Diogenes' Bivouac

2018 Review of the year outdoors - part 2 (of 2) Continuing on from the first part of the year here .   June - Lee Valley As the weather was very nice I decided to go for a long run out of London along the Lee Valley, and see how little equipment I could get away with for a night's sleep. I managed to get everything into a lumbar pack (aka "bumbag", [or “fanny pack” for the Americanists, if you really insist]), although I did have to strap the bedroll underneath. The morning after. Everything packed away into a small pack and bedroll. I didn't even take an insulated sleeping bag, just a waterproof-breathable "bivvy" bag, a thin foam ground sheet and a ultralightweight comfort pad constructed using black balloons. Yes really . With an extra layer of clothes on top of my running clothes I was fine, despite a very short light shower in the night, and the attentions of some annoying flying insects. The minimalist sleeping set up   But rea...

2018 Review of the year outdoors - part 1 (of 2) This is a diary post documenting my most notable outdoor trips last year. I will try to include some RPG-relevant comments and gameable ideas! January - Box Hill So picture the scene, I work up the nerve to do a day's walk out of London with a plan to sleep out in a bivvy bag (i.e tentless). After nightfall and a couple of pints at the nearest hostelry I climb the hill under the shadowy and unfamiliar light of my head torch, telling myself regularly that there is nothing out there to get me. Then I round the corner and see this huge beast blocking the path! Wooden Dracolich - mostly harmless It certainly looked to me like some kind of wooden dracolich, or perhaps SCP-682 ... In any case I nearly shat myself, but continued on regardless and actually did get some rest overnight after eventually dropping off to sleep. Achievement unlocked: first night in a bivvy bag somewhere other than a friend's garden. Trave...