Maybe the implication is that no matter how happy you are, melted cow is going to somehow make you even more happy?

Anyroad, confined to barracks for 4 weeks now.

December (16-19th ish, midweek)might be up your way chap, Depending On The Situation, to see daughter. If so, will do a BaM round White Peak starting Grindleford and aiming south and west if you fancy a wobble.

RIP wrote: ↑Thu Nov 05, 2020 6:28 pm Maybe the implication is that no matter how happy you are, melted cow is going to somehow make you even more happy?

You've got 4 weeks to eat more pies, drink more beer and do less exercise, so I expect to see a marked improvement in your "winter bivi wellness", young man .

The Chubby NinjaTM - for balanced lifestyle and wellness advice you can* trust in these uncertain times .




*shouldn't

Had Fake Chicken Pie tonight, and I've sat here all day typing all this rubbish apart from doing a bit of hoovering earlier, so I'm up and running already . No beer - but I'll double tomorrow's Friday ration instead. That's very reasonable of me isn't it?

There may be no full lockdown in my neck of the woods right now but in these unpredictable times I thought it wise to get out there while the going’s good and get November’s BAM in the bag early. Despite some motivational issues to start with, I finally loaded up and left home just after 9 pm on Tuesday. My destination was a wooden shelter/picnic area on an East Lothian estate, used by folk taking part in the estate’s clay pigeon shooting days. I ride the nearby trails regularly and have thought for some time I should come back and assess its suitability for BAM purposes.

I rolled out of the city limits and on to the trails and within about two minutes I’d already spotted two foxes in my headlights. I was now convinced I was in for a bit of a wildlife fest but by journey's end my spotlight safari had only bagged the paltry total of a rabbit and a rat. When I reached the general vicinity of my bivvy spot I turned my lights off so I could ‘move discreetly into final position under cover of darkness’. Shortly afterwards I was lucky enough, however, to spot a badger as it scuttled across the track in front of me, its markings clear to see in the bright moonlight.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

First Thing by Jimmy G, on Flickr

The shelter, with its picnic tables (albeit damp and moss-covered), benches and wood chipping floor, proved to be the perfect refuge from the wind and a good night’s sleep was had. Mindful that estate staff might come round early-ish to set up for a day’s shooting, I’d set my alarm for 6.45 am. After quickly packing up I enjoyed a coffee (courtesy of my new Aeropress Go) and a Chia Charge bar then headed off.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I took a more meandering route home. Among the highlights were a pretty laid back heron that hung around for a while before finally flying off (see below); and a couple of laps of a BMX track, a novel experience on a loaded bike.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

That’s 11/11 for 2020 and 35 in a row. Covid-19 restrictions permitting, I’m hoping to get at least one more bivvy in before the end of the month but we’ll see.

Well that's a rather luxurious bivvy spot! Lovely. Sheds are definitely where it's at.

I'm a bit un-nerved by that sculpture/statue thing though. I'm going to have to have a small snifter to get back on an even keel.

It certainly was Reg. Mind you, I think I'll be writing to them to politely request that they wipe the tables down before my next visit. Re the wooden carving: Rather incongruous in that setting right enough but it never fails to bring a smile to my face as I pass by. Anyway, I hope that snifter has hit the spot!

In what seemed like (almost) a return to normality, my mate Ross and I headed out last night for a couple of beers and a bivvy. Sitting in a pub, drinking pints was almost unreal. We'd planned two, but had three


Headed up a short hill to the Frank Bruce Sculpture Park. Spooky at the best of times.







It turned out to be a very cold night, and I'd only taken a lighter sleeping bag with me so woke often trying to turn over and keep warm.

Minus 3C in the morning, so everything covered with frost.







Got packed up then headed down to Loch Insh Boathouse for breakfast before riding home.






That's 11 for the year and 48th consecutive month.

RIP wrote: ↑Thu Nov 05, 2020 12:34 pm By chance, I had my bikepacking bags on and loaded - it's often the case I haven't taken them off after the previous outing, or they're there "just in case"

Perfectly comfy but I stayed cold most of the night.

I wonder if these two statements are related Reg? I religiously unpack my gear as soon as I get home as I don't want the down to stay compressed for too long and lose it's toasty lofting properties....

Though feeling under the weather won't have helped either right enough.

