Bivvy a month 2023.

Moder-dye · Post by **Moder-dye** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 3:04 pm

Dratski!

Tonight is off. The cars broken down on my wife out and about so need to go and sort things

Cheeky Monkey · Post by **Cheeky Monkey** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:34 pm

IME Rigger boots are rubbish, it's the big, unelasticated opening that allows most warmth to ventilate. Rubber wellies are also remarkably cold, although a good insole can help, a bit.

Warmest thing like this IME is neoprene wellies. Lomo do a more affordable version with a boat orientated (so not toothy) sole. Mud-boots and other sexist but you start to pay £££.

I used my Lomo ones a lot in winter (they are very fubar'd now with multiple splits) but the kids often laughed at them standing beside the car and venting steam / condensation whilst I changed into trainers.

Verena · Post by **Verena** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:21 pm

Moder-dye wrote: ↑Fri Jan 20, 2023 3:04 pm Dratski! Tonight is off. The cars broken down on my wife out and about so need to go and sort things

Fix another date, quick!!

Moder-dye · Post by **Moder-dye** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:26 pm

Possibly tomorrow night, but we're away south for a funeral next weekend

redefined_cycles · Post by **redefined_cycles** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 7:05 pm

Moder-dye wrote: ↑Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:26 pm Possibly tomorrow night, but we're away south for a funeral next weekend

IME, try and get it done well before the month ends. Or you could make a work night bivy out of it. Remember it doesn't have to be far, or even sleeping all night. In fact, you might not even get any sleep (or care to) and just lie there enjoying the cold, slugs and dodging the farmer from your lights.

It'll be well worth it

Do it Sir Moder-Eye...

Moder-dye · Post by **Moder-dye** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 8:01 pm

Sir

Well I want to, but many variables in the mix with family and time recovery from the after affects with my health issues. But, I do hope to get it done tomorrow night if the forecast holds.

Retiredtester · Post by **Retiredtester** » Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:36 am

BAM virgin here, but first night ticked off. A very short (5 mile) post work bimble down into friston forest. Found a nice flat area of leaf litter (top of cardiac hill if there are any locals) and spent a very pleasant night under si-nylon with my 14yo. I'm hoping he'll attempt the full year with me and he claims to have had a great time, despite my company.

I can't imagine many nights being a lot colder down here in the semi tropical south. My wahoo said -8 which is patently bollocks, but it must have been a degree or 2 under as we had ice inside the flysheet. My newly purchased neoair was a revelation - I was a bit sceptical of the idea that a decent insulated mat can make all the difference, but it really did. I was in a 3 season (at a push) bag and my underside was the warmest bit! Also, great (if clearly controversial) tip re: keeping the gas canister in my sleeping bag! Soto windmaster was equally vaguely exciting, so thanks to all for the many recommendations.

Bring on February....

redefined_cycles · Post by **redefined_cycles** » Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:57 am

Retiredtester wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:36 am BAM virgin here, but first night ticked off. A very short (5 mile) post work bimble down into friston forest. Found a nice flat area of leaf litter (top of cardiac hill if there are any locals) and spent a very pleasant night under si-nylon with my 14yo. I'm hoping he'll attempt the full year with me and he claims to have had a great time, despite my company.

I can't imagine many nights being a lot colder down here in the semi tropical south. My wahoo said -8 which is patently bollocks, but it must have been a degree or 2 under as we had ice inside the flysheet. My newly purchased neoair was a revelation - I was a bit sceptical of the idea that a decent insulated mat can make all the difference, but it really did. I was in a 3 season (at a push) bag and my underside was the warmest bit! Also, great (if clearly controversial) tip re: keeping the gas canister in my sleeping bag! Soto windmaster was equally vaguely exciting, so thanks to all for the many recommendations.

Bring on February....

Well done

and double well done on getting the 14 year old out without any complaints. Message to self... i must get out there soon...

