In that case, 68/68.

Sterling effort that man.

That's a pretty good record, is Chew keeping up?

slarge wrote:That's a pretty good record, is Chew keeping up?

Chew caved at the turn of the year, it's just me setting a benchmark now. I'm finding it harder to find the enthusiasm now chew has dropped out though.

If it helps I am on 67/67. You got to keep going!!











This may of course be bollocks

I forgot to mention my August bivi, in a field just inside the M25 (I could actually just see it)

Surrounded on two sides hay bales and one by the hedge/overgrowth. Massively heavy dew in the morning though, everything damp after that compounded by no wind and covered site, though it was heavy in the open too

I had the most amazing breakfast baguette in the morning, the best one of my life. And it was only from a burger van outside wickes. Constant stream of tradesmen coming through at 7am though so it was clearly a popular spot

I only started in March so I'm 5/5. Kudos for reaching 68/68 Taylor, I can see it getting to be a pain

I annoyingly missed June...

And coz of that, I couldn't be bothered to do August for the sake of it!

8/8 so far for me. This thread has really given me some motivation to go out on terrible days. It's certainly getting cold here now though, Pipedream 200 felt a bit chilly on the 31st of August!

It's certainly getting cold here now though, Pipedream 200 felt a bit chilly on the 31st of August!

Aye, a proper frost here on Fri night - recall thinking how I wouldn't much fancy being laid under my 150 quilt

Bearbonesnorm wrote:

It's certainly getting cold here now though, Pipedream 200 felt a bit chilly on the 31st of August!

Aye, a proper frost here on Fri night - recall thinking how I wouldn't much fancy being laid under my 150 quilt

Might be time to prop it up with my dayglo orange £10 down gillet!

Kind of counts as the gravel bike is in a bag on the back seat of the car

Heading down to Basel after a short stop at home following the trip to Hope over the weekend. Just enough time to wash down the Mukluk and switch it with the Saxon Cross. Dump dirty kit in washing machine and grab some fresh along with smart work wear

Almost four hours sleep before heading out the door at 2:30 this morning to drive to Dover. Hearty breakfast in the club lounge on board the ferry and use the WiFi to post my weekend updates

Kept off the toll roads and with a few coffee breaks have made it to a quiet spot just north of Nancy

Tent still dripping after being bundled into the car wet on Sunday. At least it should dry tonight



Dinner was a rather fine medallion steak fried in a Ti pot on a 22g BB stove. With cous cous and avocado



Drinks was a Waterloo Triple Blond Belgium beer and a rather tasty Japanese Whiskey

Thursday I head back up to Belgium for the Dirty Boar ride on Saturday. I should get chance to bivy out again from the bike on the way there

Not managed to get much down on paper recently, so this is bit of a catch up.

BAM April /May

This one coincided with WRT so managed to claim this a BAM as well but only managed the one night out unfortunately but being on the last day of the month have claimed April and May,. Will have to try harder.
Mid Wales is quite hilly

WRT Old lead working below dam



BAM June

Just a quick ride to Highcliffe Castle Beach after dark, just me and a few night fishermen on the sand but i did, and was surprised by some late night walkers staggering home from the pub.



BAM July

July saw me undertake a new adventure, taking my bike on the train for the first time, it worked really well and all my worries about not being able to get it on and off were unfounded, I suppose it helps being on the quiet end of the line.



I left Maiden Newton station and headed off straight off up hill on the Wessex Ridgeway towards Tollard Royal. Apart from getting severely stung with nettles, legs, hands and arms from overgrown tracks I had a run in with a field of bullocks who shock my faith in ,’not being frightened of cows’.
Later that evening when I pitched up at Hod Hill , my preferred bivi I decided to camp outside of the enclosure, owing to the sign on the gate, ‘Bull in Field’.



The next day I completed the ride to Tollard Royal and headed back down to the coast and home.



