I’m only a little embarrassed to admit it. I get out far less than I’d like, spend far more time on three-day trips than 30-day epics, and much more time frequenting the water trails within a few hundred miles of my house than I do exploring my northern dream destinations.
Maybe, like me, by the end of your workweek, the prospect of packing up and driving for hours starts to sound less appealing than doing laundry and watching snails traverse the garden (how relaxing).
Whenever I’m tempted to bail, I tell myself that while I probably won’t regret staying home and running errands, I will regret missing out on a new adventure.
After 10 years of playing weekend warrior far more often than the part of paddling nomad, I’ve learned a thing or two. From one three-day adventurer to another, here’s my advice.
1) Leave on Friday. No excuses, even if it means arriving at the access point at midnight and camping. You’ll appreciate it when you wake up Saturday morning already there and your time outside will feel like it’s double the length.
2) Keep an eye on your bear spray. Don’t assume the safety lock will do its job and toss it in a pack. Best-case scenario of an accidental blast is experiencing a litany of strange, capsaicininduced symptoms on the trip thanks to a never-going-anywhere residue. And that’s best-case.
To read more about how to get out for a quick weekend paddle, check out Canoeroots & Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
