I know, but it makes me smile every time I see it. Makes a change from all the twee yesteryear themed narrow boats.

Nice spot there.

Nah, the barge is ace! Much nicer than two halves of a barge cut-and-shut onto a Reliant Robin .

I once push started a Reliant Robin. I braced myself, it was just me pushing, gave it a big shove and fell flat on my face. They don’t weigh much.

Well done Chris... Nice to see another thumbs up for the Lunar Solo as am planning on getting one bwofre long for my upcoming BAMS...

redefined_cycles wrote:Well done Chris... Nice to see another thumbs up for the Lunar Solo as am planning on getting one bwofre long for my upcoming BAMS...

Yes it was spot on. I can also recommend a Bearbones pole

My ex(ish) father-in-law owns the last, iron, clinker built steam powered barge still in use ... but oddly, I reckon he'd like the Del Boy barge too.

redefined_cycles wrote:Well done Chris... Nice to see another thumbs up for the Lunar Solo as am planning on getting one bwofre long for my upcoming BAMS...

Hi Shafiq, If you want to have a look at a lunar solo before you buy, I have one. I also use a bearbones carbon pole too.

FLV wrote:

redefined_cycles wrote:Well done Chris... Nice to see another thumbs up for the Lunar Solo as am planning on getting one bwofre long for my upcoming BAMS...

Hi Shafiq, If you want to have a look at a lunar solo before you buy, I have one. I also use a bearbones carbon pole too.

Thanks man... Yes, I'm definitely up for checking it out bwfore buying if thats possible. Let me know when and where you are around and I can pop past... Northern part of the Peaks?? Holmfirth?

Regards the bearbones poles... thats probably the ones I would be getting too as its probably the lightest/stringest way to have a nice setup right!?!

After February's local BAM which covered the grand total of 2.2 miles I thought I should make a bit more of an effort. For March I planned a slightly longer 2 day trip I wanted to ride Charlie's Gravel Dash but it clashes with the HT550, no problem I'll just get hold of the route and ride it. I didn't fancy driving to Swanage to get to the start, no problem I'll just ride to Swanage from home. Unfortunately my chosen start day (Friday) saw storm force winds from the west and I'll be riding west for the first 70 or 80 miles After leaving home my usual 1hr 15 min ride to the ferry turned into a 1hr 40min battle to just get there in time. Made it across the Solent, not to choppy but the boat did get a bit rocky. An old lady carrying a tray of tea made it back to her table with seconds to spare before a big swell saw the boat rock violently to the side. Continuing along the south coast until I got to Bourmouth seafront where I battled into the wind riding along a sand covered seafront and was blasted by fine sand. Stopped for a well earned coffee and cake



Then on to Swanage via the Sandbanks chain ferry and just up the road where I joined the Gravel Dash route. Stopped for lunch at the National Trust Cafe at Knoll Beach, luckily I managed to find a spot on an outside table in amongst the crowds



Up to Old Harry Rocks, where it became apparent that my choice of 34/18 on a loaded bike was going to make it a long two days



I was rewarded with a nice descent from here, across a road then up a slope I wouldn't have been able to ride even with gears due to the slippery nature of the wet chalk. I also had to avoid the frisky cows. Much to my surprise when I passed them the cow attempting the mounting was a cow and not a bull Perhaps it just wanted a piggy back up the hill

It was on through Corfe Castle where I picked up some supplies and then towards Lulworth Ranges to find my route barred by this.



I took the picture, moved my bike and then sat on the bank to eat some food and work out how to get round. No sooner had I started eating when a Landmarc 4x4 pulled up to reopen the road as firing was over for the day, problem solved Another couple of hours passed and I stopped for dinner, I actually managed to find a location that was out of the wind and had a handy log to sit on.



