Bivvy a month 2023.

[redefined_cycles]

Anyone able to suggest a cheap liner for the floor that's also low bulk/weight. Tyvek from Stu? or is there another few options...

If you haven't taken up Retiredtester's offer yet Shaf, I also have loads of wrap left over from them building our garden office; you're welcome to as much as you need. Lighter than the Tyvek I sourced from an acquaintance in the village who was building an extension to his house. Used it on all my BAMs since I got the Lanshan, and I've slept on some shitty undergrowth, it's done its job nicely.

If it's lighter (and strong as) the Tyvek, then yes please Bob. In message coming... RetiredTester, I might put that tyvek on hold for the mo and see how I het on with this builders sheet...

[Retiredtester]

All good! Sounds like a plan.

[sean_iow]

Another local one for me, thought I'd get it done a bit earlier and not leave it until the last minute. Forecast was dry so just took the bivi and no tarp. As I climbed up the Tennyson Trail into onto the downs I rode into the mist, or it might have been a cloud, it was pretty damp inside Back to some woods I've been to before and ended up a spot I'd used before* as it would be more sheltered, or so I thought. Soon set up, used the electric pump for the mat which speeds things up.

Once in my bivi it was apparent that the cloud blowing through the trees was causing drips to land on me The myog bivi bag has a flap that can go over the mesh for just such occasions, but if I moved too much the gap it leaves for ventilation would expose the mesh and the drips would come in. Slept well despite this, it only got down to 8 degrees so fairly mild. I took the Ultralight 350 which has a comfort temp of -3 but I was only just warm enough, metal note that after 40 years of camping I've finally realised I'm a cold sleeper and need to prepare accordingly

Alarm went off at 6 and reluctantly I had to get up to head to work. My sleeping bag was pretty dry but there was actually enough water in the bivi bag to empty out! Being on top of the mat kept me out of it. Luckily I was on a slight slope so the water was mainly at the foot end, especially lucky for Ralph who was at the head end so made it out dry

Packed up and headed for work. As I descended I dropped out of the mist but the ground was still wet so maybe it had rained overnight?

Poor quality picture taken with a flash on a phone in a cloud



That's 2/12, 36 in a row - Sean and 35 for Ralph.

* As its BAM and not JAM** then repetition is allowed

** Just a Minute, I'm sure Reg can explain if anyone hasn't heard of it, hopefully taking a minute and without hesitation, repetition or deviation, although based on previous posts I think he may struggle with the last one

[RIP]

Hah!

(at least you had captive water to make coffee with)

[redefined_cycles]

Another local one for me, thought I'd get it done a bit earlier and not leave it until the last minute. Forecast was dry so just took the bivi and no tarp. As I climbed up the Tennyson Trail into onto the downs I rode into the mist, or it might have been a cloud, it was pretty damp inside Back to some woods I've been to before and ended up a spot I'd used before* as it would be more sheltered, or so I thought. Soon set up, used the electric pump for the mat which speeds things up.

Once in my bivi it was apparent that the cloud blowing through the trees was causing drips to land on me The myog bivi bag has a flap that can go over the mesh for just such occasions, but if I moved too much the gap it leaves for ventilation would expose the mesh and the drips would come in. Slept well despite this, it only got down to 8 degrees so fairly mild. I took the Ultralight 350 which has a comfort temp of -3 but I was only just warm enough, metal note that after 40 years of camping I've finally realised I'm a cold sleeper and need to prepare accordingly

Alarm went off at 6 and reluctantly I had to get up to head to work. My sleeping bag was pretty dry but there was actually enough water in the bivi bag to empty out! Being on top of the mat kept me out of it. Luckily I was on a slight slope so the water was mainly at the foot end, especially lucky for Ralph who was at the head end so made it out dry

Packed up and headed for work. As I descended I dropped out of the mist but the ground was still wet so maybe it had rained overnight?

Poor quality picture taken with a flash on a phone in a cloud



That's 2/12, 36 in a row - Sean and 35 for Ralph.

* As its BAM and not JAM** then repetition is allowed

** Just a Minute, I'm sure Reg can explain if anyone hasn't heard of it, hopefully taking a minute and without hesitation, repetition or deviation, although based on previous posts I think he may struggle with the last one

Thought that was Reg' classy Orange there for a minute. Just one Q... Did you have the mat inside the bivy or out. I'm gonna guess inside?

Well done sleeping inside a soggy cloud Plus, makes me feel better about my -5 bag now which really doesn't keep me warm at 0c

[sean_iow]

Mat was inside the bivi, I always have my mats inside as I'm worried about punctures, although it hasn't stopped me from having them.nEvery mat and pillow I own has a patch (or 2) on it. I was nice my newly patched pillow stayed up all night

[Moder-dye]

I can't fit me and a kip mat in either of my bivy bags. Even my hunka XL, but my decent mat is a exped ul wide and long (a bit like me) so I'd have just been soggy!

