Bivvy a month 2020.

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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

Still undecided re BaM, as per other thread. None of my 49 so far have been 'box tickers'. So I'm beginning to consider whether I 'box tick' up the local woods now I can't 'do what I want'. Or allow myself a moratorium and pick up from BaM 50 later on. The moratorium might be enforced soon anyway!

People have far bigger concerns than BaM obviously but it's an important part of my wellbeing. I think I'm still (very) selfishly smarting from my 'Big 50' cancellation, but it then strikes me that a local BaM under a tree might be 'back to basics' and more in the spirit anyway!
"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
frogatthefarriers
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by frogatthefarriers »

BAM March 2020. 3/12.

I suddenly thought, as I was finishing my set of shifts last week, "Oh 'eck! What if I get 'IT' and can't get my March bivvy in?" So I packed my stuff up and went for another tour of the Berwyns. Froncysyllte, along the canal to Chirk, over the hill to Pontfadog, over another hill to Tregeiriog, another one to Llanrheadr-ym-Mochnant., and yet another to a sheep fold just before Llangynog where I bivvied.

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I went to bed to look at the stars with a Tunnocks' caramel wafer and my whiskey nightcap. Somehow, the wafer got lost in the carnage that was my sleeping arrangements and I didn't find it until I was packing up in the morning.

A mouse did, though...
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A great spot this, flat, level, dry and surrounded on four sides by dry-stone walls. And, surprisingly, no sheep poo. :-bd

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From Llangynog, a lane on the other side of the valley from the B4391. I'd climbed the 4391 before and thought the lane would be better. And it would too, if I'd been going the other way. :roll: Where the main road climbs 450 metres evenly through three miles, my track did it in the last half mile.

Then more pushing over the top to Llandrillo. On the way, was this...
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From Llandrillo a lot of pushing up to the Wayfarer memorial and down to Llanarmon D.C. Up-hill was, at least, dry. After the memorial, a lot of this....
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More hill then, to descend Allt-y-Badi into Llangollen and, at last, some flat riding back along the towpath to Fron . It was a hard ride for me; a lot of great descents I took the wrong way and had to push up. Hey ho! I'm still feeling it four days later.

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My track on Viewranger gives my ride as 10200ft. of ascents. I'll go with that for the bragging rights, no matter what the Etrex says.
Konia kują, żaba noge podstawia...
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

"Tunnocks' caramel wafer" - heaven in a foil wrapper.

4x4 - Image

Absolutely intend to get up that way Frog when 'it' has been sorted out.
"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
frogatthefarriers
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by frogatthefarriers »

RIP wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2020 9:02 pm Absolutely intend to get up that way Frog when 'it' has been sorted out.
I'll hold you to that!
This BAM and last months' were by way of a recce for when you do make it up here. I need to find a route that uses more of the descents as descents -instead of pushes. There's always Aprils' BAM for another try :smile:
Konia kują, żaba noge podstawia...
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

"uses more of the descents as descents " - aye, that's the game.

Still gotta go and visit Sean too. Trouble is his riding escapades scare the sh1t out of me :wink: . Us oldies are far better kept together. We have the knowledge to fix each others' zimmerbikes in an emergency :-bd
"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
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Escape Goat
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Escape Goat »

I think that I'm going to start re reading this thread to get through this shitty time.

I only wanted one f-ing pack - greedy sods took em all.

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I managed to get out with Sam last night - we attempted to put the world to rights, drank IPA ate our usual cheese and crackers and wondered what was actually in fig rolls. :lol:

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redefined_cycles
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by redefined_cycles »

Result... well done Al. Yeah, greedy sods on the bourbon creams. CoOp is good like that (they also donated a load of food to our unit/ward :grin: ) and when I rode past yesterday for my compulsory commute-Magnum I noticed some small packs of rice in the clearance section.

Missus been worried bout not being able to find rice so I thought to grab it (got 2 packs as it was in the clearance section so assumed noone wanted and they didn't seem to deserted of food) for the missus instead of flowers. Got to till and the chap tells me I can only take one pack (was gonna go in my half framebag so it tells you how big each was). Luckily I didn't try taking 2 Magnums :-bd
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Escape Goat »

Hey Shaf, yeah, I think they should have limited it ages ago - before it was even an issue. The majority of people are bumholes when it comes to sharing. In fact I watched a film called "The Platform" which shows this even more.