Joe and I did our BAM this weekend - just to a nondescript bit of forest near home, but a new area of gravel tracks that we hadn't tried before. I had wanted to camp near an old ruined farm, but we couldn't find the access track in the dark as I think it might have been planted over. Will have to return in daylight sometime and look properly. Great to find a whole new area to explore though, only ten miles or so from home.



It was quite nippy out - below freezing at bedtime when we went out to brush our teeth and found everything sparkly with frost. It was obviously a clear night and the stars were pretty spectacular. Joe saw a shooting star which was pretty cool. There is absolutely no danger that we would have gone out overnight if it wasn't for BAM, so a big thanks once again for the motivation. We both really enjoyed the trip.

On the way home we tried to join the dots and see if the 'missing link' between two gravel roads was really properly missing or just left off the map. The answer was that it is there but not readily passible. But we got through and the boy didn't complain once - though I did! We seem to be reversing the roles there somewhat as I get older and he gets fitter and stronger.



It was a bit rainy and dreich for the ride home so a wee respite in this hide was very welcome. Just a pity it wasn't a wee bit bigger....



That's 5 consecutive this year for me and Joe.

Gloop Factor 20 on that "fire road" there - yuk! I like Joe's colour-coordinated outfit and bags . Shame that hide isn't a bit longer. Then again on the positive side you could sleep 2 in it standing up?

RIP wrote: ↑Mon Nov 09, 2020 1:25 pm Gloop Factor 20 on that "fire road" there - yuk! I like Joe's colour-coordinated outfit and bags . Shame that hide isn't a bit longer. Then again on the positive side you could sleep 2 in it standing up?

Yes, it looks to me as though it has been deliberately made just that bit too short to sleep in! It would make quite a good 'tea hut' though for future rides. There were a few of them dotted around up there and all unlocked, which was nice to see.

The gloop was pretty hard going, but it's not an adventure if you don't have a bit where you don't know what the outcome will be.

Loving that gloop! Just need some proper cold weather to freeze it up nicely...

Really need to get my act together for BAM additions. Here's August's effort which involved some gravelling in a big circle around Loch Ericht.

Inasupicious start at the head of Glen Garry


Pacy descent to Loch Rannoch


Starting the climb up the Road to the Isles


Graveller's wet dream


Corrour Station refreshments


Midge-free hammocking


Happy/in pain


Sightseeing


Late summer splendour on the Military Road


That got me to 8/8 for the year - spoiler alert, it's now 10/10! Map and more words/pictures at:

http://highlanddrifter.com/bam-2020-august

All good stuff that. I'd concur with the section of Wades Road from Ruthven to Etteridge being fab. I only discovered it a few years ago but I always try to use it instead of the cycleway. The track over to Dalwhinnie from Phones is a good one too.

Great loop that. I've done most of it a couple of times, but going via Loch Pattack. I like your extended version. Glen Banchor could be added too, along with the Loch Cuaich bit. I reckon anti-clockwise would work better?

Oh - and did you not stop at the Skyspace at Craiganour?

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Fri Nov 13, 2020 5:15 pm Great loop that. I've done most of it a couple of times, but going via Loch Pattack. I like your extended version. Glen Banchor could be added too, along with the Loch Cuaich bit. I reckon anti-clockwise would work better?

Oh - and did you not stop at the Skyspace at Craiganour?

I did fancy going up to Loch Cuaich, but figured as much, that it would be better the opposite way round. This worked quite well as we used the first afternoon to get to our bivy spot without any extra driving.

Didn't spot the whatnow at the wherenow? Is that one of those glass box thingies?

http://craiganour.co.uk/skyspace.html

Next time...

JoseMcTavish wrote: ↑Fri Nov 13, 2020 3:10 pm
Starting the climb up the Road to the Isles

Snap...



You didn't lose a pair of black bike mitts on that track did you? A long shot I know, but I have them if you did!

Borderer wrote: ↑Fri Nov 13, 2020 5:55 pm

Snap...



You didn't lose a pair of black bike mitts on that track did you? A long shot I know, but I have them if you did!

Ha, brilliant! I didn't lose any but can check with the other two just in case.

Colin, how have I never spotted that place? I'll make a mental note for next time instead of taking pictures of my bike against a wood shed...

P1050901 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

Potential bivvy spot too...

Blimey. That looks like some sort of re-purposed WW2 'V' weapon launch site!

