Tag: Travels on a bike

Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 bicycle ride Friday 25th-March-2016 Brighstone to Bognor Regis. 62 miles. Late start today. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night! The wind kept me awake, and at times I was worried that the tent would blow away. Although it would have to be one hell of a gust to blow it away with me inside!!

After arriving in the wind and rain yesterday afternoon, I was already pretty wet. But I was completely soaked through by the time I’d put the tent up! But after a nice shower and a change of clothes, I felt much better. I sat in the tent listening to the rain, which always sounds louder and worse than it actually is. And thought balls to this and went down the local pub (The Three Bishops).

You Can’t Sit Here All Night

I sat in the pub for as long as they’d let me. But eventually, they closed, and I had to return to my tent. It was still blowing a gale, and I worried that my tent may have blown away! It was a hard ride back to the campsite, and although it was only a mile, it felt a lot further. Thankfully when I finally made it back to camp, my tent was still there.

I got into the tent and snuggled down into my sleeping bag. But there was no way I was going to sleep. Not with the wind and rain. I think the wind and rain died down around at about three o’clock. And I was finally able to get some sleep. Sort of! Why is it that I never have to get up in the night when I’m at home? Yet as soon as I’m camping, I do. I had to get up twice last night and go to the toilet. And got soaked each time!

I decided to come home, in the end, today. From what I’ve seen of the weather forecast, it’s only going to get worse over the weekend, typical bank holiday weather. At least it was a nice cycle home with the sun shining, and I walked into my house at about eight o’clock after calling in at the pub first!

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Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 bicycle ride Wednesday 24th-March-2016 Brockenhurst to Brighstone. 36 miles. Well, obviously, I decided against going to Swanage. The weather forecast is really not looking good. And as much as I would have liked to go to Swanage. I’m not going to cycle into some storm.

The temperature started to drop early last night, and I was expecting a cold night, so I dug out my silk liner. I needn’t have bothered. I ended up too hot and had to get rid of it halfway through the night. I’m not used to this camping malarkey!

The storm was due to come in this afternoon, and I was hoping to reach Grange Farm before it came in. I could have come straight over to the Isle of Wight from Lymington, which would have been the quickest and most direct route. And it was probably the route I should have taken. But wanting to have more of a ride, I decided to cycle through the New Forest and get the ferry from Southampton.

I always enjoy cycling through the New Forest, seeing the ponies grazing beside the road. Today there seemed to be more wildlife than normal, apart from the horses, ponies and cattle that I see regularly. There was a herd of deer, with both stags and does. I also saw some pigs, squirrels, and a rat beside the road!

I arrived in Southampton, and as happened yesterday happened today, I just missed the ferry! By the time I’d reached the Isle of Wight, the storm was starting to come in. the wind was getting up, and it started to rain. The last eight miles from Newport were pretty grim. I was cycling directly into the wind and rain, and it was windy! Once at the campsite, it was hard work putting the tent up. I may not be in the best places with a raging storm. But then it’s always windy on the Isle of Wight.

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