So bioked a shift at the Malverns for which the work app told me 90ish miles. Lovely.. Only when I got ready and checked it's actually 145 miles. Hotels are out the question these days and YHA has even become ridiculously priced. Plus it's a night shift so hotels wouldn't be open in the am. Plus, plus... I need to learn how to ridethe mtb again, right!
Butcher packed and quickly quilt and mat and backpack. Thought I'd do Malverns but the night shift had me thinking overtime and coming to my senses. So I thought it through, did some map searching and veloviewer squares checking. I'd not actually been to Cannock Chase. Route made and hopefully no man-made trails. No chavs please...
Work shift done and 50 milea driven and the rest is pictures. Ended upsettling for a masaive field with house looking on as I'd become desperate with limited mileage remaining til I got back to the car. 2 hours slept and back to the car
Can't be bothered adding the pics from Imgur... but will do anyway
All starts with a bike in the boot.
Checking my squares
After the deliberation, made it to Cannock Chase
Had forgotten my stiff boots so had to go with soft soles.
Scouting my bivy spot
But nowhere is flat and the light will cause bird-spotting problems
Trail centre started
With proper instructions
So i became chav
Went and checked out the uprooted trees
But no obvious bivy spot here
Thought I'd give the 'black' slab a go
Thankfully it was too easy with a dropper but I then noticed my noodly arms
Shared a hold gate open with this chap but he didn't understand my Yorkshire 'thanks'
Took a wrong turn so bought some honey
Finally made it to a massive open bivy spot and took a pic of a bird in the sky!
Then had 2 hours sleep with the bike fastened to my arm with an old shoelace.
THE END