Bivvy a month 2023.

[RIP]

Aye good to have you back in the riders paddock.

So there we go, the starting gate has lifted, and they're off. It's a varied field of riders and steeds, although only one mare this year, the rest are stallions and no geldings declared, and the going is medium to firm. Along with the course specialists we have a few newly-trained competitors, no doubt taking advantage of their 3lb, 5lb or 7lb allowances, no disqualifications so far and only one rider has fallen at the first fence so it's all to play for.

Unless we have any riders who have yet to report their first furlong, we're seeing steady progress from...

Bearlegged
Blackhound
Boab
FattiePhil (and Pete?)
Frog
Gecko76
GoneCaving
Javatime
Jimmy
Johnallan
JoseMcT
Josh
KernowSteve
Kumquat
Laz
Leerowe76
Moder-dye
MuddyPete
NeilA
PeterS
Pip
Raggedstone
Reg
RetiredTester
samwise
Sean
SR
Stinginglip
Verena
Wotsits
Zippy

28 riders plus possibly JimH who hasn't been seen rounding the first corner yet so it's possible he fell at the water-jump.

Check the board prices and place your bets please ladies and gentlemen.

[sean_iow]

Alphabetical order! That's moved the goal posts* for bivi bookkeeping.

* oh hang on, wrong sport Moved the finishing post?

[RIP]

Down jackets for goal posts. Isn't it? You know? Hmm? Oh yes, marvellous.

[fatbikephil]

Good one Reg!

[Bearlegged]

Winning at alphabets.

[redefined_cycles]

Aye good to have you back in the riders paddock.

So there we go, the starting gate has lifted, and they're off. It's a varied field of riders and steeds, although only one mare this year, the rest are stallions and no geldings declared, and the going is medium to firm. Along with the course specialists we have a few newly-trained competitors, no doubt taking advantage of their 3lb, 5lb or 7lb allowances, no disqualifications so far and only one rider has fallen at the first fence so it's all to play for.

Unless we have any riders who have yet to report their first furlong, we're seeing steady progress from...

Bearlegged
Blackhound
Boab
FattiePhil (and Pete?)
Frog
Gecko76
GoneCaving
Jimmy
Johnallan
JoseMcT
Josh
KernowSteve
Kumquat
Laz
Leerowe76
Moder-dye
MuddyPete
NeilA
Raggedstone
Reg
RetiredTester
samwise
Sean
SR
Stinginglip
Verena
Wotsits
Zippy

28 riders plus possibly JimH who hasn't been seen rounding the first corner yet so it's possible he fell at the water-jump.

Check the board prices and place your bets please ladies and gentlemen.

Reg... So, erm.. If I manage to pick myself up again sharpish please can I get myself added to next months list somehow. Somewhere between Raggedstone and Reg. I'll do an IOU on Jan promise

[RIP]

You often see riders late out of the starting gate, there's been a Stewards Inquiry and it's been allowed, with an IOU for next January .

[psling]

Ok, in my usual manner after the Winter Event I shall add my name to the Starters' List, the Winter Event being my 1 of 1


BTW Reg, I'll mail you separately but I won't be able to make the Peak w/end

[RIP]

Ok, in my usual manner after the Winter Event I shall add my name to the Starters' List, the Winter Event being my 1 of 1

January's list updated above...

BTW Reg, I'll mail you separately but I won't be able to make the Peak w/end

No probs, but would've been ace to have your illustrious presence

Still got this FoD scheme bubbling away haven't we. I note that this year both WRT nights are in April - sometimes I think it's April 30th and May 1st? That means May's unaccounted for at the moment.....

[javatime]

Did this a couple of weeks ago - please add me into January !

Annual trip to the Somerset Levels to see the starling murmuration. All on road road so easiest just to throw junk into the panniers on my commuter and roll.

