the nice man in the Staylittle shop

The nice man is called Nick and he's a proper star ... slightly mad but a star!

I know the TDR is kind of cheating / an unfair opportunity to get a lot of bivvies in, but motels were on offer so I'm claiming 16/16 from June alone :) 5/6 up to + inc june before that I think. 21 nights out so far this year, on track to top 2012 where it was 25 ish, from poor memory. Justifying that posh new sleeping bag anyway.

I got July part 1 in last night. Finished work at 10pm near the Northern General Hospital and went on the new super smooth tarmac of the loxley valley (recovered in reparation for next years TdF) to Bradfield. Headed up the dukes road and (cheekily) along to Back Tor. Was unbelievably warm even around midnight, just riding in shorts and short sleeve top was plenty warm enough. Had a lovely warm night just near the trig.

I was amazed at just how dry everything is in the Peak. There's a bog that you cross on Dukes Road that has swallowed a friend front wheel up to his fork crown in the past. Last night it was so dry I could ride right over it.

This morning rode along derwent edge and down to cut throat bridge. it was so dry I thought I'd have a cheeky trip back along Stanage from moscar end. The total trip was only about 35 miles/4250ft with 4.5 hours riding and I was back home for 11 after a quick stop at Whirlow Hall farm shop and the local bike shop for a quick chat. (there may be a 29er ti hardtail being built up in the near future!)

Still didn't take any photos! It never really occurs to me at the time...

July part 2 will be this Saturday night. I'm riding in to Meanach Bothy to provide some support and food for a couple of guys from my running club who are having a go at the Ramsay Round. They'll be coming through there at about 2am, which will interfere with my night sleep a bit!

that will take me to 11 trips from 7 months so far (excluding camping!)

7/7 This year. 12/12 since i started in August last year.

My plan was to cycle from home, off road as much as possible to my parents house for dinner then home again. Took in drove roads and crossed the Pentlands twice. Covered about 60 miles and had cracking weather. Some cheeky sod was in my bivi spot when i got there at sunset on the first night . Found another which was great and perfect for a return trip with the hammock.

Some photos:


Peebles to East Calder bivi ride. July 2013: The bike by pushbikemike, on Flickr

Peebles to East Calder bivi ride. July 2013: A sign by pushbikemike, on Flickr


Peebles to East Calder bivi ride. July 2013: Bog cotton sunset by pushbikemike, on Flickr


Peebles to East Calder bivi ride. July 2013: View to bivi spot by pushbikemike, on Flickr


Peebles to East Calder bivi ride. July 2013: North Esk Resevoir by pushbikemike, on Flickr


Peebles to East Calder bivi ride. July 2013: Road to Home. Well, eventually by pushbikemike, on Flickr

Nice photos Pushbikemike. I must try harder to rake photos on my own trips!

I know where you bivvied. I was there a few weeks back

Nice pics Mike, keep em coming.

Cheers lads.

It was a good ride with cracking weather.

Nice looking trip Mike - like the sepia (?) tones in the photos.
Well done on 12/12 too :)

ScotRoutes wrote:I know where you bivvied. I was there a few weeks back

Looking forward to a return visit with the hammock

Nice looking trip Mike - like the sepia (?) tones in the photos.

I can get a little carried away with filters when using using Flickr

7/7 with Norm, Ianb, Yetiman and John climber up on the stipperstones.
First bit of moisture I've seen in weeks, it were gurt lush.

Yep, as Flatfishy says, July bivvy ticked off in the Stiperstones. 93km and ~2,500m of ascent for me with a couple of hours extra at the end. It's bloomin' hilly over there

Anyone going to the Long Mynd, and having a trail map from Plush Hill Cycles, you must do Descent 9. It is absolutely flippin' brilliant :D

http://app.strava.com/activities/68720227#1327427292

A very short bivvy on a very long ride. I only stopped for a couple of hours as I wanted to get up in time for the dawn. As it was, the midges awoke me even before that :twisted:

A few pics from the weekend:

Sunshine & Singletrack:


Climbing up to the Stiperstones:


Travelling light:

A few more pics from July's Bivy trip to Stipperstones

the race was on

then came the burn out

a chill out stop

the final stop for the night
All in all, a great trip in great company

It's long and it's rambling, but here's the tale of my July bivvy

http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2013/07/ ... elope.html

Personally, I blame some of the folk on this very site!! :twisted:

It's long and it's rambling, but here's the tale of my July bivvy

http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2013/07/ ... elope.html

Personally, I blame some of the folk on this very site!!

Good read and superb effort ... there's something very satisfying about pushing yourself a little further than you imagined you could.

ScotRoutes wrote:Personally, I blame some of the folk on this very site!! :twisted:

I enjoyed reading your blog post though, nice one. You'll be getting yourself ready for the HT400 next year then?

Ian wrote:

ScotRoutes wrote:Personally, I blame some of the folk on this very site!! :twisted:

I enjoyed reading your blog post though, nice one. You'll be getting yourself ready for the HT400 next year then?

Possibly Ian - if I can quell my inner disquiet regarding the whole concept :) I've actually thought about doing a NoBo equivalent - just to be "contrary"

Bonus bivvy for me this month. Kids were at the outlaws and weather was nice so gear hastily thrown into bags last night and off I went into the hills with Beth.

No midges Ian ... I'd have expected there to be swarms of the b'stards around your Trailstar in the top pic

I'd have expected there to be swarms of the b'stards around your Trailstar

Do midges prefer Trailstars then?

Actually, they appeared briefly just after sunset but were seen off by some deet and the smoke from the mKettle and then a strong breeze. There were a few under the tarp in the morning - Beth was in my Wasatch bivvy and I took the Moonlight and a head net and it was all good.

Do midges prefer Trailstars then?

No, however I'm sure Zippy can knock up some figures (and maybe a graph or even a chart of some sort) to prove that they prefer cuben to other materials

Another for me to this month. A 75 mile ride from home to church Stretton. Via loads of hills and the jack Myton way. Composite has ruined me it was one of the tougher rides iv done due to the heat and lack of pre ride sleep! But trying to keep up with whippet was damn hard. Then there was this morning when we had to reverse it. Bailed at Alveley as had nothing left in me what so ever. Thanks to the landlord at some pub in all Stretton for letting us use the garden though to bivy.


Hard riding through crops-there is a bridle path there somewhere

Another pub garden bivy

Been a very busy month... just a quick one out late last night and back early this morning. Beat the drizzle and had some great views from my pit. 7/7 for the year.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99percentc ... 407398786/

This mornings 'brew with a view'.

July_Bivi-91 by 99percentchimp, on Flickr

Sheltering behind the wall from the SW breeze.

July_Bivi-96 Panorama by 99percentchimp, on Flickr