Mostly coasting.

[Mr Sparkle]

[Mr Sparkle]

[Mr Sparkle]

[Mr Sparkle]

31st January 2025
Darwen Moor

Planet X Tempest
Alpkit Elan bivvybag
Sleeping bag
Pod 1 harness
Ortleib quickrack

Weather- Cold. Dark. Freezing fog during the night.
Home to bivvy 1.84 miles. Bivvy to home – 1.83 miles

I’d been idly kicking about the idea of joining in the Bearbones Bivvy a Month thing for a while. And then time, as it does, ran away with itself and it was the last day of January. The weather was bloody freezing cold and I hadn’t got my bike or gear sorted out. It would have been so easy to sit at home on a warm sofa, drinking beer and reading a book. But... I’d have fallen at the first hurdle. Given up before I’d even begun.
I got my finger out. Chucked a load of gear together. The warmer (allegedly) sleeping bag was a bit bigger so that had to go in a pannier that didn’t fit too well on the rack but with a strap round it, it was passable. With as much warm stuff either on me or in the bags as I could manage, I rode off into the night. Admittedly I didn’t ride very far into the night but that’s not really the point. ThIs was just about GETTING IT DONE. Of course with this being Darwen it was all uphill to the moor. The wet, soggy moor. And so I was sweating. Not ideal.
I had to lift the bike over a gate on the top of the moor. The new gate was higher that the old one. Also with puddles either side of it. Fun. (Not).
I reached my chosen spot – a spoil heap from an old, fenced off mine shaft, the driest spot around – and hurriedly set up before I froze in the thin wind. Levellish spot chosen, bivvy and all sleep kit out, mattress blown, up all done in double quick time. No time for niceties like having a drink or looking round( although I could make out the lights of Winter Hill mast in the distance). Just get in and try to keep as warm as possible. Which wasn’t very. I’d got my Alpkit quilt over the top of the sleeping bag but it wasn’t enough, tbh. I must have kept dozing as eventually I looked out and found I was in a freezing fog. Super.
At one point during the (long) night I was wakened by a bark. Just the one. A strange high pitched one. It must have been a deer but I’ve rarely seen them up on the very top of the moor. A curled myself up as tightly as I could, head inside the sleeping bag. Astonishingly I then slept. When my eyes opened next, the fog was becoming a lighter shade. It was nearly half past seven!
Now I had to get my arse in gear. Everything had to be packed up and attached to the bike as quickly as possilble before I lost the use of my hands. I suffer from Reynauds Syndrome and am now on blood thinners which seem to have made things worse. I was constantly putting my lobster mitts on and off as I needed to use my fingers to battle with straps. I sent a quick photo to the Family Chat, finally got it all packed and splashed across the moor to head home. Part way back I sent a short text to the Boss to say I was heading back. The journey was short but not pretty. My cold body and lack of practice riding offroad meant I was stumbling and taking bad lines. I just wanted to get home as fast as I could.
I got home and in for a brew. My wife turned up from taking the dogs for a walk and told me that she was on the point of heading up to the moor to try and find me as she’d been worried sick. It tuened out that my photo and message hadn’t sent. There must be a signal blackspot up there.
So, in summary, I spent a freezing cold and uncomfortable night on the moor and then got a bollocking when I got back. But – I got it done. I am off and running with Bivvy a Month plus I learned quite a bit about resilience and coping in sub optimal conditions. Onwards to February perhaps.

[RIP]

I got my finger out....... ....... But – I got it done.

That's the spirit!

I spent a freezing cold and uncomfortable night on the moor and then got a bollocking when I got back.

You're in very good company here then!

I learned quite a bit about resilience and coping in sub optimal conditions.

[fatbikephil]

Nice one, plonk it in the BAM thread and your in

[Mr Sparkle]

Already done sir.

[fatbikephil]

Oh aye, and I've got your name on the list! As you were....

[Tractionman]

Mr Sparkle I take my hat off to you sir, I really should have got my arse into gear last month but blew it, enjoyed reading your post and your honesty

[Bearlegged]

I really should have got my arse into gear last month but blew it

Nowt to stop you starting this month, and doing 12 months in a row to next January.