I was both happy and sad to get out. Lots of confused feelings at the minute.
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sean_iow
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by sean_iow »

Escape Goat wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:09 pm wondered what was actually in fig rolls.
Apparently there's a dead wasp in the centre of every fig, so a decomposed wasp is one ingredient :lol:
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thenorthwind
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by thenorthwind »

Great set of photos Allen. Well done for getting out.
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Escape Goat
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Escape Goat »

sean_iow wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2020 12:10 am
Escape Goat wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:09 pm wondered what was actually in fig rolls.
Apparently there's a dead wasp in the centre of every fig, so a decomposed wasp is one ingredient :lol:
Crunchy!!
thenorthwind wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2020 12:17 am Great set of photos Allen. Well done for getting out.

Glad you like the pictures. Really quite relaxing listening to the sea do it's thing in the morning.
ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by ScotRoutes »

I had to think long and hard about this one.

My original plan was a 100km ride over to Dava Moor to explore some windfarm and shooting estate tracks that cover some very, otherwise empty, terrain. I've been meaning to head up there for a while and add to my VeloViewer tiles while I'm at it. However, I wasn't sure it was the best idea given the current circumstances, so I cut it right back to a little local ride. That was shorter, I was nearer home, it was all (easy) tracks I knew and a late departure/early return would minimise by chances of meeting anyone else.

I eventually set off after 17:30. It was chilly, but not drastically so. I saw one runner immediately after leaving the house and a couple of folk out walking just a few minutes later. That was it - nobody else for the remaining 10km or so.

Got to my planned pitch with sufficient light to get organised and, in view of the minimal wind, pitched the tarp with a nice open view of the surrounding hills.

ImageP1060420 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

Made up a ready meal and got into the sleeping bag for warmth while it was rehydrating. (FWIW, Firepot Spicy Pork Noodles - proper spicy it was too!). Soon settled down and drifted off to sleep around 21:00.

ImageP1060421 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

I woke around midnight, feeling a bit chilly and sorted myself out in the sleeping bag a bit better, then drifted off again. Around 2:00, I was awake again, then drifted back and forth for an hour or so.. The wind had switched and it was bloody cold. The ground was frozen solid too. I was using a 3-season bag but had taken my quilt and so fished that out and put it over my sleeping bag. That seemed to do the trick and I dozed off until after 6.

ImageDSC_1046 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

While I was boiling water for porridge, I hastily re-arranged the tarp to give me some better shelter and that made it cosy enough to lie down and enjoy breakfast. Quickly packing up, it was just a question of trundling (mostly downhill) back home. Saw another 3 runners about 1km from home.


Glad I made it out - and that I changed plans. The other tracks will still be there.

3/3, 40th consecutive month and I can't recall how many months in the past 7 years, but quite a few :-)
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

A nice 'vanilla' BaM there Colin - all the standard features, nothing special but special because it wasn't special if you get my drift :smile: .

Spicy Noodles near Aviemore? "Should have been a curry near Blair Atholl" - a very cryptic puzzle to work out there if you can be bothered :smile: .
"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
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by sean_iow »

RIP wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2020 10:00 pm Still gotta go and visit Sean too. Trouble is his riding escapades scare the sh1t out of me :wink:
When the current situation is all over I'll come and visit you and I can get all the 'escapadering' out of my system on the way there :lol: I went for a ride on Saturday, thought I'd get one last longer ride in whilst I could. As I'm not 'training' for anything in the immediate future I took it easy, stopped to eat my food and looked at the view (rather than shove it down whist riding) stopped and sat on the odd bench just because it was there etc. It was lovely :smile:

Will we need to have an emergency BAM rule amendment if further restrictions come into force? Currently only a neighbour's garden is permitted but might we have to allow the use of ones own garden?

I'm not officially BAMing this year as I missed Jan and Feb but I have now done March, this was also really nice. I laid in long after sun rise, made a coffee and ate a pastry before even getting out of my bag :smile:

Image
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ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by ScotRoutes »

sean_iow wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:53 am I laid in long after sun rise, made a coffee and ate a pastry before even getting out of my bag :smile:
That should be in the rules. And NOT just the emergency rules.

