New Years Revolutions

Happy New Year to you all. Let’s hope for brighter things in 2013.

Amongst the New Year messages on Twitter, I see that Rio Ferdinand has inadvertently upset a few people with a jokey comment that has been taken the wrong way. I’m not a United fan so it pains me to say it but I actually like Rio. I think he’s one of the few footballers that does make an effort to interact with fans and make a difference so I was disappointed to see the backlash.

I think his tweet did help to once again highlight the huge void between the working class and the super rich. Rio’s one of the privileged few to do something they enjoy and get paid ridiculous money to do it. Would I want it? Certainly. Do I begrudge him? No.

I think that the majority of footballers would still play football even if they earned less than the minimum wage – just through a love of the game. Society, media and the endorsement companies are to blame for the rise in salaries so why should the players be penalised for doing what they enjoy?

You can’t ignore the reality of life though. If I were lucky enough to receive a lump sum equal to that of a Premiership footballer’s weekly wage, it would set my family and I up for life. It would mean that I could finally put a deposit down and buy a house. It would mean the kids could finally have a bedroom each in a house that we own and it would give hope to a more promising future where we can provide for them completely and help towards their future.

I think that’s where the general resentment comes from. There are those of us who work full time but still struggle to provide the basic fundamentals that make a family secure. We’ve effectively been priced out of the game, the Premiership mid-table teams who are just happy for the lucky cup run. I’m not poor, but I’m not rich. We have nice things but not the nicest of things but then I don’t have to worry about feeding and clothing the kids so are a lot more fortunate than some in this country.

Whilst provisions and help are in place for those who don’t/can’t/don’t want to work, there’s nothing there to help the inbetweeners like me. What’s to say that today’s inbetweeners won’t be tomorrow’s poor? The sad truth is that most of us live in hope for that lottery win that will never come so we can have the things that a generation before took for granted.

Most people want to just get on and work, buy a house and raise a family. A celebrity lifestyle, a mansion and a Ferrari would be nice but I’d be just as happy with a 3 bedroom end of terrace.

History has always shown that there will be rich and poor. Today’s footballers are yesterday’s industrialists, land owners and aristocrats. A minority will always begrudge them. What makes me laugh is how all of a sudden people are saying Britain’s "broken". I don’t think it was ever “fixed”.

Welsh Rain Thing

I think my game plan was wrong from the start. I’d spent so much time on kit choice and faffing that I failed to properly plan my weekend and get my head into the right place for what should be a relaxed event.

That being said, the weather didn’t help. I set off on Saturday morning with an excited knot in my stomach at the prospect of what lay ahead. I knew that I’d probably packed too much food but wanted to cover all bases with the knowledge that I could be completely self sufficient for the weekend.

My hardtail bike was prepared and having been undecided on whether to use a bivi bag and tarp or opt for a tent, I decided that with the heavy rain that was forecast, a tent would offer a more relaxed experience and give me sufficient shelter from the rain. There was a massive weight penalty though of about 1.8kg because the only small tent I own is an old 2 person backpacking tent. The only saving grace was that the tent fitted snugly, strapped to the inside of my bike’s main triangle

After a nice and smooth journey, I arrived at Stu and Dee’s place for the scheduled start. They live in a lovely location and it’s hard not to be envious when you see the beautiful surroundings. There were plenty of raffle prizes on offer (sadly, I didn’t win any!) and bikes and kit were weighed. My stuff came in at a whopping 67lbs but I was carrying 2 litres of water and enough food for a small army.

We were sent on our merry way and headed out into the hills. I headed south and then east to the wind farm at Trannon. I’d been looking forward to seeing the wind farm but the climb up to it with a fully laden bike came as a shock. The remainder of the day was on gravel tracks and quiet roads with a particularly nasty bridleway which turned out to be a midge infested bog through the trees. I was immediately up to my calves which meant that my waterproof boots were now full of water as they filled up from the top. It was pretty unrideable so after all the hard work climbing, I had to drag the bike about a mile downhill. The views were spectacular though and at times I felt in the complete wilderness.

