Bivvy a month 2019

[redefined_cycles]

You Reg... Are a gentleman and a scholar (as opposed to Colin who's a gentleman and a Scottish).

Indeed I do want that lovely badge. I do... I do. Hence I wanna get it just right. As long as I'm on the badge side of the border then

[RIP]

. Anyroad, Zip's judge and jury here so we'll see if anyone gets sent down when he next pops up .

[Zippy]

I’m just totting up people reporting bivvies. It’s all gentleman’s agreement here (in order to not possibly offend anyone here inadvertently, I don’t mean anything more than “an informal and legally non-binding agreement between two or more parties. It is typically oral, though it may be written, or simply understood as part of an unspoken agreement by convention or through mutually beneficial etiquette. The essence of a gentlemen's agreement is that it relies upon the honor of the parties for its fulfillment, rather than being in any way enforceable. It is, therefore, distinct from a legal agreement or contract.” – as per Wikipedia entry, and do not mean to discriminate in anyway due to sex or gender).

To be quite honest, someone could just post up they bivvied one month, and they didn’t actually, no-one would be any the wiser. I’m not going round asking for proof or clarification, I have enough trouble trying to accurately make note of who’s actually bivvied in any one month!

So basically, everyone post up as honestly as possible. If anyone is blatantly flouting the rules with total disregard, sure flag them up on it, but basically everyone play nice and as honestly as possible. If you’re not sure – post up and ask and some discussion will be made.

I shall take everyone’s reported bivvy at face value, and will only remove it at the request of the OP of the bivvy, or Stu.


In response to this:

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.

I’m only keeping note of those tring for this, anyone outside of this really needs to keep note themselves to claim a badge!

[Borderer]

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

As others have said, you are free to interpret the rules as you see fit and are expected to self-regulate regarding the challenge. I would say though that if you follow what you are proposing above you would miss out on a lot of the fun of bivvying out under the stars, which to my mind is the whole point of the challenge - it acts as a kick in the pants once a month to get you out there when you might otherwise not have bothered. The logical follow-on is that once you are out there you will have fun - I don't recall ever seeing a BAM post where someone said they wish they hadn't done it, but a lot of folk saying thanks for the motivation to get them out, particularly for the connection to the natural world and all the benefit that brings.

[MuddyPete]

A new slogan, perhaps...

"Bivi-a-Month: the catalyst for fun "


By the way Stu, I feel we need a "Hmmm...thoughtful..." emoji...

[Escape Goat]

My 6th BAM done

I got a train... got to the lakes at 9.02, missed the chippy by 2 minutes.



then waited for a boat

20190605_212441 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

I tried to find food, so this happened

20190605_215351 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

The woman took pity on me and produced this when the kitchen had been closed for 2 hours.

20190605_215904 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

Then she took pity on her friends and they all sat down to a roast chicken dinner....sly it smelt so good.

Wrong turns (well I wasn't following a line) but turns onto private property lead eventually to this

20190605_225423 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

The North Face Trail happened a bit too

20190606_003618-01 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

This was the bivvy spot as the one I wanted by a tarn was damp.

20190606_053420 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

This burnt my hand so I dropped it everywhere

20190606_055959-01 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

I've never seen the am version of this time on a bike before today

20190606_020207 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

Then my face done this

20190606_064421-01 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

I met this little fella

20190606_073933-01 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

then mist for 10 minutes

IMG_20190606_185010_954 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

All in, loads of fun!

I fell asleep about 2..45am and slept right through

{I also fell asleep trying to post this haha}

[redefined_cycles]

Allen/Al /Allan/Alan, nice one for sharing looks like a smashing time was had.... did you dream of the 'BB200 2019' whenyou fell asleep

[RIP]

Nice little outing there 'Goat. Lakes easy to get to on the train as well. Some serious gloop to contend with, considering it's June.

"woman took pity on me" - maybe I'm rose-tinted-specs (fashion victim?) but I like to think bikepackers have that effect on people., especially solo ones. We're a bit different, probably got a story or two to tell, etc. Ladies are always taking pity on me when I'm out there - usually bar-lasses it seems. Then again I'm a pitiful sight so quite understandable!

[ScotRoutes]

If I can find a wild camp spot then June BAM is under way on Lismore. It's a small island with surprisingly few wild camp options.

Currently letting the Hebridean Beef and Haggis Burger digest before moving on.

