wedding reception happening around me, with loads of posh people in off the shoulder frocks, seersucker jackets and boaters. They were somewhat nonplussed by my presence, but left me alone while I got my stuff together. My car though had been pushed to the wedding car park ... go figure.

So, the Big Agnes Flycreek UL1. It's ok. Not £250 ok, but ok. Certainly very light and nice inside - you can sit up easily enough, turn around but don't try yoga. It did take a while to put up and needed all of the supplied 11 pegs. I will get quicker at it with practice, but I wouldn't want to be putting it up in the rain. No condensation in the morning though, despite me closing the doors and breathing heavily for 8 or 9 hours. Bloody cold - just above freezing I reckoned - but nice and warm in the tent. Once I had exhausted the dream I made a move. The tent was a lot faster to pull down than put up, and I was packed and gone in 10 minutes, not bothering with a brew.

So that for me is 4/4 for 2019. :-bd

Likely WRT set up. I left the chair behind last night. It's slung under the downtube using Stu's BowTie things. I may use my Ortleib saddle bag for WRT. It's less faff and carries more, and I fully intend to take way too much stuff.
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Obligatory wistful bike leaning against a gate photo.
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Obligatory grainy shot of the campsite as evidence of my overnight presence. Man, those guylines are reflecty
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I'm just going outside ...
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Rich3rd
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by Rich3rd »

TheBrownDog wrote: Sat Apr 13, 2019 7:52 am (without Rich3rd or MuddyPete setting the pace my pint lasted 90 minutes)
Nice write up there sir, but we must get drinking pace sorted out, showing up the local chiltern boners there! Will keep you posted when out next.
Never knowingly under biked...
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TheBrownDog
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by TheBrownDog »

Rich3rd wrote: Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:36 am [quote=Will keep you posted when out next.
:-bd :-bd

Long as we don't have to ride up and down the same hill four times eh :wink:
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MuddyPete
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by MuddyPete »

[/quote]
Long as we don't have to ride up and down the same hill four times eh :wink:
[/quote]

That was such a good hill it deserved to be ridden up more than once :lol:
May you always have tail wind.
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BigdummySteve
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by BigdummySteve »

4/12 28 in a row :-bd

With the family way in Greece for the week and an empty house it seemed rude not to head out at the weekend. I sent pickers a quick text letting him pick a route, the reasoning being he used to be a rally navigator and is ace at maps also being under doctors orders, on an E-Bike. Obviously i was expecting a gentle route but the cryptic reply of #undulating should have been a warning. As soon as the Family were waved off the bike was in the van an we were off to the Black mountains.
We unloaded the bikes headed off in the warm spring sun
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Blissful
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climby
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it was an interesting dynamic E-bike V Old Git power, some of the climbs pickers got up were frankly shocking, the grip of the 3" tractor tyres coupled with the steady power of low cadence + assist make for huge traction, even if the legs could keep up id spin out. On the steep technical stuff i stood no chance, however its a heavy beast to push up a hill, so heavy in fact that on the Sunday i was helping lift it over a fence, my arms gave out and i had to drop it on my face :shock:

In a medical breakthrough sure to make us millions we discovered how to add inches to a boner without surgery :-bd
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After 20ish miles of fantastic and varied riding we found a pub to recharge the batteries of bike and riders, Quick map check and a perfect bivvy site was located next to Llangorse lake, unfortunately i had my head down and arse up and missed the turn ending up on the opposite of the lake. After arsing around for 8 miles we eventually found a suitable hedge to crash in. I fumbled around in the dark and managed to fashion a reasonable dwelling with my new six moons tarp, i really should of had a test pitch at home first :roll:

lovely view across the lake confirmed our original bivvy choice would have been grand :-bd
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Short ride to cafe for breakfast, and back towards to van.