[Tractionman]

I really should have got my arse into gear last month but blew it

Nowt to stop you starting this month, and doing 12 months in a row to next January.

Ooh, yes good thinking, I like that idea, cheers!

Ok, watch this space let's give it a whirl

[fatbikephil]

I really should have got my arse into gear last month but blew it

Nowt to stop you starting this month, and doing 12 months in a row to next January.

Ooh, yes good thinking, I like that idea, cheers!

Ok, watch this space let's give it a whirl

Yup, rolling bams count, just remind me to add you to the list come the end of this month (or whenever you start)

[Tractionman]

I really should have got my arse into gear last month but blew it

Nowt to stop you starting this month, and doing 12 months in a row to next January.

Ooh, yes good thinking, I like that idea, cheers!

Ok, watch this space let's give it a whirl

Yup, rolling bams count, just remind me to add you to the list come the end of this month (or whenever you start)

Excellent, thanks very much Phil, will do

cheers,

Keith

[Mr Sparkle]

Friday 21st February 2024

I was still aiming to complete the Bivvy a Month challenge so was keeping an eye on the weather forecast for any opportunity. It had been either freezing cold or freezing cold and wet virtually every day. The ride to work was a challenge in itself, so when I spotted 2 days of WAY above freezing I was keen to utilise them. The Friday night looked favourite from the perspective of convenience so that was the decision made. I’d been looking for somewhere with a bit of cover and came up with the (to me at least) amusing idea of a bivvy beneath the Bandstand (aka Greenway Shelter) in Sunnyhurst Woods.
After many anxious checks of the weather forcast I decided to get on with it. To make loading everything a bit easier I had put two panniers on my Quickrack. I used to use one of them for commuting years ago but the other was unused and still wrapped. A sticker on it showed that I’d bought them from Aldi for £9.99. Bargain!
I set off about 9.00pm and headed up on the moor at pace designed to not induce sweat! It was a lovely clear (if blowy) night and a joy to ride across the moorland tracks. I headed over to Darwen Tower, partly to check it out as a potential future bivvy site and partly because it just looked inviting. I was surprised upon reaching it that the door hadn’t been locked for the night. This was all the encouragement I needed to have a walk up the spiral staircases to the top and take in the view.
Circling back I was riding along a deep and muddy singletrack. I was wondering why I was making such a mess of it. I was stopping, slipping, crashing into the sides and generally making a real pigs ear of it. It was only much later when I was pondering on it that I realised I hadn’t ridden on that sort of terrain for years, and the last time I did it was on a mountain bike. Plus I’d messed up the handling of the bike by sticking all the weight to the rear. And the wind has gusting, with a weather warning on it’s way. Yeah, that’d explain it.
The wind and the cold had decided me against any idea of staying high so I dropped down to head for the bivvy spot in the woods. I passed Earnsdale Reservoir on my way to the park gates and, once through, I sat on a bench and had some chocolate. I could hear a voice. It was singing. Badly. I eventually worked out that it was coming from the reservoir and was some youngish sounding guy, obviously pissed, camping in the trees by the side of the Res. I was hoping that him and his mates wouldn’t be wandering through the park near my bivvy later.
I carried on and dropped to the bottom of the Woods and on to the Bandstand. All was quiet. The Bandstand is big but in a wide open space and suddenly I was a little nervous due to the exposure. I leant my bike against one of the stone pillars and paused, listening. Just the sound of Sunnyhurst Brook splashing it’s way through the park. Clearing as many stones from the dusty soil of the shelter as I could, I set up the bivvy bag. The soil was loose and then rock hard beneath so the pegs wouldn’t go in. The poles for the hooped bivvy would have to suffice in holding it up. Mat inflated and possessions distributed as required, I got in. It was around midnight.
I must have been slightly rattled by the singer earlier as I kept peering though the fly screen and listening hard. The water from the brook had a white noise effect and I was convincing myself that I could hear voices. My feet has got wet on my ride over the moor and were now cold. Even replacing the damp socks with dry woollen ones didn’t help much.
I dozed on and off for a few hours and then noticed that the sound had changed. I couldn’t hear the water as the wind had now picked up and was roaring in the trees. I buried myself in the bag and tried to ignore it. Not long later I woke again and realised that the mat had deflated and the only thing giving me any insulation was the short length of foam that I have taken to using. I took this as a sign. I packed up, rode through the park and on into Darwen. The wind was now gusting strongly and rain was starting to pepper me.
I pulled up briefly in town to take a pic next to the Spitfire statue. I was wondering why there was a line of taxis behind it and then I realised – they were waiting for the nightclub to start throwing out. I chuckled as this would probably be the only time I was anywhere near a night club at 5.00am!
Up the hill, home and a bit more shut eye in a warm bed. It was an odd night out but I kind of enjoyed it. And that is all that counts.

