Bivvy a month 2020.

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TrepidExplorer
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by TrepidExplorer »

Easter's gonna be gorgeous they said. It's gonna rain on Sunday they said.

I panicked.

I packed my bike up on Thursday evening after work... a work day that meant to finish early but lasted out till 5pm.

I've got tired of battering myself on the tough stuff near home and developed a knee injury that niggles so I set off up the easy trails to Holyrod farm where the friendly sheepdog came out to give me a woof as I passed in darkness. It was perfectly tranquil.

In the valley bottom I sat on one of my favourite benches and drank down a little whisky and scoffed a cereal bar that's been in my bag just a little bit too long.

For the easiest descent I rode all the way up to Lodge Moor before dropping down to the Byway and then riding the footpath down the Rivelin valley which has now been legalised to open up "safe" cycling access in the valley. I managed not to fall in the holly bush this time, so it must be working.

When I got out of the allotments it felt really warm in town, and peaceful - so peaceful. If I could photograph silence it would look like this.
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TSK scurried off to bed when I got home at 11:45. So I had a few minutes of bathroom light to pitch my tarp by. I set up to avoid the Light of 100 suns and to put my back to Mark next door so I could get undressed without exposing myself to my smoking nieghbour and sleep in comfort. Before I shut down the Garmin, it told me the temperature was +5 degrees so I emptied my bags out, popped inside with the bike and raided the fridge for some cheese and an apple to stave off the hunger that was occurring.

It took me a long time to pitch the big tarp - the offcut of the ugly tarp. I had insufficient pegs with me so resorted to using a couple of spokes that were stored in my frame bag. I changed into comfy clothing and wriggled into Stu's old bivi, concluding there's much more space for feet in this one and my mat could stay in it tonight.
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Snuggled in with the geranium and the plum tree

My one and only feline encounter occurred as Newt passed in disgust at me camped out on the cat path again. A view of the other side of the valley was accompanied by the sweaty feet smell of the cheese and the sweet apple. Near perfect, except the other neighbour's outside light was on and set to stay on all night shining straight in my view. I couldn't be arsed to re-pitch the tarp so resolved to roll over on my side and ignore it.

I returned the remaining cheese to the fridge, hid all my other food away in case of fox incursion and settled down to sleep at 1am.

At 3:45 I woke up (or was woken up) and adjusted my position slightly in my bed. Cue the sound of barking and growling and something running away. I can't be clear whether I was dreaming it or it really happened. I sat bolt upright in the bed and looked right and left. I couldn't see anything - anything at all. My hat was pulled down firmly over my eyes and my arms trapped in my sleeping bag.

After struggling to free my arms and push my hat back, whatever wildlife had been there before was well gone but my face and all my kit seemed to be in tact so I settled back down to recover my breath and anticipate the remainder of the night lying, staring at the wall of the bivi after the adrenaline rush.

After a moment's consideration of getting up and going out for a dawn raid ride, my eyes got heavy again, the workload from the week had clearly caught up with me.

Just as I fell back to sleep I heard the neighbour softly saying, "c'mon then" into the inky lightening of the sky. Either he was calling his cat in or feeding the foxes - I will never know.

I slept through the dawn chorus and chose not to get up to shiver at first light to go for another ride. I've got years of that to come. Instead I snoozed till 10am, when I finally had to get up because I was too hot.

Newt made attempts to assess the bivi for comfort but remained unimpressed that it is on the cat path.

I had the best cereal and coffee breakfast on the bench - none of it made from my stove but the excellent cafe at the bottom of the garden.

Rueful I'd missed the experience for a hike bivi, I decided to see how much of my kit I could fit into my lightweight rucsac - it turns out, just my racing kit - the luxuries of stove, extra food, fuel would need to be left behind. I was tempted by a second bivi on the moors so packed my big rucsac with all the aforementioned items.
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Ripley not giving a feck.

My rucsac felt heavy but not ridiculously so. I did marvel that I manage to fit it all on the bike. The weight sat OK (thank you gym) and the pack was more comfortable than I expected.

We walked paths at the extremities of the main walking area near us so only saw a few other couples or small families out walking - the message seems to have gotten out.

Gradually the numbers of folk dwindled and we had the whole moor to ourselves for quite some time - except for the lapwings, skylarks and occasional kestrel.

