BAM October. 10/10 for 2020.

Due to our local (Wrexham) lockdown and the impending the Welsh national one, Octobers' BAM was a quick dash 'n crash just 7 miles from home.





No food or snacks, just tea-making stuff for the morning. Oh, and a good slug of whiskey to help me sleep.

Nice

ledburner wrote: ↑Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:44 am Hi guys, it Dan from (H) 'uddersfield. Eric. I found the Ford where you said you were in upto your knee, an alternative to cold shower. I managed to get a gross usinth bike as a prop 20 yards lower down from a large boulder. A national trails ranger warned be about trying to cycle trough the beck at the foot of Shedfon clough.
I made it as far as Bottomley on a heather or delves, on Thursday night. I had a very cold wet night under a dry tent and blessed the decision to bring a synthetic bag. I slept in water proofs, really to keep my day clothes dry from a v. Damp bag, a conseque ce of the previous evening, Eric mentioned. It the orning I decide the ground was very wet& didn't need me chewing it up. So I took the drier route along the Rochdale - brighouse canal path. I had a huge hot lunch in Tod(Morden). Then continued through to Hudds. At 5pm, Were I met my son walking home from college. He thought I'd lost the plot. . I had a great adventure and will be back for more. All the gear surpassed my expectation.
Ps I have some wild country to channel pegs, 20yrs old, maybe from Fisher in Keswick. 6 in long 9g each. I could have sold you a half dozen!

Dan... you're the chap who made (more of) his own bags and purple trousers. Thought you looked abit Huddersfieldee Let me know when you get sick of the MTL and I'll share the thread with the NorthPeaks100 loop. Like the MTL, a few less gates, alot less grassy sections wanting to slide you about and above all, it goes through Uddesfield...

NB. I'm originally from Huddersfield, Moor End High (from 1994 leavers).. Thanks for the lineloc link

'Nah then' ..
I look forward to the Northpeaks100 thread, but I didn't even manage 30m or was it 50k?
Note to self, get fit & pencil in for next year.
Lineloc work a bit like the buckles on (shoulder)adjuster strap, pull tighten, lift to release...

Just to confuse you, I was from Halifax, but married a hudds lass
My family now call me a southerner

October done with a nice trip through Dumfries and Galloway to see my folks in their holiday cottage.
I drove down to Moffat on Wednesday afternoon, typically entering a large cloud on arrival. It was fairly damp pedaling up out of Beattock into the forest on Cycle Route 10 and as I gained height the cloud thickened and the damp became dreich then dense drizzle. Nice..... However on descending down to my bivvy spot it dried up so I got pitched and inside dry before the rain came on again. Annoyingly the mozzies were out and about again but they seemed more interested in the inside of the tarp than my flesh. No midges though.... A drop of whisky helped me to sleep whilst several nearby wind turbines kept disturbing me with various alarming cracks and bangs. Must have dodgy bearings....

Morning (damp) world.


I used this spot for my September '18 bam on a similar trip to see my parents. It's a good one being close to a burn, level, sheltered and well drained. There was no wind and lo and behold the midges appeared! Not many though so no frantic packing up required, just a leisurely breakfast and then out into the damp morning.

The weather cleared as I headed west along a fine route of wee roads and forest tracks

There are quite a few roads like this hereabouts - narrow, very rough and deserted.

Came across this fellow on the road south of Loch Grannoch. It seemed a bit reluctant to move from the road so I carefully picked it up and placed it in the grass verge. A minute later a car came by which would have squashed it flat!

From Creetown north to Newton Stuart was on a fine section of cycleway which I'd had a minor involvement in many years ago. Then it was down NCN 73 to Wigton followed by a quiet-ish road to Monreith where my folks were staying. Spent some quality time with them checking out the views:-


The next day I headed back to Moffat by a more direct route. This involved a fair bit of A road bashing but after Newton Stuart these were also largely empty of traffic. Back to Ae by more wee roads and finally back over the climb past my bivvy spot to Moffat a 6.
I'm on the home straight!

