Bivvy a month 2023.

[Verena]

Gecko, that looks terrifying!!

[Stinginglip]

I'm just logging my October BaM.. was the BB200 2nd weekend. I've just started feeling normal again...was certainly one way of ruining myself physically and mentally. I'm not complaining, I actually enjoyed most of it. The Strata Florida section in the dark ended up being the crux, pushing up the 25% Devil's Staircase after that,I knew my feet needed attention and wasn't looking forward to the long steep descent, so the decision was made to stop and set up camp ASAP.
Incorporating BaM was always the plan & I'm very glad I packed plenty of kit. Numb fingers made putting the tent up difficult, but once up, I crawled in and basically stripped off and did the rest of the setting up zipped inside. The single malt did its job nicely, and I had a double helping of Veg Hotpot that has been on a number of trips this year and escaped consumption The feet,as expected took hours to regain feeling.I slept well considering and after a decent breakfast and an amazing coffee, myself and Mr Riley were rolling about 8.15am. We'd done 68 miles ,which was less than ideal for day one. Luckily the Sun was out and warming things up nicely but the next 15 miles took us 3hrs 45mins
It felt good getting back pedaling and Rhayader and the Lost Ark café got well and truly raided. We'd not done any badge working outs but I started realising a green was on but tight and sections like the field of poor show weren't helping.
Temps dropped off quickly once the Sun did one, Mr Riley only had bib shorts and no gloves after his swim in't river. Not wanting to hold our progress up and in solidarity with Dave, I stayed in bibs but I did have (damp) gloves. We eventually got down to 10 miles to go...most of em down bloody hill..an absolute first for us both,not actually wanting any descent in our frozen state .
I've never been happier finishing an event..I couldn't even press the Wahoo button and see what time it was, getting the feet warm was the top of the list,followed by some grub. We did make the green badge cut off, which in all honesty means much more than last years black.
Thank you Stu & Dee for the organising of this crazy weekend, and also all the nice folk who attend. Forgot to mention I lost my Wynnstay virginity on the Friday night, I'm booking a room for Friday & Sunday night next year for sure
10/12

[sean_iow]

Last minute and super local on Saturday, felt like box ticking but does keep my streak going.



Took a proper shelter given the forecast. Left home in the dark and rain after dinner and luckily got set up before the real rain started. I'd planned to enjoy a nice coffee in the morning but I'd left the meths at home Packed up in the dry and rode home, just in time as it started chucking it down as I arrived home, timed to perfection both ways

10/12 and 44 in a row (43 for Ralph)

[Boab]

A total box ticking exercise this one, as I'm still caught in a serious post BB200 can't be arsed getting cold, wet and muddy mindset. I was supposed to go out Friday night, but ended up drinking beer and watching Barbie with my daughter. The original plan had been to head for an open sided barn full of hay bales, but it's two and a half hours away and I couldn't be arsed. So instead I headed for Wicken Fen and Reach Lode Bridge; this is the one that was built by Sustrans with the Millennium Lottery Grant and is a key part of the Lodes Way. There are three large tunnels on each side of the bridge and I've been thinking about a bivvy in one of them for a while.



I left the house late, nearly over come with another bought of couldn't be arsed. Stuck to the road the whole way there as there'd been torrential rain in the afternoon and everything was still soaking. Cracked a beer open and read a few pages of a book.



It's nights like this that remind my why bivvy bags are not for me. I still don't understand how your supposed to get out your wet and muddy gear without freezing your bollocks off. Given the normal wind direction, these tunnels should be perpendicular to the wind, but were parallel last night; cue lots of flapping of the bivvy bag hood and the tyvek groundsheet. I just couldn't sleep for any length of time and was constantly awaking and tossing and turning. Everything was warm enough, apart from my feet, which were cold, which wasn't helping. I did appear to pass out properly at one point and when I woke up my feet were fine, so not quite sure what was going on there. I was on the NeoAir UberLite, which might not have helped.



I plodded home of various bridleways and byways, slipping and sliding on the greasy surface. The photo doesn't do it justice, but this tree was looking super fabulous.



https://www.strava.com/activities/10129160819
2023: 10/ 12
Total: 38
Streak: 10

[JimmyG]

The question was - how to celebrate my 70th? No… not my birthday (another two and a bit years before that milestone comes along) but my 70th consecutive BAM. I decided to head up to the Aviemore area for a few days to get some day and night riding done in Rothiemurchus Forest. I then planned to finish off with October's bivvy somewhere up that way. I spent a couple of days and nights camping in the Rothiemurchus camp site. I much prefer this small site to the bigger, better-known Glenmore site next to Loch Morlich, and on this occasion there was just one other tent and a few camper vans on site.