It was after the bog that I started pushing harder to reach Lake Vyrnwy. My planned route had the lake as my overnight bivi spot and I had it in my head that I was determined to reach it, which I did but at the cost of completely exhausting myself. I think the problem is that I’ve spent too much time road riding where distance and speed are a priority. I find it hard to take a step back and get it in my head that it’s not a race and because I couldn’t relax into the experience, I pushed too far when I would have been better off to stop in the Dyfi forest where I was a bit drier and have more rest.

Just as I approached the turn off for the lake road, I met a fellow rider who said that he’d heard of a farm further towards town where the farmer allowed camping for £2. I was so tired at this point that anywhere would have done so we headed straight there and were met by the farmer who allowed us to fill our water bottles from the tap outside his kitchen before I pitched my tent at the bottom of his field by a river. After cooking up some dinner and fighting with the midges, it was time for bed.

It rained all night and at times I woke up cold but fortunately, the tent stayed nice and dry. A wet start meant that everything got packed away wet and by the time I set off again, my heart really wasn’t in the ride. I started with the intention of a ride in the general direction of the start with a café stop before camping again but after the first few miles, I was struggling to warm up and knew that a wet night in the cold would be miserable so I took the easy option of a road ride back to the start and headed home for the night.

What did I learn?

Basically that mountain biking and bikepacking are two different kettles of fish. My route was too ambitious in the wet (probably in the dry too for that matter) and I should have scaled back my ambition sooner.

I need to relax and learn to enjoy these kind of things rather than pushing on when the whole ethos of the event is to have fun and enjoy it.

I think that next year, I will make sure I don’t ride alone as company will make the whole thing more enjoyable. I think a few more overnighters will help set me up into the right frame of mind to take things easier.

Kit that worked:

My Montane fireball smock and featherlite trousers were brilliant. The smock kept me nice and warm and boosted the rating of my sleeping bag while the trousers just took the chill off my legs. I slipped on a set of knee warmers underneath them as the evening got cooler.

The tent! Heavy in bikepacking terms but kept me nice and dry and afforded me the luxury of a large dry area to relax and unwind.

Garmin Etrex Hcx – I use this all the time for hiking so know how good it is. Meant that navigation was a doddle all weekend.

Alpkit dry bags. Everything stayed dry despite the downpour.

Kit that didn’t work:

Me.

Karrimor dry bag holding my first aid kit – FAIL!

A short camping mat - It would be unfair to say that the Base 120 mat from Alpkit didn’t work because it was adequate to sleep on. The only fail is that I opted for the short version which meant that my legs got cold during the night but this is poor kit choice on my part. I’ll be looking at alternatives in the near future.

Plan for next year:

Take less stuff!

I carried a lot of unnecessary clutter that I could have done without. I had a big hang up about powering my phone and ipod so carried a couple of spare phone batteries and a Vehu Pebble external battery pack. For 3+ days this might have been necessary but it was a bit OTT for what I did.

Carry less water. If I had a reliable filtration system like a Travel Tap, I’d have more confidence for carrying less as there was plenty of water laying around the place!

Carry less food. I was over cautious and carried too much.

Bike choice is open for debate next year too. Using a hard tail mountain bike was fine but a bit of a slog on the road and arguably a bit more than necessary for the predominant gravel tracks I was riding. I was glad to have gears, especially as I got more tired so was pleased that I hadn’t got round to converting the bike to singlespeed. I think with a set of wider tyres, my Specialized Sirrus hybrid could have worked and would have been lighter and more efficient. A few test rides off road will soon tell.

A better route choice with options to stop for food and more realistic daily targets will make all the difference next year, plus I need to learn to relax and enjoy the ride……..