Actually only bivied out once without a tarp iirc, and then I was without a bivy bag too, just a synthetic bag, but it was summer in France and the slugs were over friendly that time

In a field side with passport in my pants, knife in hand, rucksack tied to sleeping bag on the edge of a town at 17yo. I'd been climbing for the summer in Verdon and had to go home due to lack of money and insurance (felt it was necessary for the gorge) so had left my mate with the tent. Just had my bus ticket home and a rumbly belly

Hope to get Febs bivvy in this week if the body allows. I have got a few spots eyed up for the hammock.

[SR]

Took a trip out Friday night to make sure I got February bivi before the clock was closing down to the end of the month. The forecast was looking good. Stay pretty local in a church porch still quite windy. Pleased not to have a flappy tarp. Morning view from the bivi bag. Slightly rubbish photo as down size to fit but you get the idea.

2/2

[Moder-dye]

I'm out now a few miles from home in some woods. Just set up and about to have some tea. It's pretty breezy and it's odd to have the hammock moving up and down as I sit on it!

I actually got it all set up nice and then realised my school boy error with it running parallel to the wind. Now set up perpendicular which obviously gives better shelter. Not sure I'll sleep much with the noise of the wind and tarp, but cosy enough.

The trees look fine though. I think







2/12

[Stinginglip]

2/12 ..3 on the trot after my kit test in Dec. Solo was the order of day again this time a more local spot. Fat bike dusted off & loaded, I was rolling early Saturday afternoon so went the long way round taking in Country Parks, canal paths and urban cycling routes making good progress towards Holcombe Moor. This is the start of the good stuff riding wise but also when it started peeing it down.
Light was fading and the planned spot was up and over another tough Moor section which I didn't fancy being already covered in poor show(forgot how much a 4.8 tyre throws up) and soaked so detoured into the nearest wooded area but really couldn't find a suitable spot for the tent.
Definitely thought of sacking it off at this point but carried on getting closer to home with one last wooded area I knew about but never checked out. The rain had calmed down as I ventured into new territory via headtorch light only and bingo a nice flat/softish area found .
Now the faff setting up..all bags/bottles caked in West Pennines finest..really need a battery pump for my massive winter mat as it takes forever with the bag pump thing.
Full clothing strip needed before getting in the bag and making some tea and cracking my only can of JD & coke.
Mild temperatures and I was proper toasty. Slow breakfast and pack up faff with the redressing in soggy cycling gear(nice) I was pedalling by 9ish and decided on the non direct route home.
All in all turned out ace

[Bearlegged]

Job applications. I fecking hate them. I'd been wrestling with one of them all week, and I was in emotional and physical tatters. Having finally pressed submit on it, I thought a good way to recover from the ordeal would be to go and sleep outdoors. Turns out I was wrong, as there was an unexpected hoolie blowing all night, and any sleep was fitful at best. Current status:


Anyhoo, on the upside, I got to catch up with my friend Varun from the MTB Colour Collective. Pub for food, a beer or three, and a nice flat pitch. In the morning, we packed up and headed to a nearby barn for a bit of shelter and some breakfast. I had some salted caramel and almond porridge, which was probably the least awful porridge I've ever eaten.

Pics here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Co4RRfXMqRE/

2023 BAM 2/12
2023 total bivvies 2
Current streak (months) 51

[RIP]

As per No Sheep 'Til Buxton.

2/2, 2/12, 86/86

[Moder-dye]

I had a scary dream in the hammock last night!
Never had that before camping, other than once on a climbing/camping trip where I was just about to top out off the route into the tent and started to fall and woke up shouting 'Take in!!'

In the dream I was a sleep in the hammock and a man crept up from the foot end Freddie Kruger style to grab my hands and said 'I've got you now' as I jumped awake
Obviously the only crazy mad man out in the pitch black woods was me I was soon back asleep anyway

[fatbikephil]

I've had a couple of odd dreams when out bivvied in recent months (not sure due to drinking beer, or not drinking enough beer....) Nothing quite like that , apart from waking once to a barking dog nearby, except it was a deer....

[frogatthefarriers]

I was hoping RIP or Raggedstone would get going on our trip-in-the-peaks report, but nothing happening so...

I drove up to Macclesfield on Friday night to meet Reg and Kev at the station for the start. It would have cost £15 to park for two days on the station car park so I opted for a cheaper (free) option of parking in the street. Found a spot, unloaded bike and oops, found I'd forgotten my cycling jacket. I'd still got my rain coat and a down gilet and hoodie so not a disaster. Jumped on the bike, then, for the short hop to the station, quite forgetting to make a note of where I'd left the car. I would regret this three days later, oh yes!