Good news ! Some Severn Beach line trains now continue to Weston Super Mare - so an houron the train hour from my Bristol suburban station, sit tight during the scrum for bike spaces at Temple Meads and the Mendips / Levels now within easy reach after a half day at work.



Sun on the prom at WsM, then through Uphill, across to Brent Knoll (Community Shop !) across the A38 (busy), then Burtle, the automatic/ contactless dairy in Westhay ( add a milk shake shot to your 500ml ) and then onto Ham Wall RSPB reserve as the crowds gather. A good show as dusk fell and even managed the murmuration with Glastonbury Tor in the background photo if you look closely.



Getting very cold by now, a quietish night in the Railway Inn now that the prize bingo has moved to a Monday. A bit warmer in my "bothy" than outside with a deep frost forming - just warm enough in my bag with the occasional loud crack of ice in the lake below and my water bottle slushy in the morning.



Didn't hang around - hard to pack with cold fingers but got rolling, Nescafe tasted good at the Community Shop with a bun, and the hot air hand drier to thaw out further in the conveniences next door. Flat and sunny across to WsM , train back to Redland and back home within 24 hrs after an overnight in that magical landscape.

[RIP]

Did this a couple of weeks ago - please add me into January !

Sorted.

Can't believe you turned down the Bingo

[javatime]

Thanks for adding me in last minute.

Yes, a strange one. When the prize bingo was on a Friday night the place was rammed, hushed silence when calling, tables down the skittle alley etc, big family groups kids and grandma with their mark up pens stored behind the bar week on week. Can't believe it is as popular on a school night.

[josh]

The closer to my chosen date (Tuesday night) it got, the lower the forecast dropped for overnight, bottoming out at -3ºC. I have camped in temps as cold as this once before, but it was in a tent, at a campsite – doing it in a random field after work was a bit different.

Being a mid-week BAM I left after dinner and got back before work the next day, which worked out well – it was too bloody cold to hang around much more than that!

Waking up in the middle of the night to see everything covered in frost is a new experience for me as is faffing around getting in and out of a bivvy bag in such a low temperature. I was only just warm enough all night, with my feet perpetually cold, I think the forecast was conservative.

I woke up a few times during the night and each time considered just getting up and going home, but stuck it out for final sleep cycle until about 05:30. I stuck around until just before sunrise, watching the sky change colour and the mist get revealed before packing up and heading home.




I was glad to have set off in all my layers because thanks to a temperature inversion, things got colder as I rolled down off the small hill I was on. I had expected the ride home to be around 0ºC, but my Garmin read consistently below -5ºC and dropped down to -7.5ºC for a while – so a little chilly, and definitely the coldest temp I've ridden in. I resorted to wrapping a windproof gilet over my right hand, on top of my glove, in an attempt to retain some feeling in at least my braking finger.

But that's the beauty of BAM for me so far – I've just gone out, despite the weather and known that, if needed, I will warm up/dry out when I get back. Rather than thinking it has to be a bigger deal and have the weather put me off.

[sean_iow]

Waking up in the middle of the night to see everything covered in frost is a new experience for me as is faffing around getting in and out of a bivvy bag in such a low temperature. I was only just warm enough all night, with my feet perpetually cold...

The frost covered bivi is a special thing that people who've never done it just don't 'get'

My tips for colds feet (I used to suffer terribly) are

- bring fresh socks to put on. Even on a short ride my feet will make the socks damp from sweat - even if it's imperceptible, some nice fresh and dry merino socks helps

- buy these, although a touch trickier post brexit

https://cumulus.equipment/uk_en/down-ac ... boots.html

They are one of my favourite bit of kit and weigh virtually noting, which makes it all the more baffling why on the Dales Divide I took them out of my kit at the last minute to save weight and then had cold feet every night

[RIP]

considered just getting up and going home, but stuck it out

Good man

But that's the beauty of BAM for me so far – I've just gone out, despite the weather

Well played . Much more interesting and "educational" than waiting for the weather to be "nice" (whatever that is). Each type of weather has its own appeal, to be embraced and enjoyed.