Final preparations……

The Welsh Ride Thing is finally upon us and months of preparation have come to an end. Lately, I’ve been doing very little on the bike but have been getting out for more and more walks, which now means that a couple of the guys are taking great pleasure in calling me Rambler Dan and liking me to every person we see with a rucksack.
Last week, I went rock climbing with Hatt Adventures. It’s the first time I’ve ever tried it and I found that it was really enjoyable but very tough. I’d certainly like to do it again sometime but think I will do a few indoor bouldering sessions before I do another outdoor course. I certainly won’t be buying any kit though as I’ve spent enough already this year!

As the course was at Harrison’s Rocks in the middle of the woods, I decided that it would be good to test my bivvying gear prior to the WRT. Last week was especially hot and sticky but I managed to find a good spot and set up camp. The tarp was a struggle and as rain wasn’t forecast, I decided to ditch it and just sleep in the bivvy bag. After an hour of mozzies buzzing around my head (I’d forgotten the head net and mozzie spray), I decided that I’d had enough and got the pop-up tent out of the car which meant I had a better night sleep. The mat was as uncomfortable as I’d expected but my lightweight sleeping bag was ok, if a little chilly in the morning, which resulted on me adding a fleece around 6am.

I hadn’t appreciated just how bad I’d been bitten and by Friday night, one of my legs had ballooned. The doctor said I had a blood infection and so I’ve spend the last week on antibiotics, which in turn kept me off work as they’re a pretty strong dosage and upset my body a fair bit!

Anyway, so I’m all set for the weekend but it looks like it’s going to be a rainy one. I’m torn between using the bivvy and putting up with the rain and midges or whether to use my 2 person backpacking tent. It means a 1.4kg weight penalty but I know I’ll be more comfortable and happier in it, which will make the weekend more enjoyable.

I think unless the forecast drastically changes, I’ll opt for the tent. My route is all planned. I hope to cover approximately 100 miles over the 3 days but there are bail out points if I struggle. Having no knowledge of the area, I don’t know the kind of ground I’ll be covering so if it’s particularly boggy, I may struggle. I guess that’s why it’s so much of an adventure.

Precaution wise, I’ve set up Buddy Beacon so that I can be tracked as and when I have mobile signal and I’ll be carrying a good old map and compass as backup.

So my final(ish) kit list is:

Shelter/Sleep:
Eurohike Backpacker 210 tent or Rab Storm Bivvy and silnylon tarp.
Alpkit Base 120 mat
Lifeventure Downlight 600 sleeping bag
Exped pillow

Cooking/Food/Water:
MSR Pocket Rocket stove
125g gas canister
Lifeventure Ti Mug
Blacks solo panset
Spork
Lhoon (long handled ti spoon)
Lighter
Fire steel
1L camelback bladder
750ml bottle
Chlorine dioxide purification tablets
2 x dehydrated meals
1 x instant porridge
8 x brioche/raison roll/waffle (selection of for breakfasts/snacks)
5 x pepperami
1 packet cheese crackers
Cereal bars
Banana chips
Coffee sachets
Horlicks sachets
High 5 Zero electrolyte tablets

Clothing:
Montane fireball smock
Montane featherlight trousers
Regatta shorts
Cotton hat
Buff
Mosquito head net
2 x base layers
1 x pair evening socks
2 x riding socks (wearing 1)
Flip flops
2 x cycling jerseys (wearing 1)
2 x bib shorts (wearing 1)
Gloves
Arm warmers
Knee warmers
Waterproof jacket
Sunglasses
Paracord wristband with whistle buckle

Misc:
Etrex HCX gps
Spare AA batteries
OS map
Compass
Mapping on phone
Vehu Pebble external power pack
Spare phone battery
Alpkit Gamma headtorch
First aid kit
Alcohol hand gel
Biodegradeable wet wipes
Suncream
Anti-mozzie roll on
Ear plugs
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Microfibre towel
Book
Ipod shuffle
2 x inner tubes
1 x Park patch kit
Tyre levers
Multitool with chain breaker
Leatherman Charge Ti
Chain lube
Chain link
Pump
Gaffa Tape
Zip ties
Trowel

I’ll let you know how it goes…..