Retiredtester · Post by **Retiredtester** » Sat Jan 21, 2023 12:34 pm

Thanks shaf! Time will tell if it's a flash in the pan for the little one. Good luck in your endeavours!

fatbikephil · Post by **fatbikephil** » Sat Jan 21, 2023 4:10 pm

January....
I'm not feeling hugely motivated to do a full BAM this year for no other reason than I seem to be trying to remove any remaining commitment from my life outside of work....
Anyway some newby enthusiasm on this thread and a desire to get some flat tarp practice in led me to pack the fat bike up after finishing at work yesterday. This nearly scuppered me as it turned into a right old faff. Anyway as usual once I eventually pedaled off into the chilly night I relaxed.

Just a usual spot given the delay to my start as used last October and a couple of times before. I was slightly alarmed to note the temp was -5 climbing up through the woods. I'd debated on whether to take the winter bag but the forecast was suggesting the minimum temp would be about -2 or 3 rising overnight so I figured the the vesper quilt would be fine.... I used it down to -6 last year so I should be OK.

Tarp up, in, fire up the blast furnace and make tea, drink beer, read and relax whilst looking at stars and listening to about a dozen owls all around me. Still -5 when I turned in but I was warm enough, just. Felt a slight chill from underneath (also on a neoair but nothing on top) but otherwise fine. Woke up at 10!

Had a leisurely morning and a leisurely ride home by various still snowy and frozen trails. Back to the gunge from today but I've made the most of this recent cold snap and hopefully more to come

The one on the right was very nice. Not convinced about the vanilla stout though...

I'm going to claim this as an official snowy bivvy!

Johnallan · Post by **Johnallan** » Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:50 pm

January

I wasn't going to attempt this again, but figured it's best to start and possibly fail than not start at all.

A bit of idle time in the office was spent wandering around on Google 'streetview', and I stumbled upon a 360 image of a nice looking shelter in a small plantation. Single pannier stuffed and out into the night a few hours later.

90 minutes of frozen lanes got me to the trees, followed by 10 minutes stumbling around in the dark looking for a shelter. It was worth it in the end for the three legged bench and well used firepit.

A few sticks were collected from the ground nearby, and a small, controlled fire made in the pit (unpopular here I know..). A Christmas tipple of Cardhu Gold and an instant pasta pot had tea sorted, I then waited for the flames to die before re-arranging the furniture and settling down for a cold night in the bag.

Woke to a beautiful morning, enjoyed the instant porridge and instant coffee, and emerged from the trees above the cloud inversion. Just the job

BaM 2023 - 1/12

gecko76 · Post by **gecko76** » Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:57 am

First BAM, tick. Went for the souterrain by Castle Law hillfort on the Pentlands, about an hour from home. Went over on a bad patch of ice, but once there it was a good shout being warm and sheltered, if a bit Chinese water torture-y with the dripping ceiling.

The bike was built in 2016 using a kit from the Bamboo Bicycle Company and it's taken to bikepacking well. Looking forward to February.

RIP · Post by **RIP** » Sun Jan 22, 2023 2:36 pm

Welcome to the game. Once in, there is no escape

. Bamboo frame - nice one, bit different on Here, watch out for those rogue pandas though, wake up and the bike's gone. Curious graff on the walls too.

Moder-dye · Post by **Moder-dye** » Sun Jan 22, 2023 4:38 pm

Well I'm set up in the woods for the night of 1/12 only about 9km from home. Got an over quilt safety-pinned on as an under quilt, not sure how that'll work, but we'll see. I'll feed back tomorrow....

redefined_cycles · Post by **redefined_cycles** » Sun Jan 22, 2023 5:00 pm

Well done Gecko and Moder-dye... (and Phil and all the old timers obviously). Currently looking up some boulders on OS maps and some trig points. Am hoping it'll happen for me soon. Will try and order a new bar harness tomoz too...

fatbikephil · Post by **fatbikephil** » Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:02 pm

Looks a good spot that Gecko, didn't know that was there. Anyone seen Ray, he's a Pentlands cheeky shelter aficionado!

