Bivvy a Month 2017.

[Cheeky Monkey]

@browndog
An under quilt protector makes a big difference for me.

What he says. UQ's tend to be lightweight and lack much if any windproofing. Hence they're more likely to lose heat when cold air circulates in the relatively exposed / drafty set-up of a hammock tarp. That's after you've ensured there's as little "flushing" of warm air by having a poorly fitted or not-cinched-up UQ. Had a very unpleasant night on my first trip with the WB Ridgerunner and a frigged UQ set up. It was like being flushed by a wave when surfing - a cold wash as all the warmth disappeared - you can't fall back on pissing yourself like in a wetsuit

You could try a hammock sock as well which all helps to trap air and reduce movement. You can also get over-covers to fit some hammocks. They don't replace a tarp usually but trap warm air in and reduce drafts.

If you've a shorter style UQ think about doubling up with insulation (e.g. a mat inside the hammock - only partially inflated to let it shape round you easier - personally I find mats a PITA but others manage) or using some CCF pads where the UQ doesn't cover e.g. feet and/or head. I've occasionally shoved a small bit in the closed footbox of my TQ to keep it in place. You could even use a "full-size" T-shape (for shoulder coverage) CCF as folks used to.

Do you use a hat? TQs don't usually have hoods like a normal sleeping bag. A cold head is pretty miserable, IME.

There's a bloke called Shug (IIRC) in the States who's done loads of Youtube stuff on hammocking. I remember watching one he did about cold hanging - worth a look.

"Wastes" fuel but there's also the "hot water bottle" option. Placed in the groin (apparently warming the blood in the big vessels there - carotid) is supposed to be effective.

And after all that I also think that when the temps drop staying warm whilst hanging can simply be that bit more of a challenge. Sometimes going to ground is the *right* thing to do.

[benp1]

Unfortunately it's the extra 'faff' when hammocking that turned me to bivvying. I found it quicker, simpler, lighter and more accomodating of different camping spots

Still have it, just haven't used it in a while

[ScotRoutes]

Bit of a lie-in this morning, listening to the sleet hitting the tent. Eventually, my bladder insisted it was time to move so packed everything up and headed home. My fingers were completely numb handling the wet tent so I was glad of the pogies.

It's a nice spot, by Loch Pityoulish. It's on the Cairngorm Loops route though probably not at an ideal distance.



Just Duinish now....

[whitestone]

It's a nice spot, by Loch Pityoulish. It's on the Cairngorm Loops route though probably not at an ideal distance.

So that's what it looks like in the daylight! I got just past there before bivvying on the September CL group start. Ended up in a field on the other side of the road.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Unfortunately it's the extra 'faff' when hammocking that turned me to bivvying. I found it quicker, simpler, lighter and more accomodating of different camping spots

Still have it, just haven't used it in a while

IME faff reduces as your experience and judgement increases, much like anything really. Depending on the particular pitch some are probably quicker and easier to hang. I particularly like that I can hang where the ground isn't level or smooth, although you still need two trees Saying all that, the main reason I do it is because I like the set-up, comfort and *fun* of a hang. It's not a choice on absolute tech' performance or suitability.

As the saying goes, HYOH

[ScotRoutes]

It's a nice spot, by Loch Pityoulish. It's on the Cairngorm Loops route though probably not at an ideal distance.

So that's what it looks like in the daylight! I got just past there before bivvying on the September CL group start. Ended up in a field on the other side of the road.

There's a wee gate where the road is closest to the loch and a couple of decent spots withing 200 metres. I suppose it would suit if you were eating/restocking in Aviemore and looking for somewhere close by.

[whitestone]

Yes, I'd hit the 24hr garage in Aviemore at about 1am then was looking for somewhere to kip. I'd never been along that road before so didn't know what was there. I remember dropping down a bit of a slope which presumably dropped into the valley with the loch in it but didn't see a gate or did and thought it was associated with a house. Might have been a bit on the cool side next to water as well. It didn't freeze where I was but others had a cold night with some frost.

Edit: This looks like your gate - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.20530 ... 312!8i6656

[ScotRoutes]

The very same!

[fatbikephil]

Thats exactly where I camped on my ITT in 2013!

[ChrisF]

November bivvy under way. Snugged down near Mellor Cross with stars, a full moon, owls hooting and some hot chocolate. Feeling warm at the moment but a bit worried about how I'll feel in a couple of hours time...

[ScotRoutes]

Good luck. I was actually so cosy the other night that I didn't want to get out my bag in the morning!!

[whitestone]

Left it to (almost) the last minute.

Given the fine but cold forecast, Cath and I nipped out for a bivy last night. Most of the surface water on the ride there was already frozen - we only set out at about 2030 as it wasn't too far away. Disturbed a roosting Kestrel when we arrived at the chosen spot After whisky and mini-chocolates we turned in.

