Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

Hi Rod.

It's much better to progress slowly and feel confident imo. What does a few days matter when your life is at stake?

I have no idea how I'll get on. It's like, 30 years since I rode a motorcycle on the road.

Yes Rod , theres no rush , wait until you feel confident.

You will be ok Tom , it's just like , well , riding a bike.

Do you have a full licence Boo?

Yes Sir.Had it for about 30 years.

Lol. I've been digging out my old camping equipment. I've had that for about 30 years too.

I can't sleep on a roll matt nowadays, it makes my hips hurt. So it thought I would try one on those packable camp beds. (£10 from Halfords).

When I tried it properly at home though, I didn't like it so it's going back.

Click to see full-size image.

I found a three quarter length self inflating mat in my shed and tested it overnight on the floor. I managed OK so I'll stick with that.

Click to see full-size image.

I have a tarp and also an excellent bivvy bag that Geo very kindly gave to me, but I think I'll need a small tent for this project. I'll see what I can find in the sales.

Zelly bought me a great camping Gaz stove for a quid from the car boot.

[booder]

Plenty of cheap tents about this time of year. Try googling recent festivals that have taken place ,many many tents get left behind and can be picked up for a pittance.

[Tal]

[Rod Paradise]

Cheers guys, I'm not bothered by what happened, like you say more important to get it right than get it quick. Was a bit frustrated having taken time off work & driven 30 miles for the follow up last Thursday & finding the instructor locked out of the building, no lesson. The lessons continue Friday, I'm getting impatient though - want a bike!!!

Was pleasant about the mix up though, a bad combinations of events/bad luck - it's happened to me (managed to knock a Government dept's major call centres out of action & ended up with reports that went up to the then Chancellor of the Exchequer - I managed to fix it though & came out of it OK).

Re camping I'm thinking a tarp & bedroll would be ideal - you've got a bike there as the perfect frame for an A-frame bivvy, add a couple of collapsible walking poles & you could have one side opened to the fire until you pin it down to sleep under.

Click to see full-size image.

I'm thinking like this but with a bigger tarp to give the bike some cover too.

[RED-DOG]

I've used a similar method before with my bike Rod, but mosquitoes are a pain.

Click to see full-size image.

Something else I struggle with is the pillow sliding out from beneath my head because there is no headboard to prevent it. I've discovered that I can use my bivvy bag as a dry sack inside my pannier, and then at night I can stuff my coat into the bottom of it and then trap the rest beneath my sleeping mat, that way it acts as a bolster to raise my pillow and stop it sliding away.

That probably makes no sense at all without a picture.

Thinking about it though, if I don't use a tent, I could drive a couple of stakes into the ground to use as a headboard.....

[RED-DOG]

Click to see full-size image.

[Tal]

Click to see full-size image.

[Geo the Sarge]

I've used a similar method before with my bike Rod, but mosquitoes are a pain.

Click to see full-size image.

Something else I struggle with is the pillow sliding out from beneath my head because there is no headboard to prevent it. I've discovered that I can use my bivvy bag as a dry sack inside my pannier, and then at night I can stuff my coat into the bottom of it and then trap the rest beneath my sleeping mat, that way it acts as a bolster to raise my pillow and stop it sliding away.

That probably makes no sense at all without a picture.

Thinking about it though, if I don't use a tent, I could drive a couple of stakes into the ground to use as a headboard.....

My Cammo tarp is all I use (I have 2 which I can build in numerous combinations dependant on situ). For a pillow bolster I always use my rucksack, I assume the panniers are detachable? Use one for your spare clothing/soft items and use that as a bolster.

Your bivvy bag is for keeping your sleeping bag dry, getting into the habit of not using it as such leads to complacency and you may end up with a wet sleeping bag..................worst thing in the world a wet sleeping bag is.

Geo

[RED-DOG]

I've used a similar method before with my bike Rod, but mosquitoes are a pain.

Click to see full-size image.

Something else I struggle with is the pillow sliding out from beneath my head because there is no headboard to prevent it. I've discovered that I can use my bivvy bag as a dry sack inside my pannier, and then at night I can stuff my coat into the bottom of it and then trap the rest beneath my sleeping mat, that way it acts as a bolster to raise my pillow and stop it sliding away.

That probably makes no sense at all without a picture.

Thinking about it though, if I don't use a tent, I could drive a couple of stakes into the ground to use as a headboard.....

