A couple of weeks back SWMBO said she was going to see "Barbie" with her pals, I said ok I could go bikepacking for a night which elicited a "I'm going the pictures for 2 hours and you get a holiday" ... I canned the idea.
Saturday. She comes home from work. We do this and that and about 3 pm she says "I thought you were going bikepacking" .....
No route planned, and certainly no packing done.
A quick look at the Cycle Quest site and I work out a suitable route from Worcester to Evesham to Malvern and back to Worcester. 3 BCQ's is pretty good.
I decided I'd leave when she does, just after 18:00, so I've a couple of hours to get my shizz together. I wouldn't need tea, I'd eat with her. Breakfast ... I'd find something, a shop or a cafe ...so no cooking equipment needed
No change of clothes at all either. Jeez I can pack really light for me !
Just the seat pack with the summer down sleeping bag and a thin down jacket.... front harness with tent and sleepmat. Waterproof on the top of the seat pack. That's it.
Luckily I keep the Exposure 6 pack and the rear light charged.
If I play it right I can even miss the football on Sunday!
Arriving on the outskirts of Worcester for 19:00 I'm soon off and heading to the river to get the first BCQ ... then it's following the cycle routes out of the city to Pershore where the light is starting to fade under the trees... rear light on.
It's mostly lanes, which I really enjoy tbh, and as the light levels drop I put the 6pack on flashing...by the time I'm in Evesham, about 18 miles in, it's getting dark. 2nd BCQ done ! Absolutely perfect night for cycling. 20C, dry, windy but ok.
Back out of Evesham and into a handy Tesco Express for a Boost Duo and 2 bananas for emergency breakfast. Yep its proper dark now.
Down towards Ashton Under Hill though I'm skirting north through the Combertons where I'm joined by a bat flying a few feet above my head for a distance.
About 21:45 I get to Eckington and the Anchor Inn for liquid refreshment. After 3.... at 22:45 I leave to find it raining ....ahhh ffs.
I'd scoped out a possible stealthy spot near the river Avon at Strensham Locks, and this worked well.
In bed for 23:35 and 33 miles done.
Awake at 06:30 and riding by 07:00 I first have to negotiate the lock with a packed bike was tricky but not having the frame bag made it easier. Onwards across 2 weirs and I'm on the other side of the Avon.
I'm really in no rush and with another fab morning I just pootle along passing Strensham Services and spooking a deer in the field next to me I soon come to Upton Upon Severn where I'm in search of food... a Coop is open and provides me with Danish pastries which I enjoyed sat by the river in the morning sun watching the keen rowers splashing about on the water.
It's onwards and upwards towards the Malverns where I turned offroad at Castlemorton Common and start climbing for real. They're steep them Malverns ! I make my way up Tinkers Hill with another older fellow and we're off and pushing... discussing MTBing in the area... we soon arrive at British Camp and 2nd breakfast of coffee and sausage and egg roll at the cafe.
We chat for a while then I'm off again along the the west side of the hills along Jubilee Drive to Upper Wyche and the steep drop down into Great Malvern itself, and a gentle potter back to Worcester.
Another 28 miles for a suitable 61 in 16 hours.
Considering I didn't expect it, it all turned out rather well, which is more than can be said for the football
Surprise Overnighter.
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- godivatrailrider
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Surprise Overnighter.
Last edited by godivatrailrider on Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Tractionman
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Re: Surprise Overnighter.
sounds like a great trip my overnighting experience of the Malvern Hills goes back to a mid-summer's day walk organised by Mr Stephens, my school rugby teacher, lovely man, he created a Rambling Club for the school (a comp on the edge of Coventry) back in around 1980 and our Malverns overnighter saw us see the sunrise over the flatness of the Avon valley--beautiful and memorable.
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Re: Surprise Overnighter.
Yep, nice outing. Those last-minute passes can often turn up trumps as you have to wing it a bit.
"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
- godivatrailrider
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Re: Surprise Overnighter.
