Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
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- RIP
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- Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
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Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
I decided in the end that I would prefer to save VWE until I could cover all the GRs in one go and bivvy out there somewhere, and perhaps I'm a little more cautious than needs be but there we go. At least John says I have until September 30th so I'm not rushing . It's nice to see everyone making their own decisions about their own situations.
But I wanted to do something, and the next best thing to a Virtual Winter Event is a Virtual Virtual Winter Event. As happened last April I got a bit confused with what official/personal guidelines I was following so the result was a bit haphazard. This caused me to cycle a fair bit of the route indoors, and bivvy indoors as well. Obviously this means I can't count it as a "BaM" but that's fine, and I don't feel it's fair to put this in the VWE thread either.
Having got all the kit ready, but deferred all my GRs received from Angela, I dashed off three new ones. They turned out to be the tree at the bottom of our garden, the bird feeders near the house, and the front steps of the building.
I decided to exit via the side passage door on the basis that Mrs Perrin wouldn't detect my departure and cause ructions. At least it meant some gentle terrain to start with to break myself in gently...
Down the passage to tick off the first GR, then a very sharp turn straight into a serious technical uphill section, and unfortunately it didn't take long before the Brompton's inferior incline mounting capabilities manifested themselves...
I managed to get a bit of a run-up along the hall before tackling a flight of stairs (HaB), whilst avoiding Mrs Perrin in the process, and took the opportunity of visiting a discreet toilet block for a comfort break. My shelter-peg-cum-trowel meant that it was easy to leave no trace, but after some consideration I decided against burning the loo paper as is sometimes recommended...
Time was moving on and I needed to find a spot fairly rapidly. As luck would have it I came across a room that appeared, after a thorough check in all the corners, to be unoccupied. Nobody around but I figured I could ask retrospective permission in the morning. There was even an old mattress resting on some sort of wooden structure so hopefully that would guarantee a comfy kip. At least the temperatures were well above freezing and I was a bit concerned that the winter bag would turn out to be overkill...
And so indeed, 'comfy' it turned out to be. Had a nice lie-in and it was light before I headed off downhill from my spot. At least the Brompton's huge-travel dropper post came into its own going down as opposed to its poor climbing abilities...
I cooked up some porridge on the meths stove in the utility room, then set off to try and find the GRs in the back garden.
By the time I'd navigated along various tracks and other RoW and arrived at GR2 I was getting a bit peckish so it was time for a lunch stop. The 18g "Stu HyperStove(TM)" was soon fired up. I'd managed to pop in at a Spar (rare for the area) before setting off the day before so at least I possessed the Standard Bivvy Meal of pot noodle, Tunnock's and indeterminate lurid-green-coloured drink. Not going to win any Substantial Meal contests there I'm afraid, but I'm a traditionalist in some ways.
Never a good idea to get dehydrated so I stopped off at a couple of little ponds to refill...
GR3 is a well-known wildlife spotting location. There's usually a flock of goldfinches hanging around and a couple of times a sparrowhawk has been seen. Today was quite quiet with only a Christmas robin and some sort of pygmy owl feeding on some sunflower seeds...
And that was pretty much it. One or two familiar locations seen in a different light, and the odd new feature which I'll definitely come back to at some point in the future. I didn't actually buy the pot noodle. They're a step too far on the packaging front for me. It was left behind by my lad after Christmas.
Oh, and if restrictions continue to be tightened even further there's obviously still scope for a Virtual Virtual Virtual Winter Event. It would be conducted entirely in one's head and probably wouldn't need special equipment or clothing.
Looks like those hardy souls on the actual Virtual WE are having a great time too so that's good to see!
But I wanted to do something, and the next best thing to a Virtual Winter Event is a Virtual Virtual Winter Event. As happened last April I got a bit confused with what official/personal guidelines I was following so the result was a bit haphazard. This caused me to cycle a fair bit of the route indoors, and bivvy indoors as well. Obviously this means I can't count it as a "BaM" but that's fine, and I don't feel it's fair to put this in the VWE thread either.
Having got all the kit ready, but deferred all my GRs received from Angela, I dashed off three new ones. They turned out to be the tree at the bottom of our garden, the bird feeders near the house, and the front steps of the building.
I decided to exit via the side passage door on the basis that Mrs Perrin wouldn't detect my departure and cause ructions. At least it meant some gentle terrain to start with to break myself in gently...
Down the passage to tick off the first GR, then a very sharp turn straight into a serious technical uphill section, and unfortunately it didn't take long before the Brompton's inferior incline mounting capabilities manifested themselves...
I managed to get a bit of a run-up along the hall before tackling a flight of stairs (HaB), whilst avoiding Mrs Perrin in the process, and took the opportunity of visiting a discreet toilet block for a comfort break. My shelter-peg-cum-trowel meant that it was easy to leave no trace, but after some consideration I decided against burning the loo paper as is sometimes recommended...