Spring has sprung....

Time to touch base with you all again and give you an update on what’s been happening….

The last few weeks have mainly been about spending time as a family. We’ve been to a few National Trust places which is always a nice day out and took the kids on a walk over the North Downs around Reigate Fort. This past weekend, we went to Birling Gap on the south coast and were graced with some beautiful weather considering the time of year. Always a bit nervous having a 4 year old near a cliff edge! Great views and a nice potential spot for some wild camping.

 
I’ve been getting out on the bike a bit more, mixing things up between road and mountain bike. The warm weather is making me favour the road bike again. It’s good to get some decent miles in and try to build up a bit of fitness. I think the yoga has helped with my flexibility on the bike, I seem to be able to get lower to the bars and more comfortable. I don’t think I’ll ever be a yoga master but I can certainly see the benefits of it so I’ll continue with it as every little helps!

I will be taking a break from signing up for a block yoga course though as it’s quite a commitment and with the light evenings now, I want to be out riding more. I’ll still drop into the classes on an ad hoc basis but I have other priorities at the moment.
 

I need to do some overnight trips in preparation for the Welsh Ride Thing and I’m gonna have a crack at doing the 90 day P90X workout to get fitter for the summer which is a massive commitment in itself! I’ll supplement some of the cardio sessions for riding though which means I just have to fit in 60 minutes a day on the other days. There’s a yoga session too as part of the structure so that will ensure I keep the up with the yoga before booking back onto the course later in the summer.

Plans for the Welsh Ride Thing are slowly improving. I’ve got all my kit now and tried it on the bike last week. I’ve used the Eurohike down bag a few times indoors over winter and have been absolutely roasting! For this reason, I think it will be too hot for Wales in June so have got a lightweight Lifeventure Downlight 660 bag which weighs in around 700g. It packs very small and is lighter than the Eurohike bag and means I can get everything in the dry bag on the handlebars. I’ll post some pictures of the loaded bike when I load it up again as I forgot to take any this time. If the weather is too cold, I can sleep in my Montane Fireball smock as I’ll be carrying it anyway. The sleeping bag has a comfort rating of around 12 degrees but I sleep warm anyway.

Other purchases of late include some new Karrimor KSB walking boots. I’ve had my old Karrimor boots for 5 years now and it was time to update them. I’m getting into the walking a bit more and will be doing a fair bit in the Peak District over Easter. I’ve got a long term plan of summiting Mont Blanc but this could be a couple of years off yet as I’ll need to gain other experience first in the UK mountains with some hill walking and scrambling.

I’ve signed up for a rock climbing course in May which will teach me the basics before we head into Europe for the summer. This year we’re going to the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia so will have good opportunity to engage in some outdoor pursuits. I’ll be taking the mountain bike and hope to do a bit of hiking along with some scrambling and climbing.

I’ve picked up some other outdoor bits – a North Face Venture rain jacket and a 50L Forclaz Ultralight rucksack. I’ll give my verdict on both when they see some use!

Time to get out and enjoy the sunshine……

Hurting

Having trouble walking today after yesterday's run.
Feel even more pathetic. Who would know a measly 1.6 miles could hurt this much?!
My muscles are not used to the whole running motion.
I can now definitely confirm:

Running sucks.

Shhh, it's a secret...

I want to get this straight from the start. I hate running. Over the last few weeks though, I’ve noticed that I’ve got lazier and slightly fatter. Since taking up cycling, I have lost weight but my upper body is still rounder than I like and, although I do have a reasonable level of endurance, I lack the lung capacity for sustained efforts. When you throw everything into the mix, I need to do something other than cycling. Yoga is good and I’m enjoying it but I need the extra bit of cardio. This morning, I had a later start at work so I decided to get up early and go for a run. I'm keeping this pretty quiet though amongst my cycling buddies (they never read this blog anyway. In fact, I’m pretty sure nobody does). Stealth training if you like. I'm hoping to lose a fair chunk of weight and increase my stamina prior to the start of those spring rides. I'm hoping to turn up, buff and lean and get the leg up on the season ahead.

