Bivvy a Month 2021

[Raggedstone]

Yes Phil i was hoping to do the last minute first minute thing with a two nighter but got a call while enjoying a cold one outside a pub telling me that I needed to get home this evening
Last minute thing I went to bed at 11.45
Write up to follow

[fatbikephil]

Cool, list now updated.
Summer quarter now folks, get out there and embrace the slugs

[Verena]

Cool, list now updated.
Summer quarter now folks, get out there and embrace the slugs

I think I might have accidentally killed mine

[redefined_cycles]

So... as you might have noted I was a bit undecided as to what and where will be the July BAM. But it's past halfway and I'd not wanna risk missing it and when I heard about the demonstation outside the Chinese Embassy to stand up against the genocide that's been going on for far too long, I jumped at the chance.

Train ticket bought (cheap) and torque wrench loaded in my framebag. My mate would need to bring his chainwhip as I wasn't happy his mechanic had overtorqued the Dura Ace hub I'd sold him cheap as it's on it's last legs. Got there and quickly sorted that back to 40nm. Freehubrunning nice and smooth once more and hopefully he'll appreciate the quality of the ride a bit more...


Uigher Demo left a but earlier so I could get prepped for the bivy abd ride back from London. Cheap ticket secured from near Derby for the next day which I'm waiting for just now.


Food annihilated with the chaps and off I go to Glenns. He's giving me his shiny Cambium rubber topped and carbon railed saddle. He's too kind.


Looked gorgeous on my bike but sadly the rail for my spinelock wouldn't fit. Brooks are all obviously made to work best with Carradice adaptors. So sadly I had to lwave that behind but I'll be exploring out mt options.


Leave Glenns and I'm on a mission to get out of London. Route loaded is showing me '230' miles left. So I takw it in 10 mile segments as my legs are still recovering from the weekends charity ride - 24H from mine to Bristol - and the partial ride back as my phone was dead so couldn't bw rescued.

That above pic taken whilst I'm just on the outskirts of the smaller London boroughs and I'd stopped to get in my evening prayers.


Just about make it out of London with about 30 miles in my legs, including the ride from the protest to the food and then to Glenns. I'm pretty much smashed and as soon as a nice grass field presents I take the offer. Make a little clearing away from the farmers crops but as soon as I lay down the air is popped out of the Thermarest. How very sad.

Slept like a log from 0200 until about 0630 though... July BAM done but not yet home...

To be continued

[redefined_cycles]

So the mat I shall try and sort, puncture patches and all that but they look as if they've been 'holed up' well and proper. Morning started the journey further North. Hopefully Birmigham to make a little delivery and then ride on up to Burton on Trent. But I was pretty smashed.


Three miles in and I got to this private park that was managed by the residents.


It might have only been three miles since I departed with breakkie in the form of a Nature bar (probably) and a missus-made wrap. But my bottom was rather sorry for itself so I had this much earned beautiful coffee..


I needed motivation to keep plodding along. Noticed the grass-blade in my rear mech. So the 'carry the blade of grass across the Chilterns' was born. Or if you're from certain parts of the country, 'Chil'uns'. It was a tough one and once going fast downhill to get myself up the hill, I thought I'd almost lost it. All i needed to get to was Whipsnade Zoo and i was almost home free.


This is when Bison Hill showed it's ugly head. You see, even during the initial development of this route which I was riding backwards, I never quite made it to Bison. A 20% I'd added for the charity-riders to enjoy with 185 miles in them there legs. I'd try to aim to get to it on the actual charity-ride day but sadly my knee wanting to pop out meant I tapped out 20 miles previous to it. Then in 2020 a year after the offical ride I'd attempted again but gps issues in Reg-Town, also known as Leighton Buzzard put paid to that.

Would today be the day or would it not. Was my blade of grass still tagging along with devotion. Well yes it was, what a soldier. Got to the Zoo and just as I was taking my pic a lady asked if I could get out the way so her little-un could get 'snapped'. I requested permission to leave Layla in the shoot and this was granted. But her 6 year old wasn't having none of it as my bike obviously looked more like a 'beast' than a 'Juliet'. Oh well...


Poor Layla... I love you and at least you're no Sonder...


Got tot the bottom of Bison and rode back up without too much drama. Then riding back down I get to a bench and see this. What a lovely message from (what I assume) a lovely man.


What'd we have here. Look, I'd completed my challebge with flying colours. The bladw of grass was still there and I'd made it across the northerly Chilterns. I'd just successfully saved a blade of grass from the London-tyre-Smog fate


Then I rode and rode and rode until finally my mind caved and I found a cheap ticket. In fact two cheap tickets and I backtracked. Back we go to Milton Keynes and a direct slow train to Birmingham.


Hey up, it's a day of lovely messages. Got the train and all the lads had taken up the bike carriage. They were obviously more deserving, so me and the lady opposite stood at opposite sides of the train blocking the doorways. Until I looked up at her bike for a nosy and she's a fellow bikepacker (or whatever name is given to us roadies with bikepacking bags!).

Kat was on her way to ride the Brian Chapman Audax. Gave her some advice on her Ortlieb saddlepack and how to keep the tabs from snapping. She'd already experienced the failure and she was also an entrant to this ywars TCR which is apparently cancelled due to the visa-trauma that would inevitably hinder the riders. I told her of Jameso policy and (possibly) sold the Terino-Nice-Rally idea to her. Sounded keen and then she was off...


Birmigham came and went with Ladypool Cycles obviously getting sick of litter louts so I took a pic of this lovely sign below.


Passed him his order (a heart rate monitor)and gobbled the food he'd gotten me. Then shot of frantically trying to catch my train of which I did (Alhamdulillah).