Time was moving on and I needed to find a spot fairly rapidly. As luck would have it I came across a room that appeared, after a thorough check in all the corners, to be unoccupied. Nobody around but I figured I could ask retrospective permission in the morning. There was even an old mattress resting on some sort of wooden structure so hopefully that would guarantee a comfy kip. At least the temperatures were well above freezing and I was a bit concerned that the winter bag would turn out to be overkill...
And so indeed, 'comfy' it turned out to be. Had a nice lie-in and it was light before I headed off downhill from my spot. At least the Brompton's huge-travel dropper post came into its own going down as opposed to its poor climbing abilities...
I cooked up some porridge on the meths stove in the utility room, then set off to try and find the GRs in the back garden.
By the time I'd navigated along various tracks and other RoW and arrived at GR2 I was getting a bit peckish so it was time for a lunch stop. The 18g "Stu HyperStove(TM)" was soon fired up. I'd managed to pop in at a Spar (rare for the area) before setting off the day before so at least I possessed the Standard Bivvy Meal of pot noodle, Tunnock's and indeterminate lurid-green-coloured drink. Not going to win any Substantial Meal contests there I'm afraid, but I'm a traditionalist in some ways.
Never a good idea to get dehydrated so I stopped off at a couple of little ponds to refill...
GR3 is a well-known wildlife spotting location. There's usually a flock of goldfinches hanging around and a couple of times a sparrowhawk has been seen. Today was quite quiet with only a Christmas robin and some sort of pygmy owl feeding on some sunflower seeds...
And that was pretty much it. One or two familiar locations seen in a different light, and the odd new feature which I'll definitely come back to at some point in the future. I didn't actually buy the pot noodle. They're a step too far on the packaging front for me. It was left behind by my lad after Christmas.
Oh, and if restrictions continue to be tightened even further there's obviously still scope for a Virtual Virtual Virtual Winter Event. It would be conducted entirely in one's head and probably wouldn't need special equipment or clothing.
Looks like those hardy souls on the actual Virtual WE are having a great time too so that's good to see!
Last edited by RIP on Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:35 pm, edited 13 times in total.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
- RIP
- Posts: 9078
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
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Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
Oh, and on my travels I found a very curious hole located in a lawn. No other holes around. It was about 1" in diameter. No piles of soil anywhere. So what was it and where had it gone? (*)
(*) Investigations back at home hinted that it might be a vole.
(*) Investigations back at home hinted that it might be a vole.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
O this is hilarious
Did I see right, were you actually wearing gloves??
Did I see right, were you actually wearing gloves??
- RIP
- Posts: 9078
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
- Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
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Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
Gloves? Of course, it's bloody freezing out there! . Admittedly I forgot to take them off when my route veered indoors, so when I finally went exterior again "I didn't feel the benefit" as my Auntie Win used to say.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
- TheBrownDog
- Posts: 2107
- Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:46 pm
- Location: Chilterns
Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
Mate ...,,,, giggling silly here. You had me fooled earlier as I thought you were off on another Regodyssey. Brilliant.
I'm just going outside ...
Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
Excellent, a genuine micro-adventure You put Mr Humphries' efforts to shame.
Some tight single-track to negotiate too, excellent bike skills
Some tight single-track to negotiate too, excellent bike skills
We go out into the hills to lose ourselves, not to get lost. You are only lost if you need to be somewhere else and if you really need to be somewhere else then you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.
Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
Genius: the quintessential "adventure from your front door" .
I love the "heritage cycle computer" in the background ...
I love the "heritage cycle computer" in the background ...
...but how does it fit to your handlebar?
May you always have tail wind.
- RIP
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- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
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Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
Usual cableties and gaffer tape!
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
I think I may have said it last year when you recreated your living room in the garden, but it's worth saying again, you're a legend*, keep up the good work.
*It's also not lost on me that compared to your capers I look relatively sane
*It's also not lost on me that compared to your capers I look relatively sane
Adventure without risk is Disneyland - Bikemonger
- RIP
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- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
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Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
Nah, I love your stories Sean!
Anyway, as I might have said before, there's a fantastic tapestry of people in Here with brilliant stories, just look upon me as the village eccentric in a village (*) of eccentrics .
(*) a tangled mixture of Trumpton, Royston Vasey, Llanwrtyd Wells, Far Tottering & Oyster Creek, Midwich and Neverland
Last edited by RIP on Mon Jan 11, 2021 6:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
- thenorthwind
- Posts: 2609
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2016 6:07 pm
- Location: Newcastle
Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
Brilliant.
Quite the estate you must have Reg if it covers three separate GRs. Assuming you're using six figures, and aren't some kind of weirdo
Are you sure you haven't just found where you hid the spare front door key?
- RIP
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- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
- Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
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Re: Virtual Virtual Winter Event 2021
You could probably manage a fairly unsatisfactory game of tennis (*) in it.
(*) of the table variety
Yep I am .Assuming you're using six figures
Yep I am .some kind of weirdo
Are you sure you haven't just found where you hid the spare front door key?
It's really gratifying to see people's various reports coming in now, having done the best they can with what was possible, despite the whole project having been pronounced "stupid" in some quarters .
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster