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In keeping with the recent travel theme, I thought I would mention some of my favorite pants (“trousers” for those of you in Great Britain — You can stop snickering now) for traveling. As I have previously established, light packing and clothes that are designed for such are a particular obsession of mine. Everything mentioned here I have in my current arsenal and have been well road tested.

• TravelSmith Men’s Anywhere Pants — I actually have a couple of pairs of these and like them a lot. The fabric in the newer model I have is slightly different (and better) than the older model I have so I opt for it more often than not. I have both of these in the khaki color and they look good with both a t-shirt or casual button down. Because of the full elastic waistband I would be less inclined to use these with a shirt you would have to tuck in though. Luckily, I’m rarely in situations, even when traveling, where that is required.

• Travel Pants from SCOTTEVEST — The link is to the the Convertible Travel Pants but I have the non-convertible model which do not seem to be on offer anymore. In fact, I generally dislike convertible pants because I cant help but get that “hoop around the knee” look. In any case, I have been a big SCOTTEVEST fan for years and own several of their products (more of which I will cover in future travel related posts). These pants are no exception. Perfect for travel where pickpockets are a concern or if you have the need to carry a fair bit of stuff but want your hands free. Mine are in the olive green color.

• Patagonia Men’s Nomader Pants — These are a new addition to the traveling arsenal and I can already tell they will become a quick favorite. In fact, I’m tempted to wear them around town now and then because I like them so much. These are comfortable, designed for wear and tear, and look great. I have these in grey.

So, there you have it. Three pairs of pants that can take me anywhere. All designed to be durable, functional, and look great. And each one can be washed in the sink at night and be dry and ready to be packed or worn in the morning. And, when folded and stacked, together they take up the same space as a single pair of similarly folded jeans. And, as I explained in my previous post, the goal for me is as much light travel as it is having a iety of colors and options so I don’t look like I’m wearing the same thing every day. With these, I achieve these goals.

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This originally appeared on the Pack Light, Go Fast blog. Reposting here for archival purposes.

This is my GORUCK GR1 packed and ready for a week long road trip. This is the only bag I need.

I pack light. Always. I hate the very idea of carrying more than I absolutely need. This is as true in my day-to-day carry as it is on a long road trip. The secret, I have found, is to work to ensure that the things I would pack for myself for a three day journey are the same as I would pack for a thirty day journey.

The secret is to pack things that I can wash and dry quickly (overnight). As well, what you want is not only clothes that can wash and dry fast but also those with complementary colors that you can mix and match. Having, say three shirts, three bottoms, and their corresponding accessories (socks, underwear, etc.) can give you enough combination choices that few will ever notice you are wearing the same small supply.

Now, I’m not going to bore you with brands and links about what I have. Because that does not matter. There are tons of great brands that make this stuff, many of which have been covered here before (Patagonia, Ex Officio, Travelsmith, etc.). What matters is the elements as described above. What I can tell you is the basic outline of what I have packed in here:

• Three button down shirts.
• Three t-shirts.
• Two pairs of shorts and one pair of long pants.
• Three pairs of socks.
• Three pairs of underwear.
• Swim trunks.
• Self packable wind/rain jacket.
• Super absorbent pack towel (for hyper drying wet clothes).
• GR Tac hat.
• Kit bag.
• MacBook Air (11 inch).
• iPad mini.
• Small bag with misc. electronic cables and dongles.
• Notebook and pens.

As you can see, there is a lot packed into that bag, but not too much. Only just what I need. Everythng is designed to be light and pack small. And this could keep me for as long as I want. Three days or thirty, no matter.

This is just to say that having the right gear matters and you can get a whole lot of mileage out of very little carry. I do whenever I travel and have long been convinced it is the only way to go.

My five year old daughter, Beatrix, is an excellent traveller. I knock on wood a bit every time I mention it for fear that it will suddenly change. Yet, every long road trip or flight we take reassures me that it likely will always be the case. This past trip was no exception. In the car and driving all day, there was none of the impatience, squirreliness, or “are we there yet” that I’ve seen so many other parents report.
I thought a lot about it on the drive this time. Reflecting much on what makes her such a good traveller. And, though I’m sure a bit of it is because of just-who-she-is, I believe the main reason is one I can justly take far more pride in: We raised her this way.
Raising a good traveller was an intentional act on our part. As people that love to travel and try to do so as often as we can, having a kid that also understood the value we placed on it was important.
So, how did we do it? How did we raise a kid that is a joy to travel with?

