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Anyone ever take their dog with them? I'm off on a trip next month for 3 nights and am considering taking my hound. He loves coming with me on long day rides but never done an over night. Just wanted to know what experiences people had taking theirs.
@ Rochey - You don't need to spend vast sums but a little outlay will stand you in good sted. If you pick your night/spot then you could be alright with nothing more than a sleeping bag. A bivvy bag will give you lots more scope though, as will a sleeping mat of some sort. If you just want to give it a try then I'd pick up a cheap foam mat (easily under a tenner) and something like a Hunka bivvy bag from Alpkit (£30). If you really don't like it you'd sell the bag for £20 pretty easily. As for a sleeping bag, if you wear your clothes and pick a sheltered spot then just about any bag will stop you dieing at this time of year.
@ Santacoops - I've taken one of mine. She stays with you all night, you don't really know she's there. I wouldn't dream of taking the other one, he's fine in a tent but I think a night in the great outdoors would blow his mind!
Stu Havent you got a greyhound?
Teej has a bag for sale ATM. 20 quid iirc.
@ Bigface ... 2 Lurchers, Roo (the one who can go) and Dennis (the one who most certainly can't) 😉
@ Rochey;
Head south and you have the Ridgeway, you can ride the Grand Union south will come down to Tring.
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Worse case scenario there is a village nearby and the 'rural' base of Playboy Uk is there.
Being in Milton Keynes, you have The Outdoor Shop located in Stony Stratford. But to be honest online retailers are your friend, lighter gear and better prices.
Love the "Tommy's Cooker" stove looks like the orginal can stove.
I wonder in Retro Bivi'ing will be the niche to be seen doing.
More bikepacking goodness can be found over here > www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk
Biggest site - www.bikepacking.net-mainly US based. Some good general info.
Biggest UK site - www.bikenadbivi.co.uk - seems to be growing pretty quickly but still only a few weeks old.
BushcraftUK is good for general bushy info as well.
Hammock forum is good for those of us who like to sleep off the ground.
Biggest site - http://www.bikepacking.net-mainly US based. Some good general info.
Biggest UK site - http://www.bikenadbivi.co.uk - seems to be growing pretty quickly but still only a few weeks old.
Thats www.bikeandbivi.co.uk 🙂
Bit slow but working for me.
We managed to squeeze one off at the weekend 😯 The location was the old Red Lake Quarry up on Southern Dartmoor. A nice gentle 8 mile ride up and a nicer, fast eight miles back in the morning. With almost zero midge trouble, a clear sky, a million stars, nightjars, newts, bats, trout, various 'artisan' alcoholic beverages, proper coffee in the morning and absolutly no-one else around. What more could you want 🙂
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/8308384@N06/sets/72157627104344430/ ]Some more here[/url]
Dont any of you guys use a light weight 2 person tent if so what you recommend
And where do you guys ride?
Nice job Slugwash ... about time we had some good weather for it 😀
How cold was the water?
How cold was the water?
There was a moderate amount of plum retraction upon entering the water but after the long ride up in the blazing sunshine it was most refreshing 😉
@ Slugwash 😀
@ Grantway ... there was a post on here a while back where someone was using a Tarptent they'd imported from the US which looked very good. IMO the majority of 2 man tents are too heavy (even when split between 2) but some of the stuff from the US would fit the bill ... Tarptent, six moon designs, Bearpaw, etc. I do use a GoLite Shangri-la 3 sometimes as you can see here:
http://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/pages/trips.html
Light and very roomy but there are compromises.
I need to get out soon, too much work and no play is grinding me down a bit
Slug: Looks like a nice trip... Doesnt seem to have much posted on this thread anymore at one point it never left the front page on the forum...
@Bigface0_0 - yes, an inflatable Sevylor. Carries two people, one dog, and all the sleeping kit and food for the above.
@santacoops - only took the dog on canoe bivvies, see above. Dog thought it was fantastic and would wake up at three in the morning all excited because LOOK AT US WE'RE ALL SLEEPING ON THE GROUND TOGETHER IN A PACK LIKE WOLVES!! and have to be calmed down. This is me scurvy crew abandoning me after dropping me off to pick up the car and take it round to the launch point. Nil points for guessing the lake, and no, we weren't on the island.
