Bivvy a month 2019

[ericrobo]

Should have gone Thursday night BUT it was heavy heavy rain and I'd done 30 miles...
So I went last night, after a gloriously sunny day, but I knew it was going to be cold.

Lacking in motivation for BAM these last 3 months, so 1.5 miles to a local spot near the stream.

BAM September 2019 take 2 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

Full moon was out.

Started off being a bit warm with base layer, light fleece, Montane jacket, so took off the jacket.
After a couple of hours jacket back on, and a couple of hours after that, my Quito jacket went on.

But I was still cold !

That expensive sleeping bag, Western Mountaineering, is good for zero degrees as long as you're in it, in your nice warm bed...

Weird dreams like waking up in a street in Wales somewhere, opposite a chippy, in apparently a road which was flooded with 3 feet of water !!!

[TheBrownDog]

Weird dreams like waking up in a street in Wales somewhere, opposite a chippy, in apparently a road which was flooded with 3 feet of water !!!

That's why I don't eat cheese. Cheese makes my dreams weird. Very weird.

It's also a bit of a binding agent. Not good for morning ablutions.

[JohnClimber]

9/9 and 41/41*

A short ride, after a last minute bike swop over I'm glad it was a short 2.5 mile ride to my bivi spot east of Ribchester as although swapping my folding bike for my gravel bike was a good idea not packing the SPD's that it uses was not very good.


Doh


It's getting dark too early nowadays


Bed for the night

Anyway a bivi in the woods surrounded by the noise of shagging foxes and a couple of fecking owls I think I only managed around 5 hours of sleep as I was up while it was still dark to get back to my car, it was great to ride with the Harvest moon just above the horizon and got back to the car at sunrise for breakfast, loaded up the bike and took my new packraft (a heavy duty bulkier White Water Kokopelli Recon on the bus (Bus w@nker) and got off before Clitheroe.


1st paddle on this very stable and heavy duty pack raft from Kokopelli and I loved it.

2 and a half hours later of a short bit of grade 2 (maybe 1.5) and mainly grade 1 and calm waters saw me back on the bank right next to my car again

A great planned and executed trip (apart from the SPD's

Mini movie here
https://youtu.be/BdrDu2o2y20


* Might call it a day after the Winter Event and have February in my bed instead

[redefined_cycles]

So whats the scores on the doors for the highest uninterrupted Bivvy months John... I'm a long way off but am hitting 7/7 Now ... Who's 1st 2nd and 3rd places??

[JohnClimber]

So whats the scores on the doors for the highest uninterrupted Bivvy months John... I'm a long way off but am hitting 7/7 Now ... Who's 1st 2nd and 3rd places??

There's no point counting tbh
Chew and Taylor hit the high 70's a couple of years back before they stopped racing each other.

But Sammy Survivor goes out EVERY weekend and has been doing so for around 10 years now.

So I'm just happy to get 3 and a bit years before I step off the gas

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks John... I'm actually noticing its getting easier to get a BAM in every month now that I'm in the swing of things. Initially I started it for the coveted little badge but now happy with just getting on with it and adapting my rides and gear to suit...

Well done on 40+ btw...

[Escape Goat]

There's always point in counting. Just because someone is 80 years old, doesn't mean that someone who's 40 should just stop having birthdaya because they haven't got as many years as the 80 year old.

[ScotRoutes]

After being turned back by the river crossing two weeks ago, I was aware that I'd still not done a Sept BAM. Luckily, metalheart was looking for a buddy to accompany him on a relatively short ride out (still having ankle issues). We'd decided on a nice spot at the location of the old Bynack Stable but winds were strong and blustery all day Saturday so we came up with a couple of options around Rothiemurchus Forest. These are both great for me as they are amongst the places I pass regularly but generally feel "too close" for a bivvy ride.

Pizza and beers at the Woodshed, a short ride out to the first of our options and it was clear. We were very sheltered from the winds but couldn't have heard them in the trees anyway thanks to the constant sound of rushing water. Tents up, we chinwagged for a while and were eventually rewarded by the cloud parting and we got a great view of the Harvest Moon.

I'd decided to go with the Scarp this time rather than the Lunar Solo or tarp and I'd forgotten what a great tent it is. I must make more use of it, especially in the coming winter.

DSC_0695 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

DSC_0703 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr


9/9 for 2019, 34 consecutive months and, IIRC 59/69 since I first started the BAM thing.

[JohnClimber]

There's always point in counting. Just because someone is 80 years old, doesn't mean that someone who's 40 should just stop having birthdaya because they haven't got as many years as the 80 year old.

That's a bit deep

[redefined_cycles]

Colin... 59/69. Wow... are you indeed the 80 year old Allen is talking about

[Escape Goat]

There's always point in counting. Just because someone is 80 years old, doesn't mean that someone who's 40 should just stop having birthdaya because they haven't got as many years as the 80 year old.

That's a bit deep

Just sayin no reason to compare :)

[Escape Goat]

Scotroutes... Love the water moonlight picture!!!

[sean_iow]

September 9/9

I'm off to Madeira tomorrow and had considered getting September's BAM in whilst I'm there, but a quick google showed that wild camping is either illegal or you need a permit and this will be checked by the 'forest guards'. I couldn't find a definitive answer so opted for a local bivi instead before I go. Having organised my kit into storage boxes earlier this year I can now select the kit and pack in about 10 minutes.

Left home after 9pm as I wasn't going far. It always feels a bit odd heading out for a ride this late. Headed mainly east so cut through to Shanklin and then along the seafront to Sandown and up towards Culver. Stopped at the first likely looking spot just off the path but out of site when laying down. This was above the beach at Yaverland where a year ago to the day Karl dressed up as superman and I chased him round the beach on our bikes

Apart from the sound of motorbikes in the distance the only noise was the sound of the waves gently breaking on the beach below. After a good nights sleep I was up at 6:15 and packed and away by 6:30.