BAM August



Catching the train to Dorchester, I cycled to Maiden Newtown and set off on the Wessex Ridgeway again but this time heading west to Lyme Regis. The route starts on country lanes, and so eases into the riding gently. Skirting Beaminster and Broadwinsor you arrive at Lewesdon Hill



the highest point in Dorset, 272m with fine views though the ancient Beech trees to Devon and the coast. Pushing on to Lambert’s Castle Hill fort for my bivi, the views were magnificent toward the sea and Golden Cap and it was rightly popular with walkers but also cattle. This time I could tell they were quite docile so after they had settled for the night I set up camp and had a pretty peaceful night.



In the morning I headed towards the end of the Ridgeway before turning east towards Dorchester. Along the way Eggerton Hill fort and Maiden Castle were visited and a section of the South Dorset Ridge Way before catching the train for home.

9/9 Penrhos Isaf (again)

In my continuing quest for finding a route to introduce my two older grandsons to bikepacking, I'd plotted a route starting and ending in Dolgellau; 12 miles first day, 13 second. I didn't start out until after 5 o'clock and while puffing up the first hill, still in Dolgellau, I was overtaken by a couple of teenage boys in school uniform, walking. Yes, walking !!! After some pretty daunting tarmac climbs, in sometimes torrential rain I reached the Coed-y-Brenin forest as it was beginning to get hard to see under the trees. I was surprised and pleased to see four lots of deer springing across the trail and into the trees.
On the way there..


My shoulders slumped when, on arrival, I could hear music coming from inside. In residence were Jack, Becky, Nate and Rachel, from Nantwich. When I walked in, I was greeted with,
"There's a crate of Budweiser on the table there. Help yourself. Or if you want, there's a bottle of tequila and salt and lemon".
Every flat space in the main room was covered with bags of food and boxes of bottles. Two fishing beds stood in front of the (lit) stove, taking up most of the free space. Oh dear! Still, I hadn't intended to sleep inside so I wasn't too bothered.

I cooked my dinner and then spent an entertaining couple of hours chatting. The party were workmates who once a month, went out for a couple of nights to party and see the sights. This was the first bothy they'd been to. I wondered how they'd managed to carry all their stuff in.
"Easy", they said, "we drove up in the car".
"Is the gate not locked then?" I asked.
Obviously not, because when I left in the morning their car was parked on the track.

Sleeping..


Leaving..


On the way back..



And this - abandoned beside the trail.


I don't know if I'll bring the boys on this route; almost 4000 feet of ascents in 25 miles according to the Etrex and the rather boring, long, steep climbs might put them off from wanting to come again. The route does have a good finish though, lots of downhill and a flat run back to the car.

Bivi a month 17th in a row (only 4 1/4 years behind Taylor)
9 out of 9 in 2017

Taylor, why not retire at 100?

Accompanied daughter back to Sheffield Uni, so good excuse for a cheeky Sept BaM in the Peaks. Train to Bamford (BaM-ford! ARF!) , then a circuit round towards Hucklow and Bradwell to Edale. Then back via the dams.

Through the ford at Shatton, then up Brough Lane, stupidly at my age trying and almost succeeding to clear it in one, with a quick photostop near the top:



A cheeky short cut across to the gliding club:



Then down the mucky byway to Hucklow and Grindlow, and time for a water top-up and a Lion bar. The area is riddled with water troughs to catch the hard-to-come-by h2o in limestone country in days gone by, so if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me, admittedly with a quick tickle from the Steripen just to make sure:



A short wobble brought me to Silly Dale, one of my aims for research purposes. I have to say in its defence that I actually found it to be quite well-behaved - all the grass was nicely laid out, the sheep weren't standing on their heads showing off, all in all quite a model Dale in every respect. So you should never pre-judge just by a name.