Gorgeous view from that holiday cottage!

So with big birthday plans out of the window like a rockstars TV, even mediocre ones got squished like a bug by this bug going round, I was left to entertain myself.

New appropriately sized plan; sleep on a hill, eat cake.

Decided that waking up outside is better than falling asleep there so set off last night. With my new Gatewood Cape and its 360 degree coverage I deliberately picked out the most exposed windy hilltop, this was daft. Arrived and left in the dark. Couldn't see any stars because it was cloudy. The exposed spot was all disadvantage. Used the last of my phone and importantly morning alarm battery taking a flash photo of my camp.



This meant I had to hope the first dashes of light woke me like a rooster. Luckily this was not an issue as I had decided 23rd of October was still time for a summer quilt. I slept for a few hours at a time punctuated by vigorous arm rubbing and press ups with poetic language about life choices.

Morning brew and cake was top.

Climate controlled office was the most appealing it had been since it offered a greener grass to monotonous furlough.

Glad I did it.

benconnolli wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 8:39 pm



Glad I did it.

I'm glad you did it too. Your account made me smile. None of this “It was wonderful stuff” ....

frogatthefarriers wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:09 pm

benconnolli wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 8:39 pm



Glad I did it.

I'm glad you did it too. Your account made me smile. None of this “It was wonderful stuff” ....

Like the shades of grey colour scheme too. Very on-trend is that.

I think I'm out of BAM this month

What with a big mix of
Redundancy
Job hunting
Job finding
Very poorly doggie (now getting better)
Appalling weather
Rubbish weather in the forecast
Clocks altering
Covid stress
Tier 3 lockdown
Lack of time
But mainly now I've got a big lack of mojo with only a couple or three of wet forecasted nights to come

Edit - and quite a bit of CBA'ed

October was SH!TE

9/10 BAM and I'm out

But things may change before Friday night comes around

Ermm, asking for a friend , what would the group's take be, hypothetically, on someone breaking the covid rules slightly to do a BAM, keeping it very local and definitely not meeting a soul??

Verena wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:04 pm Ermm, asking for a friend , what would the group's take be, hypothetically, on someone breaking the covid rules slightly to do a BAM, keeping it very local and definitely not meeting a soul??

Ask Stu whether the Coronavirus Emergency BAM Rules still apply?

Verena wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:04 pm Ermm, asking for a friend , what would the group's take be, hypothetically, on someone breaking the covid rules slightly to do a BAM, keeping it very local and definitely not meeting a soul??

Bash on

Verena wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:04 pm Ermm, asking for a friend , what would the group's take be, hypothetically, on someone breaking the covid rules slightly to do a BAM, keeping it very local and definitely not meeting a soul??

Best to test your eyesight first

Verena wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:04 pm Ermm, asking for a friend , what would the group's take be, hypothetically, on someone breaking the covid rules slightly to do a BAM, keeping it very local and definitely not meeting a soul??

If you friend can ride from home and back again it's classed as exercise.
And if your friend knows someone with a nice little plot of fenced off forestry that no other person will be able to go on to, to turf your friend off then go for it

JohnClimber wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:50 pm But things may change before Friday night comes around

'course they will! Get a grip man . Half the point is to get away from the things you've listed and rebalance yerself.

We've been here before and you rallied magnificently that time .

We'll smoke you a kipper, you'll be back in time for breakfast.

I bagged my third overnighter of October at the weekend. My first (written up on here earlier this month) was in East Lothian and the second was two weeks ago, up north in Glen Affric. Some pics from the GA trip below.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

My most recent outing was in East Lothian once again, just south of North Berwick in woodland near the John Muir Way. On Saturday afternoon a mate and I rode east from Edinburgh along mostly coastal trails, arriving at our bivvy site at dusk.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Incidentally, this is only the second time I’ve gone on a bikepacking trip with company and it made a pleasant change to have someone to set the world to rights with over a few after dinner beers. I should add that it’s not that I’m antisocial by nature – just that I’m retired and can basically head off at short notice when the urge takes me, often during the week… and more often than not when the weather forecast is favourable!

