Traveling Quick, Light and Free

Travel, escape and relaxing is what I will be doing for the next couple of weeks. Packing today, I began to think about what it takes to equip for travel. Not only the typical tourist travel, but for hiking and motorcycling as well. The requirements seem simple: take what you need, and pack it right. Why then do you always see people with two or three suitcases at the airport?

For a five day, six night trip, what is the most you will need? At the maximum you will only need three full changes of clothing including the clothes you wear on the trip. Everything else except for personal medications and perhaps a digital camera can be purchased at your destination or washed. The biggest benefit to this method of packing is that it will fit in a carry-on suitcase. No more lost luggage.

But what if you don't want to lug a small suitcase around with you? Fear not, there are suitcases that double as backpacks and if you only pack what you need it won't be tiring to carry. If you plan to purchase some souvenirs while away you can compact your luggage with compressible bags. These allow you to just roll up your clothing and squeeze the air out without the need of an external vacuum. Once your clothes are compressed, there will be plenty of room for other essentials.

Sounds interesting but how does this transfer to hiking and motorcycling? Simple, have you ever tried to carry a giant 50lb bag a mile while climbing 3000 feet? I have while tackling the White Mountains in New Hampshire and it is not fun. You begin to exhaust yourself a quarter mile past the trailhead It's a painful experience. Immediately after that trip I emptied my bag and asked myself what the hell did I need an ice axe, 4 water bottles, 4 changes of cloths and a spare pair of boots for on a 3 day hike? I also looked at what I was carrying and learned real quick that there were actually lighter and more compact versions of gear (like cookware for example.)

The philosophy easily transferred to motorcycling. On a bike you need to be light, and pack light, if not for the lack of storage but for your own safety. Motorcycles are inherently designed to be packed lightly because of their handling characteristics. The lower the center of gravity, the better the bike handles. Un-sprung weight (luggage) also severely affects motorcycle performance by limiting its acceleration and just as importantly, its braking. In general, the less you pack, the less weight you need to deal with and the safer you are on the road.

Basically, if you are packing for a trip of any kind, whether it is a trip on an airline to some warm local, over the presidential range in New Hampshire, or cross country on a motorbike, it will always be easier to travel as lightly, sparsely, and simply as possible. It will make the trip more enjoyable. Besides, if you absolutely must have that implement of beauty of convenience, you can buy it at your destination...something else that you can actually fit in the extra space left within your luggage.

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