1. Start |sknra|referrer|akiya
   them traveling young and keep them traveling. By young I mean as soon as you can. Beatrix travelled to Denver, Norway, and Cancun before she even learned to walk. She has been to D.C. and upstate New York. We have taken her on long road trips to Boston, New Orleans, and Asheville, NC (we live in Minnesota). In fact, we have counted at least 18 states that she has visited or passed through. We plan on some more long intercontinental flights soon. Traveling is just a part of life to her. It is something that people do.
2. Teach them appropriate etiquette (and model it yourself). There is a way one behaves that is situation appropriate. Want your kid to behave well in a theater? Take them to theaters often and show them how to behave. Want them to know how to behave in a restaurant? Take them out to eat (especially nice places) and show them how to behave. Want them to know how to behave on a plane? Well… You get the point. Which all goes back to item number one above. Take your kids places.
3. Plan plenty of stuff to do along the way. Especially on long trips like road trips. Make the time to frequently stop at rest areas for a few minutes. Stop to read a historical marker or take in a scenic overlook. Do things like jumping jacks or two minute wiggle dance parties before you get back in the car to get the legs stretched, blood flowing, and laughter rolling. Certainly, iPads and the like have made the passing of time easier. But there are plenty of traditional road games (I spy, 20 Questions, Slug Bug, Find Five Things, etc.) that I would argue for many reasons are even better.
4. Surprise them along the way. Find a nice playground near your lunch stop and let them play for a half hour. Bring a bag of brand new, yet inexpensive, small toys or books (dollar stores are great for this kind of stuff) and dole them out slowly over the course of the trip. It does not have to be a big deal. Just a “Oh yeah, I got this for you in case you were bored” sort of thing.
5. Involve them. Let them know what to expect next. Tell them the major towns/cities that are between here and there in order that they know the milestones to look for (which answers the “how much further” questions before they are asked). If they are of reading age give them a map too (my little girl LOVES maps — just like her Mother). Give a few options for mealtime and let them choose. Give them a job or responsibility like making sure such-and-such is packed or cleaning the windows at the gas station. Make them an equal partner in the travel experience as much as you can so they will feel ownership of it too.

I could probably come up with more but these are some of the major things that I feel have made long journeys with Beatrix such a pleasure. She really is an excellent travel partner who we are comfortable taking along almost anywhere. I don’t know how many other parents of small children can say that but, hopefully, the above will help.
Bonus Packing Tip: For Beatrix, I pack each individual outfit into a gallon sized ziplock bag. For instance, a top, a bottom, pair of underwear, and some socks. I squeeze out the air and seal it tight. This way, I can lay a few bags out for her in the morning and she can choose one and know everything needed is in there and matches. Previous days worn clothes go into the bag the fresh ones come out of (and I keep the dirty and clean bags separated). This not only keeps things super organized and allows the kid to have a choice, but allows one to pack in half the space needed otherwise thanks to squeezing out all the air.

…I largely won’t be while I’m traveling. It’s called a vacation for a reason. I will be driving for hours most days and enjoying my time with family and friends when I’m not.

Reading back through my ious streams will not occur. Feeds will be marked as read without further reflection. Tweets and posts happening anytime in the past will be ignored. If I do take the time to look at things it will be with an eye on what is happening in the present.

I have found that the important things always have a way of finding their way to me if needed. That the things I truly care about I will take the time to seek out. The rest can be safely ignored. (This is also true while not on vacation. I simply give into thinking otherwise too easily as my time allows for it.)

Today is the first day of The Great Minnesota Get Together — The Minnesota State Fair. What is commonly known here as simply, “The Fair”. It is the largest state fair in the United States.

There are many, many, things to love about the Minnesota State Fair. But the one thing I love the most is how it unites us all. If I were to walk up to any of the 3.4 million people in the Twin Cities Metro Area and ask them what their state fair traditions are, every single one would have an answer. Everyone would have a story to tell about the fair, how this thing or that thing became the thing they always do, or about some offbeat thing they have found there that no one else seems to know. They might tell you the day they always go or where they always park, or the exact order they always plan their day, or the things they always have to see or eat. No matter, everyone has at least one state fair tradition and most people several.