Did I enjoy this morning's run? Nope. I managed a pathetic 1.6 miles but I guess everyone starts somewhere. Running distances are feeble though. In cycling terms, in 1.6 miles I’ve barely clipped in and adjusted my crotch. I will be running again though, often, perhaps every day until I develop some decent skills or until KFC go bust. It'll help for my next hair brain idea, or fad if you like. More details to follow at a later date. Clue: it involves outdoors and heights and the Alps or similar.....

Loving the outdoors

Not had too much of a chance to get out on the bike of late but I have just spent the weekend with the in-laws in the Peak District. I absolutely love it up there.
I got out on the mountain bike on Sunday for a short while but had most fun climbing over the rocks at Higgar Tor. He enjoyed it too.....

Waiting for the postman...

My spending spree continues. This week I'm eagerly awaiting the delivery of my new Montane Fireball Smock. It's an ultra light top that uses Primaloft insulation which is very warm, even when wet. Should be a valuable piece of kit to carry on my events. More when it arrives...

Welsh Ride Thing 2012

I finally took the plunge and have signed up for the Welsh Ride Thing 2012 and I’m a little bit excited about it to say the least!


For anyone not familiar with the theme, it’s a self-sufficient mountain biking weekend where you carry all your kit with you, sleeping wild (if you wish) and collect as many checkpoints as you can.

The beauty of the event is that you decide the distance and what you want to do. The grid references are there really to guide you towards some good riding.

Even though it’s only January, I’ve already started compiling a kit list for the bits I’m planning on using. I now have even more opportunity to buy more kit!

I’ve even started listing what I have and respective weights so that I can try to stay as light as possible. I think that I am pretty much there with everything that I need. I have a few more items that I would like, such as some sort of lightweight down vest and a merino wool base layer.

Here is a list of what I have so far. I have a choice of two sleeping bags dependant on the weather (weight in grams):

Rab Storm Bivvy Bag 550

Alpkit Base 120 Mattress 525

Silnylon Tarp 200

Guy lines 75

Eurohike Down 500 Sleeping Bag 1100

Karrimor Global traveller 700 Sleeping Bag 750

Exped Pillow 75

MSR Pocket Rocket Stove (inc case) 100

125g Gas Canister 210

Lifeventure Ti Mug 75

Blacks Solo Pan Set (lid 90g) 200

Spork 5

Fire Steel 10

Mora Knife 100

Alpkit Gamma Head Torch 105

Alpkit 8L Airlok Dry Bag (Rear) 80

Alpkit 13L Airlok Dry Bag (Front) 100

Aluminium V Peg x 6 (5g each) 30

Leatherman (No case) 200

Multi Tool 150

Peter Storm Thermal Top 190

Peter Storm Thermal Bottoms 180

Base weight is around 4kg. There will obviously be more things to consider such as evening wear (tuxedo etc) and food (caviar, Moet etc).
As soon as the weather improves, the serious testing will begin……

Family time

Usually on a Sunday morning, I go out for a bike ride which gives me a bit of freedom and the rest of the family a chance to laze about.
At this time of year when pace slows slightly and summer drifts into a memory, we find ourselves having more time to spend alone as a family which is always a good thing. We enjoy camping and the outdoors so it's becoming a bit of a ritual that Sunday afternoons are spent wandering around together.
We're National Trust members which gives great opportunity for an inexpensive day out. Last week we headed out into Surrey and spent an enjoyable few hours walking through the woods at Winkworth Arboretum. It was really beautiful but a little cold so we were glad to find the shelter of the boathouse to have our lunch.
Also gave me the opportunity to try out my new MSR Pocket Rocket with a round of hot drinks. I was a bit of a hero with the kids when I whipped up a surprise hot chocolate!

I'm rubbish.

No really I am. I’m full of excuses too.