The weather hadn’t been great during my stay with some heavy rain at times and intermittent showers at other times! Rather than set up a tarp, etc. in what was forecast to be a wild night with strong winds and heavy rain, I decided to get my bivvy done in a solid structure, namely a place I’d used three years ago - Utsi’s Hut * which lies in the hills above the southern shores of Loch Morlich.

* https://jamescarron.wordpress.com/featu ... ndeer-man/
(Credit due to James Carron and his Walking Man blog)

On the evening of Thursday 26th, I parked in Aviemore and set off about 7.30 p.m. It was pretty cold but wasn’t actually raining at that point. However, when I reached the old logging way that runs along the north side of Loch Morlich, the heavens opened.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I was extremely glad I’d packed my Columbia Outdry jacket and Montane waterproof trousers. My version of the jacket doesn’t have underarm zips so I usually find riding in it a bit of a boil-in-the-bag experience. On this occasion, though, I was glad of it as it provided a really efficient barrier against the cold wind and rain. I might add that I was also glad of the sanctuary offered by the Pine Marten bar’s outdoor shelter where I was able to get more suitably dressed and have a pint and packet of crisps, all the while keeping an eye on my bike.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I eventually dragged myself away from there and headed for the trails climbing up towards my destination. The weather conditions had got pretty wild at this point and I was telling myself that nobody else would be daft enough to be up there in it… would they? That said, I had taken the precaution of carting my tarp, bivvy bag, etc. along with me just in case someone had beaten me to it!

When I arrived, just like on the previous occasion, I approached apprehensively, hoping that the place was empty. Given that the hut was built for one person (or two close pals!), whoever gets there first should have the place to themself. Needless to say, I was therefore very relieved to find the place empty and I promptly set about getting my wet kit off and the place looking a bit more homely.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Someone had kindly left a year-old copy of the Metro and it was soon put to good use stuffed into my soaking wet boots!

Although there is no fire in the hut, with my warm gear on and the candles lit, it felt very cosy as I listened to the wind and rain giving it big licks outside.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I had an excellent sleep and in the morning I was relieved to find that, although it was still windy, the rain had stopped.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Once packed up, I enjoyed a pleasant, mostly flat/downhill spin through the forest and back to Aviemore.

In summary, that’s 10 from 10 in ‘23, making 70 consecutive BAMs.

[fatbikephil]

Congratulations Jimmy, 70 BAMs is well impressive!
A fair bit of shedding going on this month

[RIP]

Yes, wow, now that is a shed! Deluxe or what. Good to see some proper weather going on as well . Congrats on your 'Platinum' bivvy .

[MuddyPete]

It's nights like this that remind my why bivvy bags are not for me. I

Well done for making the effort . Bivis can be a bit of a chore sometimes. I've found the simple stuff like getting the stove on and a tot of Bailey's in the coffee, instead of milk, usually perks me up for the ride home in the morning .

[Bearlegged]

Another month, another box ticked. Close to giving up on the BAM thing, the shift in season and in particular the lack of light is doing crappy things to my mood and motivation. Anyway, another short and local one to somewhere with a bit of shelter.

Good points: Found my groundsheet; got out, slept ok, earplugs, olives


Bad points: Rain, this beer


2023 BAM 10/12
2023 total bivvies 12
Current streak (months) 59

[RIP]

Get a grip that man! You've got all those frosty bivvy mornings to look forward to now. And waking up in the bloomin' Peaks for goodness sake. When I wake up in me bag I'm either listening to the M1 or more sodding planes taking off from Luton airport with Lorraine Chase on board. Now that really does bugger with one's mojo! Some BaMers don't know when they're lucky!

Phil, take him into the corner and whisper this top BaMer (59 streaker!) a pep talk - like Greg Davies did with James Acaster (also a top man, as below) on Taskmaster!

Lecture over

[JimmyG]

Congratulations Jimmy, 70 BAMs is well impressive!
A fair bit of shedding going on this month

Thanks Phil. We all love a shed and that one is my favourite!

[JimmyG]

Yes, wow, now that is a shed! Deluxe or what. Good to see some proper weather going on as well . Congrats on your 'Platinum' bivvy .

