frogatthefarriers wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 10:19 pm Now here's a thing - the chap who designed these wretched tea-pots and milk-jugs...


....should crawl away and hide in shame for - it's impossible to pour either tea or milk from them without dribbling... and making a mess.

you obviously got your knicker in a twist over it
OR joined the Mason!

blackberries can't beat em...
ps-I'm led to believe there's over 150 native varieties of blackberries.
which explains why some are tasty others less-so.

ledburner wrote: ↑Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:34 pm blackberries can't beat em...
ps-I'm led to believe there's over 150 native varieties of blackberries.
which explains why some are tasty others less-so.

Yup, some are bitter and some never seem to ripen, but I really hate the kind that creeps along the ground in woodland, ready to scratch the living daylights out of your shins as you pass through...

frogatthefarriers wrote: ↑Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:10 pm

ledburner wrote: ↑Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:34 pm blackberries can't beat em...
ps-I'm led to believe there's over 150 native varieties of blackberries.
which explains why some are tasty others less-so.

Yup, some are bitter and some never seem to ripen, but I really hate the kind that creeps along the ground in woodland, ready to scratch the living daylights out of your shins as you pass through...

you should have listen to your parents
'Pick your feet up'

.
Ouch.
long pants help (or pin you down)...

Two good bivvies this month....


More later.

RIP wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 11:01 pm And yes surely everyone hates those tea 'pots' and milk 'jugs'.

Or as Jasper Carrot said some years ago "We can get a half ton bomb down a specific chimney in Bagdad but we can't get tea and milk into a cup without messing"

September "in the bag".

I'd planned to head out today (Wednesday) as it's the Equinox but I need to be at home early tomorrow morning so it was "last summer night" instead.

It was hella breezy when I left so I headed for the old building at Baileguish as that would offer some shelter. I stopped on the way to recover a beer.

When I got to the cottage I unravelled the tarp to set it up but the wind was gusting in all directions and I just couldn't find a sheltered enough area. I packed up again and headed intosome local forestry plantation. I found a couple of sheltered spots but all I could see waas rows of trees so wasn't too happy. I started pedalling again and hit on the idea of going to the Uath Lochan where I knew there was a bird hide thing. Getting there was a doddle - I was heading down hill and had a strong wind behind me. I arrived just as it was starting to get dark and sussed out it would be fine. Dinner on, beer open and I just spent time watching the chainging cloud patterns for a while. I was hoping that thefull moon would put in an appearance but it rises over the mountains and they were hanging onto the low cloud. I hit the sack around 10 pm and fell asleep. Woke up just before midnight and noticed that it was a lot brighter. The clouds had cleared a little and the moon had swung round further. Couldn't be arsed getting up to check it out though.

Got up needing a pee aat 6:30 so put the stove on for a relaxed cuppa watching the day coming in. I packed up and headed down to Loch Insh Boathouse to get there just as they were opening for breakfast. On the way, it struck me that one of my favouritist bits about bivvying is that morning ride. I'm not normally a morning person but it feels different after having been out all night. Stopping for breakfast meant I got a bit wet on the way home as I didn't beat the rain front but it was still worth it!


Beer was here!



Baileguish



Frustrating windy spot



Cosy



Morning Moon


Packed and ready to roll



Hide!


9/9 58th.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Wed Sep 22, 2021 2:14 pm On the way, it struck me that one of my favouritist bits about bivvying is that morning ride. I'm not normally a morning person but it feels different after having been out all night.

Yah, similar here. Really not a morning person at all. Given the choice I'd wake up at 7 and lie in bed for an hour thinking. Yet on BP trips I'm reasonably happy to get up at 05.30. The worst bit about 05.30 is the three and a half hour wait until second breakfast time!

I love riding in the early morning, although the only downside at this time of year, is that it's generally the coldest part of the day. What I don't like, this morning being an example, is being punched in the face by my wife as I've slept through my 05:30 alarm...

Blimey, someone even scarier than Mrs Perrin!

Looks like a nice trip out there, ScotRoutes!

A couple of weeks ago I had a crash, wasn't huge but I went down quite hard and wasn't wearing knee pads, end result - I've broken my knee cap

I'd actually planned to bivy out in the Peak a few days after the crash but obviously had to bin that idea

Am walking with a crutch for now and can't really ride my bike. Seeing a surgeon tomorrow so that will hopefully give a bit more clarity but it's defo not looking good

Haven't posted much recently because I'm annoyed I can't be active

I'm not sure how long it's going to take to fix it but it's ruined my changes of getting a BAM in for this month, and therefore ruined my clean sheet this year

Aww man, that's sub standard. I can only hope that there's a quick fix and you're back up and running (well pedalling) soon.