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Achieving the day's target and Sheffield city behind

Trig point achieved, we nosed back into the valley for a final hike home down a combination of new paths, yesterday's bike bits and the valley paths that I've really missed using since I gave up distance running 2 years ago.

Actually it was a great reminder of what resides on our doorstep - within walking distance - or just about...

By the time we reached the reservoirs, we were both minced. Our feet were hot and swollen and blisters were starting to develop. Legs were tired and shoulders aching. I'd developed significant bruises where my rucsac dug into my pelvis - whether I had the waist strap around my waist or my hips. I'm not used to carrying a heavy bag but still, I was pretty pleased with what we did achieve. Whilst I could have stopped and cooked up a pasta meal to share on the meths stove, the one thing I did forget to pack was my spoon. Whilst I'd have happily shovelled the pasta in with the lid of the stove pot, I didn't fancy taking it in turns so we continued stomping our way home.

It was 8pm by the time we reached the garden again. Mark, standing on the back step smoking his ciggy asked where we'd been. He may be ex-army but no longer possesses any impression of how hard it is to walk 25k over to Rod trig when you've not carried a heavy pack for 10 years - at least he doesn't let on.

We prepped dinner and fed the cats still standing up, nervous that any show of weakness like sitting down would mean we wouldn't get back up again. My last desperate act was to have a shower and I fell into bed with wet hair and slept. HARD. :-bd
Last edited by TrepidExplorer on Fri May 01, 2020 9:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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frogatthefarriers
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by frogatthefarriers »

April (garden) BAM 4/4

For the bivvy-in-the garden I packed the bike as if I were going for the real thing...
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...then made a ten mile round trip to the doctors to drop off prescription repeat requests before landing back at home. I thought I'd make a bit of an effort given that there was not much riding done, so I cooked myself a three-course meal.

I started by picking nettles (of which I have plenty) for a soup.
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I'd brought the rest of the ingredients with me - onions, butter, a potato, soured cream and a chicken stock cube.

The soup:-
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It was very tasty..

The main was my standard Polish sausage /onion/pasta/Dolmio combo :-
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This is my pud cooking with the custard on the top, warming up:-
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The finished article - a steamed sponge pudding with custard. Yummy!
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By the time I'd eaten that lot I was as full as a tick, so sat by my camp fire with a drop of whiskey (cheap stuff 'cos good whiskey is wasted on me - "pearls before swine" springs to mind), toasted my toes and contemplated the heavens. it was a clear and frosty night.
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In the morning I ate my standard bivvying breakfast, packed up and pedalled a different 9 mile loop ending back at home.

April.....Done!
Konia kują, żaba noge podstawia...
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sean_iow
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by sean_iow »

I'd brought the rest of the ingredients with me - onions, butter, a potato, soured cream and a chicken stock cube.
Is than lot required to make sure you cant taste the nettles :wink:

Fair play for making a 3 course dinner, you're pudding puts my efforts to shame. I usually just have the custard cold, poured over a couple of Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Raisin Breakfast Bakes :lol:
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frogatthefarriers
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by frogatthefarriers »

sean_iow wrote: Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:36 pm
I'd brought the rest of the ingredients with me - onions, butter, a potato, soured cream and a chicken stock cube.
Is than lot required to make sure you cant taste the nettles :wink:
I s'pose it’s a bit like stone soup - you can make a soup out of a stone, as long as you add some vegetables and meat. :wink: But no, you can taste the nettles - they have a flavour somewhat like peas
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

That was excellent Frog! I particularly liked the sour cream garnish. A nasturtium flower would have been the final touch I feel though.

Nice one :-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.....

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TrepidExplorer
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by TrepidExplorer »

Sean, you just made my stomach turn. :???:
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Alan63
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Alan63 »

Emergency BaM legislation enacted. First bivvy of the year for the boys and I. After a trundle to the shops and back on the bike, l put up the tent in the back garden. Lewis also had a Cub challenge to camp out in garden so ticked 2 boxes. Boys had a great night. 1/4 in 2020 and 10 BaMs in last 16 months. Good to be out again.
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ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by ScotRoutes »

April (Emergency) BAM complete.

After a wee ride round the areas at twilight, I repaired to the auld tent in the front garden - accompanied by Mrs Scotroutes.

Image2020-04-25_08-19-32 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

The streetlights weren't as annoying as I thought they might be, so that was a win!

4/4, 41st consecutive.
ericrobo
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by ericrobo »

Did April BAM last night....

