Hello and welcome to the 2021 edition of 'Bivvy a Month' and what will undoubtedly be another odd and strange year.

There are no rules as such and you're free to do whatever you like. However, there are some guidelines which if adhered to make you eligible for a lovely BaM patch. They are ....

• At least one night out per calendar month for twelve consecutive months.

• For the months of Jan and Feb, your own back garden will count as an overnight spot - this will be reviewed at the end of Feb.

* A single trip taking in both the last night of one month and the first of the next, will count as two months if you wish - but you still need 2 nights out, just that they'll be combined within a single trip.

* A bike must be involved - it's bikepacking, the clue's in the name ... 'Involved'? You really don't need me to spell it out do you?

* No paid for accommodation inc' campsites or hostels. Bothies are okay. Remember, at present all bothies are off limits.

* Post each trip here in as much detail as you like, pictures are good. One post for each month please ... if you'd prefer not to post, that's fine. We'll take you at your word but people do like reading the trip reports.

Thank you as always to Kev C for the inspiration.

I believe my dad has just signed up to the forum, so I'll volunteer him as I'm too soft for winter bivy!

Stu... who's Kev C please...

Shaf - I am Kev C, thank you Stuart.

I wanted to add that this is year 10 of the challenge, so if you keep putting it off this is your chance -especially when you can kip in your garden for the first two months!

Stu - out of interest how many BAM patches have been claimed? I am interested in the number of different riders rather than one rider claiming for multi years. Not after an exact number as perhaps people have done it but not claimed a badge anyway.

Blackhound wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 11:46 am Shaf - I am Kev C, thank you Stuart.

I wanted to add that this is year 10 of the challenge, so if you keep putting it off this is your chance -especially when you can kip in your garden for the first two months!

Stu - out of interest how many BAM patches have been claimed? I am interested in the number of different riders rather than one rider claiming for multi years. Not after an exact number as perhaps people have done it but not claimed a badge anyway.

That's ace. Thanks Kev and looking at your posts I'm gonna guesstimate you probably knew/met Mike Hall...

Anyway, 2nd year of failed attempt was 2020. So I'm definitely gonna try and strengthent resolve for this 2021 BAM (he writes as he lays in the 4 season bag thats never seen outdoors)...

Yes, I knew Mike from when he lived here in Derby for a spell before moving to Wales. That would be about 10 years ago. I have a pic of Mike, myself and another Derby friend, Martin, in front of the Banff Springs Hotel before all three of us were about to set off on the 2011 Tour Divide - we all finished which was nice. I was the slowest!

It was the experience of the 2011 TD that gave me the idea of the BAM, inspired by the audax RRtY 200km rides each calendar month. I must say I did not imagine it being a thing a decade later.

"definitely"... "try" - c'mon Shaf old sparrow, go with the former, you won't regret it .

I'd like to add a personal thanks to Kev - a fellow Derby Ram - my five years of Bivvy-a-Month have enhanced this period of my life immeasurably (ok it is measurable but I dunno what units to use). It gave me just that bit extra incentive to get out there, a thing to look forward to every month, come rain or shine or in two cases 'whole gale', pulled me up through some lows, made my highs that much higher, resulted in some priceless experiences and feelings, and allowed me to meet and talk with some fantastic and interesting people.

One aspect I discovered early on was fixing a date and then going whatever the weather was doing. I can honestly say that far and away my most enjoyable outings turned out to be those which included muttering "what am I playing at" as I closed the door.... my 'Rain Man' badge awarded in 2018/19 is a treasured possession .

I must have heard about BAM towards the back end of 2012. I first started out in Jan 2013 then bowed out after 20 consecutive months before starting again after the BBWB 2016. 2021 will therefore be 5 consecutive years. Seems like a good reason to carry on.

Cath and I got to 27 months or thereabouts by last January then things went a bit pear shaped

Thinking of bivvying in the garden tonight - it started snowing half an hour ago

Hopefully I will give this a bash

Thanks Kev for getting this started. Without it things would just slide - I really need the kick in the pants this gives me to get out there, especially in the winter. I know exactly what Reg means, pretty much every winter trip I have questioned what on earth I am doing leaving my nice warm home to go and sleep outside in the cold, but these have been the most memorable experiences.

RIP wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:53 pm "definitely"...

One aspect I discovered early on was fixing a date and then going whatever the weather was doing. I can honestly say that far and away my most enjoyable outings turned out to be those which included muttering "what am I playing at" as I closed the door.... my 'Rain Man' badge awarded in 2018/19 is a treasured possession .

Rain man badge.. care to share a pic and how you was awarded it please Reg.. Wish I was wel-ard like most on here.

I had a frozen beard the other day (for 2days but first was with a buff... second day I thought I was harder and went without the buff and just the beard froze. Felt like a slow-burn. Anyway, 2 days later (and 2night shifts straight after them 2 silly rides) I'm full on 'I am poorly' mode. Missus says its my own fault for riding 2 days of minus temps and then riding to the first night shift aswell (pretty sure she's wrong )...