It was now gone 6pm so I set myself a target to ride until 10pm ish and then bivi at the first likely looking spot. I stopped at about 9pm at the Fox pub at Ansty for a double slimline tonic and a packet of crisps (no beer 'til Tyndrum ) and got some odd looks from the locals. I don't know if it was my choice of drink, the fact I had no shoes on (I left them in the porch so as not to drag mud in to the place as it looked quite posh) or whether the sight of my adonis like body wrapped in lycra was too much for them My gps said I'd covered 99 miles and it was now after 9pm. Of these miles 4 had been on the ferry so I set myself the target of covering at least 100 miles of riding for the first day. By 10:30 I had 108 miles on the gps and was at a nice patch of grass on the edge of Okeford woods with a bench nearby for breakfast. When on the Island I struggle to find bivi spots as I always know how close they are to houses/farms etc. It turns out my spot was only a couple of hundred metres away from a property but as I didn't know it was there it didn't keep me awake..... unlike the wind! I'd put the tarp up as there was rain forecast. When I arrived I thought my spot was sheltered but once in my bag it was obvious I'd just arrived during a lull in the wind. I could hear each gust as it came through the woods before it shook my tarp with great force. When I work at 2am the rain hadn't arrived so I got up and took the tarp down, peace at last.



When morning came it was far to windy to cook breakfast so I packed up and was away by 6:30. That's now 2 trips I've taken porridge and not eaten it, and it's the same pot. Perhaps it will just become a mascot I take on the BAMs? The route passes through Shillingstone Station which would be a nice stop at the cafe during the day, but was closed when I went by



I got to the shop at Child Okeford for just after 7am. I could smell fresh baked goods from inside, unfortunately that's where they stayed as the shop doesn't open until 8 on a Saturday, as the grumpy woman that was arriving for work pointed out before I'd even said hello. I did mange to get my water bottles filled up though. Luckily I still had a pasty I bought in Corfe Castle so that had to do as breakfast.

Despite now heading mainly east the westerly wind didn't bring the hoped for tailwinds and I had to battle to stay on the bike with gusting storm force side winds. At least navigation was relatively easy with the gravel dash stickers confirming I was still on route.



I managed to get more pastries at a bakery in Wareham and a coffee at a garage just as I entered the Isle of Purbeck again. When I got back to the Sandbanks ferry they were on the cusp on stopping operating due to the wind. It was blowing the vessel to the side and in danger of running over the chains. We made it over though, which was lucky as riding round if they'd suspended the service would be a pain to say the least. You know the weather is bad when they close an Island



I checked the Wightlink website and the Lymington ferry was still running so I only had to ride across Bournmouth and then I cut back through the new forest. The boat was still running and actually not that rough. The only trouble with this section is once in the warmth of the boat and sat down for half an hour I find it hard to get going again. Just the ride back across the Island to home and done. 3/3 for BAM. A total of 202 miles with 8 of those on the ferry so a step up from my 2 miles last month

Nice one Sean, I enjoyed that!

Landslide wrote:Nice one Sean, I enjoyed that!

What he said... 202 miles of mainly gravel?? Sounds tough and good writeup.

I'm in similar situation. My this months BAM was less than 3 miles. Gonna attempt a 231 miler in April (but on slick with a road bike and no ferrys and hopefully no storm/winds to fight through so shouldn't be as tough as this 202 miler...

redefined_cycles wrote:What he said... 202 miles of mainly gravel??

I'd estimate that just over half the riding was off road. The Gravel Dash route contains sections which were tough even on the mtb, bit it is only March so when it dries out later in the year it would be more 'gravel' bike friendly.

March done last night, a quiet spot, and comfortable... not far away
Untitled by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

Still on fatbike, waiting for the weather, then it's back to my normal bike(s)...

March done very locally, but with a couple of very wet stream crossings - from work at Kincraig out to Ruigh Aiteachain. Very quiet, just me and one other guy there. I remembered the stove this time, fortunately.

3/3 for me and the boy, with a wee overnighter to Green bothy in Northumberland.

We parked at Falstone and tried to follow the bridleway from Stannersburn, but it's not rideable and is pretty hard going in wet conditions.









It's a nice bothy with three sleeping rooms and an indoor woodshed. Some muppets had left fresh eggs, milk and a lot of packet carbs there which we had to clear out to keep the mice at bay, but it was otherwise in good nick.







Our planned circular route home didn't quite go to plan - they really don't want you taking your bike on this bridleway...



But other parts were even rideable....



