# Good Night 2020 Overnight bikepacking trip



## chriswoody (29 Dec 2020)

I'd been toying with the idea of an overnight trip during the Christmas period, when a website I like to frequent, challenged folk to get out and celebrate the end of 2020 with an overnight trip. I decided to put my plans into action and planned an overnight trip up onto the Heide for a sneaky overnight wild camp. Wild camping is not really allowed, especially up in the Heide, so it's best to be discrete as possible, so with that in mind I set off after lunch, so I would arrive at dusk. Under a leaden sky I set out through the country lanes to the North of my house, before swinging off into the forest.







The forest was still and quiet, the track under my wheels was rutted and muddy at first, before giving way to good gravel after the sandy terrain of Wildech.






From Wildech I made good time on the fast gravel fire roads, flying along and enjoying being out on a trip.After an hour or so, I reach the lake at Anglesbechteich which was swarming with people. I didn't linger long, eager to keep my distance and solitude from others.






Riding on, I was soon up onto the Mistlehorn Heide and the wonderful singletrack that crosses this heathland, from there it was down to the road again and a few kilometres of quiet roads take me further and deeper into the heathland. The sun is getting low in the sky and the clouds breaking as I leave the road again and dive back onto the sandy trails that criss cross this high section of the Heide.






Finally as the sun is setting, I reach the clearing that I was intending to camp in. Normally around here, the only open ground is often carpeted with thick heather and as such, next to impossible to pitch a tent on. This clearing is different and presents a couple of nice pitching options and it is sufficiently tucked out of the way to provide some nice discrete camping. I pop a coffee on and then pitch my tent in the last of the light. The full moon rises above the trees and baths the clearing in light as I eat my food before turning in.






I toast the end of 2020 with a tot of Whisky and a homemade browny before snuggling into my warm down cocoon and drifting off into a deep sleep.






The next morning is cold and grey, the sun struggles to make its presence felt as I strike camp and set off towards home. After a rough forest section, i'm soon on good gravel roads and flying along, the exercise slowly warming my body up. The forest changes around me, from wide gravel avenues between the trees to mudded rutted tracks caused by the many forest workers who come here to tend and fell the trees.







As the morning goes on the cloud starts to thin and finally break, the low sun creating some beautiful light between the trees.






Closer to home the scenery changes again as we see the last of the Heide change into the fields and pastures of the numerous farms around here.






From here it's an easy few kilometres down to Reberralah, where I take a traditional break under the sprawling oak tree. I contemplate the imminent end of my trip with a mix of melancholy and sadness, but also satisfaction at the trips I've managed despite everything this year. When I get home a hot shower and coffee will preface the cleaning and drying of all my kit. First though I still have an enjoyable 14km left in front of me, a mix of gravel and quiet roads lead me home and the end of my farewell trip of 2020. At 85km, not my biggest, but defiantly a satisfying and enjoyable end to a difficult year.


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## Cycleops (29 Dec 2020)

Brilliant description and pictures. Can see you’re not short of creature comforts. What tent did you use? Thanks for posting.


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## HobbesOnTour (29 Dec 2020)

Great write up!
Thank you for that, and I'm with you on saying adíos to 2020

Was that the new tent you used? How was it?
I'm thinking it must have been pretty cold? Love the hip flask
What did you eat and where did you carry your stove or did you set a fire?


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## chriswoody (29 Dec 2020)

Yes it was the new Alpkit Soloist. It is a lovely tent for bikepacking, I've got it rolled up, along with my sleepmat and pillow, in the black drybag between the handlebars, (The red drybag has my downjacket in). As I mentioned in my other post, it really is a summer tent, the top half of the inner tent is all mesh and the inner tent door as well. So all night I had a gentle cool breeze blowing over my face, which could be quite pleasant on warm summer nights, not so sure about it though when it's close to freezing like last night! On the positive side, I had no condensation in the tent. It was a comfy single person tent though, plenty of room to sit up and whilst it was a little tight, getting dressed was no real fight, like in other small tents.






The temperatures were hovering around 5 degrees during the day and just above freezing during the night. Chilly, but i've slept in worse. Food wise, I bought my MSR pocket rocket 2 for this trip and just went with a simple dehydrated meal. It was only one night, I really don't think I could suffer those meals any more than that! It was hot, which was the main thing. The stove, gas and pot all lived together in the frame bag, as did all my snacks, including my delicious homemade energy balls. The rear bag has my sleeping bag, waterproof trousers, poo trowel and book and that was about it really.

The flask was a Christmas present from a dear friend over twenty years ago, who then was tragically killed in a winter climbing accident in 2006. So as well as toasting goodbye to 2020, this was a special way for me to toast their memory at this time, I was especially pleased that I actually had some Glenmorangie to put in the Glenmorangie flask.

Edit: I forgot to mention, the reason I was carrying so much water is that there is no water in the heathland, so I had to carry all my drinking and cooking water for the two days.


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## HobbesOnTour (30 Dec 2020)

Thanks for that @chriswoody 
I spent a good while looking at your setup trying to figure where everything was 
I had most of it wrong!
I'm genuinely amazed that you can get a tent, mat & pillow where you have them!

Thank you.


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## Gunk (30 Dec 2020)

What a fantastic write up and a brilliant mini adventure. I’ve done a few overnighters over the years and if carefully planned they can be as good as a longer break. 

You’ve inspired me to plan a couple of short trips next year!


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## Blue Hills (30 Dec 2020)

Thanks for the write-up - been intending to do something similar for a while - may wait until we are clear of Tier4 in these parts though.


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## rockyroller (30 Dec 2020)

chriswoody said:


> celebrate the end of 2020


very enjoyable story & photos! but are you really that far ahead of us? East Coast of the US is still December 30th 10:18am


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## chriswoody (30 Dec 2020)

Blue Hills said:


> Thanks for the write-up - been intending to do something similar for a while - may wait until we are clear of Tier4 in these parts though.



I have been very lucky in that the lockdowns here in Germany have always allowed unrestricted exercise, along with the fact that I'm exceedingly fortunate to have such great cycling opportunities on my doorstep. Hopefully it won't be too long into 2021 before you'll get chance to get away.



rockyroller said:


> very enjoyable story & photos! but are you really that far ahead of us? East Coast of the US is still December 30th 10:18am



True enough, it is still technically 2020, however, this was my last trip of the year and it was undertaken in the last week of the year. 

I just didn't think "Goodnight the vast majority of 2020, even though there is a smidgen left" had quite the same ring to it!


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## rockyroller (30 Dec 2020)

chriswoody said:


> didn't think "Goodnight the vast majority of 2020, even though there is a smidgen left" had quite the same ring to it!


agreed!


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## cwskas (23 May 2021)

Than you for the inspiring and informative writeup. At present, extended trips are not an option for me due to family needs. I have been planning a series of 2-3 day outings close enough to home and am itching to get on with it.

Willie


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