First BikePacking Trip Of 2024 #bikepacking

With a few days of settled(ish) weather I headed off into the hills to road test a new tent , and give the bike a good test after rebuilding it after its spray job.
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[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] oh hey we’re out on a bike packing Adventure just an overnighter giving a road test to a new tent that I got ready for the season so I thought definitely need to check it out get it tested I’ve got a bit of a headwind here but we’re off the main roads which we uh probably had about 3 or Four Mile main roads before cleared those we’re on the back roads now so should be a lot quieter and hopefully the R we stay away but I’ll bring you back further [Music] along just pulled off the road down into this wood sick it’s trying to rain when the sun was out it was feeling very spring like you know all the snow drops and the crocuses starting to up here but uh obviously as I’m climbing higher I’m heading into cloud oh dear there’s the bike all loaded up ah sun’s trying to get out now but yeah I’m just going to have a a drink a few jelly babies and then I’ll be on me way again just no rush steady [Music] away [Music] all right just taking a bre just pushed up that big ear in the granny gears I get to the half pump but looking West looks like it’s a bit of rain coming in so I need to get a bit further up and away from any rain it looks like it’s coming this way which is unfortunate it’s still got blue sky up here behind us but yeah let’s get back on and [Music] [Music] movey [Music] yeah rain’s coming in this way just a shower one hopes yeah this building’s just given us enough protection here we are shankill Church of England School ah yeah hopefully it’ll blow blow through and I can continue looks like the rain is pushed through now got a bit of a rainbow over there H yeah no one’s out there yeah it’s just one of those frontal systems it is still blowing through a bit on the side there but yeah looks like it’s weakening so we we on this road here now so we’ll we we’ll head [Music] along so this is the forest I’m going to be checking out first and if that’s not up to much I’m open it is it’s further on this road just below those Hills there there’s a bit I know so that’s the bridal way it all depends how cacked up it is I can drop down and climb back up and get up on the Fire Road there but I might just go in here go for [Music] it hike a bike [Music] time y negotiated this Bridal path R away even B CED up but uh entrance to the forest I was opening to find somewhere in here there’s sheep in this field so I need to keep away from that because the farming will be about but yeah rain clouds all around so we’ll pushing thankfully that rain that we had when we sheltered has disappeared was trying there on the way up this uh Bridal we but it’s it’s come to nothing so push on in the [Music] [Music] [Music] right we’re back on the road again not first Camp spot wasn’t up to much I’d only been there once before and I just roded through it and I thought I’d spotted some up but nothing so I’m 5 mil from my next camp and I know this I’ve camped here before so it’s fine and probably just be a bit wet under foot like but unfortunately we’ve got a drop down and we got a big climb out and then it’s down here after that and then uphill and then downhill [Music] oh that was a brutal Hill oh God but the views have opened up got chrisan B cags down there up on the we’re heading that forest and down oh yeah but that last Hill was brutal but I never walked yeah it’s a lovely evening now what time is it I think we’re uh me watch is s 10 to 4 so I reckon over 20 minutes we should be at Camp we’ll still have an hour or so left to daylight which is good but yeah let to stop for a drink God that last Hill took it out of us with all this weight on anyhow asz I’m packed you know it’s it’s not summer camping it’s still winter so I’ve got extra Gear with [Music] [Music] us [Music] okay we’ve had a bit of a chain issue I’m not sure it’s just a quick link so hopefully I’ve got a spare quick link with us I could hear some crunching and clicking it isn’t the spare link there’s the There’s the link the quick link so I’m going to have to put another one in this is is a new chain brand new chain well just before Christmas right let’s get it fixed thankfully I’ve got my tools with us so F in here let’s get to action I’ve got to all that I need let’s get on with it all right that is us back in the game fixed but I think I’ve only got one of them well that was only quick link ah had I just hope we have no more issues otherwise it’s a long push home cuz I’m about 30 m from home anyway we’ll push on to [Music] camp [Music] [Music] okay this is my little Camp spot for tonight sheltered some old sheep pen with to Ideal for another nighter put the river just down there to let’s get the tent alks we’re going only got about an hour of daylight left yeah so the tent that I’ve been getting is the Vango neon ultra light one that’s the tent I mean size of it poles are in there and pegs basically It just fits straight on top of the uh top of the pan here absolutely perfect you know so there and it’s it’s 5 or 600 G super light but uh let’s get it