[RIP]

We like "odd" . Reckon I'd've kipped in the Tower having spotted it was unlocked...

[frogatthefarriers]

We like "odd" . Reckon I'd've kipped in the Tower having spotted it was unlocked...

Me too. It would’ve been rude not to.

[Mr Sparkle]

Not much room on the top two landings, plus I’d have had to
lug my bike up a very tight staircase or two. There was maybe enough room at the entrance but it reeks of pee there!

[Mr Sparkle]

Saturday night's jaunt:

‘Are you going or not?’
I’d professed to be unsure but really I had already decided on the basis that Bolton had won, Roverrs had lost and it had been sunny and warm for the last two days. Plan A was to head up on the moor and bivvy next to the cairn as I used to see a guy camping up there when I was leading fell runs. It was a bit odd as he had a tent and some huge radio aerials. I assumed he was a spy. Anyway, it looked flat up there and the peat was probably soft so I thought it would do. As I rode up onto the moor the wind increased. The temperature dropped and the ground became boggier and boggier. I got a wet foot and was struggling with forward movement. ‘This’ I thought ‘is crap.’
Onto Plan B – ‘Haunted’ Hollinshead Hall. I organise a fell race that goes close by and the marshal goes to great efforts to make it entertainingly spooky for the runners with candles and skulls etc. I was sure there would be a sheltered and dry spot near the building. The wind dropped encouragingly as I came off the moor and into the shelter of the woods. I was chuckling to myself about the whole ‘haunted’ bit as I neared. Who believes in all that mumbo jumbo, eh. I then spotted a light near the building. Switching my light off, I tried to make it out. I couldn’t tell properly but it looked like it was lighting a face. I watched for a while but was still none the wiser. Eventually I decided to move on. I didn’t want to be sharing a spot with the sort of nutter who hangs about round Haunted Hollinshead Hall, I decided.
So, Plan C then. This was going well… down the rocky and fast descent through the woods to Rocky Brook and away towards the reservoirs. I was bound to find a dry and sheltered spot there, wasn’t I? I did eventually. I briefly considered setting up on the dam wall but it was too rocky to get pegs in. Looked uncomfortable too. I spent a moment to photograph some of the frogs who were getting jiggy wid’ it. I posted a pic later with the comment – ‘Frogs porn’. Geddit? Suit yourself…
I ended up at the foot of the reservoir dam. Bivvy bag set up. Sleep kit in. Can of beer quickly quaffed. And in bed. I could hear fireworks going off in the distance for ages. I started to wonder if it was fireworks or if the revolution had started without me. Not too bad a night’s sleep. The mat went down. I’d tried to find the hole in it without success and had persuaded myself it was ok. It wasn’t.
Anyway, I forced myself to get up and, after eating my banana, I headed home as the dawn broke. Another Bivvy a Month completed and in pleny of time too. I’m looking forward to being able to travel further afield soon.

[RIP]

'Frogs Porn' . Very good in the time allowed .

[Mr Sparkle]