A frozen beard won't kill you Shaf.

A frozen beard won't kill you Shaf.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:47 am A frozen beard won't kill you Shaf.

Haha.. I saw that and finally gotten to experience it. Yup, I am definitely gonna get this BAM 2021 over and done with. No excuse with first couple months slept in garden or shed...

Not a bike related bivy nor my BAM entry but more of a test of using my hammock gear in colder weather.

In the garden obviously. Temps hovered around freezing all night which is about ten degrees colder than my previous nights in a hammock but not as cold as the previous night when it got down to -5C. Generally still but with a few gusts that would billow the tarp and the occasional light shower. The moon and the snow lying on the ground meant it was pretty light all night.

Had the Cumulus Selva 250 underquilt underneath with Cath's Cumulus 350 quilt on top. I was toasty warm! I had to remove my jacket within a minute or two and headwear only a few minutes after that. I'd obviously not got the underquilt correctly set up as an hour or so later one of the wind gusts caused a cold spot in the middle of my back, a bit of adjustment and I was fine the rest of the night.

At some point during the night I'm woken by some soulful howling. The cat arrives wondering what the hell's going on then decides he's going to join me so jumps up and after a bit of that paddling that cats do and fidgeting around snuggles down on top of me! He wasn't bothered by my fidgeting and only stirred when the local blackbirds started their usual bickering clattering through the trees. It wasn't long before I was getting up anyway.

Surprised just how warm I was - the underquilt is rated to -4C and the recommendation is to have a 5C buffer so I was within that. I suspect that if it had been windier then I'd have felt cooler. Not sure how much lower will be fine with this setup, at least with garden tests I can head indoors if I get it wrong.

Thanks for sharing that Bob... What's meant by 'a 5c buffer'?

I really ought to have tested my tundra bag outdoors by now though. Indoor testing tells me it might not quite be comfy at -5....

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 10:03 am Thanks for sharing that Bob... What's meant by 'a 5c buffer'?

Basically because you've got airflow around you then you tend to need an underquilt that's rated about 5C lower than the expected low temperature. So if it's forecast to get to 0C then a -5C rated UQ gives you that buffer. Not sure how accurate this rule of thumb is - I suspect things like wind levels and moisture affect it.

whitestone wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 10:14 am

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 10:03 am Thanks for sharing that Bob... What's meant by 'a 5c buffer'?

Basically because you've got airflow around you then you tend to need an underquilt that's rated about 5C lower than the expected low temperature. So if it's forecast to get to 0C then a -5C rated UQ gives you that buffer. Not sure how accurate this rule of thumb is - I suspect things like wind levels and moisture affect it.

Aha. Yes. Thanks for explaining (got my head round it now)...

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:43 am Rain man badge.. care to share a pic and how you was awarded it please Reg

It was a 'virtual' badge (bit like Virtual WE) bestowed upon me by some naughty boys...

Wish I was wel-ard like most on here.

Not sure it's ardness in my case - look to our Services chums for that quality - more a sort of stoic acceptance in the face of a bit adversity. An outing-long 'Hamlet Moment' (look it up) if you will. Stoicism which then turns into 'oh sod it' and finally a barely-suppressed laugh.

I had a frozen beard

Very festive. I don't wear a buff to stop that, but over my mouth to slightly warm incoming air. I can't imagine it warms it much, and it might be a placebo, but it seems to make quite a difference to my breathing ability and preventing a sore throat/chest.

Blackhound wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:44 pm Yes, I knew Mike from when he lived here in Derby for a spell before moving to Wales. That would be about 10 years ago. I have a pic of Mike, myself and another Derby friend, Martin, in front of the Banff Springs Hotel before all three of us were about to set off on the 2011 Tour Divide - we all finished which was nice. I was the slowest!

It was the experience of the 2011 TD that gave me the idea of the BAM, inspired by the audax RRtY 200km rides each calendar month. I must say I did not imagine it being a thing a decade later.

audax RRtY 200km

anyone got a link to this...

Found it... stand down. Thanks again Kevin

preventing a sore throat/chest.

Get some Vic on that*.





*showing my age nicely there.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:50 pm

preventing a sore throat/chest.

Get some Vic on that*.

*showing my age nicely there.

Aye, good stuff. Ideally I'd bike along with a sort of bowl-full-of-Vic-infused-hot-water contraption strapped round my mouth...

I love BAM too much to let a thing like a lockdown stop me. Luckily I own a couple of fields I can bivvy in so my plan for the duration is to pack the bike, ride a loop around home, (not too far), bivvy in my paddock, then reverse route back again. It's a bit like washing your feet with your socks on, (to borrow a phrase from a completely different scenario ) but it's the best option available, so....

It does have advantages though. I can have a camp fire, for one and I don't have to worry about how much to pack as I won't be carrying it far, eg I can take my camping chair and sit comfortably while I toast marshmallows.

As the saying goes, "I f life gives you lemons, make lemonade"