Second City Divide :: Day 7 :: Bikepacking into Scotland

[@michaelfinn1317]

Over hung with grass and gorse … , so it should be. Character forming, as I used to tell my daughter as she got into biking. This is a super little film and the best thing, for me, is that it was fun to make. Greatly enjoyed.

[@JethroJessop]

Definitely built some character on this one and actually enjoyed it thoroughly even in the wettest moments. We stayed warm, spirits remained high and it was, as you observed, a lot of fun. I can't wait for the next one!

[@frogslips]

Fabulous video. I feel so lucky with the weather and midges on my trip, though Kielder did send a few to bite me when I was putting my tent up. You’re so positive in the wet conditions. Good call to have that tarp.

[@JethroJessop]

Kielder campsite was the only spot where the midges were really a problem and it was nothing like I've experienced in the past. Dunno if the weather kept them at bay or if they are feeling the same pinch as the rest of the insect population

[@notquiteultralight1701]

The banana rain dance, the look on your face around all the flying insects and just the generally amazing attitude you both possess in light of the circumstances are incredible!! You guys are great!! All the rain is good for the flowers snd trees. 😊🌞. Great trip!!

[@JethroJessop]

Cheers 😀 If you let the conditions get you down then you just make everything worse. I managed to keep warm which is the main thing and so spirits remained fairly high even during the wettest moments.

[@jamescoffin7670]

What a performance! Really enjoying this series - perhaps more than you did. Totally agree with your comments about bad weather. Rain, cold and strong wind. Any one is bearable. Two together are pretty unpleasant. All three together - just spend the day in the pub. Midgies are always bad. Alan - obviously a comic genius when not under extreme pressure. Keep the videos coming.

[@JethroJessop]

Glad you are enjoying. I also loved this one, even when the weather was bad as it stayed pretty warm and we often had quite favourable wind. `Plus, the midges only really came out on one or two occasions. 3 more days of this series still to come and then on to whatever comes next! Hopefully that will be just as entertaining whatever it is .

[@janine-theeternalwannabe]

Hey Captain&Crew, thanks for this amazing video, one of your best ever. I love your cheerful approach to miserable conditions, and I love your determination to complete the planned stretch no matter what. Humour and good spirits will take you anywhere! But one has to acknowledge the unbeatable asset you have with you. Absolutely everyone needs an Alan on a trip like that! Cheers to both of you!

[@JethroJessop]

Glad you enjoyed it. This was a fun day despite the rain. Sometimes all you can do is laugh at the conditions and push on. In this instance we were wet but never cold which makes it much easier to deal with. And yeah, having Alan along always helps 😉

[@bartoszsmietana1]

I love to watch your videos. Heck, you were some kind of inspiration to me to buy a steel Surly Ghost Grappler, put bags on it and go for a domestic adventure no mather the forecast. I went to High Fens in Belgium, cycled 2d in the rain, and 2d in quite dry condidtions but everything was soaked, bivy, clothes, schoes, everything and didn't want to dry in humid forest. It was the best adventure i had to day and no single regret.

[@JethroJessop]

That sounds amazing. If I had even a small part in inspiring that then I am genuinely proud so thank you! I hope you have many more great adventures in the Surly in the future. Belgium eh, not a country Ive ever really considered riding in. I shall have to look into it

[@timporter8886]

I love Alan's optimism; twice in this rainy episode, of the second city divide; he was sporting Sun glasses!😎🌧 Another fun episode! I'm really surprised just how nice it's been, and how lucky you've been, weather wise. A bad day kind of puts that into perspective. Those are the days that you'll remember the most though, I think. A nice day will quickly fade into memory. But soaked to the bone; whilst singing in the rain and munching bananas; or cowering in a cow shed eating peanut butter baps; that's the stuff of Legend! You will never forget days like that! Great episode; looking forward to more trials and tribulations..haha. Take care Jethro 😊

[@JethroJessop]

All very true and this one actually remained good fun despite the weather because it was quite warm. I can put up with being wet but being wet AND cold is another matter. That would have taken the edge of things for sure. And yeah, Alan is always looking for the good weather. When you are as cool as him the sun shines on you 24/7 ;)

[@OldLostGuy]

You had me with the man on watch had to lash themselves to the rigging...LOL

[@JethroJessop]

I do enjoy framing my gentle adventures as epic, old world explorations. I think I must have been a posh ships captain in a previous life ;)

[@RoadyPacking-CyclingAdventures]

I'm glad to hear i'm not the only singing bikepacker haha!! If it ain't raining, we ain't training eh......

[@JethroJessop]

I sing a lot when I'm riding. Sometimes just a single verse of something I barely know or a melody I have no words for. They just get stuck in my head and go round and round for hours. This one was definitely a training ride by that definition. Not every day fortunately but there were absolutely some character building moments 😉

[@RoadyPacking-CyclingAdventures]

@@JethroJessop Me too! I find myself humming Christmas tunes in Summer, it just springs into my mind and i'm humming "merry christmas.... too....ooo..... youuuuu" whilst cycling along in glorious sunshine.....love it!!

