Sleep mat

36 hours on, and I am still staring into space a little and my body feels like it has been beaten more than a little!

I have slept outside on many a winter night in the past, I actually enjoy it a great deal especially those cold starry nights, there is nothing quite like it. Thursday night was to be for me and Sandy a school night bivvy, no real difference we just have to wake a little earlier and ride into work and a big coffee n porridge, and a change of clothes and normally I am human once more. Right now I am bigger, fatter, and a whole lot less accustomed to being outside which in turn makes thing much more difficult, wrapping up against the elements is a real challenge for me.

The over night stop was not far, a location we have used quite a lot over the years, for many reasons we like it, great sunset/sunrise, off the main path, and above all ease of access to work for school night runs, already the temperature was dropping, I was feeling it already, the wind had a real edge to it, thankfully we would be home before the impending storm this weekend swept in. Even though the sun had already set there was a lovely red glow in the sky, one of the local farmers was still out ploughing his fields, rollin on along the canal bank I could see a couple of Barn Owls heading out to the night time hunt spots, I was now really looking forward to a coffee.

When I arrived Em was already there, he spends so much time outside that I think he no longer feels the cold, relaxing on a bench with a cuppa and a lump of ginger cake, it was delicious by the way, It was at this point that I noticed one almighty mistake......I had forgotten my sleep mat and a few other bits and pieces, disaster? Well no, I had faith in the rest of my gear, I knew it was not going to be my best night ever, but I have had worse and much colder too. So we got the fire lit and waited for the others to arrive.

The chatter flowed and every one had good catch up, thanks to illness it had been six months since I was able to catch up with my friends properly, It was a much needed night out for us all, my night was not too bad, I would wake up hourly, cold and uncomfortable, roll to a new position and that was night night, about 2am the rain turned up as expected, while not heavy yet everything outside my tent was properly wet now. I was eventually woken by my alarm, normal time of 6am, I packed up the inside of the tent ready to load on the bike, mostly to reduce my work later, tent was dropped and packed and I was on my way, I was warm and comfortable, even with the weather, my legs however after a night on the hard ground did not want to play, times like this you just have to ride at the level of the body and enjoy it as best you can, the Resto of the day in work sunk into a brain fog as sleep deprivation set in, home time and the train home could not come fast enough, a hot bath and a cuppa or two were really needed.