FNR BAM

I've been riding mountain bikes at night, off and on, since I was a teen. It's fun. It's scary. It's social. When I was a kid, there was a regular Thursday Night Ride from the Depot in Mill Valley, California. We'd all roll up the mountain, then take various ways down. The hot setup, for me was two Mini-Mag flashlights, each with two AA batteries, in DKG (Dave Garoutte) handlebar mounts, one slightly up, one slightly down. There were many nights I finished without lights.

When my kids were old enough that I could eat dinner with them, do baths, read stories, tuck them in, then go ride, I restarted the Thursday Night Ride, (TNR, yew!) this time from my home in the Oakland Hills. I started riding with other dads, and over twenty years we've kept the ride going, every week. It's fun, dumb and a miniature break from modern life. "The woods are lovely, dark and deep"

Bikepacking is my new, favorite thing. It fits me well, in this phase of my life. A few of my TNR friends are also bikepacking friends, and I have been trying to combine our weekly night ride with a bikepacking overnighter for a little while now, hoping that I may increase the number of friends with whom I can go on trips. Many of them are campers, backcountry skiers, backpackers as well as being mountain bikers. I've offered loaner gear, but until this week, haven't had many takers.

My buddy JP and I were talking about a bikepacking overnighter. He lives in the Berkeley Hills, I live in the Oakland Hills. I identified a likely spot in between us, a place I'd never been before. I proposed a Friday Night Ride (FNR, pronounced "funner") with an optional overnighter at this spot. This time it worked. My friend Chas committed to doing his first bikepacking overnighter, with us. Home Dan also agreed to join us. He's always up for one of these. We'd all ride from our houses, from four different directions. 

This time, I decided to only bring what would fit in my front and frame bags. In the Bags By Bird Goldback 11W TALL; 30º bag, REI silk bag liner, Nemo pad, Nemo pillow, tyvek ground sheet, Borah Gear bivvy, stove kit, tiny fold-up foam pad, Farpointe Tecnowool hoodie, Mountain Hardwear down jacket, bandana, electronics kit with headlamp. In the Rockgeist frame bag; toiletries, tools and spares, (each in their own tyvek zip bag, always ready) pump with mini-tool, tube, fun kit, energy bar, chocolate-covered pretzels, two scoops of Pretty Great dehydrated coffee and a Trader Joe's burrito for breakfast. (Props to Ted for the idea) I thought about packing my 1lb REI camp chair, but I didn't. I should have. Always bring the camp chair. I should have also brought the down pants, but we planned on having a fire...

Looking at the lights of Moraga, from near the top of Claremont, to the tune of Lights of Cheyenne

I ate an early dinner, (Trader Joe's cheeseburger burrito, Ted.) Homie Dan met me at my house at 6 as I was finishing packing, and we took mostly dirt, in a reverse "Great Northern" route along the ridge to our spot. I had made a route, because I rarely go that direction, and the destination was new to me. I missed two turns on the way. Dan thought it was funny. He suggested we stop and ensure I make more wrong turns, but I chose the path of rationality, and we arrived at about 8 to find JP already there. It was a perfect spot. I explained that I expected the others to arrive in two waves, later in the evening. We set about gathering some firewood, starting a fire, and I set out my bivvy in a nice, flat spot under some redwood trees. 

Photo I sent to the people that were texting me about their journey to our spot

Chas and Patrick arrived. I was surprised, and pleased to see Patrick. I've been trying to get him to try a bikepack, but had not succeeded, yet. He wasn't planning on staying the night, but Chas was. In true Chas fashion, he'd led them on a misadventure, arriving about an hour and a half later than he expected. Patrick was bemused. We had a good fire going by that point. The next wave texted me that they'd arrive at 11. I'm usually in my bag not long after dark, but this wasn't a normal overnighter. JP had pre-stashed a 12-pack of beer, and we made merry around the fire. 

Chas Burns

Somebody brought whisky, and little red cups

I'm not sure what's going on, here.

Around 11 the next wave arrived; Jeff, David and Mike. It was now a party. Funny stories were told. Sugary snacks were shared. We had a good evening around the fire. Patrick left, then Dave left, late but Mike and Jeff spent the night. I went to bed around 1:30AM. I slept well.

Saying goodbye to Dave

I heard voices next morning. Some had to leave to be home to father duties by 9. I made it until 7, before getting up, breaking camp, making coffee. 

My bike, ready to go

Chas with his Vietnamese coffee and burrito in a water bottle.

JP, stoked

All of us went our separate ways, I rode with Alan down the east side of the ridge toward his home. We had second coffees and pastries at a neighborhood caffe in Orinda. We saw a neat, old Jaguar. 

My Hudski, at the Orinda city limits

Chas, pointing

Maybe I need this.

The robots tell me this is a Jaguar XK120, produced 1948 to 1954.

I continued south on Camino Pablo, climbed up behind the nursery, through the surreal Wilder Ranch housing development to the backside of Sibley, before returning on dirt, the way I'd come. While riding through Redwood on West Ridge, I saw and heard some ladies on horses, coming in my direction. I pulled over, got off my bike and waited for them. The first lady said "Thank you for waiting." And the next one, I saw her, I recognized her and before I could speak she said "Morgan?" It was Patrick's wife, Heather. 

Heather

We laughed. I asked her if her husband got home OK and she said yes. She told me she's been trying to get him to go on a bikepack with me. I said, "It's good that he's not stubborn." They all laughed. He's not sure about it, and I understand why. 

That's 10 of 10 Bivvy A Month overnighters for me, in 2026, 11 of 12 since I started in December 2025.