My comment in January stating a lack of motivation for doing the full BAM this year came to mind as I pedaled through a downpour away from the house. As per, it had been dry as I swore my way through another day at work and then started drizzling as I finished up and loaded the bike. The forecast was for light rain all evening but the weather radar showed something a bit more intense. Sure enough as I left the house, the heavens opened....
So I pedaled the miles out to the hills planning a return home and my abandonment of BAM '23, whilst reminiscing about my wonderful tour of the Cairngorms in clear skies and dry trails, a year ago. The thing is I was following no noble purpose to defy the weather or even to get some wet weather tarping in (something that I need to do ahead of the HT), simply pedaling along and cursing the rain which persisted even though the sky was clearing all around. The rain did stop just after dark but I was somewhat damp by this time. Plans to check out a couple of other spots went out the window in favour of my now regular perfect bivvy spot in the woods of Tonguey Faulds off the Dunning road.
As I arrived, the rain came back on so I got the Deschutes up sharpish. It is good for this though as you can get in under it, get your wet weather gear off in it's voluminous space, unroll bivvy bag, get in, dry and warm. Food was re-hydrated, craft lager was drunk, book was read. On a whim I'd brought an old water bottle along so I didn't need to get out of my cosy bivvy to answer the call of nature.... So it was a pleasant evening all in all and I slept well, despite the rain.
6th time here now!
Breakfast was a leisurely affair but the rain had stopped and there was even a hint of blue sky so I packed up sharpish and headed back down the soggy descent to the road. Up Corb Glen, now another motorway standard forest road as they have planted this whole area. Annoyingly most of it is sitka although there are some small bits of broadleaf. So much for woodland management!
View north. Central Highlands now largely snow free - we are in for a brief cold snap for 24 hours but Winter 22/23 is done.
A new track took me round the flanks of Green Law and onto the old ROW up the hill and over to Glendevon. As I crossed a small side burn there was, yet again, an explosive hiss followed by the sound of sealant spraying everywhere. For fucks sake, I cannot believe how many punctures I've had recently. I was so enraged I went looking for what had caused it. There, lying in a splodge of sealant, was a half inch long splinter of stone with a remarkably sharp edge. How in the name of all hell I'd managed to find this, right on my wheel track and positioned so it stabbed the tyre rather than just get squished into the soft ground, I have no idea. This pair of WTB Rangers are cursed!
I bunged a plug in but it was reluctant to seal, even on the push up to the pass. Eventually after a couple of goes with the pump it did. So up we go, up to the windfarm and then down a nice grassy descent to Glendevon. The final tyre pump was witnessed by a bunch of gravel riders who then had tremendous difficulty getting along the sodden trail to Glen Quey. I left them there for my usual traverse of more wet trails round Seamab hill and back via Muckart and Blairingone.
I intend to make April a dry one if at all possible - my last three March bivvies have been dry, sunny and the trails dust dry!
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