[Alan63]

If I can find a wild camp spot then June BAM is under way on Lismore. It's a small island with surprisingly few wild camp options.

Currently letting the Hebridean Beef and Haggis Burger digest before moving on.

Looking forward to hearing about Lismore. One of the western islands on the still-to-do list, along with Kerrera.

[Escape Goat]

Nice little outing there 'Goat.

"woman took pity on me" - maybe I'm rose-tinted-specs (fashion victim?) but I like to think bikepackers have that effect on people., especially solo ones.

Thanks! She didn't really take that much pity on me, her friends got a real chicken dinner about 30 minutes after I got there, they also sat really close to me...

did you dream of the 'BB200 2019' whenyou fell asleep

Heh, a part of my route did make me think about that...

Screen Shot 2019-06-07 at 23.08.23 by Escape Goat, on Flickr

[ScotRoutes]

Mays BAM was at 4,000 ft, June was almost at sea level..

P1050735 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

More photos

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmE9aBHa

Some words

https://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2019/06 ... -loop.html

[fatbikephil]

Good one Colin, my Orange patriot nearly fell off that ferry in 2001
I battered the straggler over the WHW past white corries to the ski centre last year - I noted they were working on the track but looking at your pic they didn't do a very good job.....

[ScotRoutes]

There was no sign of any work having been done to the path, but there IS a wee spur off direct to the White Corries. I wonder if that's been added?

[darbeze]

I enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing...

Si

[ScotRoutes]

I enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing...

Si

Cheers.

I write these things down for my own pleasure really, and to create a bit of a diary that I can delve into to revive memories. If other folk enjoy them, that's just a bonus.

[whitestone]

Colin, is that renovated/sanitised track the WHW leading south from the White Corries? It wasn't like that at Easter when we rode it. If it is, how far does the work extend?

[ScotRoutes]

Colin, is that renovated/sanitised track the WHW leading south from the White Corries? It wasn't like that at Easter when we rode it. If it is, how far does the work extend?

Not far then. Certainly nowhere near the high point of the WHW as that was by far the roughest section. It was very lumpy down near the WC road too. Didn't look like any work had been done there.

[JohnClimber]

BaM 6/6 for 2019.

Packrafting trip to Knoydart

https://youtu.be/Z6aSyJlPQSM

[sean_iow]

Didn't spot your bike John #4

[JohnClimber]

Didn't spot your bike John #4

It was harder work and more scary than any bike bivi I've been on.
Rules are there to be bent

[sean_iow]

It looked really hard work carrying it on your back which is why I mentioned it. It would be much easier with the bike

How much did your kit weigh?

Your braver than me, I'm not a fan of the water. I did do a kayaking course with the scouts, we got the course cheap if we did it out of season. As soon as I waded into the sea off Sandown in January it was obvious why it was cheaper, hyperthermia was a bigger risk than drowning

[JohnClimber]

It looked really hard work carrying it on your back which is why I mentioned it. It would be much easier with the bike

How much did your kit weigh?

Your braver than me, I'm not a fan of the water. I did do a kayaking course with the scouts, we got the course cheap if we did it out of season. As soon as I waded into the sea off Sandown in January it was obvious why it was cheaper, hyperthermia was a bigger risk than drowning

It all fitted in a 65ltr back pack and it wasn't too bad, for warmth I had my dry suit, which added weight but kept me extremely dry even though it rained most of the time we were there.

[Taylor]

Didn't spot your bike John #4

Oh yeah, well spotted/not spotted.

[redefined_cycles]

Can put my BAM for this month as 'done' please Zippy (unless off course someone from the astute points out why it isn't actually a BAM ).

So I departed at around 9am on Monday with a plan to ride the 230 miles/12000ft to Landon which keep alluding me. The actual ride commenced a month or so ago when I bought the 'return ticket home' for approximately £11. Hence four yellow weather warnings and one amber (which I only noticed midride as it was an upgrade by the MET office it seems) weren't gonna stand in my way. Besides, if I cant ride this road ride then there's no chance for me on the bigger bikepacking events.

A few days before I'd got a chest infection which I really needed to tackle, and tackle it I did. As a nurse honey is being shown for its antibac properties and even before that I've always been a firm believer of its healing effects as its mentioned (for its healing effects) in The Quran. Along with this a person can to Muhammed (PBUH: prophet of Islam) and mentioned someone being poorly and Muhammad (PBUH) advised to give honey. Its a long hadith/statement and from its commentary I knew/believed its a matter of getting the levels in the system high enough.