up all right we’re all set up a little bit of a fiddle first off what time pitching really so yeah this is not the best because it’s got rocks underneath and that’s trying to get a peg in is a bit difficult but I got it in the end so yeah it’s basically a big bivvy it gives me more room than my uh snugpack Stratosphere so that’s what I was hoping for I don’t want anything massive I just wanted something with a little bit more room that could get in get a bit of stuff in which hopefully he’ll do fine all right we’re all set up I mean you know it’s not a lot of room but it’s enough as I said said it’s a big bivvy I can get bits and pieces down the back there me food that down here but uh the light is closing fing fast so I need to get the rest of this sorted out and I might DP the tap over the bike because it is supposed to Chu it overnight utilize the tap just cover the bike just keep it a bit dry for the morning but yeah light Sunset was over that way but we’ve never seen it so I’ve made a little sheltered area for sitting if it does rain I’ll be sort of partly dry okay that’s Camp Kitchen open just very simple tonight the way FS you can’t go wrong with these you can eat them hot or cold and I got these on by one get one half price um just for the bike camping trip really I don’t normally get these anymore but veg Cur and rice with a chocolate brownie pudding and then I’ll add some custard I’m just cooking on the old uh jet boil which I use I seem to favor for bik camping it’s quick it’s not the quietest but it’s uh it’s quick and you know does the job yeah just before I sort of settle down um for the night I’ll be having a hot chocolate and a few biscuits and whatever but that main course was okay now to shout on about but the uh the pudding was was lovely um that was uh salted caramel chocolate brownie and they had some Custer pot Withers it was gorgeous really enjoyed that so yeah bit uplifting you get a bit of nice food into you and uh you feel better but I’ve got this little shelter just in case it does rain but uh the rains forecast during the night between sort of 3 and 5 and 6 sort of thing I’m hoping by the time I get up in the morning it’s all gone and I can just uh pack away in the dry and set sail we will see okay I’ve had me Brew couple of biscuits hot chocolate I had but I’m going to call it tonight got you all in the morning morning campers well the forecast was right for once the winds got up probably I don’t know 2 3:00 and then the rain’s come absolutely tipped it down but uh hopefully that’s all cleared through now and uh it should brighten up it’s still a bit overcast hopefully as the morning progresses it’ll clear through but uh yeah there’s a bit of condensation in here which is not surprising cuz very damp around here and obviously me bre breathing me warm air hasn’t helped the issue but uh yeah no problems so I’m going to drag myself out get a brew on yeah just a simple breakfast I’ve got a kink of coffee Nature Valley crunchy bar and a biscuit I’ll get some along the [Music] road [Music] he we’re all packed up bike ready for action left no Trace just a flat spot where I was last night but yeah the sun hasn’t got out yet but I’m still in the forest in the trees usually is pretty na up here but uh yep let’s hit the [Music] [Music] road we’re out the forest the sun is out but it’s uh bit hill climbing now just steady away but yeah that first mile from Camp was brutal just uphill for the first mile that’s not good first thing in the morning yeah it’s dry so all is [Applause] good [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] w [Music] well I’ve been having a few gear problems this morning this is why you have these test out rides I mean I took it out on a ride the other day but I wasn’t loaded up with all this we so I think this little deril cable stretched so about to stop and adjust it and reset the gears and that’s a yeah there’s me the new link and the old link right next to it where it snapped touchwood things is crossed all going oh and I’m picking up a bit of a headwind now so let’s get back on the [Music] road [Music] sh [Music] okay stopped for a Bria but uh I took a day tour had a look around Newcastle Church lovely old church and it’s cross minus his head uh I had look at a quick look in the museum as well but uh back on the road keep finding windy bits but I’m out the windy it’s it’s lovely in the Sun but uh as you can see I don’t pack for lightness I pack for Comfort bring the things that probably require on a bike packing trip the tap comes in very handy you know if you camped in a little wooded area you can put the t uh the tap up and get under that sort of thing but I tried that little tent out last night and it uh work the bit of condensation but the conditions are pretty Grim hopefully when I’m using it in the summer it shouldn’t be too bad so it was just a quick overnight bike packing trip testing gear obviously I had a few issues with the bike rectified them now but there a couple of things to mess about with but it’s good to come out before you do a decent uh trip and iron out all these issues but if you like this kind of stuff bike packing consider subscribing give us a like thumbs up and we’ll see you out on the next [Music] one [Music] [Music] a n