In fact never mind silly, there was some quite beautiful walling going on:



Back round to Hucklow and High Rake Mine. For those interested in mining, the whole of the Peaks is jammed full of relics. Eyam Edge was effectively one giant lead mine, including the deepest lead mine shaft in the Peaks "New Engine" at a boggling 1092'. Fluorspar is the more modern prize of course, and looking at scenic Eyam Edge you wouldn't know there's a 4-mile cavern under it quite capable of handling the extraction lorries.
Anyway, High Rake was a mere 720' deep before they realised they were wasting their time after 20 years. If you thought your commute was gruelling, spare a thought for the guys laddering their way down 720' with a candle of a morning. And back up later.



And so via Hope Spar for supplies round to a bivi spot. Not before suffering a catastrophic frame failure leaving me by the roadside. Just at that moment a very nice lady (as ever) drove up in her classic TR7, which she normally kept in a garage in Hope, and offered to save me from my predicament and give me a lift to the blacksmiths to get it welded up. So luckily for me it was a complete...... Triumph of Hope over adversity. AHEM! I'm joking of course. Anyway..... a nice room with a view that you'd pay ££££s for in a hotel (whatever one of those is):



And an even better view, well worth schlepping up there inside Stu-recommended S2S Ultrasil day pack (65g!):



A good night's sleep mercifully free of the initial midge cloud, then porridge and ovaltine for breakfast. Not mixed up, although why not eh. Note milk bottle for fresh milk luxury - frozen and wrapped in alu foil.



Away over the moors, and a ridiculous push up Hagg Clough, hats off to anyone who's ridden that upwards - coming up from the left there:



Surprisingly remote feel up on the tops:



Managed to hold it all together screaming down through the woods to Derwent Reservoir and a moment's quiet contemplation and respect for the incredible bravery and daring of the Dambusters who carried out their practice runs here:



I reckoned with up to 10 billion litres of water stacked up, I figured they wouldn't miss a 20-billionth of it. Don't blab on me please.



Then a nice pleasant down hill toddle to the Anglers Rest caff in Bamford for a second breakfast. Cappucino? I know, back to my namby-pamby ways....



"Reg"

July was a night in the tent by the side of the Romans and Reivers route on the way to Dryfehead bothy. I screwed up really badly in my route selection and paid a heavy price - a night spent on a 45 degree slope with Joe constantly sliding down the hill into me and pressing me into the side of the tent. Which flapped all night, soaking me with the condensation from inside the fly. In the morning I packed up without a photo so you will just have to believe me. 5/7 for me and Joe.

August has many to chose from as we wild-camped our way across Germany and Sweden, but I have chosen this one, just for the hell of it. This is in Sweden, just south of the misnamed town of Bastad. Finding ourselves as night fell in an area where every field had horses or cows, I knocked on a random door and we ended up camped in the back garden of a nice man called Sven (really). He even let us in to use the loo, so I didn't have to dig a hole in his nice lawn in the morning - result 6/8

Here's one for September - camped by a bird hide in the former East Germany. Unfortunately the hide was locked, but we thought we would get away with camping here for the night as anyone who saw us might think we were twitchers camped there to use the hide. It was fine and nobody told us off. We got told off a lot in Germany, but never for wild camping, which was the one thing I would have expected people to take issue with. Maybe I am just good at finding sneaky spots.... 7/9
Next day we racked up Joe's new PB with 121km or 75 miles for the day as we headed towards Berlin. It was a flat enough ride, but into a headwind though.

September 9/9

Metalheart has already covered much of our Garve-Ullapool trip in his write-up; http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... 10&t=10852

After not having ridden much recently, I wasn't expecting a mused-upon Garve-Ullapool trip to come up quite so soon. Friday turned out to be chilly and damp, summer doing its waving-goodbye act in style. Recent heavy rain meant everything was soggy and much of the lovely purple we've had recently was already looking dreary and dull. We were both making heavy work of it, especially the singletrack section at Strathmulzie. I was very happy to reach Ullapool just before sunset and get some food and drink in relative warmth and comfort.