Friday 25th April 2025

I’d had a week off up in the Lakes and decided to kill a few birds with one bike ride home. I could do April’s Bivvy a Month, keep up my 100 mile per week average and complete the Everesting in April Strava Challenge all in one fell swoop. Perfect.
I set off an hour later than originally planned but it was a fairly leisurely schedule so I wasn’t unduly concerned by this. Reaching Levens village I opted to take the sneaky shortcut over ‘cow sub standard bridge’. The gate was wide open so that was a good sign. Sadly part way along it was barriered off so I had to lift my fully laden bike over. As I did it I felt a twinge on my wrist. Thinking nothing of it I carried on. My plan was to get to Lancaster and get some grub before it got fully into the Friday night swing.
The roads were reasonably quiet and I was trundling along steadily so I lapsed into a semi-meditative state. While we had been away my wife had her first bike ride of the year. Her bike has been untouched for several months and the tyres had gone soft. As I went to inflate them using the mini pump that I always carry on the bikepacking bike, I discovered that it had seized up and wasn’t working very well at all. I cadged a track pump to blow them up for her and later gave the pump a strip down and rebuild. It was better but I wasn’t 100% happy with it. Hopefully I wouldn’t need to rely on it, I thought.
Eventually I got to Lancaster and by fluke I found the same Chinese takeaway that I used last year when I stopped there for food. I messed up here - I should have used the time I was waiting to dig out some more clothing as it was becoming a bit cooler. I sat on a bench outside the chippy and set to devouring a mushroom omlette and chips. It took a while to tuck it away and I was getting some funny looks sitting there in my cycle gear scoffing it all in the midst of the ‘Friday night going out’ crowd but at my stage of life I am past caring, tbh.
Back on the bike and away down the A6. I was definitely a touch too cold as there was a slight chill in the air and a fair bit of my blood supply was busy tackling the takeaway. I held out as far as Galgate then pulled in to the Marina and treated some of the boat dwellers to the sight of me stripping to the waist to put a base layer on! A few miles further on and it was time to get the lights on as I neared sundown.
The miles ticked away and as I reached Preston the ride was enlivened briefly by watching a Police car pursuing a speeding car through the city streets. I dropped down the steep hill towards the turn off for the nature reserve and turned in. I rode cautiously onward towards the closed visitor centre in case there was an security manning it. No-one was in sight so I commenced searching for a bivvy spot. I got to one of the bird hides and wondered if I could get away with kipping in there. There was a light on inside. Strange, I thought. I couldn’t decide if it was a security light or if someone was in there. Eventually I decided that it was best to avoid it if it was either option.
Riding on along the main path I got to a turn off on the right so turned in. I parked the bike against a tree and poked about looking for a flat spot on the grass. Almost immediately I could hear a noise and saw a bright light getting closer. I could hear someone’s voice. The light was a really bright steady beam and then every so often went to a strobe. I debated ducking into the trees but figured that the reflective patches on my jacket and helmet would make me visible anyway so I just stood in the middle of the path with my arms folded looking towards the source of the noise and light and waiting to see what would happen. Whoever it was was muttering to either themselves or a dog possibly. The light passed by then halted and came back to the path I was on and lit me up. There was a pause and then they doubled back and carried on the way they were going.
I couldn’t make head or tail of what was going on but I didn’t feel in anyway perturbed. I got on with looking for a bivvy spot.
Off the path and into the trees to the side it looked like there had been some sort of survival build off between Ray Mears and Bear Grylls. Loads of rudimentary shelters made from branches leaning on the tree trunks. Weird, probably some sort of Forest School activity, I decided.
Although none of them were big enough to actually be useful I set up my bivvy part way inside one. All set up I downed my can of beer (Hobgoblin Ruby – not too bad and not too shaken up by the journey). A quick pee and a teeth clean and I was into my sack.
The noise from the nearby M6 lessened as the night wore on. At one point a deer must have caught the scent of something new in the neigbourhood and set to barking in my general direction. Other than that, all quiet. I slept and dozed for a good portion of the night but my painful wrist kept waking me. Partially asleep I decided I had somehow broken it but couldn’t figure out how. Later I realised that I must have sprained it lifting my fully laden bike over the gate when I’d just set off.
Packing up seemed to be quite time consuming so I made a mental note to get a bit better organised in future. And then I was riding through the dawn past the still silent Visitor Centre and onto the main road towards Blackburn and eventually home.
The next day I went into the garage to give the bike a once over and found that the back tyre had gone flat. Given that my pump seemed to be pretty much useless and my wrist was playing up, I felt grateful that it had lasted until I got back to base!