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

After relatively easy ride conditions on the outward leg (due to mostly gravelly/sandy tracks and some road sections), the homeward journey made for harder going. Most memorably on a muddy riverside trail when the coming together of our gravelwanker tyres and some tricky off-camber sections caused both of us to bite the ‘dust’ on more than one occasion. Soft landings, though, so all good (not so) clean fun.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

That the Esk path there Jimmy? Looks like a good trip. Three in Oct is good going.

Cheers Bridget. It's the River Tyne trail, heading westwards from East Linton to Haddington on this occasion. The third time I've ridden it but the first time in wet conditions. I also rode it in July and it was very overgrown in places - got nettle stings on my nettle stings!

tobasco wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 10:06 pm

Verena wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:04 pm Ermm, asking for a friend , what would the group's take be, hypothetically, on someone breaking the covid rules slightly to do a BAM, keeping it very local and definitely not meeting a soul??

Best to test your eyesight first

Thanks all, so my friend took your advice and tested her eyesight first by driving to location of choice, bike in boot of car intending to ride at least a little bit in the morning, short walk to set up bivvy on a nice open hilltop on private land with friendly landowner's permission. IMG_20201027_211051 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr Stunning clear sky with moon initially, tempted to sleep just out out in bivvy bag, but put up tarp tent just in case. 2020-10-28_05-47-16 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr Just after she'd finished her beer, it started pissing down and blowing a hoolie, and so it carried on on and off all night, but with some amazingly dark starry skies too in the early hours. IMG_20201028_063947 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr Absolutely soggy and miserable and pouring down in the morning, so she wussed out of the bike ride and had a good breakfast instead IMG_20201028_070310 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr - not sure if she's got the whole idea of BAM involving a BIKE?!?! So it was basically just a nice little mid week mini adventure going camping IMG_20201028_063947 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Verena wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:04 pm Ermm, asking for a friend , what would the group's take be, hypothetically, on someone breaking the covid rules slightly to do a BAM, keeping it very local and definitely not meeting a soul??

Who will know if you don't tell anyone...

October completed with a mid-week dash up into the local hills. I was in a rush, so just lobbed all my gear in a rucksack and grabbed my singlespeed from the shed.

I was using some kit I’d not had out for a while and that led to a) extreme faff before I finally got sorted and b) a lukewarm brew before bed. Ho hum.

I’d caught a deer in my lights just before getting to my bivy spot and sure enough I was treated to some cervine throat-clearing during the night but all in all I slept well.

I’d grabbed what looked like the last dry-ish window in October, with some rain forecast for the next morning. The night was gusty but it stayed dry and a speedy pack-up got me away just as the first drops started falling.

Things learned (actually mainly re-learned ):
1. Single speeding with a big, heavy backpack is not much fun.
2. I need to colour code the guys on the Silwing.
3. Practise using new stuff before you need to use it on a dark, cold, windy hillside.





That’s 8/8 for me (March start).

Verena wrote: ↑Wed Oct 28, 2020 6:50 pm

Absolutely soggy and miserable and pouring down in the morning, so she wussed out of the bike ride and had a good breakfast instead

Your friend seems to have got the hang of it
Breakfast looks ace, puts my instant coffee and porridge to shame

I'd already had one October bivvy on the BB 200, but fancied another one just for its own sake.
It was a bit of a mental struggle to leave the house after dark, but I plodded my way out to the moors, found my spot, and settled down with a contribution to the "What are you drinking now?" thread.
As day broke, I had a brew and some brekky before packing up and heading home via a slightly circuitous route taking in some of the area's more enjoyable trails.

A couple of pics:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CG9__lFl4aj

2020 BAM 10/10
2020 total bivvies 13
Current streak (months) 23

I’m out, 46 months in a row, it’s not the weather, I did a 40mile ride in pissing rain earlier in the week. I just can’t motivate myself to Bivvy out in another storm in an uninspiring location.

Looking forward to the bonfire night Bivvy however