OP
OP
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
I like cycling …. And I like camping, but it’s nearly 30 years since I’ve done both together. I’ve recently become inspired by Audaxers/long distance cyclists, wild camping and micro-adventuring so when I read about a cycle-camping weekend with the yacf crew I took the plunge. Scouring boxes in the loft I found our old saddlebags, panniers, racks, touring cooking kit et al. It would be easy to sling a rack on the Rourke, stuff the panniers to the brim, bungee a tent to the rack and roar-off into the sunset. But that was far too easy …. It had to be possible on the Brompton!
I molished a large saddlebag onto the Brompton front rack using cable-ties, another large saddlebag onto the seat-post with an SQR block. I still needed more capacity and bought a Topeak QR beam rack for the tentage. A brief test-ride on Thursday evening showed the Brompton to be a very capable and stable load-lugger. Now the plan ….
The plan was simple, take Friday off, watch election night on Thurs night/Fri, have a lie-in and depart at 1300 hours. Shocked from the election result that’s what I did.
Route was basically NCN 5 to Long Itchington. 60 miles. I dropped into Warlands en-route to pick-up rain covers for the 30 year old saddlebags as the sky looked ominously grey.
Sustrans routes are like the Curate’s egg. Some good bits, but some dreadful sections of very poor road surfaces, unyielding roller-coasters and endless single-track mud-plugging along canal paths. Still, by 7pm I’d arrived and with a little help got the new Vango Banshee 200 tent pitched and bags and bike stowed inside it in time to grab a beer and wait for the fish and chip van. Many pints of London Pride helped wash the nosh down .....
The next day, Superleeds OTP arrived for the Cyclechat shirt hand-over (what a fab fellow) and then off to greasy brekkie at the Long Itch Diner (most excellent for £6.50). To burn it off (ahem) a 35 mile bimble taking-in Draycote water and a fab posh vegetarian restaurant (Saumersault emporium) in Rugby. I had a nice afternoon kip followed by a team cook-in for dinner, top Trangia action …. And more beer. Did I mention the camping field belonged to a pub, oh yes!!
The next morning I overslept. Well sort of. I woke at 0730, made a Trangia cuppa (oh the joy of lying in ones sleeping bag making a brew), I ate my brekkie Belgian bun (I know, such indulgence) and lay back generelly feeling good with the world. The next thinhg I knew it was 10:45! Got packed and said goodbyes and got on the road by 11:30. Quick blast into Leamington Spa and a train home .... bloody £17.50 for a 30 minute train ride ... no wonder people drive ....
A weekend of simple pleasures at a pleasant pace. Fresh air, good friends, the joy of the outdoors, getting away from it all etc. etc.
And the Brommie works a treat as a basic tourer. It fits nicely into my diddy tent which is a bonus and is easier to transport onto buses or trains as the mood takes or circumstances dictate. I would say based on this experience that if Touring/distance was a major aim of your Brompton purchase, that the M-bar option makes more sense. Apart from bigger front luggage availability I would imagine being more upright than on the S-type would make for a more relaxing experience.
But what's great about Brommie touring ... it makes other people smile. :-)
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/4635330
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