BaM 2025 4/4

[Mr Sparkle]

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[Mr Sparkle]

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[Mr Sparkle]

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[Mr Sparkle]

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[Mr Sparkle]

Thursday 28th May 2025




Here we go again, time running away with itself. Taking my eye off the ball. We’d had a long spell of hot and dry weather. Did I take advantage and get my Bivvi a Month done? What do you think?
I had been taking some off road routes on the rides to and from work and so the idea to get a Bivvi done was still there chipping away at my subconscious. I’d discovered, after decades of local running and riding, a new route that involved going through Turton Golf Course. I was both surprised and delighted to find a fun and involving little stretch along a rocky track. Even more delighted when I discovered a little shelter by the 4th tee. It was a brick built roofed structure with one end completely open to the elements. Hmm, I thought and stored it away for future reference.
Finally I reached the point where I needed to act fast or lose my streak of continuous BaM’s. I couldn’t do one at the rapidly approaching last weekend of the month as my wife was away and I was looking after the dogs. It had to be a midweek one. Decision made. Ride home from work, have my tea, load the bike up and go.
To maximise the benefit of this decision I rode a circuitous route and checked out potential routes for my upcoming Real Ale Wobble mtb pub crawl. Mission creep and distraction led to me riding a track I used to go along during my teenage years. I’d obviously not remembered it all that well (it was 45 plus years ago!) as I ended up struggling along a muddy, rocky and loose trod with a drop into the river on one side. It was a ‘challenge’ with a laden bike…
Eventually I got back to rideable terrain and decided I had earned a pint. I made my way to the Chetham’s Arms and into the beer garden at the rear. I was just about to walk up the steps and into the pub when the landlord appeared at the glass door and started locking it! FFS. He spotted me and said ‘We’re just closing.’ He must have taken pity on my crestfallen expression as he then changed his mind and said ‘If there’s just you I can serve you a pint.’ And so I got a pint of IPA and quaffed it in the beer garden on my own in the gathering twilight.
It was starting to become a bit midgey as I left. Hoping that this wasn’t going to be a problem later, I rode away and on to my bivvi site. Not wanting to be spotted I made my way onto the golf course and to the shelter. I put my bike against the back wall and sat on the front step to take in my surroundings whilst waiting for the sun to fully set. After a while a small dog appeared. It snuffled about with it’s nose to the ground and then did a huge double take when it spotted me. We looked at each other for a while. It must have decided that I didn’t like what it saw, as it started barking. The owner then came into view, walking along the track through the course. He must have wondered what his mutt was barking at as he looked back and saw me sitting there before calling the dog and carrying on his way.
I hadn’t really realised but I was actually really close to the club house. I was looking down on it and it was partly obscured by a tree so I wasn’t in plain sight but it was so close that I could see and hear cars leaving and the bar staff chucking bottles into the bin. Deciding to not set up until I was totally happy that I wouldn’t be discovered and moved on, I waited and waited, watching bats flitting about feeding on the midges and starting each time a car left and bumped over the cattle grid on the way out.
Eventually I thought ‘Sod it.’ and retrieved the sleeping kit from my bike. I was partially under cover, the night was reasonably mild. This, I decided, would be a perfect night to not bother with the bivvi bag and just sleep in the bag. What could possibly go wrong?
I must have dozed. I gradually came to around midnight to the sound of rain. Unforecast rain. The temperature had dropped a little too as I snuggled a bit deeper into my cheap and crappy summer weight sleeping bag. Never mind, I’m dry and warm (ish) I thought and tried to nod off again. The next time I woke it was still raining and the wind was blowing a bit more. My feet were cold and I could feel wet on my face. The opening of the shelter was facing into the wind, the rain was being blown towards me and the floor was becoming wet. Grumbling to myself I managed to manoeuvre my mat further back without getting out of the bag. I then got my cycling jacket, zipped it up and put it over the end of the sleeping bag to give my feet a bit more insulation. I remember thinking ‘Well, this is bloody silly.’ And chuckling to myself about how preposterous it all was, as I clutched the bag back round my head.
The next time I woke it was becoming light. I was on my side and looking blearily across the concrete floor. I noticed that I’d got company. A snail was about a foot away from my face and slithering it’s way from one side of the hut to the other. I took this as a sign to get my, er, act together, decamp and ride the damp and gritty trails and roads to work.
It had been a bit of a strange night but quite a successful one, I decided. I’d maintained the BaM streak, got some sleep, ticked off a new local venue and all with the minimum of disruption to ‘real life’.