Which Comp ... I'm a Cov kid and went to Pres Kes ... hence the Godiva bit, I started and ran the Godiva TrailridersTractionman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 4:36 pm sounds like a great trip my overnighting experience of the Malvern Hills goes back to a mid-summer's day walk organised by Mr Stephens, my school rugby teacher, lovely man, he created a Rambling Club for the school (a comp on the edge of Coventry) back in around 1980 and our Malverns overnighter saw us see the sunrise over the flatness of the Avon valley--beautiful and memorable.
- Tractionman
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Re: Surprise Overnighter.
aha yes it was Ernesford Grange School and Community College! I 'served' 1979-87, I faffed my A Levels so had to redo two of them, one at Binley park up the road, and rivals, some kids from there burned down our 6th Form Block, in my first term in Lower Sixth!godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:33 pmWhich Comp ... I'm a Cov kid and went to Pres Kes ... hence the Godiva bit, I started and ran the Godiva TrailridersTractionman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 4:36 pm sounds like a great trip my overnighting experience of the Malvern Hills goes back to a mid-summer's day walk organised by Mr Stephens, my school rugby teacher, lovely man, he created a Rambling Club for the school (a comp on the edge of Coventry) back in around 1980 and our Malverns overnighter saw us see the sunrise over the flatness of the Avon valley--beautiful and memorable.
- godivatrailrider
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Re: Surprise Overnighter.
Those are about the same as mine (I'm 56 ) I went to King Henrys 2nd year Junior to 3rd Year senior, didn't get on well there and was asked to leave so joined Pres Kes in 3rd year through to 1 year of 6th Form... I'm thinking senior years would be 78-84 ... I can never work this shizz out.. then the Butts Tech, then straight into work at Quinton Hazell in Balsall Common.Tractionman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:54 pmaha yes it was Ernesford Grange School and Community College! I 'served' 1979-87, I faffed my A Levels so had to redo two of them, one at Binley park up the road, and rivals, some kids from there burned down our 6th Form Block, in my first term in Lower Sixth!godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:33 pmWhich Comp ... I'm a Cov kid and went to Pres Kes ... hence the Godiva bit, I started and ran the Godiva TrailridersTractionman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 4:36 pm sounds like a great trip my overnighting experience of the Malvern Hills goes back to a mid-summer's day walk organised by Mr Stephens, my school rugby teacher, lovely man, he created a Rambling Club for the school (a comp on the edge of Coventry) back in around 1980 and our Malverns overnighter saw us see the sunrise over the flatness of the Avon valley--beautiful and memorable.
- Tractionman
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Re: Surprise Overnighter.
I still get back to Cov periodically, my Dad's still there, I left there in 1987 to go to Brum, as a youngster I used to cycle past the Tech to get to my grandad's house, happy days!godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 8:17 amThose are about the same as mine (I'm 56 ) I went to King Henrys 2nd year Junior to 3rd Year senior, didn't get on well there and was asked to leave so joined Pres Kes in 3rd year through to 1 year of 6th Form... I'm thinking senior years would be 78-84 ... I can never work this shizz out.. then the Butts Tech, then straight into work at Quinton Hazell in Balsall Common.Tractionman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:54 pmaha yes it was Ernesford Grange School and Community College! I 'served' 1979-87, I faffed my A Levels so had to redo two of them, one at Binley park up the road, and rivals, some kids from there burned down our 6th Form Block, in my first term in Lower Sixth!godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:33 pmWhich Comp ... I'm a Cov kid and went to Pres Kes ... hence the Godiva bit, I started and ran the Godiva TrailridersTractionman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 4:36 pm sounds like a great trip my overnighting experience of the Malvern Hills goes back to a mid-summer's day walk organised by Mr Stephens, my school rugby teacher, lovely man, he created a Rambling Club for the school (a comp on the edge of Coventry) back in around 1980 and our Malverns overnighter saw us see the sunrise over the flatness of the Avon valley--beautiful and memorable.