[@JethroJessop]

@@RoadyPacking-CyclingAdventures me too! That's good to know, I thought I might be the only idiot humming Deck The Halls in July 😃 I also once spent an entire day repeating Show Me The Way To Go Home (from Jaws). I must have looped it 100 times!

[@beardedvikingmtber]

Another cracking episode 🤙🏻

[@JethroJessop]

And a cracking ride. Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@gordonmculloch4904]

Once you hit sunny Scotland all will be well again. 😂👍

[@JethroJessop]

I'm not sure where the border was on this one - pretty close to the start I think. The riding definitely improved on the far side but the weather stuck to its guns. Great day in the saddle though still.

[@kevindean9613]

I see you now have a Thud Buster , I love mine It's enabled me to go from 2.8 tyres to 2.2 , I have the same if not better comfort & cover road sections with a loss less effort .

[@JethroJessop]

It's an EE Silk that I got for a bargain price on eBay. First sus seat post I've owned but It's great! You kind of don't notice it but at the same time it makes a load of difference to comfort. I'm very pleased with it

[@adamjhayes59]

Oof 💯! No thanks - hats off to you for battleing on, but there is very little to be done but grind through the miles like that I think.

[@JethroJessop]

Yeah, sometimes you just have to do what needs doing. This time it was actually not so bad because it was warm even when we were soaked so it was still a good day all in all

[@drdjnorg]

You're really selling bike-packing to me. Well if anybody could it would be you two.

[@JethroJessop]

It sells itself. There is nothing I'd rather be doing with my time I don't think.

[@DIY-DaddyO]

Wetter than an otters pocket.. take heart brave fellows, the sun shall shine once more...

[@JethroJessop]

That's the attitude! At least it wasn't cold. I can handle the cold and I can handle the wet but wet AND cold ruins all fun.

[@johnbiddal5951]

I'm still laughing. Rain plus mud plus Midges, and you do this for fun?...Keep the videos coming Jethro 😂

[@JethroJessop]

Glad you enjoyed it. Three more days of this trip still to come then we shall see what comes along next. I'm really trying to keep them coming at a quicker rate than usual while I'm not working so the next one will be coming soon. Gotta maximise that sweet sweet ad revenue or I won't be able to eat soon ;)

[@Anna-Ess]

Hallelujah, I dig this!🎶😁😂 Well, everyone knows that under such a bridge lives a troll. And, in the words of Tony Joe White: "You know you've got to pay the toll, cause even trolls love rock'n roll!" And if you fail to deliver the music, the troll will give you "swamp fever"🤧🤒🤪! So I guess he must have been happy with your performance, since you both seem to have crossed the bridge safe and sound?😉

[@JethroJessop]

I think I could just hear him singing along under the bridge. He didn't come out at all but then it was day time so he was probably hiding from the sun as well. It's after sundown that the trolls become a real problem!

[@Anna-Ess]

@@JethroJessop Word!

[@Biking360]

Looks like a typical Engish summer!!

[@JethroJessop]

Pretty much yeah. Bit of sun, bit of rain, bit of wind. Keeps life interesting ;)

[@davinacaine3615]

oh dear what a wet one 🌧️

[@JethroJessop]

Yeah it was pretty damp for sure. It was still a good day though and it stayed pretty warm which makes all the difference when riding in the rain. If the temperature had dropped to then it would have been a very different story!

[@witofthestaircase1]

You did it so we don’t have to. It’d be interesting to know what gear gets closest to keeping you dry.

[@JethroJessop]

I've come to the conclusion that trying to stay dry is a fools quest. I've tried a few jackets from fairly cheap to my current Gore one and none of them are any good. This Gore one was good for a bit but then it needed reproofing and was never the same again which seems to be the standard story. You can probably keep the rain out with something heavier duty but then you'll just get sweaty and it won't be as packable. These days I just try to keep the worst of it out and layer up with merino underneath to keep warm even when wet

[@witofthestaircase1]

Thanks Jethro. Thanks too for the atmospherics, scenery and object lesson on resilience.

[@JethroJessop]

@@witofthestaircase1 no worries. If you ever prove me wrong and find the perfect rain jacket please let me know because I really enjoy being dry 😉

[@kimcorcoran7495]

You're a frickin musical!

[@JethroJessop]

Sometimes all you can do is break into song. It makes a rainy ride more bearable 😉

[@kimcorcoran7495]

I sing internally, to avoid scaring the wildlife. :) @@JethroJessop

[@JethroJessop]

@@kimcorcoran7495 probably I should do the same to avoid claims of cruelty to animals 😉

[@michaelmather7352]

get on with it lad , a bit of damp shouldn't stop you , 😂😂😂👍

[@JethroJessop]

It shouldn't as it didn't. We made our miles, hit our mark and had a bloody great day in the saddle to boot 😉

[@drvoxmentat]

Sounds great! A testing of tenacity. A wounding by weather. Guaranteed to eventually turn, but when? I hope by the next installment.

