Bivvy a month 2019

[JimmyG]

Just spent three days in the Galloway Forest, southwest Scotland. I last rode here back in 2014 in the Galloway Gallop ‘gravel sportive'. This time I rode some of those same trails at a more leisurely pace and was able to appreciate the impressive scenery more fully.
Days 1 and 2 brought good weather and a nice breeze just strong enough to suspend midge flight operations! I spent my first night on the banks of Loch Grannoch, a pleasant spot well worth the slog up the rocky trail to get to. I’d considered spending the second night in the White Laggan bothy but, looking up at it from the gravel track, I could see that at least two groups of walkers had beaten me to it. Spending the night in a crowded bothy isn’t my idea of fun and I was quite happy when I found a nice spot overlooking nearby Loch Dee. The temperature did plummet that night, though, and, after a broken sleep, I awoke to find a coating of frost on my bivvy bag. Things deteriorated further on the morning of day 3 when the rain arrived (and with it the midges, sadly). Still, it had been nice while it lasted and I rode back to the mother ship wet but contented after some good days in the saddle.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G,
on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

[ScotRoutes]

Nice reminder of a lovely area. One of those you're not sure whether to advertise or not

[fatbikephil]

Oooffya, thats risk taking - bivvy bag only in galloway just as the midge season is kicking off!

[Raggedstone]

5/5
Two nights out in mid Wales on the excellent WRT with Psling. 1st night spent by the Montgomery canal near Berriew got an early morning breakfast in Welshpool which was a surprise on a Sunday just after 8am we were soon joined by other boners on a similar quest . We rode via Mitchell's Fold stone circle to Church Stoke for more food then up onto the Kerry Ridgeway for a second night in a field above Llandinam followed by breakfast at the café at Caersws then back to base for tea and cake.
Superb way to spend the weekend.

[JimmyG]

"Nice reminder of a lovely area. One of those you're not sure whether to advertise or not ."

- Oops! Looks like I let the cat out of the bag then! Seriously, though, it's a beautiful area and I'll definitely be back.

"Oooffya, thats risk taking - bivvy bag only in galloway just as the midge season is kicking off!"

-True, true but as yet I don't have a bike pack-suitable tent i.e. light enough, with a mesh inner. My bivvy bag does have an integral midge net but to be honest, I find it a bit too restrictive. As a precaution, though, I did have my head net close to hand at all times but in the event the wind conditions worked for me... this time. Need to get that tent!

[faustus]

Squeezed in a school night bivvy for May, so 2/2. Left home at nearly 10pm, wandered my way up to the nearby North Hants Downs and found a lovely spot not far from the county top. Enjoyed seeing the 'W' of cassiopeia above the northern horizon. Sipped some whisky, slept OK for a bivvy kip and it was a nice warm night. Woke just before my alarm at 5, nip of whisky to wake myself up, cereal bar, pack up, ride home. Get in the door at 6:20. On the train at 745. All-in, a very nice (if short) trip out. 18.4 miles either side of a kip. June will be in the cambrians and I can't wait.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2410815705

[sean_iow]

I managed to get something from my HT550, my first night in a bothy and May's BAM. Apparently after this one virtually all others will seem better Yes, I did sleep in the end closest to the camera, with the crack in the wall and leaky roof

[jaminb]

May 19 5/5

WRT Edition

this was the start of my monster riding holiday - WRT, PBW and Moors 100 which I will do as a separate write up some time.

Rob and I made friends with Alex in the Star on friday and spent a great weekend riding him and Ed. This was our saturday nights bivvy - an absolutely amazing pitch. This was my 2nd WRT and was even better than the first.



https://i.imgur.com/YRIUf4L.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/FLN0VpT.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/U828zDd.jpg

[RIP]

Top drawer shed that Sean, a bit of a collector's piece. I thought it was a redundant bog seat covering that hole in the wall but sadly it wasn't.

[sean_iow]

Where the blue bike is leant there is a 'window' which I've put in quotes as it's a distorted opening with a window sort of half opened in it. The wall has started to collapse and there is a rafter that should be supported by that bit of wall. When it got light and I looked up it appears that they're jacked the rafter up and then build a pile of stones to replace the missing bit of wall, staring with a large one and getting smaller as they go up, like a mini roof supporting cairn

[whitestone]

We spent my, err significant birthday, in the better room of that bothy for April’s BAM

[middleagedmadness]

Number 2 for may for me and first of the year for my young fella Fionn , dropped the car at bbt on Friday and had a slightly up and down trip through hafren forest to nant Rhys bothy ,next morning rode over to nant syddion and back up through many y arian back to Stu's , was the boys first taste of Wales and although totally done in absolutely loved it ,
Thanks Dee and stu for the car parking the boy really appreciated the trip
Just one of the many stream crossings we had

[middleagedmadness]

Oh and we found this in nant Rhys who fionn reckons looks very similar to someone we all know but back in the day

[TrepidExplorer]

Can I have a May please?