So I went through about 250g of some locally sourced honey in different forms - raw spooned, in hot water drank, in ginger tea etc etc. I even put some on a sore that could become problematic and (as it always happens), like clockwork the sore was gone within 24 hours. So was the chest infection and midride i remember feeling and thinking, how lovely to have a breath of fresh air.

For the weather warnings I obviously packed my goretex army surplus overpants and the (almost on its last legs now) fleabay bargain goretex Lowe Alpine jacket. A lovely jacket that, with a little help from Stu (et al) on a thread on here, helped me prolonging its life (not Stus, the jacket ).
During the packing phase I decided to forego the softshell and took my merino baslayer instead as it was "more packable". Possibly a mistake in hindsight.

So, as I was saying, 9am and I was out there aiming for Landon. 40 miles in a still no rain. Up until then it was sunshine galore. Stopped for a 'weewee' and suddenly signs of impending and sudden wetness showed through, with a bit of hail thrown in. Managed to get my waterproofs on in time and continued. Must have been four hours of non stop rain until the next, brief, 'ray of light and hope'. But the rain yesterday was so bad that I only actually removed my waterproofs, and changed my socks (something I learnt from Mike Halls vids back in the day: always take spare socks and underwear) when walking to the train station at 10am the next day.

I hadn't (and here comes the bivy bit) intended to bivy, but ride straight through. As well as saving me weight it would ensure I had a focus and target: just like the many reports of BB200s and Braunton150s, or so I had thought in my head. Even though they, quite rightly, have always taken some sort of emergency shelter/sleep kit. However, at 2am things took a little turn in my head.

After enduring alot of time in the rain as well as on the rain (there were sections where surface water seemed so deep along the entire road that I had a fear of aquaplaning if I didn't slow down properly), my head finally gave in as my steering started to wander due to sleepiness and there it was. My bivy spot out of the rain. All I needed to do was squeeze through and around the branches and sleep for a little while whilst sat upright leaning against the tree. If anyones wondering, yes it was painful on the bottom and yes I did manage about 39 winks: possibly 3 sets of around 4 minutes each.

Heres the spot (he goes trying to find a google image of where he slept, for safety off course)...


It was actually that very same tree/bush. I've obviously anonymised it so we dont have a wave of happy campers trying to get in under its shelter whilst they pretend they forgot their bags at home .... I can assure you, it didn't look so romantic and enticing at the time, but was a welcome break from the moderately heavy but consistent rain.

After that (to finish off and for the sake of closure) I managed to ride on another 1.5 hours. This was whilst I wondered how I would manage to take off my jacket and shoes to make ablution for prayers, without catching a chill. It came at around 0330ish in the form of a lovely but tiny bus shelter. First I tried to have another sleep but this shelter - which I imagine at some point had been made Audaxateer proof -(but bikepacking friendly with its sheltered concrete floor... just like a tiny bothy*) had seats that if you nodded off, ejected you sideways as you list the balance. I almost ended up on floor but managed to be saved. Made ablution, prayed early morning prayers, and was off.

The next hour or so whilst the sun came up I pondered over the rule (had this been an ITT for example) that Greg recently emphasised, 'never scratch at night as morning will always bring nice'. It had started to become a bit 'pelty' with rain and surface water was everywhere. Puddles had become ponds and many time I judt about managed to get into centre of road from a near-miss (yes, I did think about what the hardnuts of this yesrs HT550 went through). I had been shivering a short while earlier in the bus shelter but now I was just cold!

Morning came and with it lots of maths in my head as to whether I'd make the cutoff and reach my train in London in time. Calculations proved that I would - by a 45 minute buffer. But then the sleep caught up again and I felt myself wandering like a 'drunken sailor'. This was 0600 and the sun had happily come up an hour earlier and with it the night had taken away the rain. Lieghton Buzzard station > unhappy passenger on train (who looked disgusted of me) with a frightful ticket lady before that (who looked terrified off me) > London Euston > Socks changed > cheap Nero coffee > Grand Central Train with a happy conductor (from UpNorth) who didn't look as terrified or disgusted > Mirfield > Home (to lits of food and commence contemplations of BB200 yet again!



*the people of R**ley, R***ill and E****ill obviously like us bikepacking folk.