All my best laid plans haven’t really taken off! Christmas bivvy was cancelled (wimped out and went for a ride around Ladybower). To be fair I kind of didn’t see the point in sitting out in the cold and dark from 4.30pm just for the sake of doing it. I’m itching to get out but will wait until March when I can coax some friends out to join me.

Afan didn’t happen this month either, just haven’t had the time to get away for a whole weekend. I am doing an Audax on Sunday though so it’s not as if I’m not riding! 65 miles at this time of year should be a nice test of fitness. I’m still feeling relatively strong although the pounds have crept on over Christmas.

The turbo trainer has been promoted from the garage to the dining room and occasionally gets glanced at. I’ve managed three sessions on it this week and I can see that picking up with time.

Purchases? The last couple couple of weeks have seen a few new additions. Firstly, I’ve revolutionised my whole shaving experience by switching to a DE safety razor which is a nice retro twin sided bladed approach to shaving. I started with a cheap Boots job but have since bought a Merkur 34c. I’m pretty impressed and have tweeted a few times about it. Shaving’s actually become more enjoyable and a lot closer. I feel more manly too. GGGRRRRRR.

Another blade in my household is a Mora knife which should see some outdoors action as the year goes on. I’ve also picked up an MSR Pocket Rocket because my meths stove leaked in my bag and I’ve just found it too messy to work with. I’ll take the weight penalty for the ease of use. I think that because of the convenience of gas the MSR will see more action.

Second Yoga lesson this week and I’m still enjoying it. I think Matt took it easy on our first session because this week I really ache. I’ll report back in due course as it’s still early days but I think it will have great benefits to my core strength.

And breathe...

Every winter it's a struggle to out on the bike but in the last couple of weeks I've been a bit more motivated to invest in my cycling.
Unfortunately the weather has been pretty awful on my days off so I've not put in as many miles as I would like but I'm feeling optimistic about riding. No huge plans for any major events but I do have a few ideas.
I can't say that the cycle show in London last week was particularly exciting. All much of the same really so I won't bore you on the details. I'm just glad that I blagged a free ticket rather than paying for one!
The main reason for my positivity is that I had my first Yoga session last night and it's stimulated me to think more about my breathing and posture. It's early days but I'll give a more detailed post in the next few weeks.
Happy new year everybody.

What's cracking?

Thought i'd give you a bit of an update for where things are at the moment.

Riding has taken a dip lately, just struggling to find motivation if i'm honest. No real targets to train for and the dark nights aren't inspiring me to get out and ride. I bought a new light thinking that being able to see where I was going might help but i've only used it twice in the last couple of weeks and on the second time, a funny looking man lingering in the woods made my ride a little uneasy. I should really man up!

Now that my winter road bike is freshly serviced, i'll get out a bit more in the evenings to try not to turn into too much of a blimp. I need less days like yesterday where I sack off my ride after 4 miles and go for a Pizza Hut buffet. Didn't attempt the full record of 17 slices but put in a steady 14 with a side salad.

I've bought a few new pieces of bivvying kit. Mainly Alpkit stuff - a few dry bags and such like. Also got a cheap down sleeping bag from Millets in the sale which they reckon has a comfort rating of -4 degrees and an extreme rating of -21. Think this is very optimistic though as it is really thin. I'll give it a go though and if I freeze to death, i'll know who to blame.

One bonus of the cold weather is that i've been allowed one of my Christmas presents early - my lovely Alpkit Filo jacket. It's proper toasty and for the money, a bit of a bargain. I can see why the sleeping bags are so popular now and think that if I live through winter, i'll treat myself to one of their bags asap.

I have a bivvy trip lined up for the Christmas break (if I don't squeeze one in before). I'm meeting up with a friend who's also keen to give it a go and we're heading out into the Peak District. Should be a good laugh. I've bought a hip flask for the occasion so I can drink myself to sleep. I'll post pictures and a full on kit list when it happens so keep your eyes peeled.

