Saturday. She comes home from work. We do this and that and about 3 pm she says "I thought you were going bikepacking" .....
No route planned, and certainly no packing done.
A quick look at the Cycle Quest site and I work out a suitable route from Worcester to Evesham to Malvern and back to Worcester. 3 BCQ's is pretty good.
I decided I'd leave when she does, just after 18:00, so I've a couple of hours to get my shizz together. I wouldn't need tea, I'd eat with her. Breakfast ... I'd find something, a shop or a cafe ...so no cooking equipment needed
No change of clothes at all either. Jeez I can pack really light for me !
Just the seat pack with the summer down sleeping bag and a thin down jacket.... front harness with tent and sleepmat. Waterproof on the top of the seat pack. That's it.
Luckily I keep the Exposure 6 pack and the rear light charged.
If I play it right I can even miss the football on Sunday!
Arriving on the outskirts of Worcester for 19:00 I'm soon off and heading to the river to get the first BCQ ... then it's following the cycle routes out of the city to Pershore where the light is starting to fade under the trees... rear light on.
It's mostly lanes, which I really enjoy tbh, and as the light levels drop I put the 6pack on flashing...by the time I'm in Evesham, about 18 miles in, it's getting dark. 2nd BCQ done ! Absolutely perfect night for cycling. 20C, dry, windy but ok.
Back out of Evesham and into a handy Tesco Express for a Boost Duo and 2 bananas for emergency breakfast. Yep its proper dark now.
Down towards Ashton Under Hill though I'm skirting north through the Combertons where I'm joined by a bat flying a few feet above my head for a distance.
About 21:45 I get to Eckington and the Anchor Inn for liquid refreshment. After 3.... at 22:45 I leave to find it raining ....ahhh ffs.
I'd scoped out a possible stealthy spot near the river Avon at Strensham Locks, and this worked well.
In bed for 23:35 and 33 miles done.
Awake at 06:30 and riding by 07:00 I first have to negotiate the lock with a packed bike
was tricky but not having the frame bag made it easier. Onwards across 2 weirs and I'm on the other side of the Avon.I'm really in no rush and with another fab morning I just pootle along passing Strensham Services and spooking a deer in the field next to me I soon come to Upton Upon Severn where I'm in search of food... a Coop is open and provides me with Danish pastries which I enjoyed sat by the river in the morning sun watching the keen rowers splashing about on the water.
It's onwards and upwards towards the Malverns where I turned offroad at Castlemorton Common and start climbing for real. They're steep them Malverns ! I make my way up Tinkers Hill with another older fellow and we're off and pushing... discussing MTBing in the area... we soon arrive at British Camp and 2nd breakfast of coffee and sausage and egg roll at the cafe.
We chat for a while then I'm off again along the the west side of the hills along Jubilee Drive to Upper Wyche and the steep drop down into Great Malvern itself, and a gentle potter back to Worcester.
Another 28 miles for a suitable 61 in 16 hours.
Considering I didn't expect it, it all turned out rather well, which is more than can be said for the football
my overnighting experience of the Malvern Hills goes back to a mid-summer's day walk organised by Mr Stephens, my school rugby teacher, lovely man, he created a Rambling Club for the school (a comp on the edge of Coventry) back in around 1980 and our Malverns overnighter saw us see the sunrise over the flatness of the Avon valley--beautiful and memorable.