[@JethroJessop]

It was actually not as bad as it could have been because it stayed quite warm. If the temperature had dropped it would have been another thing entirely and there would have been much less jollity I'm sure

[@vinnalls375]

Scotland: Pouring down and loads of bugs. I feel at home.

[@JethroJessop]

It did feel very authentic 😄

[@Alan_s_Channel]

What a beautiful day it was. Now pull yourself together, maaan!!! 🤪

[@JethroJessop]

It was a cracker. The next one is going to be dry all the way!

[@Alan_s_Channel]

@@JethroJessop hopefully! It’s getting kinda autumnal in the UK atm

[@JethroJessop]

@@Alan_s_Channelautumn rides can be amazing. Bring it on!

[@rolandhallgren1263]

A hard rain is gonna fall - but never give up - all other information is false. The landscape is sometimes remarkably similar to the highlands of Småland in Sweden says the swede with a smile!

[@JethroJessop]

It really is very much like parts of Småland - just a little smaller ;)

[@Bikepacking]

Very funny intro lol brillant

[@JethroJessop]

Thanks. I seem to slip into the Ship's Captain role rather easily. Maybe some past life bubbling up there 😉

[@Bikepacking]

@@JethroJessop i thought it was Star Trek lol

[@JethroJessop]

@@Bikepacking I am equally happy with that. Live long and prosper 😉

[@rslgb]

Next time Check the position of the Jetstream😂 😂 Great video's 👍👍

[@JethroJessop]

Once you're actually out on the road it seems almost pointless checking anything. They don't seem to know anything more than a few hours in advance and we had to cycle in whatever came our way regardless. Quite a focussing experience really :)

[@rslgb]

@@JethroJessop in 2022 I bikepacked for a week in may the sun shone the week before and the week after, my week was miserable so this year I moved my week forward a week so I would catch the sun ( I hear you laughing already) the sun shone the week before and the week after with rain separating the two😢 best two weeks cycling I have ever done🙂

[@JethroJessop]

@@rslgb the greatest thing you can learn as a bikepacker is to enjoy a wide range of weather conditions. With the right gear and the right mindset even wet days are fun 😉

[@NigelMarston]

Weather like that doesn't mix well with cycling OR camping but to do both - well done. When do your shoes ever dry out? Still, I'd rather do that than sit behind a desk... which is where I am now (going for a ride in a couple of hours to make up for it).

[@JethroJessop]

Fortunately it stayed warm which keeps things enjoyable (definitely more so than being at work). The socks and shoes dried out towards the end of the next day ;)

[@Curlew-Corner]

Hermitage Castle? Dreadful weather. Hope it picks up for the next section.

[@JethroJessop]

I didn't ID the castle at the time but yes, you are right. It just appeared between the trees, I had no idea it was there. The weather was less than perfect but it wasn't bad enough to stop it being a great ride

[@Curlew-Corner]

@@JethroJessop I’ve often visited Hermitage Castle. I’m in Redesdale so it’s a nice journey for a day out.

[@JethroJessop]

@@Curlew-Corner it looked like a great spot and was a very pleasant surprise, popping up like it did.

[@markl2815]

Wee bit Dreich … lol

[@JethroJessop]

A wee bit indeed

[@Bikepacking]

Hey what the max amount water you can carry on your setup trying to firgue out if i can get 10 litres on my bike for remote area

[@JethroJessop]

Currently just under 3 liters as I'm set up now. Would need to get creative with oversized bottle cages and bladders to go much higher but in this part of the world, carrying a filter, 3 liters is plenty

[@Bikepacking]

@@JethroJessop thanks man .. for the info ..i know i should find water easy in Europe but planing remote touring and trying to find a way to carry a lot say 3 days worth. Max but still keep the bikepacking style already tested the setup with 4 seasons and all the camera gear and drone and editing equipment etc and 14 days of food to 21 days ie local food from grocery store etc but water is the issue i firgue it out .. i hope lol

[@Bikepacking]

@@JethroJessop so far i got 3 litre bladder in the frame bag with additional 1 litre bag both have befree filters .. so thats 4 litres then i have 2 litres on each rear side of bike stainless steel bottles so that got me 8 litres in total and .5 on the handle bars .. so thats 8.5 so far . Can add a cambelbak vest with 1.5 but hate wearing a back pack to old lol

[@JethroJessop]

@@Bikepacking yeah backpacks suck. I wore a camelbak for a long while but I wouldn't go back to it now. Sounds like you are planning a serious trip! I tend to carry about 3 days of food just to make life easy and I dunno if I could fit more, though I don't really optimise for it so maybe. Where are you planning on riding that needs so much food and water?

[@Alan_s_Channel]

@@Bikepackingif you drink 2 litres on the morning of the trip that should bump it up to 10 🤓👍🏼

[@chrispietryga8710]

...but apart from that!😁

[@Ey_up]

😂😂😂😂😂😂❤😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@JethroJessop]

I'm happy with that feedback :)