I sold my car a couple of months ago, as I was barely using it. Not because I was cycling everywhere, but because I could do my errands on my way home in my work van. Now I've been made semi-redundant and forcibly transferred to another department, and they're taking the van away at the end of the week. So this week I made two 5.5 mile trips to the grocery store, having bought a hybrid with a pannier rack and panniers for the purpose, and it worked out fine. Shakedowns done, I'll be doing that at least once a week.

I'm going to be getting to work on the bus (25 miles each way is too far for me to cycle at the moment) possibly finishing the last mile and a bit from the bus stop with my Brompton. I have two training courses to attend in Edinburgh (140 miles away), one this week, the other in two weeks. The first one I'll take the van, a tent, and my Brompton, and experiment with various setups; the next course, when I'll be vanless, I'll take my Brompton and hopefully my camping gear on the train.

The big test will come in January, when I have to get a posh suit to my brother's wedding 400 miles away with a combination of Brompton and bus!

Good luck on your efforts. What I did a couple of years ago when I had to attend a distant wedding was to go to a Men's Wearhouse close to my home and get measured for a rental suit. Then I flew to New Jersey and picked up the suit at a Men's Wearhouse close to the wedding. I looked Mahvelous! Perhaps Scotland has a similar chain of stores.

I believe you can buy a bag that's specifically made for packing a suit into a travel bag (such as backpack or pannier). I haven't traveled with a suit in a long time but I think I still have the little bag with the plastic stiffener thing made for my suit.

Experiment with your own suit, but a decent wool suit should come out wrinkle-free. Just roll it up carefully. The hard part will be getting the shirt there without wrinkles. Either pack a brand new shirt (still in the pins and packaging) or buy a shirt after you get there.

But rather than taking the bike to the wedding, could you just get a ride from the bus depot? At most weddings, they expect to have to pick up people coming from out of town.

I'm sure I could, but I'd rather get there under my own steam. And show off my Brompton, which always draws a crowd when I fold it! I have a few months to work it out, if it doesn't work then I could just be a pedestrian I suppose. But that's no fun!

My course this week has been postponed, so my first try at cycle camping will have no car backup. Excellent, I love an adventure!