Thermometer showed -3C this morning, main problem was that getting back was nearly all downhill so getting warm took a while. I'll attach some shots when I get them downloaded off the camera.

It were so cold Cath's hands turned purple!



That's 9/11 for me this year.

[psling]

I was actually so cosy the other night that I didn't want to get out my bag in the morning!!

One of the biggest problems I find when you're snug as a bug in your nest and it's cold and miserable outside...

[ChrisF]

November bivvy complete. I managed to stay warm but had a restless night, not helped by some alarming screeching birds! Tarp and outside of bivvy bag very icy this morning but my new downmat did a good job.
Up at 5 for the short ride home avoiding some big ice patches.
10/11

[RIP]

Top effort chaps! Nothing like a bit of tarp-ice in that first G&T of the day .

[dorsetshirelad]

October Bivi of the Month

October bivi was a continuing theme of leaving everything to the last minute. But I managed to get away on the last day of the month, catching the train to Beaulieu Road Station.
I was heading north across the New Forest towards Linwood, along mainly forest tracks through enclosures of of mixed woodland and open areas of heathland.
Travelling along the Ornamental Drive I Passed ancient trees planted over 150 years ago, Douglas Firs and Giant Sequoia, standing at 51m the tallest trees in England.
Another grand old tree, said to be over 500 years old,
The Knightwood Oak. ‘perhaps the most famous oak tree in the New Forest’.

Peddling on, I came across the Forest ponies catching the last of the autumn sunshine and cattle grazing open pastures.
By 4pm I was at my bivi spot “Castle Piece” an ancient settlement disappearing into the forest and now just an easily missed set of mounds. Close by I found some lovely open Beech Forest and set up my hammock and quickly got a brew on.


The sun soon set and it was quickly dark, with the temperature falling diner was a priority, so I busied myself rehydrating my dhal and rice.
It was soon to bed for a long night but with the moonlight flickering thought the trees it was never really dark. My sleep was occasionally disturbed by owls hooting and stags doing was stags do during the night.
Awaking quite early but laying in til it got light was pleasant but over 12 hours in a hammock is quite long enough.
Breakfast was bannock, prepared and cooked on site, stuffed with bacon and fried eggs, a very tasty start to the day but I must stop catering 2 when on my own.
The ride home was pleasant 24 km with a bit of road work avoiding a private estate.

[RayKickButts]

11 of 12 Pembray

A change of coast this trip and a wander and explore around Pembray

We saw lots of dead things


I found a new summer Bivi Spot


We watched the sun go down from the top of the old pill box


I'm loving the hammock life


Trying to stay warm it dropped to -3 that night and i drank all my whisky again!!! but slept well


Morning bacon butty stop and praying for the hangover to go


A cracking overnighter just under 40 miles a nice stretch of coast to explore if only i could get around further!

[BigdummySteve]

With just one more bivy before I chalk up my first BAM full house I wonder what other first timers thoughts were about their year of sleeping out, last year I missed November to March so BAM has proved a good motivation tool to get out when it’s cold. In fact one of my favourite nights out was in January on a crystal clear cold night, there have been desperate last minute efforts, one was 5 miles up the canal in the dark following a 4 hour drive home from Devon (my wife informed me at the last minute about a girly trip)

Entering the winter event seems a fairly reasonable thing to do now so BAM has obviously made me HTFU, either that or it’s something in pot noodles.
The cafe racer is going to kickstart 2018, who else is going for year two ?

[RIP]

How did you miss "November to March", were you going backwards or something Steve?! . I'm equally hopeless though because last year I piled enthusiastically into January and then promptly missed February thereby wrecking my BaM attempt before I'd even got into my stride which was completely stupid. Despite that I still carried on with March-Dec resulting in 2016 11/12 - close, but no proverbial smoking materials. Assuming we don't get destroyed by an asteroid (or indeed a Flying Saucer Attack ) before next weekend, I'm all good for 2017 12/12 Jan-Dec.

But yes it's been a lot of fun(?). Certainly forced me to get out there and do stuff. Not sure I'd've done as many bivis without the gentle structure of BaM holding me together. In fact I know I wouldn't have. For me, it's all about the experiences really. Seem to have invented gigpacking, so more of that next year methinks (Rezillos once a month?!); met & had a laff with some other interesting BP-ers (March was Pete, Tim, Rich3; July was JamesO, Pete, Si); had an ace time in S Wales with Steve; enjoyed two "gigpacks" (Rapiers in June, Rezillos in Nov); and a superb chilly WinterEvent with Crewlie n Pickers. And how can we forget the inimitable and untoppable WRT. Top chaps all round and a privilege to meet everyone. Slept on a football pitch and in some nice lady's conservatory; survived a night in a graveyard. Tarped 10 of the nights, one of those in a Beaufort 9 "Strong Gale", and another one at minimum -5degC. Six solo and six in a group. Over the year, pretty much honed my gear as light/minimal as I can, or am prepared, to get it. So experiences? Plenty enough for an old git almost into a seventh decade.

