Change of plan

Well, I've learned a lot about winter cycle camping already.  I had a good night and stayed warm, with a clear sky, a full moon and ever changing constellations of stars above me whenever I opened my eyes.  Also a few aeroplanes and a shooting star!  I didn't  see any bears, wolves or slugs.  When I woke it was already half light, with a fearsome frost on everything.  I treated myself to a hot coffee and a peanut butter bagel.  So nice that I had another coffee.

Breakfast

Frosty bivi bag

Frosty panniers

But - you can't  really do anything in the dark, even use the phone, as it's  too cold to put your hands outside the sleeping bag.  By the time I was ready to ride it was 10am.  I realised that I couldn't  keep to my original plan of a 60 mile ride today. There just aren't  enough daylight hours to pack/unpack the camping gear, eat properly, write something  for the blog, stop to take photos, and ride, especially with a loaded bike.  There were also a worrying number of frosty or icy patches on the roads yesterday.  So, unfortunately  I've decided to abandon the trip for now.  Longer daylight hours would make a massive distance.  Or not camping, of course.