Dave Barter wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 10:07 am I'd really struggle with that light so fair play.

Was there a yellow patch next day?

Beanie pulled down over my eyelids sorted the light.

Spacehopper-sized bladder avoided the yellow patch.

I did melt a lot of the snow directly under me, despite having a neoair on top of a self-inflating mat, so I must put out a fair bit of heat while I’m dreaming of polar exploration.

1/12 25/25
As most of the people had gone home i went for a ride up the hills on the latest addition to the collection to see what these plus sized tyres were like in the snow a lot better than the the narrower ones i tried the day before as it turned out .
IMG_20210125_125950340 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
As i got up a bit higher onto the hills a whole new series of trail hazards started appearing sledges,snowboarders and skiiers it was like the Alps
IMG_20210125_131119115 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
It seems that i wasnt the only one that decided to get the tent out after a long time in storage for a night of luxury
P1010123 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
After a large Burns night style meal and a dram or two it was time to get outside and off to bed as the forecast said it was going to be minus 5/6 it was a good time to test out the sleeping bag quilt combination that Bob amongst others recommends .
P1010124 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
I slept with a Bearbones bamboo and merino leggings and was comfortably warm which was good as i now have a benchmark, as Charliecres found i also melted the snow beneath the tent . The maximum/minimum thermometer confirmed the forecasted temperature .
IMG_20210126_081838521 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr

I really wanted to do BAM last year but due to this and that it didn't happen.

So with the option of using my garden due to the current situation, I had no excuse to not start the challenge this year.

I pitched the tent when it stopped raining, about 9pm. Went back in the house until the good wife went to bed and then crawled into my warm sleeping bag(wasnt very warm to begin with, but soon warmed up)

I had a lovely night, I don't think it got too cold and then up at 6am for a brew. I then had a quick 15 mile ride(local) and was home before the boy got up.

I am having trouble posting pictures, but once I have cracked it I will add some.

1 of 1.

I have started now so need to finish.

Andiphim wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 2:57 pm

I have started now so need to finish.

That's the spirit!

Thoughts for January:
*Backyard bivvies suck
*My new pillow (Sea to Summit aeros premium in large) could just be The One
*Jura is too mellow for outdoor whiskying
*Nut butter doesn't make porridge any worse

2021 BAM 1/12
2021 total bivvies 1
Current streak (months) 26

January done
Overnighter near Trehoronteuc on the edge of the broceliande forest.
Twas a bit cold and somewhat moonlit.
Nice.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:07 am
How were the Sleep Socks and which ones did you buy?

Sorry, just realized I never replied
They are Manoj sleep socks, bought on here from Stu/Dee

Confession time though, I had them with me, but didn't actually wear them. I wore thin cotton socks and commando socks which I had for Christmas. By the time my feet got slightly cold in the middle of the night, I couldn't be asked to faff out of my bag and into the sleep socks...next time!

I'm hoping to go out this weekend. As others, I have done what I believe is an appropriate risk assessment and will be setting up camp less than 5 miles from home, and about 4 miles from any other living souls.

I'm a bit nervous as by all accounts, this will be the coldest I've ever camped, but I suppose having a "safe" environment to do so in makes it the best time to try in reality. Forecasts are for -2 to -4. I've got appropriate kit, will be tenting with insulated mat (synmat basic 7.5), decent bag (Robens coulair 350) and will aim for a brew, a very wee dram, and a good night of reading a new book I'm quite taken with. Perhaps even a sausage or three on sunrise.

I've got merino everything, down jackets, and I think I'm relatively hardy, but it's always the same when trying something new, isn't it?

Exciting! This will see my first BAM attempt, long may it continue.

Good luck. It's worth having a snack before bedtime too. That will give your body some energy to help stay warm. I prefer nuts, though something carby seems to be the general recommendation.