After what felt like weeks of dithering and being stuck to the sofa in the evenings, I enlisted the help of my daughter to drive me and my bike about nine miles away from home to my chose area, a bit like a space rocket needing a primary booster engine to escape earth's gravity. Once set free, I went for just a little pootle about in the dark, just for the fun of it and to confirm that night riding on just Aldi's finest £2.99 jelly mini lights is not recommended . IMG_20201118_200550 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr IMG_20201118_200347 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrAfter this I found myself a couple of nice looking trees, set up my hammock and tarpIMG_20201118_203759 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr , and enjoyed the clear starry night and scary fox eyes caught in my headtorch over a nice cup of camomile tea for a few minutes, just before the drizzle started and I retreated to the hammockIMG_20201118_210001 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr . It was a blustery night of mostly rain, but I was snug and warm and slept really well. It was a first time I'd tried the tarp over hammock combo, and it worked well, except for the long sides getting blown in over the hammock with some wet getting in. I improvised with the one spare bit of guy line I had, tied to a twig pushed into the soggy ground - amazingly it held out and worked quite well.
Breakfast of coffee, porridge and hot chocolate, then a lovely but soggy ride back over one of my favourite commonsIMG_20201119_073608 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr , complete with some wild poniesIMG_20201119_073907 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr, and I got to town just in time to meet my friend for a quick dip in the river. IMG_20201119_083327 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Aha! Another swimmer. I'm currently doing weekly dips in local lochs, wondering just how much colder I can go

Have you ever had to smash ice to get to the water? That'd be a good test of how far you can go!

You're well hard you two are. I'm hopeless with cold water. Did it once as part of a sauna 'experience' - glad I tried it, but shan't be repeating it in a hurry thank you.

Went to plant some trees yesterday on the other side of our river. Water a little high after the rain but got across ok in wellies. On the way back the level just topped my welly and I copped a bootful. Cue Reg running screaming back to mum, towelling dry, hot chocolate, blanket round shoulders, bowl of boiling water inhaling Vic (did he invent the stuff?), then early to bed with the quilt over my head.

Yes I know - award me an SBS sticker immediately!

Having driven to work yesterday I thought I should go for a quick ride in the evening. Having read Reg's account of his light failure, Ralph was worried I might suffer the same fate and insisted I took some 'emergency' kit He also said he should come along in case I got scared

An easy ride along the deserted cyclepath, no dog walkers with hounds on 20 foot long retractable leads to avoid at night, and it was soon time to head off road. On reaching Brighstone Forest I thought I heard something off to the side in the trees, pushing the bike in to have a look and what happens.... total light failure, I have a small emergency head torch but there's no way I could find my way out of the woods with just that. Rather than risk getting more lost I decide the best plan will be to wait it out until it's light, good job I brought the emergency kit. If I could have found my way out of the trees it was actually quite a clear night, I could see the sky through the branches from where I lay.



Fortunately the 'emergency' kit I brought included my winter bag so I was nice and warm By 06:00 Ralph was concerned I'd be late for work if I waited for it to be fully light so I got up to check my lights and would you believe it they were working again, perhaps I'd just pushed to remote by accident As we could now get going Ralph would have to get up as well



He wasn't much help with the packing but it was soon all back on the bike. I'd recently made a larger front bag to attach to the harness so that had a first test which it passed I might make a large seat pack next to carry more kit for winter.



As I was going to have to pass through Newport (where I work) to get home I decided I'd ride straight to work, fortuitously I'd taken two lots of sandwiches etc in with me the day before so my lunch would be in the fridge ready. The ride ride back was virtually all down hill, which was fresh in the cold air. The south coast of England clearly visible from my vantage point.



Arriving at work by 07:15 I was actually early. Bike stashed in the shed and head in to the office for coffee.



I have a hankering to bivi in the shed, I think of it as a kind of private bothy with the slab floor. As I wouldn't be paying I assume it would count? The other issue is there is no window and the door is a good fit in the frame, with it closed and the light off you can;t see any light coming under the bottom or round the edges, so would I suffocate?

That's 9 in a row for me and 8 for Ralph.

I also have a question on the rules for the judging panel. I started this year in March so will finish in Feb 2021. If I decide to keep it up I'd like to do the more traditional Jan to Dec. So, if I did 2 bivis in Jan and Feb each could one of them count towards this 12 months and the other towards the 2021? So for the first 2 months I'd be doing 2 lots of BAM's concurrently, the end of this one at the start of the next.