Not much else going on. Still considering the Mach n Back but will wait to see how this first trip goes. I think at the least, i'll be heading to Afan in January for some trail centre riding.

Customer Service?

I took my Allez in last week for a service at Bike Plus. Ordinarily I use GB Cycles but Bike Plus is a sister company and it was easier for me to park on my way to visit some friends.


The gears weren’t shifting well and the bike hasn’t been serviced professionally since I got it. I’ve generally worked on it myself but I thought a full service would do it some good heading into winter. I must have picked up a puncture in the morning, prior to dropping the bike off as the front tyre was flat when I put it on the car.

I dropped the bike in and agreed to the £120 full service, explaining that I’d punctured that morning and would like a new tube put in whilst the bike was being worked on.

I collected the bike yesterday and all seemed well so I decided to go for a ride. I got 2 miles down the road before the front was flat again and so had to change the tube. I was so annoyed, I just returned straight home. It was my only real chance of a decent ride this week so I was even more fed up.

I called Bike Plus to see if they’d changed the tube to be told the mechanic put air in it and it seemed to stay up so they thought they’d save me a few pounds by not changing the tube. Now, I’m no mechanic but in all the years I’ve been puncturing tyres, I’ve never seen air repair a tyre. Generally, when a tube gets a puncture, it needs to be repaired or replaced. I wouldn’t have minded so much if I had been told this when I collected the bike as I’d have changed the tube myself, prior to going out or even if the shop had said “you know what, we screwed up.” Instead, I get a shrug of the shoulders and a “not bothered” attitude.

I won’t be using them for a service again……

Motivation

I have none.

That is all.

Taking back nature, one step at a time.

I ventured out on my mountain bike yesterday in the vague hope of finding some wilderness. I struck gold.

I’m used to following my nose on the road but when it comes to off road riding there’s always that nagging doubt that says, “don’t do it – you could die.” Ok maybe, I’m being a bit extreme with the death part, especially living in Surrey but I’m sure you get the theme of what I’m trying to get at here, for a city dweller, I put myself outside of my comfort zone.

Fortunately, I had a route planned on my Garmin Etrex so I wasn’t truly alone out there but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I really was away from it all. I set off from home and headed out onto the North Downs – while I think of it, why are they called Downs? I did a fair bit of climbing. Optimistic mapmaker perhaps? You wouldn’t like to see their 2am girl after a few beers. “Yeah, she’s really good looking……..”

Anyway, so I’m in the wilderness and it’s fun. It’s really fun and I’m asking myself why don’t I do this more often? 4 hours riding around, slipping in mud and crashing through undergrowth is a great way to relieve the stress of normal life. All within 15 miles of Croydon, in the “busy” south east.

Whilst on my mini adventure (which some would call a “bike ride”) I found a beautiful bivvying spot on top of the North Downs (Ups) ridge. Great views, soft comfy ground and close to a pub which holds regular topless modelling competitions – ok I made that last bit up but as I didn’t actually go into the pub, I can’t say for definite that they don’t. My punishment for finding this spot was a puncture but I still think it was worth it.

So when am I bivvying you ask? Soon. I’m practically there with my kit list. I managed to convince my lovely other half to buy me an Alpkit Filo jacket (in Ice Blue if you’re asking) which looks amazing value and should be extremely warm over winter. I considered the “Lego Blue” but I remember my brother getting a Lego man’s head stuck up his nose and that’s a risk I’m not willing to take. I’ve also got an Exped pillow coming from Santa Claus and some nice warm insulated mountain bike shoes. The only thing that’s really stopping me is the weather. I’m scared I’ll freeze to death at night. My sleeping bag is a 2-3 season bag and I know that by having my down jacket, I “could” be ok but for my first bivvy experience, I want it to be warm. I don’t want to have a freezing cold experience that will put me off what will be a good adventure. So, I’m going to wait until I can afford a down sleeping bag. I figure that if I’m going to buy one, I’ll get the best out there and wait until I can afford an Alpkit Pipedream 800 (or 600 in combination with my Filo if needed) which should mean I can theoretically sleep out in snowy conditions and it will be light and not too bulky. I was hoping to do the Mach and Back mountain bike ride in January but that looks like it won’t happen now. I also need to get a tarp to give me some options if the weather turns sour but I might just opt for a micro tarp which would cover just my torso.

