I had serious doubts I'd get this one in, given what is going on with poor old Dad. Anyway, bruv was happy to take over Mum supporting duties so I had a weekend free to get a bivvy in. After the fraught last few weeks, heading off into the woods to chill out seemed the perfect antidote.
The weather forecast has been a bit up and down all week, starting with rain, then rain, then actually looking pretty good before settling on dry but misty (!) then sun
Not half misty - as I departed the house everything was decidedly damp. It was that kind of mist that if you stood still you'd stay dry but pedaling into the breeze soon had me somewhat soggy. On with the jacket and press on, heading for another usual spot but one I'd not been to for over a year.
Dull, misty and blurred photo - true to life!
I got there and pitched up at 8.30, then cooked tea (trans - re-hydrated a 'Tent meals' effort with added smoked sausage)
Anyway, despite the damp (actually fine under the trees) I had a very peaceful evening sipping beer, eating and reading, although with a couple of interruptions - at one point something swooped over head with a whoosh - I have absolutely no idea what. It would have had to be something fairly big (i.e. a light aircraft or a hang glider) but not in the dark and fog. Tetradactyl maybe? Then later I noticed a bit of thread on my groundsheet which started to move - it was a very thin worm, like 1mm dia thin. Never seen anything like it! Subsequent research suggests it was a 'Horsehair Worm' which is one of those horrible parasites that lodge in a victim and eat them from the inside out, before abandoning the empty husk for a new victim. Fortunately they find humans a bit much so leave us alone....
A fine sleep followed but I was awakened by lots of mechanical clanking and a machine engine some distance away. It seemed like the middle of the night but actually 6am - still keen though. I have a fear that this whole area will be getting clear felled soon, wrecking this perfect bivvy spot.... Plus yet another wind farm is being planned for round here. I dropped off again, woke to hear the dawn chorus, then fell asleep gain, waking up at 9.30! I always sleep well here. Of note was the fact I was in the Cumulus 150 quilt and was nearly too warm at one point - the weather this year has been very odd.
Sunny as predicted, thank god as I hate mist. First use of yet another DD tarp after ripping the last one on my January BAM and passing it onto someone on the BB forum who was going to repair it. This came up cheap on the bay so I couldn't resist. It's a bit sturdier than the DCF one and better in the wind. After a leisurely breakfast I was off with a vague plan to ride a few trails, enjoying the fat bike which I've not been out on for a while.
Lots of tussocks bagged. A fair few hard and fun trails later I wended my way back home, thoroughly stress free, something the woods help me with. Dad is a long way from being out of his woods mind you, so I'll be home a fair bit over the next couple of months. That said I've scoped a few bivvy spots in my old stamping ground, Hamsterly forest, so an emergency bivvy south of the border could be on the cards!