If there's the risk of frost, I'd also recommend some latex gloves. I've gotten too many cold fingers packing frost-encrusted tents and tarps.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 1:09 pm Good luck. It's worth having a snack before bedtime too. That will give your body some energy to help stay warm. I prefer nuts, though something carby seems to be the general recommendation.

If there's the risk of frost, I'd also recommend some latex gloves. I've gotten too many cold fingers packing frost-encrusted tents and tarps.

Thanks, good shout! I shall hopefully have a nice few photos to share this weekend.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 1:09 pm Good luck. It's worth having a snack before bedtime too.

And for 3am too, when you wake up cold, wide awake and thinking flip is it really only this early??? Flapjack is nice for that....

Verena wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 4:00 pm

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 1:09 pm Good luck. It's worth having a snack before bedtime too.

And for 3am too, when you wake up cold, wide awake and thinking flip is it really only this early??? Flapjack is nice for that....

Ah. The trick there is not to go to sleep too early!

https://trepidexplorer.blogspot.com/202 ... -2021.html





Apart from this ride, coffee is the only real joy keeping me alive.

My son Fraser and I have decided to attempt BaM 2021. Ticked off January in our back garden last night. Woke up to a frost covered tent. Fraser now out on his bike with Mum on NCN7 down the Clydeside. I'll get out when they get back.

As there's no bike racing at the moment, Fraser doesn't have any targets this year so he's decided he wants to try become the youngest BaM completer. At the moment he is 13 and will be 14 in November. Bold statement from him

January done, here we go again!
Back to the local woods for this one but did a nice ride on frosty trails today and a bit of snow later. Annoyingly the snow at the moment switches from a dusting to unrideable crust / icing sugar within about 50m of altitude so you are relying on a stamped out track to get anywhere....

Morning sunshine (hiding behind the trees)

Joe and I are out, sadly. We had 6 consecutive in the bag, but had a mad panic at work at the end of Jan and ended up working till the wee small hours and falling into bed right after, so we didn't get that month done. I'm very sad about it but it is what it is

Frustratingly I didn't make it out last weekend as my yearly migraine decided to kick in - Often coincides with yearly business planning meetings. Funny that.

Never the less, this weekend is looking decidedly uninviting, but I'm gearing myself up. Strong winds and the threat of snow. I recce'd a lovely spot well sheltered from the North East and still within 3 miles of home. Not sure how well my little soloist will deal with snow but there's one way to find out.

Fingers crossed.

That's the spirit (*) .

(*) Tip: take some .

Me and Ralph are just heading out for February. Luckily my bubble (Mum) has some suitable trees as it will be the first night in the hammock.

We'll report back in the morning.

Borderer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:30 pm Joe and I are out, sadly. We had 6 consecutive in the bag, but had a mad panic at work at the end of Jan and ended up working till the wee small hours and falling into bed right after, so we didn't get that month done. I'm very sad about it but it is what it is

Feb to Feb?

commando socks

Doesn't that kind of imply you weren't wearing any?

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 6:21 pm

Borderer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:30 pm Joe and I are out, sadly. We had 6 consecutive in the bag, but had a mad panic at work at the end of Jan and ended up working till the wee small hours and falling into bed right after, so we didn't get that month done. I'm very sad about it but it is what it is

Feb to Feb?

Yeah we will see about starting again.

sean_iow wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 6:02 pm Me and Ralph are just heading out for February. Luckily my bubble (Mum) has some suitable trees as it will be the first night in the hammock.

We'll report back in the morning.

Have fun you two

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 6:27 pm

commando socks

Doesn't that kind of imply you weren't wearing any?

I see where you're coming from there...easy misunderstanding to happen. It's actually a type/brand of socks, such as https://www.stmoore.co.uk/hjh-commando-socks-hj3000

Mr Z swears by them, and I finally caved in and let him buy me some for Christmas. He's been wearing them 24/7 since the day I met him in 1991 , including in the height of summer, drives me mad. To be fair he does own several pairs...