Stinginglip · Post by **Stinginglip** » Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:16 pm

Well that's my BaM cherry popped. Riding conditions locally have been bobbins all week resulting in zero biking action so the plan was a ride out to the coast using as many back lanes/tracks as possible and still getting the miles in. Made decent progress thanks to a nice tailwind and landed at my bivvy spot just as it went dark.
First time setting up the new Lanshan 1 other than in the front room was a breeze..in fact the only breeze on a lovely calm clear evening. Dehydrated tea sorted, JD & coke cracked then onto the Jura winter edition(spot on) it was hitting the sack time.
Minus 2 was the lowest temp according to the wahoo which after a kit testing session over Xmas in the panel van at -10 felt positively topical

Woke up late for me and got the coffee on and more grub before kit faffing and heading home the longer(head windy) way..stopped off at the much needed Velo cafe and kept tapping it (slowly by now) out . Total mileage 106 so misson accomplished and looking forward to Feb already .
Not a cat in hells chance of me sussing photo posting which is a pity as unusually I got some good un's

Johnallan · Post by **Johnallan** » Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:37 pm

Stinginglip wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:16 pm Well that's my BaM cherry popped.

Nice one Martin. I guessed it was you from the earlier post

There's a useful guide on here somewhere for posting photos. Pretty simple really, even for a luddite like me.

Top job

Moder-dye · Post by **Moder-dye** » Mon Jan 23, 2023 9:24 am

Breakfast of champions! Hot choccy and pot noodle. Had some porridge with me but fancied the pot noodle

Had a comfier camp than in a tent or bivy; the old joints approved. Nice to have a built in rocking chair too

But the DIY underquilt was a fail so I was toasty on top but bloody cold below. I realised my top quilt I was using underneath has the baffle running across rather than along the hammock like proper underquilts do, so all my lovely feathers mainly pooled at the bottom leaving most of my quilt as just thin nylon material with next to no insulation. So better get myself a proper UQ as otherwise this worked well for me. Just need trees!

redefined_cycles · Post by **redefined_cycles** » Mon Jan 23, 2023 10:30 am

Moder-dye wrote: ↑Mon Jan 23, 2023 9:24 am Breakfast of champions! Hot choccy and pot noodle. Had some porridge with me but fancied the pot noodle

Had a comfier camp than in a tent or bivy; the old joints approved. Nice to have a built in rocking chair too

But the DIY underquilt was a fail so I was toasty on top but bloody cold below. I realised my top quilt I was using underneath has the baffle running across rather than along the hammock like proper underquilts do, so all my lovely feathers mainly pooled at the bottom leaving most of my quilt as just thin nylon material with next to no insulation. So better get myself a proper UQ as otherwise this worked well for me. Just need trees!

Very happy for you Moder-Dye. I wouldn't have a clue with tarps and hammocks (but I do have quilt by Hammock Gear which the baffles run the wrong way - maybe that's why the original owner sold it me on ebay!) but have come to realise that the -5 Tundra bag I bought might not be warm enough for snow season. Was thinking about you last night whilst tucked away safely inside

Well done and I look forward to what next month bringeth (I'm still working up to this months

).

Moder-dye · Post by **Moder-dye** » Mon Jan 23, 2023 10:56 am

Cheers Shaf, look forward to seeing your trip, don't fall off those cliffs

redefined_cycles · Post by **redefined_cycles** » Mon Jan 23, 2023 11:17 am

plan is to sleep amongst the bouldering rocks to get some sort of shelter. Last night I realised that the liklihood of anything being flat is low. So it'll be a slippery cold night

Good news is that the missus is buying me a shiny new jacket this month. I'm going for an upgrade to the 8 (or so) old Rab Microlight

(not told her the cost yet).

Verena · Post by **Verena** » Tue Jan 24, 2023 7:53 am

Nice one January BAM peeps

RIP · Post by **RIP** » Tue Jan 24, 2023 5:43 pm

^ Aye.

Some would say February is the one that thins out the field, although personally it's been one of my favourite months in the past. Am even having my sleeping bags cleaned specially for the occasion this year.

Lazarus · Post by **Lazarus** » Tue Jan 24, 2023 5:53 pm

pencilled in for this Sunday night - been a struggle for time for a variety of reasons

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