I managed to keep Colin the drunk Glaswegian at bay and hunker down with some other HT riders and Nathan the hiker in the Melgarve Bothy.


On Sunday I scratched and ended up at the Glencoe Ski village watching the rain take over from the setting sun. Got the tent up just in time.




Full report https://trepidexplorer.blogspot.com/201 ... ilure.html

[MuddyPete]

Phew! That was close . Nearly missed May .

31 May bivi at the Vintage Nostalgia Festival 2019, accessorised with chiminea and twinkly lights, followed by a bimble around the Wylye valley, Wiltshire. TMS in all it's glory.
The place to flaunt your hipster/retro/caddish alter-ego in the company of like-minded souls. The Flaming Feathers dance troupe were a particularly memorable addition to Bivi-a-Month and I recommend them highly for future occasions.
Ace fun!

For me: 2019 seems to be evolving into "The Year of the Bimble"....and it's all the better for it.
Pete

https://www.vintagenostalgiafestival.co.uk

[Zippy]

31 April Bivvies counted thus far

Escape Goat
redefined_cycles
MuddyPete
mountainposture
TheBrownDog
BigdummySteve
Pickers
RIP
Alan63
Borderer
Borderer2
crewlie
JohnClimber
metalheart
Zippy
ScotRoutes
ChrisF
Raggedstone
jaminb
Wotsits
whitestone
faustus
sean_iow
ericrobo
gallowayboy
JimmyG
Landslide
postierich
paramart
TrepidExplorer
petemaz
middleagedmadness

162 Bivvies counted in total for 2019.

After that post, I also counted the following for April:

oldstrath
gazaddy
Asposium
darbreeze
petemaz

37 Bivvies total for April.

Also note that I have added in a "Borderer2" pseudo username to count for Bridget's lad who is bivvying with her on these, so it counts as an additional Bivvy in the stats.... Please nobody else ask to add additional people - I'll definitely start miscounting if that happens!
---------------------------------------------------------------

May I've got totted up:

Loki
RIP
BigdummySteve
TheBrownDog
paramart
gazaddy
middleagedmadness
Escape Goat
whitestone
mountainposture
JohnClimber
frogatthefarriers
darbreeze
metalheart
Landslide
javatime
ScotRoutes
Zippy
gallowayboy
crewlie
Alan63
ChrisF
Borderer2
Borderer
ericrobo
petemaz
htrider
redefined_cycles
JimmyG
Raggedstone
faustus
sean_iow
jaminb
TrepidExplorer
MuddyPete

35 people.

That's a total of 206 Bivvies for 2019 reported for this thread thus far


Edit: Forgot to count myself in May!

[Bearbonesnorm]

Good work Zip

[Borderer]

Thanks Zip.

[Borderer]

31 May bivi at the Vintage Nostalgia Festival 2019,
https://www.vintagenostalgiafestival.co.uk

If you paid for the festival then the rules say that it doesn't count - though the rules also say that you can make it up as you like

[redefined_cycles]

Yay (or Wahoo)... been waiting for this day as this last months was a mission to get done (but easy once I was out and midBAM

[MuddyPete]

If...

Indeed...

[redefined_cycles]

So whats the rules with regards to....

When I next ride down to one of the national events * on the cycling club I'm part of (Brothers on Bikes), if I was to sleep over at the masjid (mosque if I'd passed the citizenship test) after arriving there for the ride the next day...

It wouldnt be paid for accomodation but would (out of decency) put a few quid in their kitty for the upkeep (for us8ng the facilities etc)...

Would that allow me to use as part of the BAM (I would be carrying and using my own sleeping bag/bivvyBag) or what would I need to ensure it does count

*ride is ok... Food is always nice... Not many rules but a few that spring to mind is baggies (so no bum shapes showing; need to register on their CC site; everyones always lovely; no alcoholic beverages )

[ScotRoutes]

So whats the rules with regards to....

It's a personal challenge, so your rules are the most important. I've been happy to include bothies and other irregular structures in my BAM but I wouldn't include sleeping indoors at a friends house (nor next-door neighbours garden). I guess the riding/adventure part of the experience counts, for me at least, as much as the published rules.

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks v much for that Colin...

[RIP]

'The Rules' are all clear at start of thread peeps . People can obv have their own rules (this is punk bikepacking after all) but then it's not Official BBB BaM But Colin and Shaf seem to be Within The Rules don't they, although Shaf's a bit borderline with his 'donation' - an interesting test case for the BBB legal team perhaps . And as for Pete with his festival goodness knows but it sounds a good laff! If you flout The Rules (as opposed to the rules), a/ "no nice blue badge for you matey", and b/ the whole of civilisation breaks down (*).

Still don't understand Rule #1 though - how can you complete '12 consecutive 2019 months' unless you start in January?! Something for the philosophers to ponder there maybe.

(*) whether this is a bad thing depends on personal circumstances I guess.