Weirdly though, by the time we made it back up to our planned bivvy spot I was already feeling it not so cold. Being interrupted by a couple of locals, concerned we were poachers, turned into an excellent example of how much in common we actually all have rather than a spot of aggro. A similar conversation had been had earlier that day with another gamekeeper, more curious about our trip and equipment than that we might be disturbing the shooting.

Saturday dawned very damp. A heavy, heavy dew had soaked everything, I was tired and my guts were playing up. TBH, I wasn't really relishing the prospect of the return trip but Neill was full of optimism (I think he suffers short-term memory loss) so we headed back into what was a much, much more pleasant day - hello Autumn. I put in a wee bit of extra effort heading along Gleann Mor after Alladale and so had a chance to stop and have a brew-up, something I never normally do.

My legs were definitely tired by the time we reached Garve. Despite the fact we weren't racing, I think it's fair to say we were both outside our comfort zone on that return leg.


P1040571 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr


P1040580 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr


P1040589 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr


P1040599 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr


P1040605 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr


P1040609 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr


P1040616 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr


More here... https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/albums

but Neill was full of optimism (I think he suffers short-term memory loss)

I think the word you're probably searching for is 'thick'....

I think it's fair to say we were both outside our comfort zone on that return leg.

I think it would be fair to say that.... ee, I were right about that saddle...

Realised that I'd rudely just skim-read Borderer's and 'Route's reports, so I've got a bowl of Cheerios (treat) and read them again properly. Dunno what others think but personally I appreciate these type of write-ups with little stories and anecdotes and little details, gives a real feel for the proceedings and potentially useful info for 'those coming after'. Although I guess to some, details are extraneous wittering so who knows. I like to know what the caff was called and whether they'll top your bottle up etc. I know there's the usual 'ethical discussion' about revealing exact bivi spots, but other info's really interesting/handy. So... in this instance B and SR and
M, 'thank you' .

B, that's a pretty impressive achievement wildcamping across two or three countries with a youngster in tow - be interesting to hear Joe's view on all the lunacy . "so I didn't have to dig a hole in his nice lawn in the morning"

Our brethren north of the border seem to do loads more capers than us southern softies, or maybe just happier writing them up!

Reg,
Please tell me that rescue story is true: if only to justify the dad-joke .
What happened to the frame? Any pics?

Sorry Pete mate, you should know me better than that by now . Entirely fabricated purely to get the stupid punchline in . I know, it's an affliction with no known cure, although kipping under the stars sometimes helps to alleviate the symptoms.



You managing to do any ride-to-work bivis at the moment? I must make more effort.

9 out of 9 for me now. No pictures worth posting but I was with John Climber and Jim Barrow so they can vouch for me I'm also hoping John will post his pictures of the ride to save me having to write it up. I will say that this was the first bivi I've been on with anyone but my wife so I was a bit apprehensive about meeting up with people I've never met before to sleep in the woods, but I can vouch for the quality of riding companions you meet through here, had a great time showing them round the Isle of Wight.

8 out of 9 for me (I missed June due to riding through the last night on the HT550, oh well, can't have everything)

Here's one for September, apologies for the blurred shot, it was 0630 on a dreich morning.



This is next to the road leading from Aviemore towards Abernethy Forest while on the Cairngorms Loop. Quite a nice spot apart from the ominous munching sounds throughout the night. Surprisingly midge free as well (OK, there were a couple of bites but that's as good as)

I need to have a little play with this system, it wasn't quite right.

I really enjoy your write-ups too Reg. They always make me laugh. Not enough barmaids in the last one though - please do try to include some in your next adventure
I will do a proper write-up of our summer once I get an alternative to Photobucket sorted. Still not found a solution that I am happy with. In brief our trip was 4 countries, 4 ferries, 3 festivals, 2180km cycled, one puncture.
Here is a photo by way of answering your question though - this was what Joe added to Yoko Ono's wishing tree in Copenhagen this summer.... gulp.