It's not all lovely sunsets, wilderness fires and #danglemugs you know! There's a side of bikepacking the media keeps quiet about. No snow covered trails, no remote waterfalls, no hipster beards and Crikey, how much jerseys. It's November in the Highlands and it's been wet. Except when it's been very cold. Then it's been very cold and wet. Having not been out overnight for a couple of weeks I needed a fix and decided to ride down to the coast towards Findhorn and Roseisle Forest. It's a favourite spot and was the location of the start of my current streak of 36 consecutive Bivvy-a-Months. Taking the Speyside Way to Grantown and then the Dava Way to Forres makes it almost all off road.
Yesterdays ride started out OK. There's been a bit of snow at low level and patches could still be found in shaded spots. The rest had thawed out making the trails a bit damp. Still, despite all the gates, Grantown was reached without drama. The first section of the Dava Way was a warning. It was wet. Very wet. Thankfully, I was managing to avoid most of the worst of it.
P1060156 by Colin Cadden, on FlickrAs I climbed higher onto Dava Moor, I entered a bank of thick, freezing mist. Not only was this chilling me, it was also killing the last of the evening sun and it wasn't too long before I was using the light to see where I was going.
P1060158 by Colin Cadden, on FlickrAt a couple of points, I could look up and see clear sky, so it wasn't a thick layer, just enough to make me cold and even wetter. By the time I reached the Half Way Hut I was seriously thinking about jacking it in. If I'd have more food with me, I likely would have but I'd planned to eat in Findhorn.
P1060159 by Colin Cadden, on FlickrI cracked on, at least now heading downhill. The trail was just a river at times and everything I was wearing was getting muddier and wetter. 70km after starting out I hit Findhorn and the Kimberley Inn. Fair to say I got some "looks" from the other guests as I grabbed a table and started to divest myself of cold, wet clothing.
Still, there's always decent food here so after mains and dessert and a couple of pints of Hurricane, it was time to get dressed up again and head along to Roseisle Forest. A combination of planning and careful unpacking got my tarp up and bag out without slathering mud on everything and I was glad to get into the bag to warm up. It didn't take long to drift off.
6am pee time and it was still dark, so I waited until it was first light before firing up the stove and getting some coffee on. There was a brief - maybe 20 minute - point at which the whole exercise seemed worthwhile, lying warm in my bag, morning cuppa and watching the sky go first pink and then a misty blue, with birds on their morning flights. All was well.
P1060165 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr
P1060167 (2) by Colin Cadden, on FlickrAfter that, it was time to head back to Forres for breakfast and then back to Grantown. This time, I decided to head up the road. It would be slow and boring but definitely drier than last night. Inevitably I hit the freezing fog again. Other than that, load up the next photo onto your laptop and stare at it while standing at the open door of your freezer for a couple of hours. That was basically my ride home (for the full effect get someone to spray you repeatedly with icy water).
P1060169 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr11/11.
36 in a row.
61/71 (IIRC)
. I know I know, cue all the discussions about "what's the point of choosing to have a 'miserable' time?", "stop being elitist" (as if there was anything elitist about pitching a tarp in the rain!) etc 
.
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I remember it being pretty grim three years ago....
just without the salary. Looks like a nice clear cold night.
