Finished work on Friday slightly earlier than I thought I would (about 9ish) which left me enough time to get sorted and get out. I moved house last year and have a room above my garage/workshop with an office/kit store. It's a full blown man cave and I rather like it
This is a picture of the kit store end. Most my kit is in that big units with some smaller units dotted around. Shelters and sleeping bags stored in the eaves to the left and rucksacks/bags to the right.
It's better organised than I had before so grabbing stuff last minute is now a bit easier. Given I was leaving last minute and would be staying local I skipped the faff of strapping bags onto the bike and just lobbed it all in a rucksack. Golite Jam for anyone interested, cracking rucksack, and very easy to pack.
The forecast was for a pretty cold night so I took my -10 winter sleeping bag, but it was going to be dry so didn’t bother with anything overhead, just a borah bivy. I really do like sleeping without a tarp and do so regularly, it’s also less faff! My regular bivy bits are all kept together so the little bits are easy to pack. Things that aren’t in there are easy to forget though. For example, like an idiot I forgot my water bottle! That was annoying.
Left home at about 10pm and was at my bivy spot all set up around 11pm. I’d eyed this spot up previously but not actually been here. Pretty uneventful ride apart from scaring a few deer that weren’t expecting someone to turn up. It’s really not very high but there is a gradual run down to the coast so the view is pretty reasonable, certainly took me by surprise. It was too dark to take pictures in the evening but the lights of Portsmouth were very visible as there’s so little light pollution here. Had just about enough moon to wander about in the more open areas without a headtorch
Had a good sleep, really toasty warm in my sleeping bag. It's heavier and bigger than my normal sleeping bags or quilt so often don't take it bikepacking. Overall I was a lot warmer than I expected to be, there was a constant breeze but I was on the downwind side of lots of trees so I was nicely protected. When I popped to the other side of the trees in the morning it felt much cooler, had to get my glove on pretty quick after taking these photos.
Pics of the bivy spot
View down towards Portsmouth
Panorama showing the view, I’d moved further back here, my bivvy spot is about a third of the way in from the right by those trees
Mostly off road on the way home, had a bit of an explore as I’m usually riding in this area in the dark so it’s nice to actually see it. Found another spot that is clearly used by hunters for shooting deer, there’s a high seat (there are lots in the area) but a couple of picnic benches chained up on top of each other, a muddy track leading up to it and a nice flat grassy spot. Might be a good bivvy site when it’s less windy as it would be quite exposed.
Given my lack of water bottle I didn’t have a drink and couldn’t really be bothered to eat anything as I was only a few miles from home. Mostly downhill as well. Had a big brekkie when I got home – hash browns with fried eggs, fried chorizo and loads of beans. Oh and some Encona. Yum yum!
. Actually I don't have to picture it 'cos similar gets enacted at the Perrinery frequently.
might leave it until after the storm has past 
. I don't suppose it's a leap year is it, just to extend your options slightly? I'll get my proverbial upper body weatherproof garment.....
Getting up in the morning is the worst bit of bivying. Soon dressed, no point delaying it, and take the standard photo of the spot for proof.
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It's from the USA but they want $35 postage so I had to get a friend over there to buy it and send it to me as a gift, which in the end it was as they wouldn't let me pay for it. I'm sure you must know someone in the US, so link is below