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It was cold on top :-bd
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Fantastic weekend of riding, very varied route with a bit of everything, nice climbs for miles through pristine forests, fast double and single track, some bog trotting, fast downhills, technical climbs and even a bit of proper portage.
Hopefully pickers will chip in with the route, its a cracker and a really should have copied it to my device. At one point pickers and the wonder machine surged ahead leaving a choice of two trails, naturally i chose the wrong one and had to wait while the hill was re climbed. mindful of the doctors orders and that the wonder bike didn't have walk assist, I had to sit down and have a brew while i worked out how to break the news to Mrs P :-SS

Cheers for a cracking weekend :-bd
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by RIP »

Very nice! Yes we enjoyed the E-bike Show at Cannock last month - he'll be taking us up Snowdon in ten minutes next :smile: .
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Pickers
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by Pickers »

April ticked off for BigDummySteve and I courtesy of a late call and a free weekend.
A two day out and back jaunt in the Black Mountains, a route cobbled together and the rest made up as we went.
Saturday, good weather if a bit nippy and breezy on the hills. Cracking views, steep hills. This was the highest point of the day, just over 600m.
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by Richard Picton - Flickr2BBcode LITE
Down off the hill past Castell Dinas and on to the pub. The now blacklisted Dragons Back. The food wasn't bad, Butty Bach beer fine, but a landlord that says they're too busy now to serve pudding....... but they did let me charge things up, maybe not so bad.
Anyways..... A bivvy spot at a nearby lakeside turned to be a waterlogged (too much lake and not enough side) so we pitched up on the edge of a field a couple of miles away
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by Richard Picton - Flickr2BBcode LITE
Sunday was cooler and windier. And steeper!
We were both off and pushing at the base of the first hill, very steep and muddy. More height and across the tops before a very nadgery descent - sorry to say we both wussed out here - very steep, rocky, loose, rutted and exposed. Up again the other side, topping above 800m. Bloody windy and cold, a fair bit of hike a bike (the downside of a 50lb ebike) and tussocks too. Our day was complete!
Almost..
A fantastic fast flowy rocky descent that lasted 4 or 5 miles to finish was the reward for the effort.
A brilliant weekend that happened because BD Steve threw me a text at 8pm on Thursday, and I went along with it!
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by Richard Picton - Flickr2BBcode LITE
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by Richard Picton - Flickr2BBcode LITE
Edit... Bugger! Beaten again!
Some of my pics https://www.flickr.com/photos/107347896@N06/sets/

We’re gonna need snacks

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middleagedmadness
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by middleagedmadness »

Looks like I missed out on a good weekend with yous pair :-bd
redefined_cycles
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by redefined_cycles »

Certainly does look like a nice couple of days had there Pickers and BDS... lovely backdrops to the pics... Was that 2 Deschutes that you lads were running or a Deschutes and a Lunar Solo.Black mountains appropriately added mentally to my list of "I will go there one day" ride destinations...
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BigdummySteve
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by BigdummySteve »

It was a Deschutes and a Lunar Solo, I took the weight saving thing to a new high and ejected my groundsheet mid ride. Made for a nervous first outing of the new überlite pad, After years of rejecting tarps I was surprised how comfy I was.

Deschutes tarp, überlite pad and a rab mythic 200,I did have my down vest as well but plenty warm enough.
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TheBrownDog
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by TheBrownDog »

Rich and Steve what a great trip. Steve, love that last photo of you sitting down smiling away. Brilliant.
but a landlord that says they're too busy now to serve pudding.
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: That's like a bus driver refusing to pick up passengers as it'll put him behind schedule.
I'm just going outside ...
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BigdummySteve
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by BigdummySteve »

It was terrible, I thought pickers was going to blub. Chose sticky toffee pudding, apparently we had to choose between custard or ice cream. Was angling for both......very sad :(( :((
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by RIP »

Superb couple of days in the Forest of Dean, courtesy of Psling and Kev. Many bikers just visit Cannop trail centre, but there's all sorts of hidden tracks and corners to explore in one of the most interesting areas of the UK. Peter kindly accommodated my industrial archaeology leanings into the route and there was lots to see.