Thanks Reg. Still trailing some way behind your good self though!

[fatbikephil]

I can recommend Dave Barter's soliloquy, 'Not being arsed' in OCD for those lack of motivational moments - stuff all that horrendous heroic crap you hear these days about getting out of your comfort zone, or showing off your mental fortitude. Go out because you can't be arsed not going out!

I must admit I'm currently scoping out every likely looking shed, shelter, tunnel etc. within a 40 mile ride of the house as I can't be arsed pitching a tarp for the rest of the year....

[RIP]

You lot up there have made me feel guilty with all your storms and tornados and blizzards and whatever, so am intending to go out on Thursday when there's supposed to be heavy rain and 50mph winds here. That'll prod my mojo. And I still haven't sorted out the neck/shoulder/upper-arm muscle that I "pulled" back in April which is really winding me up when I try to sleep.

I wanted to go out up a nearby hill on Nov 5th to view the fireworks but M-P can't manage that date unfortunately.

Go out because you can't be arsed not going out!

Well that's a new one. Just trying to get my head round all the double/triple/quadruple negatives .

I think I've ticked off every shed round here, including that one that I didn't find out was actually in someone's garden until I woke up next morning. Oh, apart from a barn next to an old quarry up the road that I'd never spotted before despite living here for 32 years, which is now on the list.

One wheeze I was thinking of for December was bivvying as close as possible to our house, bearing in mind we live right in the middle of the town. Obviously the back garden is out, and neighbours back gardens would be too easy. A "bivvy in plain sight" would be on the bandstand in the park at the end of our road but I'm not sure I'm feeling bold enough to carry that one off - I might do if it was in someone else's town .

[Bearlegged]

One wheeze I was thinking of for December was bivvying as close as possible to our house, bearing in mind we live right in the middle of the town.

I just checked, and my current (non-COVID backyard) record is 3.76km.

[RIP]

One wheeze I was thinking of for December was bivvying as close as possible to our house, bearing in mind we live right in the middle of the town.

I just checked, and my current (non-COVID backyard) record is 3.76km.

Ooh right, ta, what's that in real money... OK, 2.33 miles. Should be able to take that one on I think. I remember that time BrownDog was having a major wibble and at the last second we all rallied round and convinced him to get out there, and he just nipped over onto his village green. I think I have that correct Tim?

[MuddyPete]

...so am intending to go out on Thursday when there's supposed to be heavy rain and 50mph winds here.

What?!? You didn't tell me that!

[Boab]

One wheeze I was thinking of for December was bivvying as close as possible to our house, bearing in mind we live right in the middle of the town.

I just checked, and my current (non-COVID backyard) record is 3.76km.

Ooh right, ta, what's that in real money... OK, 2.33 miles. Should be able to take that one on I think. I remember that time BrownDog was having a major wibble and at the last second we all rallied round and convinced him to get out there, and he just nipped over onto his village green. I think I have that correct Tim?

I had a total of 6.27KM covered for my bivvy in January, was a there and back again effort. So do better than 3.1KM...

[RIP]

...so am intending to go out on Thursday when there's supposed to be heavy rain and 50mph winds here.

What?!? You didn't tell me that!

"Pete, I've just found out there's going to be heavy rain and 50mph winds"

[RIP]

I had a total of 6.27KM covered for my bivvy in January, was a there and back again effort. So do better than 3.1KM...

Ooer, it's getting shorter. Unless Bear's was there and back.

[Boab]

I had a total of 6.27KM covered for my bivvy in January, was a there and back again effort. So do better than 3.1KM...

Ooer, it's getting shorter. Unless Bear's was there and back.

I just assumed it was one leg of a there and back bivvy! 3.76KM for the entire bivvy ride? That'd be a challenge...

[MuddyPete]

...so am intending to go out on Thursday when there's supposed to be heavy rain and 50mph winds here.

What?!? You didn't tell me that!

"Pete, I've just found out there's going to be heavy rain and 50mph winds"

OK, thanks .

[Bearlegged]

My measurement is house to bivvy spot as the crow flies.

[sean_iow]

Just checked and my closest was 1.4km each way so 2.8km total.

Edit, mine was 800 metres away as the crow flies

[RIP]

...so am intending to go out on Thursday when there's supposed to be heavy rain and 50mph winds here.

What?!? You didn't tell me that!

"Pete, I've just found out there's going to be heavy rain and 50mph winds"

OK, thanks .

There's probably a cunning plan somewhere. If we can find it.