BAM 2022 Review

So another year, another bivvy a month campaign completed. I'd actually a couple of close shaves this year whereby I couldn't really be bothered going out but went, purely because I was determined to complete it no matter what. Not the best of motivations but generally any reticence to leave the house evaporated once I was underway. After last years bumper year of bike riding, this one hasn't featured much in the way of long distance routes. But I've done a lot of nice trips, nice riding and nice bivvies so overall a successful year. Of particular note was grabbing a bonus fair weather weekend in March doing the Cairngorms Tour with added snow. Also much 'real' bikepacking (TM) i.e. without hotels or hostels and under a flat tarp. In fact my holidays have been super cheap this year with only one hotel night a few nights in a paying campsite.

That said I've had more than my fair share of near bivvy disasters, thanks to weather, the winged menaces and a near stove fireball incident in February. As with last year, despite a cracker of summer, I've been rained on a lot, either just before, just after or during my pitch (or all three!) That said on reviewing my ride records, the word 'dry' does feature on most of them... Overall I managed 19 nights out, my second best (ever!) So herewith my usual BAM review:-

Highest Bivvy - 580m AOD, in the Yorkshire Dales above Cam fell.

Not that high (again!) so much for plans to do a Munro bivvy. And in England to boot! But it was a good one, being my only bivvy to date where I just had to roll out the bag and mat on the sun kissed moor.

Lowest Bivvy - About 10m AOD, on the Moray coast in Burghead forest. Not quite a sea shore bivvy but nearly!

Longest ride to a bivvy - same again. Char Bothy to Burghead woods, 120 miles.

Longest ride after a bivvy, same ride, different bivvy, in fact a bothy!

Worst weather on a bivvy:- Some stiff competition for this one. I think the wet and windy pitch in Glen Clunie (just up from Braemar) aces several damp camps.

Best weather on a bivvy:- I'll go with March in the Cairngorms as it was wall to wall sunshine but not too hot.

Night 1....

Remotest bivvy:- Ditto at our pitch by Loch Builg Lodge in the Cairngorms

Night 2...

Worst Bivvy:- I've had a few whereby I've just had to grin an bear it but May's in Tentsmuir forest, at the mercy of the mosquitos, was most unpleasant and topped the 'beam me out of here' category by a mile.

A hasty departure....

Best Bivvy:- Loch Builg again, in the company of R&I with lots of chit chat, after a great ride, preceding a great ride and with great weather.

Best Bothy:- Two official MBA bothys and a couple of tin sheds have sheltered me this year. Probably Char was the best after a long old ride through Angus and a monster climb. It was most pleasant sitting and relaxing with a fine meal and a nip of whisky or two.

Best Trail ridden as part of a bivvy:- Tricky one this as I've ridden many good trails this year. Probably an old favourite - Ben Alder north to south after a midge fest bivvy by Loch Pattack; also in stunning weather.

Coldest Bivvy:- -6 by the shores of Loch builg - a personal record!

Hottest Bivvy:- +30 degrees in the Yorkshire Dales, Loch Pattack, and Loch Lyon. (never a category previously as it's not been hot enough, this summer was a scorcher!)

Kit chat....

I mapped all of my loads for no other reason than to enable further refinement. The flat tarp got used in January, March, May, June, July, August, September and October. I switched to a DCF one from Wild sky gear in July and also got an ultralight pole from Bearbones bikepacking which puts my flat tarp, bivvy bag, pole and pegs set up to 500g's. This is lighter than most bivvy bags, hooped or otherwise, and allows for survival in much worse weather. Adding a 60g sea to summit nano bug mesh tent enables midges and mozzies to be dealt with, albeit with a lot of faff. Other stuff was my usual. I didn't use the winter bag this year, just the quilts - Thermorest Vespa when it was cool (including when it was -6!) and Cumulus 150 when mild. I had two nights where this was too hot! 

My lightest load out on the Yorkshire Dales tour - DCF tarp set up, cumulus 150 quilt, full length thermorest mat, pillow, boxers and T shirt for sleeping, no stove, water filter, minimal food, lightweight waterproof jacket, no over-trousers or gaiters. Ideal for the mega hills a Dales tour entails. 

Overall this year was much warmer than last, with me being able to use the 150 quilt from April through to November (2021 it only got used from June until September!) The inner tent got used in the tent twice, although I should have deployed it many more times for a bug free bivvy!

So here we are again at the end of another year. It occurred to me not to bother next year for reasons I'd be hard pressed to express - something to do with an increasing desire as I get older to avoid any form of commitment, bike riding wise, and to just take it all as it comes. But I guess I will just make a start in January and see how it goes. Once again I will try to do a snowy one, and one over 900 meters. But otherwise I'll just play it by ear!