Got to Burton on Trent and waited around until, 'thud'. A load of starlings (or so my missus tells me) were flging past and one of the naughty ones had decided to take a shortcut. Straight into the window pane of the wiating room. I came out to enquire and help but sadly it looked like it'd broken it's neck.


So I poured the little birdy some water and hoped it'd be ok. Must've just been in shock another lad told me and we both decided to give it time and space. Alhamdulillah a few minutes later and it was on the move. Hadn't got it's wings back but did allow me a stroke.





She did a few acrobatics with the wings and then as I was sharing a vid with the missus the little birdy got together all her power and courage and flee away...

Just 8 miles at the end of this journey, but BAM no 7 done. Phew.. knees are only hurting a 5 out of 10 and bottoms thankful of the rest.

[Bearlegged]

Nice one Shaf, love the starling!

[redefined_cycles]

Nice one Shaf, love the starling!

Thanks buddy...

[JoseMcTavish]

Enjoyable read that and glad the starling story had a happy ending!

[Kumquat]

Oh, forgot to post solstice-ish Bivvy.
Rode to Redon down the GR38 and then back to Josselin on the GR347.
Luckily, the forecast rain never actually arrived.
Some lovely memorable rocky bits of single-track above Rochefort-en-terre.

IMG_20210620_185733_268.jpg (132.73 KiB) Viewed 2692 times

[Borderer]

May and June for me and Borderer 2. We didn't do the months between Dec 2020 and April 21 btw, to save someone checking back.

For May I have chosen one of the nights we camped at Loch Etive and June is on the beach at Barra.

[ScotRoutes]

Did I miss a write-up of your Hebridean adventures?

[Bearlegged]

Wowsers. That Barra pic looks fantastic.

[Borderer]

Did I miss a write-up of your Hebridean adventures?

Naw, I haven't finished writing it yet!

Wowsers. That Barra pic looks fantastic.

Yeah it was an amazing place. I would have stayed there a long time but we couldn't find water

[RIP]

Black & White photos - fantastic. We should have a Black & White Photos Only Month.....

[Borderer]

Black & White photos - fantastic. We should have a Black & White Photos Only Month.....

There is something very romantic about black and white images somehow.

[RIP]

Black & White photos - fantastic. We should have a Black & White Photos Only Month.....

There is something very romantic about black and white images somehow.

Certainly often more atmospheric. Or maybe that's just me projecting a romantic image .

[Borderer]

Black & White photos - fantastic. We should have a Black & White Photos Only Month.....

There is something very romantic about black and white images somehow.

Certainly often more atmospheric. Or maybe that's just me projecting a romantic image .

Either way, I like your B&W only idea.

[fatbikephil]

May and June for me and Borderer 2. We didn't do the months between Dec 2020 and April 21 btw, to save someone checking back.

List updated, you are on the 2nd quarter list so you've to push through to next May

[Verena]

Wowsers. That Barra pic looks fantastic.

Doesn't it just ....

[redefined_cycles]

Black & White photos - fantastic. We should have a Black & White Photos Only Month.....

There is something very romantic about black and white images somehow.

Certainly often more atmospheric. Or maybe that's just me projecting a romantic image .

Either way, I like your B&W only idea.

+1 (I agree)

[fatbikephil]

July

Just up from Ben Armine Lodge - nigh on perfect - level, grassy and breezy enough to keep the midges at bay.
Night 2!


More on the 'Your Trips and Adventures' page

[ledburner]

July

Just up from Ben Armine Lodge - nigh on perfect - level, grassy and breezy enough to keep the midges at bay.
Night 2!


More on the 'Your Trips and Adventures' page

what that in the background sluice gate or special ops station?...psst.. Mums the word, I'll say nowt....


Errr, What were we saying?

[Borderer]

It's just a wee hydro scheme in Glen Cassilly.

[benp1]

July is really busy for some reason. Have plans every weekend, people staying etc, including last weekend. So tagged my bivi onto the end of the Friday night MTB club ride. Wore a rucksack for the ride but lobbed my seat pack in someone's car while we rode. I ride to the start and we meet in a pub car park, means I didn't have to carry about more than I needed.

Nice ride, 14 riders so busier than normal. Think the warm weather helped with that. Had a pint in the pub garden on our return, then had a sneaky second round because we could.

Stupidly I left my second bottle at home and only realised on the ride up that I'd forgotten. Was really annoyed with myself, it was next to the sink in the kitchen, but if I was to ride home I'd miss the ride. For short trips I often don't bother with a stove but I fancied a coffee and I also brought along a Batchelors Pasta'n'Sauce pot for dinner, I wouldn't have enough water with just a small bottle. Thankfully someone had an empty Evian bottle in their car so I filled that in the pub on the way before heading out for a bivi so that I had enough water.

Had a very easy spin up to where I was staying. It's a very little hill, but it's very quiet so I had a nice view and no visitors. I actually took a couple of pictures this time

The only disappointing thing was having to put a shelter up, there was rain forecast from about 3am. I've so far managed to bivi out without a tarp this year and I prefer it, but the weather has been iffy recently and I didn't want to take a risk. It's while since I've used one, particularly this one, I'm out of practice!




View in the morning, can't really see the sea unless you're standing up. Didn't actually get any rain overnight, forecast was wrong. Started around 7am but I was rolling by then so just got a bit damp on the way home



7/7 for me this year

EDIT - I've obviously uploaded or shared the pics wrong because they're not showing

[RIP]

The only disappointing thing was having to put a shelter up.... I've so far managed to bivi out without a tarp this year and I prefer it....Didn't actually get any rain overnight, forecast was wrong.

Bad luck Ben, the new game was going well there too . Bit ironic it's July of all months that lets the side down .