My Cammo tarp is all I use (I have 2 which I can build in numerous combinations dependant on situ). For a pillow bolster I always use my rucksack, I assume the panniers are detachable? Use one for your spare clothing/soft items and use that as a bolster.

Your bivvy bag is for keeping your sleeping bag dry, getting into the habit of not using it as such leads to complacency and you may end up with a wet sleeping bag..................worst thing in the world a wet sleeping bag is.

Geo

Thanks Geo, I will experiment with my tarp, although I have to confess I'm no expert at putting it up. Also, it seems a bit on the small side to me. Do they come in various sizes?

What about mozzies BTW?

[Geo the Sarge]

I've used a similar method before with my bike Rod, but mosquitoes are a pain.

Click to see full-size image.

Something else I struggle with is the pillow sliding out from beneath my head because there is no headboard to prevent it. I've discovered that I can use my bivvy bag as a dry sack inside my pannier, and then at night I can stuff my coat into the bottom of it and then trap the rest beneath my sleeping mat, that way it acts as a bolster to raise my pillow and stop it sliding away.

That probably makes no sense at all without a picture.

Thinking about it though, if I don't use a tent, I could drive a couple of stakes into the ground to use as a headboard.....

My Cammo tarp is all I use (I have 2 which I can build in numerous combinations dependant on situ). For a pillow bolster I always use my rucksack, I assume the panniers are detachable? Use one for your spare clothing/soft items and use that as a bolster.

Your bivvy bag is for keeping your sleeping bag dry, getting into the habit of not using it as such leads to complacency and you may end up with a wet sleeping bag..................worst thing in the world a wet sleeping bag is.

Geo

Thanks Geo, I will experiment with my tarp, although I have to confess I'm no expert at putting it up. Also, it seems a bit on the small side to me. Do they come in various sizes?

What about mozzies BTW?

As seen, it is too low which restricts the useable area available beneath the Basha. I only have it that low on very windy or very wet days, though in this example the bike dictates the height. Get a couple of poles, easily made with some light wood. Bashas come in a number of sizes, some with and without loops and/or reinforced eyelets.

Will try and test a couple of set ups tomorrow night after work and put some pics up showing what I now carry as Basha kit.

I've never had trouble with mozzies tbh. Yeah I get bitten but rarely get a reaction like a lot of people do. There are many decent repellants out there now that don't honk.

Geo

[RED-DOG]

Cheers Geo, I'll look forward to it.

[RED-DOG]

Hi Rod.

It's much better to progress slowly and feel confident imo. What does a few days matter when your life is at stake?

I have no idea how I'll get on. It's like, 30 years since I rode a motorcycle on the road.

Yes Rod , theres no rush , wait until you feel confident.

You will be ok Tom , it's just like , well , riding a bike.

Well I did my CBT a day early due to a cancellation. I managed to pass, but I wouldn't say I sailed through. It was a pretty intense day to be honest.

I'm not saying the examiner was old, but he was somewhat chronologically challenged, so we had a lot in common.

In the end, I suspect it was my ability to reminisce about the days before spanner sizes went metric than my ability to ride a motorcycle that that swung it for me.

[Woodsey]

I bought this tarpaulin from millets the other week, is big and high enough for 2 to sit under with table and chairs. Comes in a small bag and should be ok for 1 person to put up.

http://www.millets.co.uk/equipment/015736-vango-adventure-tarp-blue.html

[RED-DOG]

I bought this tarpaulin from millets the other week, is big and high enough for 2 to sit under with table and chairs. Comes in a small bag and should be ok for 1 person to put up.

http://www.millets.co.uk/equipment/015736-vango-adventure-tarp-blue.html

That looks useful Woodsey. 

Tell me, does it lie flat before you pitch it or is the ridge part kind of pre formed?

Do they have other colours? I'd feel too conspicuous in blue.

[Woodsey]

I bought this tarpaulin from millets the other week, is big and high enough for 2 to sit under with table and chairs. Comes in a small bag and should be ok for 1 person to put up.

http://www.millets.co.uk/equipment/015736-vango-adventure-tarp-blue.html

That looks useful Woodsey. 

Tell me, does it lie flat before you pitch it or is the ridge part kind of pre formed?

Do they have other colours? I'd feel too conspicuous in blue.

No, nothing is preformed it's just a flat sheet you can roll up. You get a pole for each side with it which forms the roof so to speak, which is probably about my height and er....wait I gotta pic it shows what it looks like better in reality.