Commiserations Ben

All the best for your recovery, Ben.

Managed to convince the Mrs to join me on this months BAM on the condition of a tent being used, we didn’t go far but did take a freshly made curry in a Tupperware. Wrapped in a down jacket it has the double advantage of keeping the food warm and preheating the jacket

Slept well apart from the roe deer barking at 4am.

9/9 thus far.

We got the band back together.

I get the impression that Trep actually enjoys her job*, but viewed from afar it seems like she’s been working all the hours that capitalism sends. Thankfully, last weekend we managed to align the stars, and it was two pairs of weary legs that bimbled their way along the valley, doing their utmost to avoid any tarmac.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUIyZIiMrjF/

We were agreed on a leisurely and relatively luxurious trip, including stopping at a pub for tea**. The first hostelry we hit was only serving food to residents, and a phone call to the next inn said their kitchen was closing in 15 minutes’ time! Erk! This was our only sprint of the trip, as we zoomed alongside the reservoir and arrived in time for a rather good burger, fish n chips, and a couple of beverages each.

Dusk had already enveloped us before we’d sat down, and by the time we were ready to head off again, darkness was all around us. This, combined with a ready supply of beer and the soothing tones of Stephen Fry reading one of the Harry Potter books over the PA system in the pub toilets*** meant I was rather reluctant to get going again, but a few hundred meters up the trail and I was soon feeling better about things.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDuDVosxPp/

Through the breezy night we bumped our way across the rocks, past a number of isolated tents, and finally down beneath the cover of a rocky overhang, where we unfurled sleeping kit, and brewed up some water for a second dinner (me****) and dessert (Trep).

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUBCSx0sy0S/

And with that, I lay back on my pillow, and drifted off! I'm not sure I even managed to say g'night. A pretty decent night's sleep later, we awoke to the local alarm clocks!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT_5vTngftL/

I sorted myself out with a couple of mugs of coffee before haring off back down the hill to get the bairns to their football matches, whilst Trep had a much more leisurely start to the day.
On our respective ways home we spotted a stoat (me, unfortunately it had been squished by a car) and some rather unprepared and underdressed wild campers (Trep).

2021 BAM 9/12
2021 total bivvies 11
Current streak (months) 34

*Sometimes, at least
**In Trep’s case, including a pot of
***No, we had no idea why either
****"Summit to Eat" 5 bean cassoulet. Pretty tasty, but very trump-inducing

Bivvying in the toilet being lulled to sleep by Stephen's fruity tones would have been quite high on my list I think.

RIP wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:17 pm Bivvying in the toilet being lulled to sleep by Stephen's fruity tones would have been quite high on my list I think.

that seems dangerously close to loitering...
you like to like on the edge.

ledburner wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 11:07 pm loitering

Ohh don't set me off. Loitering. A fabulous pastime. Closely related to idling.

"Loitering is the act of remaining in a particular public place for a protracted time, without any apparent purpose.
While the laws regarding loitering have been challenged and changed over time, loitering is still illegal in various jurisdictions and in specific circumstances".

I could be banged up for committing this crime literally daily. Freedom? Hah.

So technically, anyone bivvying in a tent (oxymoron?) rather than under a tarp is breaking the law? Loitering within tent

^ ARF! Boom tish.

RIP wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 2:22 pmARF! Boom tish.

live on the edge get a hammock.. ..

ledburner wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 2:44 pm live on the edge get a hammock.. ..

Great if you have difficulty getting to sleep. You'll soon drop off....

Headed out yesterday evening to get this months bivvy in. A bit of fettling was required to get the new Exposure light, Restrap feed bag and Wahoo computer all on, without impeding each other. Going to have to find a proper solution. I'm liking this new light already, especially when coupled with my existing MTB Batteries Lumen 800 on my helmet.


I was soon at my chosen spot in the fens, undercover of a larger tree, in an effort to keep the dew off. Shame about all the nettles, which resulted in stung hands while trying to get some of the pegs in.


I do love a misty fenland morning...






Some quiet back roads between the bridleways and byways.


One of those mornings where it clouds over for a bit, before the sky turns blue.


Just made it home in time for the first meeting of the morning.

2021 BaM: 9/9
Streak: 21
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/6010324497

Got September done last night. Nothing spectacular, just a last-minute plan to meet a mate and ride up Leith Hill, grab a beer and flop into a bivy bag. Met some friends unexpectedly at the pub, which was nice, slept well under a brilliant moon and woke at dawn to a rather lovely misty morning.

No pics this time, I’m afraid.

9/9