A nice wee trip to recharge the batteries, although the new dynamo I had fitted didn't do much of that - too much pushing the bike going on.

What a wide-ranging set of obstacles there B, nice one - bit of an Indiana Jones job. "Looks like someone's trying to get through the sixth level of tussock hell"... "oh, they've managed that somehow, well not many make it past the limbo-biking trunk of doom"... "good grief, they've got as far as the trees that close in like the waste compacting chamber walls in Star Wars, NOBODY beats those"..... "Oh.".

Yes, it was a bit of a 'we did this so you don't have to' sort of a trip. I would like to try again some time using the gravel roads - there are some nice ones around there but a bit circuitous. A lot of logging going on around there just now but they have been behaving themselves and putting the roads back nicely afterwards.

The bothies of Northumberland got a very bad reputation for a while with a lot of anti-social behaviour going on, but thankfully that seems to be under control now. I think the police have had quite a big hand in that as they visit the bothies round there regularly to check on them.

I know of a BW just like that ... in fact, I know loads

Hopefully Joe will be the youngest holder of a BaM badge come the end of the year

Well done Joe and Borderer. Looks like a "fun" trip. Fraser and I still to fit in our March trip. I got floored with a bad back so it will be late in the month before we get out...hopefully.

Enjoyed your Gelder Shiel trail report. Had heard it is a good spot. Has gone on Fraser's ever growing to do list.

I'll add my congrats as well. Very impressive

they really don't want you taking your bike on this bridleway...

We have heaps of gates like this in the Chilterns. Most are 30-40 years old so are more about keeping horses off footpaths than bikes. One particular gate I know of caught me out a few years ago. I was sure I could get through it, up-ended my fat bike and proceeded forth, only to realise, too late, that there was just no way. At which point I tried to get out - just couldn't. It was like the time I managed to wedged a sofa halfway up a staircase and couldn't get it out. It was bizarre. I got in there, but simply couldn't get out and had to take the front wheel off before finally extricating myself. Such fun.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:I know of a BW just like that ... in fact, I know loads

Yes, they are either chewed up from the horses or a tangled overgrown mess. I should give up on them really, but they always look so tempting on the map....

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Hopefully Joe will be the youngest holder of a BaM badge come the end of the year

Oooh, I hadn't realised that. Nice one, I will tell him.

Alan63 wrote:Well done Joe and Borderer. Looks like a "fun" trip. Fraser and I still to fit in our March trip. I got floored with a bad back so it will be late in the month before we get out...hopefully.

Enjoyed your Gelder Shiel trail report. Had heard it is a good spot. Has gone on Fraser's ever growing to do list.

Thanks Alan. Gelder Shiel would be a good one if you are a bit sub-par. A short ride in, then a nice warm bothy with excellent insulation and a very efficient stove. Hope you manage to get March bagged somehow.

TheBrownDog wrote:I'll add my congrats as well. Very impressive

they really don't want you taking your bike on this bridleway...

We have heaps of gates like this in the Chilterns. Most are 30-40 years old so are more about keeping horses off footpaths than bikes. One particular gate I know of caught me out a few years ago. I was sure I could get through it, up-ended my fat bike and proceeded forth, only to realise, too late, that there was just no way. At which point I tried to get out - just couldn't. It was like the time I managed to wedged a sofa halfway up a staircase and couldn't get it out. It was bizarre. I got in there, but simply couldn't get out and had to take the front wheel off before finally extricating myself. Such fun.

Yes, you are right - I guess you wouldn't get a horse through there would you! Doh.

Borderer, I gave up on bridleways around Kielder Forest years ago, just not worth it.

Ray Young wrote:Borderer, I gave up on bridleways around Kielder Forest years ago, just not worth it.

Yeah, I get that. But life would be awfy boring without a bit of type 2 fun every now and again.
Actually I can't believe I am saying that to you Ray!

Borderer wrote:

Ray Young wrote:Borderer, I gave up on bridleways around Kielder Forest years ago, just not worth it.

Yeah, I get that. But life would be awfy boring without a bit of type 2 fun every now and again.
Actually I can't believe I am saying that to you Ray!

No I can't quite believe it either, .