As for 2018, no announcements until I'm too drunk to worry about rash decision making! Assuming "yes", I need to try and cook up some even more loopy scenarios or I'll get bored too easily (yeah, fickle that's me).

[dorsetshirelad]

Bam Nov17
My first puncture in a year soon after leaving home the tyre had a small spilt, which was oozing fluid but it didn’t go completely down, must have been the cold weather. I decided to nip back and put the spare wheel in. Having missed my train to Moreton I caught on the following one, which unfortunately didn’t stop at Moreton, so I had to go on to Dorchester and quickly dash over the footbridge, just making it for the ride back one stop. Already the adventure was under way, before even starting

A cold but sunny day with a strong northerly wind sped me on my way past the decommissioned Magnox Reactor at Winfirth. Skirting the the Army Ranges at Lulworth and on over the Purbeck Hills to Swrye Head and on to the the the nerve centre of Radar development in the UK from 1940 to 1942.

The sun had set and darkness was falling quickly. I found a spot to string my hammock between the buttresses of a doorway to a long defunct building on D-site, tucked just below headland. The moon rose and although not full ,with a clear sky there was enough light to finish setting up camp and cook a meal of Cuppa soup, followed by chilli con-carne and rice, with cheese and biscuits to finish.

]It was a bight clear cold night and when the moon had set the stars shone even more brightly. Although tucked below the headland the strong wind cut back flapping the edges of my tarps noisily, so that in the early hours I took it down. The temperature dropped to just below zero but with the wind chill it felt much colder. I was quite warm generally except my feet felt like ice, will have to try and fix that problem.

In the morning I was awake by about 6:30 and had a bit of fun trying to make flat bread, which ended in failure, too much water in the mix. My hands were really cold and there was a definite lag in coordination between them and my brain but I did manage to fry a couple of eggs and finish off my crackers and cheese.
Packed up by 10 I nipped up to the Coastguard lookout station to warm up and a chat to the couple of volunteers who were busy studying the various craft in their magnificent field of view. I let them get on with it and went over to the little Norman chapel close by. Although restored about 200 years ago it dates back 800 was full of atmosphere and history.

Cycling to Swanage I stopped and had coffee and cake at an old friends before crossing back over the Purbecks and down to Studland for Lunch at the National Trust beach café. Taking the chain ferry to Sandbanks it was an easy ride back home along the prom.

As a first timer I've enjoyed the challenge of my monthly outings. The different seasons present they own set of advantages and disadvantages the fun is dealing with them, for better or worst.
My wife has already asked me if I shall continue next year, let say that I hope to but didn't tell her that.
Its sometimes a little daunting to see post from from fellow bikepakers covering massive amounts of milage with next to no gear.I just have to keep reminding myself what somebody on the WRT said to me," it's not about the miles it's about the smiles.

This is my 10 out of 11 missing one in the summer which according to the rules counted being on the last day of the month. But does that really count?

[RIP]

Nice moon there DSL. I've always understood it that 'last day of the month' counts - my Feb was 28th I think - but of course you can't count it as the next month's at the same time or you'd only be doing 11 nights in the year. Similarly nor could you count it as 'Month X's if you'd done 'Month X-1's earlier in 'Month X-1'. Then again my WRT counted as April and May because I was out on April 29th, 30th and May 1st on my way home. No doubt The Keeper Of The Rules will be along soon to straighten us out! (Hopefully in the affirmative or I'll string meself up with a bit of 1.5mm dyneema). Assuming this is one of those rare occasions when I'm not talking bollocks does that mean you're actually OK after all?

Mrs Perrin told me to carry on next year because it's the only time she gets any peace and quiet apparently.

[ScotRoutes]

This is my 10 out of 11 missing one in the summer which according to the rules counted being on the last day of the month. But does that really count?

It absolutely does.

[Borderer]

This is my 10 out of 11 missing one in the summer which according to the rules counted being on the last day of the month. But does that really count?

It absolutely does.

Agree with that ^ the rules are good for motivation but not for penalising someone harshly. You sound like you have done it.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I see that fatbiking.eu have launched their own 'Bivvy a month' in accordance with the guidelines set out here. If completing BaM on a normal bike isn't enough for you, you can now do it with the hindrance of a fat bike

[Borderer]

Pah ^ that's nothing. We have folk here who do it on a Brompton
Now that's hardcore.