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3505/3777764924_d83cff5434.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickw3216/3777764924/ ]Abandoned[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nickw3216/ ]nick3216[/url], on Flickr
@didnothingfatal - shhh.
The Playboy connection will explain the noise last time I was there.
@grantway - IME can't go wrong with a Vango. We just got a Vango Spectre 300 to replace our old two man. Sharing the load means there's little extra burden in taking a three man tent as opposed to two man.
Apart from weight, what are the advantages of the pricey tarps versus that thick stuff that is usually used for covering garden furniture?
I ask because I've got a massive one that I've often thought of using for little excursions.
Other than weight pack size is the next major advanatage.
Here's one I made at the weekend, 157g with the stuff sack and 8 dyneema guy lines -
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More pics and info
http://www.bikeandbivi.co.uk/php/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=124
That tarp looks good. I agree, pack size would be the other issue. However, it could be a cheap way for me to try out this bike & bivi-ing to see how I get on. If it's all good then I can invest in lighter/smaller things later. Cheers.
Despit having a nice Alpkit tarp I'm more likely to take one of those cheap garden tarpaulins out with me as it's smaller (2m x 1.7m) and you can use it as a ground sheet if it's not looking like it may rain. Also, you can just roll it up and forget about it for a few weeks after a damp excursion without feeling guilty 🙂
Here on the Welsh Ride Thing...
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The bigger, proper, tarp is handy if there's more than one of you...
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Liking the support post you have on the Welsh Ride Thing.
I'll give the cheapo tarp a go one of these days and see how I like it.
@ guitarmanjon if you really want a go on the cheap just use a polythene dust sheet ... with a little care it'll last a few trips.
Try the 7th post down here http://welshridething.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-03-06T09%3A15%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7
Absolutely [i]LOVE[/i] this thread!
Had my first ever summer bivi weekend before last - nice & light with a tesco down sleeping bag and alpkit bivi bag, sleeping bag on bars and bivi behind saddle. Everything else in usual camelback!
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5894862672_e36f5bd971.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/50539691@N05/5894862672/ ]P7010341[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/50539691@N05/ ]Newforce Photos[/url], on Flickr
Stopped at a couple of pubs on the way out before uncovering our pre-hidden stash of cider on a secluded beach. Bit of a bonfire under the stars, plenty to drink, rather a late night then about 3 hours sleep before it was light again!
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5306/5894298597_932b70ac23.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/50539691@N05/5894298597/ ]P7020356[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/50539691@N05/ ]Newforce Photos[/url], on Flickr
Can't beat waking up to see the sun rise over the Isle of Wight though, followed by a nice warm ride home 😀
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5195/5894873868_62a4173793.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/50539691@N05/5894873868/ ]P7020363[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/50539691@N05/ ]Newforce Photos[/url], on Flickr
Missing the tent - Terra Nova Laser Large (for two of us and the sh1tty conditions forecast - drying on the lawn) - some notes on the Flickr page if your interested?!
[url= http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6137/5920110542_f235e2fc38_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/99percentchimp/5920110542/ ]WRT Kit - Aftermath[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/99percentchimp/ ]99percentchimp[/url], on Flickr
oh well may have ended my bivvi trips for 2011 dislocated my knee last night 😕
How on earth did you manage that?
dad dancing 😀
Pillock. That'll learn ya. 🙄
yep sure will, in bed with full leg cast on.
are you not in Europe namely France??
P1ssed up Pete? 😉
Hope it gets better soon.
Yup. Sunny France. Just been for a swim in our private pool next to our chateau. I am, however, going biviing tomorrow evening. 😀
Watch out for the ticks in France ... total PITA last year. I also discovered it's illegal to bivvy within their national parks 😉
Who am i going to get lost with in Mid Wales now Pete? I hope you are going to be OK for Stuarts October ride!
take it easy - catch up soon
I admit I had a few beers but more to do with rugs on wooden floors 🙁
Looks like you might be doing the bear bones 200 with me then Steve. 😉
Fame at last. 🙂
This humble little thread that started with me feeling a bit ill last Christmas has a mention in the mag.
Bivvy 101
you're our hero 😀
Taylor - am I allowed to ride with you if I don't have a 29er?
I think I might allow it.
you could borrow my Swift if you can fit a large Steve?
The problem is Steve once you ride with the big wheeled boys you know the force is strong to change to a 29er 😉