#microadventures

[Charlotte]

I first picked up on this meme via the Howies website and one of their many marketing emails (I quite like reading them during a lull in my office drudgery).  Turns out, it's the idea of a guy called Alastair Humphreys and the general idea is not entirely dissimilar to the S24O, or sub-24-overnighter that was popular a few years ago.

The concept is probably best explained in one of his infographics:


(clickken to embiggen)

Julian and I nearly did this the other weekend.  We fancied a night out under the stars and were planning to head for the Surrey Hills or somewhere up near the Devil's Dyke.  Then she had to work.  And it rained.  Meh.

But reading about stuff that other people have done is making me want to push off somewhere for a night. Like the man says, almost anywhere will do

The next chance I'll get is probably Saturday 13th July, the week before the Dunwich Dynamo.  I can't decide whether I want to go by bike or by foot, but I think tents are a no-no.  Bivi bags and (if it's wet) tarps only.

Anyone fancy it?

[woollypigs]

oh yes, when we have settled and sorted out our tent off we will go big time

[Jon P]

I recently managed to fit in 15 miles of backpacking in between finishing work at 4:30 and starting again at 8:30 next morning! 

[DaleFTW]

Big fan of Mr. Humphreys, would recommend his books too.

I'm not too keen on the whole Microadventures thing, but I do like the idea. I had what would probably be called a microadventure last week.

Walked 30 minutes to the top of a hill with my bivi bag, went to sleep, watched the sun come up in the North Sea, home for meat and coffee.

I kipped here - https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=54.885096,-1.391461&hl=en&ll=54.885161,-1.39123&spn=0.001805,0.004823&sll=54.885155,-1.39123&sspn=0.001817,0.004823&t=h&mra=mift&mrsp=0&sz=18&z=18

[Charlotte]

Brilliant - proving that you don't have to trek off to somewhere out in the backcountry in order to camp out somewhere inspiring for the night 

[Riggers]

You must read Alistair's round-the-world cycle trip (2 volumes). Inspirational marvellous stuff.

[Julian]

What would the panel recommend in terms of bivvy bags?  (I don't yet have one)

[Charlotte]

Although mine is a different one, most people seem to like the Alpkit Hunka.

[Kim]

I don't get the bivvi bag thing, except as an emergency measure.  My knee doesn't *do* hiking, especially with any amount of kit, which means bikes or something.  At which point I reckon you might as well have a lightweight tent.

[Wobbly John]

I use my bivvi bag as more of a 'just in case it rains' type thing. It means I can get sleeping bag, bivvi, a fleece & a wash-bag in the saddlebag and use the lighter bike wot doesn't take a pannier rack.

I use a very light bivvi which is supposed to be breathable. and have also used the army issue Gortex ones we have at work (which are also supposed to be breathable).

Generally, like survival-bags, it's best to use them as a ground-sheet if it's dry, a cover if it's drizzle and only get in them if it's raining proper.

I normally head for somewhere with sand dunes when I bivvi - soft enough to avoid the need for a camping mat. 

[Chris N]

What would the panel recommend in terms of bivvy bags?  (I don't yet have one)

Hunka is good and cheap.  Works very well with a small tarp and lightweight groundsheet.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I don't get the bivvi bag thing, except as an emergency measure.  My knee doesn't *do* hiking, especially with any amount of kit, which means bikes or something.  At which point I reckon you might as well have a lightweight tent.

I used to use a goretex bag quite a bit.

Mostly for hill-walking (which I can't do anymore) but also for cycling.

You can bed down in one in a really tiny space, far smaller than needed for a tent.  So if your bag is an unobtrusive colour, it's possible to discretely camp in a small copse of trees, say, next to the road. Or under a gorse bush in the middle of a moor.

[DaleFTW]

I don't get the bivvi bag thing, except as an emergency measure.  My knee doesn't *do* hiking, especially with any amount of kit, which means bikes or something.  At which point I reckon you might as well have a lightweight tent.

Think it's a hippy, under the stars type thing. I'd hate to use it in bad weather mind.

I use an Alpkit Hunka XL. It does the job. Needlesports have a couple of Rab ones - http://needlesports.com/Catalogue/Camping-Equipment/Bivi/Bivi-Bags

[Notsototalnewbie]

I don't get the bivvi bag thing, except as an emergency measure. 

That, pretty much. I do see the advantages as outlined above, but I also see the benefits of having a proper toilet, so I'm not that fussed about wildcamping. We've backpacked loads with the Saunders, and only having one pole it goes up rather quickly, so I'm not really inclined to pare it down any more.

[Kim]

Think it's a hippy, under the stars type thing. I'd hate to use it in bad weather mind.

Yeah, that makes sense.

In my experience, there's usually either weather or beasties to make a tent seem like a good idea overnight.  A bivvi seems more like roadside snooze equipment, and by the time you're rigging tarps, you might as well pitch a tent.

I can certainly see the appeal of a mesh tent in places where it's only the beasties you have to worry about, though.

For the under-the-stars factor in the UK, I reckon a down jacket is a better investment.

[DaleFTW]

Seriously though, it's designed to get your average Joe out and about, spending a night under the stars. You don't need all the kit.

All you need is a sleeping bag, a cheap bivi (<£5) and a spare jumper if it gets cold. It's the simplicity, the back to basicness of it.

Check Alastairs vimeo out - https://vimeo.com/alhumphreys

[mark]

I don't get the bivvi bag thing, except as an emergency measure.  My knee doesn't *do* hiking, especially with any amount of kit, which means bikes or something.  At which point I reckon you might as well have a lightweight tent.

I use a bivy bag for overnight trips where I really want to keep the weight and bulk to a minimum because of rough terrain, lots of uphill/downhill or both. If bringing the bivy instead of the tent lets me get by with a big saddlebag on the bike instead of 4 panniers, or my 65 liter backpack instead of my 100 liter+ backpack then the weight savings becomes more than just the difference between the bivy sack and a lightweight tent. For more than one night out, I will happily accept the weight penalty of the tent and the larger backpack or 4 panniers. Getting dressed and undressed in the bivy in the rain is not fun.

There are places I visit on foot around here (in Rocky Mountain National Park) where tents are not allowed, just bivy sacks.

[mrcharly-YHT]

There are places I visit on foot around here (in Rocky Mountain National Park) where tents are not allowed, just bivy sacks.

Or, as the local wildlife call them 'snack sacks'.

[MercuryKev]

Just back from our bike-packing microadventure.  birdsong in the hills - a great way to start the working day

[LEE]

Seriously though, it's designed to get your average Joe out and about, spending a night under the stars. You don't need all the kit.

All you need is a sleeping bag, a cheap bivi (<£5) and a spare jumper if it gets cold. It's the simplicity, the back to basicness of it.

Check Alastairs vimeo out - https://vimeo.com/alhumphreys

This one is great <a href="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=61250234&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;fullscreen=1&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=01AAEA" target="_blank">http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=61250234&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;fullscreen=1&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=01AAEA</a>

He's got a talent for making a documentary and an eye for an nice image. (nice use of timelapse on the Bacon Roll.

[jogler]

Just back from our bike-packing microadventure.  birdsong in the hills - a great way to start the working day

Is that tarp a Trailstar?

[MercuryKev]

Just back from our bike-packing microadventure.  birdsong in the hills - a great way to start the working day

Is that tarp a Trailstar?

Yes it is.