Anyone want to guess the prevailing wind direction Further up the hill some of the trees grow almost horizontally.

At the top I stopped for breakfast at a handy bench.



The first of the dog walkers were already about which always amazes me, they has to drive there so they must have got up before 6 to make it there at that time.

I rode home past Bembridge Fort, if for no other reason that to bring a bit of interest to this write-up





These days a small engineering firm has it's base there but it is owned by the National Trust and they do occasionally have open days. There are forts at both ends of the Island as we were a sort of off-shore gun battery to protect the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor during the Napoleonic War. It was then an easy ride home. Looking at starva when I got home I see I got my third fastest time for the segment Culver! at 9 hours 32 min its only 9 hours 23 minutes off my best, I'm guessing that I've only ridden that way 3 times and I didn't have a sleep half way before

[Zippy]

So I've just updated my spreadsheet. As of right now, I have the following still on for Bivvy a Month since the start of 2019:

Escape Goat*
ericrobo*
JohnClimber*
MuddyPete*
ScotRoutes*
sean_iow*
Alan63
Borderer
ChrisF
crewlie
darbreeze
frogatthefarriers
gallowayboy
JimmyG
JoseMcTavish
Landslide
middleagedmadness
paramart
Raggedstone
RIP
TheBrownDog
TrepidExplorer
whitestone
Wotsits
Zippy
Borderer2

That's 26 forum users still in the running. (There were 48 bivvies reported in January, and a total of 317 qualifying bivvies report thus far).

*denotes a September Bivvy reported.

[redefined_cycles]

Zip... you missed mine

[redefined_cycles]

BAM in progress. Cut short the peaks200 cos of a fall and bottom of spine (used for dramatic effect)/top of bum whacked hard... Even tore my jacket slightly

Spent since 2000 trying to get to car with this short cut I made using strava premium on app/create route with finger ... brought me on dashed black line path so been walking til 2000 then found this lovely ^^ room so said my prayers and bedded in bivy for the night...

Even invented a fly-away proof 'prayer bivy mat' in my head. Doubt I'll ever make it but it would stop nose n forehead from the rocks/soggy grass...

Will continue dissecting the Peaks (West to North East) in morning InshaAllah

^^

Reported here... But I think your current spreadsheet as mentioned above seems to be for thos starting in Jan. Mine started March or April so maybe, erm, sorry

[Zippy]

Zip... you missed mine

Nope - not missed it - your september bivvy is jotted down.

BAM in progress. Cut short the peaks200 cos of a fall and bottom of spine (used for dramatic effect)/top of bum whacked hard... Even tore my jacket slightly

Spent since 2000 trying to get to car with this short cut I made using strava premium on app/create route with finger ... brought me on dashed black line path so been walking til 2000 then found this lovely ^^ room so said my prayers and bedded in bivy for the night...

Even invented a fly-away proof 'prayer bivy mat' in my head. Doubt I'll ever make it but it would stop nose n forehead from the rocks/soggy grass...

Will continue dissecting the Peaks (West to North East) in morning InshaAllah

^^

Reported here... But I think your current spreadsheet as mentioned above seems to be for thos starting in Jan. Mine started March or April so maybe, erm, sorry

Yarp, you've got it. I've only got a tot up of those who started in January - because that's a simple case of counting up via pivot table, rather than working on custom start dates...I spose I could, but I just haven't yet! Everybodies bivvy has been counted thought (I think).

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks Zippy... I like this game. You're a superstar (woth a spreadsheet)

[TheBrownDog]

Not got September yet. Been stupidly busy with my teenagers and work around the house . It'll have to be a mid-weeker next week, as we're away into the wilds of Oxfordshire next weekend for a horse competition, and I somehow have to fit a trip to the rifle range with TheManCub as well .... Wednesday night then. That looks about right.

[metalheart]

@zippy: I bivvyed up Glen Esk in August.

Not being able to pick up a bbc code on my iPad I can’t manage to link a photo atm.

Scotroutes photo shows my leg and his text covers my September bivvy

So I’m 9/9 and 11 in a row.

[Borderer]

You can put stars next to me and borderer 2. Write up to follow....

[RIP]

Needed to be in Solihull today. Noticed a nice wood near Lapworth. Train to Hampton in Arden, bike to Solihull, met some other mates. Aimed for late train to Lapworth. Was looking forward to the thunderstorm. Unfortunately miscalculated and ended up on floor of mate's Travelodge or whatever it was after sneaking in. So, 'fail' (although I believe the Rules allow it). Good job got second chance next week.

[ScotRoutes]

Here you go Neill


BaM#10. by - Flickr2BBcode
EML-L09, undefined@4.0 mm, f1.8, 1/100s, ISO160


Glen Esk, August

[gallowayboy]

With a good forecast and being deserted for the weekend by partner and son, a long Saturday ride with a bivvy and trundle in to work on sunday morning was in my head....BUT my 89 year old mum got wind and asked me for tea, so....
9pm saw me pedalling off to the cave in the woods behind my work (again).
Its a lovely quiet spot and I ploughed through a scandi detective book before sleeping with the owls. Funny thing, until starting BAM (and for the January one), a bivvy usually included a hip flask and a wee swally, but now I enjoy just lying out, reading and sipping tea.


ehh selfies are not my thing really....

"The Cave"

Up, loaded and away by 645, unlocked the office door put the kettle on and bang crash, summer ended with a beast of a downpour.
9/9, but must try harder for that elusive longer trip -

[whitestone]

Currently in Arenig Fawr bothy so providing the ghosts don’t get us that’ll be 9/9 for the year