A roundabout train journey via Birmingham brought me to Lydney late Tuesday night, and tea and toast and yarning meant we didn't crash out until midnight. Up at a civilised 7.30am for tea and shredded wheat and off we went.

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A fairly immediate steep uphill set the pattern for the day, but Peter had planned a stop at the Filling Station Cafe in Tintern. After a very nice coffee, we bumped into Andy Lewis MBE, with his amazing artificial leg, on his bike. He asked to pop round to Peter’s for some bikepacking advice!

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A quick diversion to the old wire works site (factoid: brass was “invented” here in 1568), then another uphill slog through the trees and along the top of the Wye valley down to the Boat Inn at Redbrook for lunch. Or not. Some pea and mint soup on the menu but the kitchen closed 20 minutes ago. Peter had the excellent idea of asking for cold soup and cooking it on our stoves outside, but we fell back on a beer and some crisps, followed by a sandwich at the shop over the river.

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More uphill (where do they put the “downs” in Dean I wonder?) into Coleford where we were accosted by a lady who asked if we were policemen and then told us not to ride our bikes next to the bike stands outside the supermarket. All very curious.

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The route next took in various old mineral railways to the pub near Parkend where “Beware The Bear” was one of the beers on offer – I fancied adding a Post-It note on the end of the pump clip with “Boners” on it.

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Our bivi spot was situated on top of an old coal mine’s slag heap, so you couldn’t sleep much closer to the archaeology than that I suppose. A feature of slag is that it’s pretty solid stuff so I simply bunged my mat and sleeping bag down and left it at that. Kev was made of sterner stuff however and managed to erect his tarp using some BBB carbon pegs which just goes to show the quality of Stu’s gear – “you can hammer these pegs into solid rock nae bother”. The full moon saved our light batteries, and after a pleasant night we were woken by the dawn chorus of a whole forest full of birds – amazing sound.

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More hidden trails in the morning, including a route through the sculpture park. These are incredible, and include a giant stained glass window suspended from the trees. I actually found the sculptures slightly unsettling as a result of their incongruity.

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A traditional “second breakfast” was provided by the lovely people at Hopewell Colliery Museum, who Peter knew seemingly just like he knows everyone else in the Forest :smile: . I partook of four slices of toast and a brew, while Peter and Kev indulged in a FEB – I’ve no idea how you lot manage these and still ride bikes afterwards. The mine is an example of what used to be possibly hundreds of coal drift mines in the FoD, where tradition allows a couple of blokes (and recently, the first lady Free Miner) and a dog and a pick-axe to hack coal out from pretty much anywhere in the Forest. We didn’t have time for a mine tour, but Peter suggested we could do something next year with an “access all areas” tour of various mines and caves in a “speleopacking” caper – top idea.

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A last gentle wobble down through the Forest to Lydney, where I roped the chaps into yet another hare-brained Reg diversion to go and inspect the docks. I’ll be the first to admit they were slightly underwhelming but at least we’d viewed them, and also had a chat with some tandem aficionados who were on the way to a meet-up near Parkend. One thing I’d like to see is a tandem team with the bloke on the BACK seat and the lassie in charge up front, but I still haven’t spotted one.

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A very pleasant train ride back home ensued, after a laid back and extremely enjoyable couple of days. As you know I don’t give a monkeys about miles, times or whatnot but I think Peter said it was about 40 miles and 4500’ of climb. More curious for me was that I managed that, on a fairly warm day, on just a pot of tea, some shredded wheat, a coffee and some toffee FJ, a dodgy cheese and pickle roll, a Picnic bar and a pint, plus only about 1 litre of water; followed by a bean burger and a couple more beers (but NO sticky toffee pudding!) afterwards. Clever things, bodies.

4/4, 4/12, 39/39.

‘Reg’
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

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BigdummySteve
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by BigdummySteve »

Sounds like a great trip, I do hope this lack of puddings isn’t a trend. Very disturbing.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Bivvy a month 2019

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

“you can hammer these pegs into solid rock nae bother”.
and there endeth the warranty :wink:
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