Anyway, having gathered, we crossed the road to the chippy - that Reg said was world class - for erm, chips. Very very good they were too. After spending a little time on t' internet to select the best-sounding boozer we puffed up the hill to the Silk Road pub for a couple of scoops before really, really puffing up hill to the Macc forest to find somewhere to kip. It was a bit drizzly, though not actually raining, but the wind was going to make life difficult to set tarps/tents up and we were looking for somewhere sheltered. The weather forecast was for heavy rain in the night so we were relieved (well me 'n Reg were anyway) to find a tin shed full of big sacks of sheeps-wool that promised a comfy bed for the night. Kev chose to take the hard-man option and sleep outside, but in the shelter of the trees a little higher up the hill.

Regs' bed...


While looking around, I found a caravan. It was in a sorry state and when I tried the door to see if it was locked, the bottom half fell off. Inside there was devastation with stuff chucked everywhere and dirt on all the surfaces. It was dry, though, and by moving some junk from the middle of the floor, there was enough space to take the cushions from the couches and make a bed.

Bed...


In bed with my new friend... Will you still respect me in the morning?...You won't tell anybody, will you?


Home , sweet home...


That's Manchester or Sheffield or somewhere in the background. Reg'll know.

Teddy waving goodbye...Come again soon... Don't be a stranger


There followed a lot of hills,

...passing a (closed) cafe and a closed Cat & Fiddle before second breakfast at... somewhere. (I forget the name) before more hills. It was a very good breakfast. After that and a mammoth-sized piece of Bakewell Tart, I was as full as a tick. Then there came a lot of pointing at the horizon and "See that tiny dot on the skyline on the other side of this deep valley? That's where we've got to get to".

Oh Goody...

Eventually we rolled up at the Red Lion...somewhere...for evening meal. I had a slice of their famous (they said) steak and ale pie with chips and seasonal veg...

...and followed it up with bread-and-butter pudding with custard. After that and a couple of pints, thankfully, it was a flat pedal to our bivvy spot. I don't think my full stomach would have allowed any hills.

In bed.. again..


Kev had gone for the hard option again and slept outside in a bivvy bag.

The morning after - all set and champing at the bit for more hills


We called in at Buxton for lunch on the pavement outside a small cafe where we were entertained by a chap doing stunts on a bike - things the likes of Danny MacAskill does- up and down a flight of stairs on just his front wheel 'n such-like.

Show-off! I was glad when he gave up and stopped me feeling inadequate with his smart-alec shennanigins.

Later, outside a cafe on the Cat 'n Fiddle road after coffee and scones with jam and clotted cream. You can see our first nights bivvy from here. It's just by that band of trees that you can see on the hill above Kevins head.


Then more hills and forest tracks before rejoining civilisation along the Macclesfield canal..


Final Photo, before going our separate ways, and my problems began...


Remember I said I hadn't made a note of where I'd left the car? Well it took me three hours to find it again. I'd remembered that I'd turned left and left and left again, to get to the station. It wasn't far, just a few hundred yards, but unfortunately I miss-remembered the turn into the station car park and instead of turning right, I spent two and a half hours searching on the wrong side of the railway tracks until my phone battery was almost flat. In desperation, I returned to the station to see if anyone with local knowledge knew where there was a little lay-by by a busy road with an extensive car park in front of a tyre or tile shop. The kind lady put my phone on charge and they let me take my bike into the waiting room. I waited for my phone to charge for half an hour, but then I thought I might as well be riding around and searching. After a couple of circuits, Hallelujah, there she was. What a relief - I'd begun to think I'd have to bivvy another night and resume my search in the daylight.

How stupid am I? You won't ell anybody will you? Will you?

After all that, That's BaM done for February 2023. 2/12.

[RIP]

I was hoping RIP or Raggedstone would get going on our trip-in-the-peaks report, but nothing happening so...

It's just round the corner man! Like the car .

What a fab weekend, thanks Lu, although I woke up yesterday feeling like I'd spent two days tumbling inside a washing machine . Still, can't be all bad, am 64 as of 30 seconds ago but as we said on our ride we all still feel about 10 years old... bikin', dens, ripped trousers, grazed knees.... .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCTunqv1Xt4

[Moder-dye]

Sounds like a great weekend with my style of eating I'm definitely a 'rather sleep in the clean outside' than inside a manky caravan type of guy, or on a rancid stack of sheep fleeces

There's a place off the A90 near us that proclaims the 'world's best bacon butties' on its wall. I keep meaning to stop there to see what I think, but I always think that when it's too late to stop

[RIP]

Sounds like the destination for your next BaM right there, maybe they'd do you a Bike Thru' Breakfast .

