Please indulge me while I recount some accounts of the overnight trips I have done this year.

10th May 2024
Home to Hest Bank and to caravan
Mileage: 69.78 miles

Planet X Tempest
Alpkit Elan bivvy bag
Pod 1 handlebar bag and harness
Lidl saddlepack
Alpkit Cloudcover quilt

Weather- clear and bright.

The weather was looking favourable, I was ready for my first trip of the year and, as last year, I used Albion’s 12 hours in May as an incentive. I’d done some research on t’internet and formulated a rough plan. Setting off after I’d had my tea when I got home from work on Friday night I was going to head up the A6 and turm off at Hest Bank. I’d discovered it the weekend before when we stopped off at the café on the way back from the caravan. There was an interesting looking Real Ale pub, decent views out to sea and scope for a quiet bivvy spot. In the morning I could break camp and carry on to the caravan.
The journey up the A6 was much as usual. Traffic thinned out once Preston was passed. I turned off the A6 as I neared Slyne. Followed the road as it dropped down into Hest Bank with a brief stop to admire the canal as I went over the bridge. I passed The Crossing micro pub and then carried on to the track overlooking the sea. It was a lovely clear night and there was the beginning of an impressive sunset. The pub gets it’s name from the railway crossing right next to it. Trains heading up and down the coast very frequently so the barriered crossing and the warning bells were much in evidence as I went for a pint and sat outside to sup it. I had a bit of a chat with a local guy who knew Darwen well and caught the sun as it sunk below the horizon.
It soon got cold so I put a few more layers on and had another couple of pints whilst waiting for it to go dark.
The landlord of the pub was a bit distant at first but, once I’d made it plain I was putting money in the till and had a conversation and what beers he had in, he was lot more forthcoming.
He asked me where I was staying for the night and when I said ‘A field’ he was telling me when I could go ‘And if you get any hassle tell ‘em Gaz sent you..’ This made me smile as I left and got back on the bike. I bumped down the track in the darkness (I didn’t put my light on as I didn’t want to show where I was going) and managed to fall off on the sand. Carrying on I headed for the spot I’d planned. There was a large field before a caravan site.The corner of it, facing the sea, was a triangle that was fenced off. Inside the fence was a statue called the Praying Shell. It is widely belived to be a memorial to the Chinese cockle pickers who drowned in the disaster several years ago, but it was actually planned before this happened. This small area was my spot for the night. As I was close to the caravan site I tried to be as unobtrusive as I could although I suspect I wouldn’t be seen from the few caravans that had open curtains as they had their lights on inside.
I leant the bike against the fence and quickly put up the Bivvy bag and got into the quilt. I had cooled considerably and I wore everything I could. The 3 pints I’d drunk at the pub meant that I had to get up a few times during the night for a pee. During one of the trips out of the bivvy bag I looked blearily at the sky and noticed that there were some strange grey lines in it. Thinking no more about it I tried to get my head down again.
It wasn’t the best night’s sleep tbh but I woke before dawn and was on the road about 5 ish. I lifted my loaded bike over the fence and went through the caravan site as it was the easiest way to get to the road. I did consider using the toilet there but I opted to carry on.
The roads were lovely and quiet and I got back to the A6 near Bolton Le Sands and headed on towards the caravan. Feeling brave I decided to try out the short cut near Levens that went over the (cow sub standard covered) farm bridge over the A590 that cuts a few miles and a steep hill. Looking at my phone I read a message from Hannah saying that she was gutted to miss that Northern Light’s last night. WTF?! So that was what the grey lines were all about. Gah!
I rode on to Grange and stopped for a brew and a pie for breakfast at a café then carried on to Old Park Wood.
I’d enjoyed my trip despite the lack of sleep (again) and had been lucky with the weather. I’d also manage to complete 12 Hours in May again so that pleased me.
Lessons learned: the quilt doesn’t keep me warm enough and is hard to stay covered up with it so more clothes need to be warn (buff, wool socks?), don’t drink so much beer as what goes in must come out. The handlebar bag still need a bit of work as it still obstructs the brake levers when in the drops.

22nd June 2024
Caravan to Hoathwaite, Lakota Expeditions Camp & Social ride, return to caravan in the morning and home.
Mileage: 23.5 (and 100.3 home)

Planet X Tempest
Phoxx 1 v2
Pod 1 harness
Ortleib quickrack
Alpkit Cloudcover quilt

Weather- clear and bright.

