Nearly there, just needed to squeeze in a bivy somewhere between the holiday festivities and having to work in the days between. As Gran and Papa were here to help out with the kids whilst we both had to go to work, I had the option of getting a few more early morning rides in than normal. I’d already managed a couple of Christmas Eve extended commute rides and and almost unprecedented Christmas Day ride (At 10pm!). I had been receiving the usual Rapha Festive 500 emails in the build up, which I normally discount as impossible to fit in. However the realisation that it was actually 500km rather than miles tempted me into giving it a go.
After a productive week of extra rides, I was withing striking distance of my goal – I just needed to commit to a longer ride to my monthly bivy than usual. Saturday night came and I did my usual routine of getting the kids to bed, having got my kit ready in advance to give me the maximum amount of night riding time. So, off I set at ten to 9 with a plan to get to Ballater as fast as I could before the predicted rain hit the area and got me soaked before I could get set up in my selected spot. In order to make progress, I stuck to North Deeside Road all the way out to Banchory after my usual Co-op food stock. Without too much delay, I arrived at Potarch bridge, where I stopped for a snack before crossing the Dee.
The traffic had been light thanks to the time but I fancied riding South Deeside all the way to my bivy spot so I could make a loop of sorts by returning along the North in the morning. It was cold but not too cold, somewhere around zero degrees and it was pleasant riding along familiar roads in the dark. Shortly after Aboyne, I started to feel spots of rain occasionally – my plan was not going to work! I increased my efforts to try and minimise my time in the increasing precipitation but it was properly raining by the time I passed Ballater. I pushed on past the bottom of Glen Muick and started up the climb towards Loch Ullachie. I had a spot in mind from some Google Streetview reconnaissance, so I took a rough track to the right and climbed up to the edge of the trees and found myself a couple of likely prospects for a hammock hang. First thing up was the tarp to keep me dry while I got the rest of my kit out. Once done, I sat in the hammock eating my supper, drinking tea and enjoying being out in the rain whilst not getting any more wet.
I didn’t delay too long, as I wanted to be up early to get back home and entertain the kids in the morning. I slept okay, without feeling cold as there was little in the way of wind. At some point the rain must have stopped, as I could see the moon when I woke up after 0500 and started to think about getting up and at it.
I got my kit packed up quick after shaking the last of the rain from my tarp and decided to ride for a bit to get some blood pumped into my feet before breakfast. There was no daylight for a good few hours yet, soI popped over the top of the climb and whizzed down the other side before making my way along to Balmoral, where I stopped at the bridge for refreshments.
After my brew and a sandwich I hit the A93 to start my mostly downhill roll home. Progress was good and I started to see the first glimmers of light on the eastern horizon ahead of me.
Just as it looked like I would enjoy blazing skies on my final stretch, I rode straight into a wall of fog to put me back into the gloom for the next 20 miles or so. Not too big a deal as I was just happy to be out on the bike for a long ride. The roads started to get busier as I reached Banchory but I stuck with it to keep my average speed up.
As I got near home, I threw in a cheeky extra loop to add on a few km, just in case I would be needing them to get me over the line for the Festive 500. It left me needing a couple of extended commutes on New Year’s Eve to get me over the line.