The food/sleeping thing is a conundrum. I like counterpoints, so maybe it's the nice food nasty bivvy contradistinction which amuses me. Should probably try the opposite one day for completeness .

[redefined_cycles]

Nice1 Reg, Kev and Frog... anymore details on how you engineered a (wat looks a) massive headlight above that head torch!?

[frogatthefarriers]

What a fab weekend, thanks Lu, although I woke up yesterday feeling like I'd spent two days tumbling inside a washing machine . Still, can't be all bad, am 64 as of 30 seconds ago but as we said on our ride we all still feel about 10 years old... bikin', dens, ripped trousers, grazed knees.... .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCTunqv1Xt4

Yes, I forgot to say what a great weekend. Thanks Kev and Reg for a great ride.

Tumbling in a washing machine?…. Who picked the route then? It wasn’t me - I don’t know where we went, even I will remember the bivvy spots though. Silly, or what? I like silly. Silly makes the world a better place, or at least more bearable.

Oh, and Happy Birthday.. Don’t go walking into the sea like your namesake…

[redefined_cycles]

What a fab weekend, thanks Lu, although I woke up yesterday feeling like I'd spent two days tumbling inside a washing machine . Still, can't be all bad, am 64 as of 30 seconds ago but as we said on our ride we all still feel about 10 years old... bikin', dens, ripped trousers, grazed knees.... .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCTunqv1Xt4

Yes, I forgot to say what a great weekend. Thanks Kev and Reg for a great ride.

Tumbling in a washing machine?…. Who picked the route then? It wasn’t me - I don’t know where we went, even I will remember the bivvy spots though. Silly, or what? I like silly. Silly makes the world a better place, or at least more bearable.

Oh, and Happy Birthday.. Don’t go walking into the sea like your namesake…

BTW Mr Farriers... Here's Reg' report I believe... viewtopic.php?f=10&t=23068

He made a special thread for it and all

[Moder-dye]

Sounds like the destination for your next BaM right there, maybe they'd do you a Bike Thru' Breakfast .

Well you got me thinking... It's (The Horn Cafe) about 40miles away which can be done largely along the coast, and there is a back road to it as the A90 is a less than bike friendly DC, though at the moment the body would protest a bit much

If I can get my various bits working at the same time I think it could play it's roll in a little Tayside tour at some point along with another quirky cafe (Aero cafe) on the far side of the Tay in Leuchars. It's a cafe that could definitely be a comedy sketch with the brother and sister owners. I love it, my wife refuses to return

Don't your hold your breath though... MRI on both wrists a week on Friday, the outcome of which could be a fun little kapanji sauve procedure down the road, where they nail your ulnar and radius together at the wrist, and then cut a chunk out your ulnar and leave the gap so you can rotate your wrist a bit. If I'm lucky I'll just get more steroid injections for a while yet.

[RIP]

anymore details on how you engineered a (wat looks a) massive headlight above that head torch!?

Exposure Joystick Mk12 1000lm

Lumicycle Explorer 3750lm

Switch 'em both on at once if you need to laser cut through obstacles.

[redefined_cycles]

Lumi Explorer... Who'd have thought. I always thought you always squinted your way through all the undr growth with your (legendary*) Joystick.

*Just yours... Not all Joysticks... I'm not sure I'm as impressed with Exposure as many others if I'm honest - especially so after one went pop out it's rubber band and into a bush on the West Yorkshire Cycle Route route....

[psling]

February BAM started on Saturday afternoon in Crickhowell. The forecast for cloudy but dry weather with a gentle breeze proved accurate as I set off up into the Black Mountains past The Hermitage and up the track into the hills. I had a couple of bivvy spots in mind but was becoming wary of the ever increasing wind. My first (and probably ideal given the increasing wind) spot was occupied by farmers on their quad bikes rounding up sheep for the night so I kept plugging on up the hill. As the light was failing I found a fairly level, fairly sheltered spot out of the worst of the now gusting wind and set up camp. No rain forecast and the strengthening wind meant bivvy bag and no tarp was my choice.

IMG_20230219_072200 by Peter Slingerland, on Flickr

The wind kept up throughout the night meaning a fitful sleep but it had blown itself out by the morning. New skill learnt during the night - up for an old-man-pee and having to stand with one foot on the bivvy bag to stop it blowing away whilst carefully peeing with the wind away from the bag Leisurely early breakfast and brew enjoyed before slowly winching myself up and over the ridge.

IMG_20230219_092859 by Peter Slingerland, on Flickr

IMG_20230219_092826 by Peter Slingerland, on Flickr

After enjoying the views it was the long descent down towards Cwmdu where I was planning to enjoy brunch. Stopping to chat with a couple of farmers as I came off the hill brought the bad news that the cafe had closed down a short while back
No option for it but to continue my ride back to the van in glorious sunshine.