This was a new one on me - I’d spotted a flier in Alpkit Ambleside for a ‘Camp and Social’ event by Lakota Expeditions. It was free apart from the campsite fee of a tenner and I was intrigued. I got in contact with the guy who organised it, found out a few details and signed up with no clear idea of what to expect. Early doors on the Saturday morning I set off from the caravan feeling a bit mixed. I’d just bought an Ortleib quickrack and was keen to try it out. The bag from the Pod handlebar harness fitted on it really well. I used a couple of straps from an old car bike rack to attached it and it worked really well. It was also the weekend of the Retsrap Solstice Century which I have enjoyed doing previously. I was a bit fed up that I’d have to be doing either one thing or the other until the penny dropped and I figured out that I could do both with a bit of planning.
I got to the campsite overlooking Coniston Water, found the Lakota group and, after introductions were made, I set up the tent. It was mostly friends and family of the organiser so a mixed group ranging from teenage to middle age – and me! The start time advertised for the ride out came and went and people were still arriving and faffing but that was ok. It was a nice day and the sun was shining. Finally we set off and were led on a largely offroad route that ended up by the shores of Grasmere. There was some concern about how long the chosen route was going to take some of the slower riders and it became an out and back ride.It was good too. I spent most of my time riding at the front with the kids, having fun.
While everyone else was preparing homemade pizzas at the campsite I rode back to Coniston and got an Indian from Sara’s restaurant. And very nice it was too. I nipped into the Co-op and got a 4 pack which I transported back to the site in the pockets of my jersey. A pleasant evening shooting the breeze with everyone getting slightly tipsy round the firepit ensued.
I got to bed around 11.30 ish. It wasn’t the best night’s sleep ever. I was close to someone lese’s tent and everytime they turned over in their sleep they made a lot of rustling noises. And they snored. Super.
I broke camp before 5 and crept about so as to not disturb the others. I rode back to our caravan along deserted roads, which was nice. After having some porrage I took off all the bike packing stuff from my bike so that I could ride back home to make up the distance of 100 miles for the Restrap Solstice Century. I had to extend the direct route with about 10 miles round Bolton to make it up to the full distance but I was quite pleased that I was feeling good and had a bit of a ‘race’ with a guy on a road bike along Belmont Rd. We even both overtook a car on the descent!
So, two birds killed with one stone and a fun weekend was had.

Sounds like you had some fun there. Amazing how many beers you can squeeze into cycle jersey pockets isn't it .

Earplugs .

Mr Sparkle wrote: ↑Fri Sep 27, 2024 1:29 pm It wasn’t the best night’s sleep ever. I was close to someone else’s tent and every time they turned over in their sleep they made a lot of rustling noises. And they snored. Super.

And

Mr Sparkle wrote: ↑Fri Sep 27, 2024 1:29 pm I broke camp before 5 and crept about so as to not disturb the others.

I think you'll find the protocol here is to shout "Bye Everyone" repeatably whist ringing your bell as you leave

9th August 2024
Darwen to Conder Green (and to caravan in the morning)

Planet X Tempest
Alpkit Elan bivvybag
Pod 1 harness
Ortleib quickrack

Weather- dry, slightly cloudy and overcast.


Home to bivvy – 35.2 miles. Bivvy to caravan – 37.2 miles

‘Well, this was a bit of a miscalculation’, I thought as I hammered along trying in vain to reach the coast before the sun dipped below the horizon. I grabbed a quick photo of a sunlit church whilst riding but I knew I wasn’t going to get to Glasson Dock in time. I was also loath to go absolutely flat out and end up soaked in sweat and freezing cold later. I compromised and arrived as dusk began but there was still enough light for a whistlestop tour of the attractions before locating the cyclepath along the marshy mudflats to Conder Green and the pub. There was a couple taking a romantic selfie looking out to sea but otherwise I had it to myself. Pausing briefly I watched the local birdlife preparing to settle for the night, and take in the smell of the sea and the calls of the birds in the growing gloom.
I pulled up at the Stork and locked my bike to one of the extremely convenient bike racks by the front door. Very civilised. Beverage procured, I made my way to a comforable aim chair next to the window so I could watch night fall whilst keeping an eye on the bike.
Several beers later I made my (slightly reluctant) exit from the warm and cosy pub and headed off to my pre-planned bivvy spot. It was along the smooth cyclepath so I was able to pedal fast enough to generate some heat as I peered ahead searching for the picnic area that I’d selected with the help of Google Earth and YouTube. Finally I got there and quickly set up the bivvy bag behind one of the benches facing the sea. I had a bite to eat and enjoyed the quiet in the cool breeze before getting my head down.
I woke early as per usual, tucked into a bar for brekky and then broke camp before it was fully light. I was soon spinning up the cyclepath and heading towards Lancaster. It took me into the city and along side the Lune. I was surprised by how many runners were about so early in the morning. I decided it must be an organised dawn club run. The route took me over a bridge and dropped me back on the A6. I was pretty impressed with the cycle infrastructure in that part of Lancaster, I have to say.
Heading North I took a spur of the moment decision and got onto the canal. I don’t generally enjoy riding on tow paths if I’m honest but it was quiet and it was a good opportunity to see some wildlife and different views. I came off at Carnforth and then it was the usual route up to Milnethorpe, Levens via the (cow sub standard bridge) and onto Grange for a brew stop and onto the caravan.
Despite not appreciating how early the sun was setting and having to rush on the way up I really enjoyed this trip. Again I was visiting an area that I not been before and it was helping me fill in a few missing pieces of the local landscape jigsaw in my mind.