My worst (*) nightmare would be living somewhere where "it's always hot and sunny". Where's the fun in that eh? Baffles me that it's a large number of people's retirement aim.

(*) Ok, not my very worst nightmare. That's got huge sharp teeth and twenty eight legs.

[sean_iow]

(*) Ok, not my very worst nightmare. That's got huge sharp teeth and twenty eight legs.

14 vampires?

[Lazarus]

28 vampire pirates?

[RIP]

A giant centipede wielding a chainsaw?

Mrs Perrin riding a giant centipede wielding a chainsaw?

[RIP]

28 legs...... a giant centipede

Apparently centipedes can have between 15 and 177 pairs of legs, so my worst nightmare centipede must have lost one pair in a fight. "Between 15 and 177 pairs" seems a curious range. And the average is not even 50 so how can they be called centipedes.

[redefined_cycles]

Todays ride after weeks of no rides... seen a lovely little bivy spot and made me think of here. Hopefully my poile will arrive soon enough

[gecko76]

If you squint you can hear the bypass. Arrived about 11 after much faffing with straps and a snapped chain. Still new to all this; took a tent in case of cold/wet but didn't need it. Slept fitfully until 2 then pulled hat over ears and didn't wake again until just after 6 thinking there was someone with a torch at the edge of the field, but it was the moon rising through the trees. Coffee from the flask and in the door in time to feed the cats. Looking forward to some longer trips but enjoying finding spaces and places nearer to home.

(and I need to get a better phone)

[Retiredtester]

Ticked off February with my boy. Not nearly as cold as January, but still a bit of frost about by the morning. We opted for bivvy bags this time (horrible thought - does using a tent render one ineligible for bam? If so, that's January fooked and we've fallen at the first hurdle...).

Pip and I headed into friston forest and up to a nice spot above a valley where the trees meet the fields. Our only encounter of note was a bloke with a transit full of huskys and a wheeled sledge thing - who am I to judge? Snarfed some pasta and biscuits and dozed off together under the stars, serenaded by owls. Was a bit of a fitful night as the venn diagrams of night time temps and my sleeping bag haven't quite overlapped yet. Continue to be amazed by my neoair though.

Woke early as some twit had forgotten to cancel his alarm and then snoozed as the sky started to lighten. Porridge, coffee and a frigid trudge home through the increasingly denuded forest.

Hopefully the photos work!

[Retiredtester]

Aye good to have you back in the riders paddock.

Unless we have any riders who have yet to report their first furlong, we're seeing steady progress from...

Bearlegged
Blackhound
Boab
FattiePhil (and Pete?)
Frog
Gecko76
GoneCaving
Javatime
Jimmy
Johnallan
JoseMcT
Josh
KernowSteve
Kumquat
Laz
Leerowe76
Moder-dye
MuddyPete
NeilA
PeterS
Raggedstone
Reg
RetiredTester
samwise
Sean
SR
Stinginglip
Verena
Wotsits
Zippy

@RIP could you add my boy Pip to the list please? He's not yet a boner (not 100% comfortable with how that reads!), so happy for him to be added to my name if that helps. Also, we used a tent for January, so I might have borked it already...

[Bearlegged]

Tents are fine.

[RIP]

Tents are fine.

Indeed they are. Although it's nice to aim for the next stage in [dis?]comfort too though. I sometimes liken it to the stages of alcoholic drinks preference as one's tastes (and, one might venture, sophistication ) change: first try is often cider, then lager, then finally "proper beer"; so similarly it might be tent, shaped-tarp, flat tarp .

An additional stage, for the lunatic fringe, of which I'm told I am a member, might be just winging it with "randomly found" shelter - sheds, toilet blocks, caves, lime kilns, old farms, bridges, anything with a roof, anything without a roof come to that.