One other thing left to buy is a hip flask. I’m determined to get a taste for single malt because a) it is cool and b) I want others to perceive me as being cool. My only concern is that this could turn into an issue in itself. Cold winter night out on the moors – acceptable to have a wee dram? Yes. Nippy morning out on the bike with friends? Nothing wrong with a little convenient drop from a hip flask, especially if you share the wealth. Cold morning outside? A shot to warm the cockles – sounds good to me! Snow outside and a slow morning at work…….. this could lead to a P45 but on the upside, I’d have more time to ride which is always a good thing.

Wacky races...

It's becoming a bit of a tradition that at this time of year, my friend and I ride along some of the route amongst the cars of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Rally.
It's a pleasant morning out and this year we were blessed with mild weather which meant our loop was longer than that of previous years.
Although the route is relatively flat, it's far from easy as our egos dictate the need to sprint against the old cars whenever possible and try to outdrag them on the hills, the result of which left me pretty ruined by the end of the 45 miles.
Still, 30 year old legs are still more than a match for 100 year old cars. Should I be proud of that though? Perhaps not...

Old school...

Have been getting a bit bored with the road bikes of late so decided to head out on the mountain bike today.
Pretty wet and sloppy out on the trails. Discovered some new bridleways though. Was good riding without the pressure of average speeds for a change. Didn't enjoy cleaning the bike after though.....

Bivvy Hunt

Bit of a wet day today so decided to take out the mountain bike to the local woods to find some potential bivvying spots.
Bit sloppy under foot (tyres!) but I did manage to find a nice location near a ridge. Not particularly the biggest adventure in the history of mankind but it means I can be close to home for a trial run before heading further afield...

Playing with fire......

As a man I think there are those among us who act more like children than we like to admit. Personally, I’m a big kid. If I see something I want, I have to have it now. I’m impulsive and a dreamer.

Whilst we were in the Lakes, we got to visit (along with the interesting pencil museum!) a great number of outdoor shops. I love camping almost as much as I love cycling and I’ve been dreaming for some time, the possibility of combining the two. We’re used to car camping, which brings with it an element of comfort that you just can’t realistically achieve on the bike. We have huge tents that are bigger than caravans, 10cm thick sleeping mattresses which are more comfortable than some hotel beds I’ve slept in, electric hook up so that we can watch dvds or power an electric coolbox. These camping luxuries just aren’t possible when you have to carry them in a pannier set or on your back in a rucksack.

Bikepacking is a term that’s been banded about more and more recently in the press and after reading several articles, I think it’s something that I would enjoy. I’d sooner do multi-day pannier laden trips but when you have a young family and leave is precious, compromising is the key.

Multi-day trips aren’t really an option but chucking some lightweight kit into a rucksack and heading out for an overnight break is something I can do with relative ease and after the initial kit outlay, doesn’t need to break the bank, especially if you wild camp.

So, what do you need? Essentially, some shelter, a mattress, a sleeping bag, a head torch and if you wish to eat/drink hot things – a stove and pan set. Lightweight is the key so I’ve opted for a Rab Storm Bivvy Bag which is essentially a waterproof sleeping bag cover with a zippable hood, an Alpkit Base 120 mattress, lightweight sleeping bag, Alpkit Gamma Headtorch, Blacks Solo cookset and an alcohol stove that I picked up off Ebay. Total cost – around £150 and weighs in at an impressive 3kg to be self supportive for a night.

I now spend most of my time scoping out potential wild camping places to spend the night. One word of advice though, if you do get an alcohol stove – buy meths to fuel it with and not white spirit like I did. We were lucky there wasn’t an explosion at the weekend…….