I thought it was going to be minimum 5 degrees but it was cold ! Very cold... frost on Bivvy bag this morning... I think just below zero :YMPARTY: :YMPARTY: :-T
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by fatbikephil »

April BAM done.
Decided to head deep into the forest for this one....
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The machine, loaded up and ready to go. Seriously TLS for this one!

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Arrrgghh gravel!! should have brought the gravel bike!

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Phew back to Technical singletrack

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Into the forest

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Bivvied in the woods. Well there is a tree. Well a shrub... Fortuitously someone had left a wheelbarrow lying around so it made a handy anchor for a lifter. The sharp eyed amongst you may spot certain similarities to this site and my March Bam but this one is miles away, believe me.

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Morning.

First night under the tarp, how exciting! :-bd
**sigh** you don't have to be mad to live here, it happens naturally
ScotRoutes
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by ScotRoutes »

Aha! #dangledimple!!!
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

Amusing write-up Phil :grin:. Quite like your bottle top headset cap :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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TheBrownDog
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by TheBrownDog »

ScotRoutes wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 4:54 pm Aha! #dangledimple!!!
Spotted that too. Extra points IMO
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ChrisE
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by ChrisE »

Luckily we have 2,000 acres of shared common grazing land as well as our farm holding :grin: :grin:


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fatbikephil
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by fatbikephil »

Thats one hell of a back garden right enough! :-bd
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Boab
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Boab »

Utilising the emergency BaM regulations, I setup camp in the back garden. As it was a relatively late decision, I didn't have time to fiddle with trying to erect my Scout dining shelter in various configurations to try and replicate a tarp, so used my Wild Country Quasar. I figured that I'd just paid to have it repaired so I could use it to camp for the Dirty Reiver, I should get my money worth before the fly sheet completely fails.

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The view in the morning wasn't as good as previous BaMs...

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The plan was to get up and then take the kids on a ride, for their daily exercise. Life got in the way a bit, so by the time I managed to free myself, it was past five o'clock and only my daughter would come out with me. So we went for a lovely gentle pootle around a local loop.

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2020 BaM: 4/4
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Bearlegged
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Bearlegged »

Went for a ride yesterday.
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Had a brew outside.
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Slept in the garden.

Ride was lovely, coffee was good, bivvy was unremarkable. I did however take my new bit of kit out - a digital thermometer, with max/min readings, so I could see how cool it got in the night. It reckoned 8°C, which when compared to the 7°C comfort rating of my new sleeping bag (cheers Mr Rich Pips!) suggests that I'm probably a bit of a cold/nesh sleeper.

2020 BAM 4/4
2020 total bivvies 4
Current streak (months) 17
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

KT: The view in the morning wasn't as good as previous BaMs...
- like that photo. Would make a nice stained glass window.
Landslide: max/min thermometer
- got linkypoo please? My 'analogue' max/min thermometer is getting temperamental now. Tiny but temperamental. Seen quite a few digi ones advertised but either too heavy or too complicated by extra features or dodgy reviews.
"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 »

Hopefully this link will work:
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 5931904025

Seems to be accurate to within +/- 1°C of our house's boiler thermostat. Is about the size of a box of matches. Hasn't failed in 1 trips out.
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

Ta! (oh. That failed. Sorry 2 be a pain.Is it me?).

"hasn't failed in 1 trips out" - 100% reliability rate then! Marvellous :grin: .
"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 »

RIP wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 1:41 pm Ta! (oh. That failed. Sorry 2 be a pain.Is it me?).
The link? Try searching on eBay for "Digital Display Indoor Home Room Thermometer Thermo Hygrometer Max Min Meter". What seems to be the current listing has item number 382636778976.
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BigdummySteve
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by BigdummySteve »

RIP wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 11:02 am
like that photo. Would make a nice stained glass window.
That’s odd even for you Reg, still no accounting for taste :-bd

Here you go...

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Bearlegged
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by Bearlegged »

I think Reg was after KT's tent and shed door combo, but I rather like that!
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RIP
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by RIP »

H.O.T.'s would be a nice T-shirt actually!
"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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BigdummySteve
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Re: Bivvy a month 2020.

Post by BigdummySteve »

Do apologise Reg, I thought you’d perhaps ran out of dried frog pills, if not could you spare some? ~X(
We’re all individuals, except me.

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