I'm surrounded by second homes. I guess it would be easy enough to rotate around them for the next few months. I even have keys to some of them 😂
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

Yes we're going to have to modify The Rules. I'm still undecided about asking for a 'moratorium' ie pick up later where you left off.

If 'own back garden' turns out to be allowed, I'm lucky we have an old wendy house so that I can keep up my 'derelict sheds' mission.
"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
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

RIP wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2020 12:38 pm Spicy Noodles near Aviemore? "Should have been a curry near Blair Atholl" - a very cryptic puzzle to work out there if you can be bothered :smile: .
Well I thought that was a nice little puzzle to while away self-isolation. Another clue then: rhyming slang and Scots clans.

"second homes" - :lol: . That would definitely need a Rules change.
"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
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Bearlegged
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Bearlegged »

Should be fine as long as ScotRoutes leaves them unlocked, at which point they'd just become a new network of bothies?
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

:grin: Probably with the added benefit of some very nice drinks cabinets. For a short while anyway.
"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
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JohnClimber
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by JohnClimber »

So is the no back garden rule going to be relaxed for us city dwellers please?

You still need to ride there and back, so who could have the shortest ride here?
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

So is the no back garden rule going to be relaxed for us city dwellers please?
If people paid a bit more notice to stuff, then they'd already know the answer. :wink:
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Cyclepeasant »

I think that home bams must only be a bivvy to qualify,no tarp or tent!!
Softies!! :wink:
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

RIP wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 12:25 pm
RIP wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2020 12:38 pm Spicy Noodles near Aviemore? "Should have been a curry near Blair Atholl" - a very cryptic puzzle to work out there if you can be bothered :smile: .
Well I thought that was a nice little puzzle to while away self-isolation. Another clue then: rhyming slang and Scots clans.
Go on then: curry = a ruby murray, Murray clan seat at Blair Atholl, ruby = 40th [BaM] Anniversary.

So my 50th has not gone as planned obviously. Intended to ride from Caersws to Barmouth and visit 3 old gold mines around Dolgellau - Golden Anniversary see? "Oh please yourselves" - F Howerd. I was going to pose the puzzle of who can spot a 4th golden location in my plan, but we probably have better things on our minds so answer = take the last 2 letters of Dol..... Well I liked it!

I had earmarked a disused shed in the grounds of a sports facility close to home as my reserve plan last night, but now Mrs Perrin seems to have The Symptoms, luckily not severe, so that's out now too.

Wendy house it is then...

What a surreal situation, but something people in 'less developed' parts of the world deal with every day of course.
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JohnClimber
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by JohnClimber »

3/3

Photo to follow when I fire up the laptop

Using new rule 1a
(The print is so small below rule 1 that it doesn't show on Stuart post)

The wife had a few aches (she's an old girl so it's expected) yesterday, so as this is one of the symptoms of the flu (and covid19) we thought it best to isolate her.
Plus it bought me 14 days off work ;-)

So it was the uncomfortable sofa bed for me in the spare roon as the Mother in Law has moved in to the spare bedroom for the lockdown.
Chicken legs knows how this bed feels as he slept here as he and Sweary Dave did their off road LeToJoG ride several years back.

The problem is that it's just comfy enough to think it will get better.... Just like bivi'ing
What I should have done and will do for tonight is put my Exped mattress on top it.

My mind was racing worrying and thinking what can and will happen over night and in the future on this "journey' - just like bivi'ing

I had my cumulus 250.quilt over me but as the heating was on (remember that the MIL is around with us). I tried to get to sleep just in my pants......
But like bivi'ing outdoors in the hot summer nights (remember them?) you end up all stuck to.your quilt what with all the sweat ...... Just like bivi'ing

So I put my PJ's on and I was far too hot.... Just like bivi'ing

Wild animals....... Just like bivi'ing
The dog (Archie) wouldn't settle.and was pacing up and down with his claws on the wooden floors around me and upstairs.

Then there's the birds ....
The bastards started walking all over the conservatory roof right outside my window and were chatting away to each other and any other bastard bird in the area.... Just like bivi'ing

I and the dog needed several wee's..... Just like bivi'ing

I maybe got 3 hours of sleep...... Just like bivi'ing on the first night if a trip

My eyes this morning are burning through the lack of sleep.... Just like bivi'ing

So I don't care what you think I'm having this one....
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Cyclepeasant »

LOL! JC :lol:
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