My obsession with ‘bike and bivvy’ trips has entered a new level. I’ve entered The Welsh Ride Thing.
Apparently it’s an event for hardened adventurers, ultra racers or bivvy-nerds. I shudder to guess which category I fall into. Either way I better get an actual bivvy under my belt before June…and maybe a bit of bike training too.
I’ve been talking about taking on my first ever ‘Bike & Bivvy’ trip for a good while and knew 2012 would be the year I would take on the adventure.
Aware of my enthusiasm Patrick suggested we take on the ‘Bike & Bivvy’ challenge a few days ago. A snap decision was made and it appeared like a really good idea at the time but as the days off rolled round and the weather looked a little iffy suddenly we weren’t so sure. Enthusiasm for something new and a little adventure pushed us over the edge and on Wednesday night you could find us in a storm of kit, packs, food and maps. The rough plan was to cycle the next day from Manchester to Dewsbury. Odd choice I know but we have family in Dewsbury so it seemed like an easy finishing point. Hot food and showers etcetc.
The idea would be to arrive in the Peaks for the bivvy and find a cool spot with a view and bivvy the night away cosy as little lambs. Ride out the next day for an early finish and a train home.
A last minute epiphany picking up a gas canister at a camping shop by the river Mersey near Sale saw a change in our route. We decided to cycle along the banks of the River Mersey to Stockport following sections of the excellent Trans Pennine Trail and then jump over to the Goyt Way and then onto the Pennine Bridleway towards Hayfield and Edale beyond. The idea of the mostly car-less route was great and whilst more circuitous it was far more enjoyable than our original plan. On the approach into the Peaks it would take in some mountain bike trails we’re familiar with including Jacobs Ladder, Baby Head boulevard (slang) and out towards Cutgate Path. Over the back and then NE towards Dewsbury, a total of about 60 miles, the obvious idea being to cut it in half with an overnight stop in the peaks.
Stopping to check directions
As we started along the Trans Pennine Trail we we’re happy with our route decision. Occasionally we could see and hear the motorway traffic but we’re at least separated by the River Mersey. In fact as we travelled along
Incredible footage from the Nikon D4 but it’s the film and the athletes that inspire me most! Filmed by Corey Rich the video features kayaker Dane Jackson, endurance mountain biker Rebecca Rusch and climber Alex Honnold and simply reflects on why any of us do what we do. I could watch it over and over again….in fact I think I will.
So the start of a new year and most of us feel a little reflective and perhaps set ourselves new goals for the coming year. I for one have been pondering whether to start my own 365 photography project. Taking 1 photo for every day of the year as a way to document my life in 2012. I hoped such a project would force me to slow down and think about the world a little differently whilst also improving my photography. I’d planned to start on the 1st January but I wasn’t sure I had the commitment and it would become another half hearted fad.
Whilst I may not have the commitment plenty of others have. Over the last few years there have been lots of inspiring portrait projects not least of all Everyday by Noah Kalina. Noah is from Brooklyn and started to capture self portraits of himself back in 2000 at the age of 19. He’s still going. Another inspiring self portrait project is The Longest Way by Christoph Rehage which provides an insight into a 4500km journey by foot through the Gobi desert. I’ve even been tempted to dabble with my own slightly odd experiment in 2010 whilst out in India but the less said about that the better.
It must be something to do with the era in which we live and the popularity, affordability and immediacy of digital photography that these types of projects keep emerging but today I came across another outstanding project by Jeff Harris which has left me feeling shaken up and ready to pop…in a good way. Harris used to make new years resolutions promising to write diaries which always fizzled out by February. As a photographer however, he realised he could always spare five minutes to take a self portrait. So since the 1st January 1999 he’s been doing just that. That’s over 4,748 self-portraits.
When asked why Harris said:
“I see no reason to not make a self-portrait each day. I’m always around and always free. It’s kind of like going to the gym—it flexes your muscles and keeps you in shape.”
“I didn’t want 365 images of me sitting on the couch each day,” says Harris. “There could have been that tendency, especially during the cold dark winter months to stay inside all the time, but this project inspired me to get out there and seek out interesting things.”
An intimate and honest approach from the mundane to the adventurous. Over the projects thirteen years it’s clear Harris hasn’t got bored and he even confesses to finding it harder to stop the longer he continues. He’s now in his fourteenth year of an ever-evolving art project documenting a life well lived. For a glimpse into Harris’ world watch the video below that was produced for Time Magazine lightbox.
I recently spotted the ‘India is’ Global Video Challenge 2011 and having spent an amazing 3 months in India only last year I thought it was appropriate I should knock together an entry. I had already created a short split-screen video called I ♥ India but it didn’t quite fit all the criteria so using a lot of the same footage I recreated a shorter edit and uploaded my entry. Now I’m just crossing my fingers.
At the end of October life was getting a little bit hectic so we made a last minute decision to recharge our internal batteries with a short wilderness trip to Sweden. We hired a canoe and made the most of being outside.
We had worried the lakes would be frozen over but it was positively tropical for this time of year! It was warm(ish) for the whole trip. No rain but constantly cloudy with lots of fog which made taking photos a bit of an issue because the light was so dull. The only sign of life was one squirrel, 2 beaver lodges and lots of poo. It felt like the whole place was on hibernation.
We’d been told we may hear the howls of wolves at night so we listened but all our clanging about during the day no doubt scared them off. During our 5 days camping we got to paddle, chop wood, make fires and toast marshmellows so now my soul has definitely been recharged with a warm smokey glow.
We had a GoPro HERO camera with us so I’m just stitching together a little footage. Will let you know when it’s ready.
I love vimeo. I can spend hours searching for new and inspiring videos to watch. I’m always on the look out for interesting outdoor adventure type films. On YouTube there’s plenty of rock anthemed extreme sport videos (I’m sure there’s a few on Vimeo too) but the vibe on Vimeo is generally a lot more creative. My favourite are those that reflect a type of lifestyle. Less petrol head and more camp fires and marshmellows.
There’s a lot of very creative talent that i’m sure I haven’t even spotted yet but here’s my current top 3 filmmakers on vimeo. In no particular order…
Last Sunday I was happy to be filming at the Howies Coed Y Benin Enduro. The event is a non-competitive endurance challenge for mountain bikers. Pedals were rotating, people were sweating and afterwards we had beer and hot tubs! Patrick had entered the race and I planned to drive a round the course filming the bikers as they passed. I’ll be editing together a promo video for the event using a mixture of GoPro and DSLR footage but here’s a few screenshots to give you a taste of the day. Patrick’s also written up a brilliant blog post providing an insight from a riders perspective.
*UPDATE* You can now watch the finished Coed Y Brenin Video – just click the link.
Bike fettling before the race
Team Pickle GoPro footage
Muddy feet at the feeding station
First Bike & Bivvy TripFebruary 18, 2012
Action Cameras: Swann Freestyle HD V’s GoPro HeroJanuary 27, 2012
Algonquin Park PhotomotionNovember 7, 2009First Bike & Bivvy TripFebruary 18, 2012
A Mountain biking Film: Lee QuarryJune 2, 2010
DIY Cable Cam for Mountain BikingFebruary 20, 2011Algonquin Park PhotomotionNovember 7, 2009First Bike & Bivvy TripFebruary 18, 2012A Mountain biking Film: Lee QuarryJune 2, 2010
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