I, of course, have my own. I always have to eat a Scotch Egg for breakfast at the stand near the livestock barns. I always have to get a malted milkshake at the Dairy Building. I always try to get a bucket of Sweet Martha’s Cookies which always overflow the top such that one can not put the lid on unless you eat a couple of dozen which are always best washed down with several glasses of milk from the “All The Milk You Can Drink For $1.00” truck (it used to be .50 cents).

Around this time of year, I often think to myself where else in America (or the world) one could find such a thing? An entire city or region or state united by the shared experience of something so fun, uplifting, and meaningful. Something so full of tradition that often spans generations and crosses culture, race, and gender. Our state fair is a great state fair made greatest by the love of all who frequent it.

I suspect it is rare and increasingly more so. Hence I (and many other Minnesotans) am always just a bit more thankful and proud to live here this time of year. And we are, rightfully, just a bit more proud of ourselves too. Because we can pass a stranger and know that no matter our differences there is something we likely share — we love The Fair.

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Here is another one of those cases where the whole "working for yourself pie in the sky dream" that everyone who does not actually do it runs head on into the "gosh it really blows sometimes" reality of it.

I will be going on "vacation" next week for a bit more than a week. Vacation is in quotes because those that work for themselves often don’t get that option. This will certainly be the case for us. My little girl’s last day of pre-school is this Friday and there is a two week break before starting Kindergarden in September. This meant that we would have a couple of weeks without any place for her during the day. So, this normally would mean trying to fit both mine and my wife’s (who is also my business partner) work schedules around care of Beatrix — a Herculean time management achievement.

Instead, we figure it is easier to take a week long road trip and thus have a valid excuse for emails, calls, and work not being done until after she goes to bed — and even then ignoring and delaying most of it.

And that is just what we are doing. With extended stops in Indianapolis, IN, Columbus, OH, and Asheville, NC. Not to mention plenty of lunch and rest breaks in between (a meal at one of my favorite restaurants — Bluephies in Madison, WI for instance if we can work it in). I would love to meet anyone in these locales if we can work it out schedule wise. (Get in touch if you’d like to try to arrange it.)

Of course this also means that much of the work that would normally get done in that time is being squeezed in before we go. So this week is abnormally hectic for us both.

All of this is an extended way of saying that posting here will be dramatically lighter in the coming few weeks. That said, road trips usually result in long conversations and dramatic revelations and clarity for me. In large part to being a captive audience
to my two greatest sources of wisdom and inspiration — my wife and daughter. Therefore, don’t be surprised if I pull a zinger out of the hat during that time.

Thanks for your patience and sticking around.

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This is once again my take on some of the items that I have run across this week. I wish to share them with you:

The Bullet Journal is a very interesting note taking markup system along the lines of my dash/plus system. I prefer mine of course but there are some interesting ideas going on here, including having an index page and his innovative solution for having a calendar. Plus, the website is slickly designed. Well worth checking out.

Austin Kleon’s recent post on keeping one’s overhead low is still resonating with me even as after I read it. I’ve long tried to articulate the idea that doing with less means having more freedom to do what you ant to do. Here, he captures it perfectly in just a few short paragraphs.

Speaking of freedom, J.D. Bentley recently shared his experience living in a land where you are naive of the culture and speak little of the language and the freedom that can come when you are forced to let your ego and self-expectations go. Beautifully written as usual from J.D (who remains one of my favorite writers).

I’m all signed up for the Big Gay Race 5K again this year. If you are in the Twin Cities area you should come run it with me and support a good cause (the continuing fight against hatred and bigotry despite landmark legislative victories like the right for all Minnesotans to marry). The early bird registration is only $25.00 and includes a free t-shirt.

I’m a big fan of packing light. Here is a nice account with some great tips of someone packing to travel to and live in Northern China for a year. He’s going over to teach English. A good lesson in figuring out what really is essential.

By the way, I’ve writen his entire post using Editorial — a fantastic new text editor for the iPad. I’m still getting my head around all the things it can do. This write up and review at Macdrifter, along with the nicely done videos Gabe included, were a big help. Suffice it to say that a new bar has been set in iPad text editors and this is now the one to beat. Especially if you use Markdown. Simply fantastic.

That’s all I have for now. Enjoy your weekend.

I came across this question as I was driving around today. Not in an especially prominent place. Tucked away. Spray painted on the back of a warehouse on a less travelled road. It challenged me. I felt as if all those who happen upon it, those fortunate few, owe it to the asker to answer. My first answer: It’s likely been too long.

This got me thinking about signs and messages in general. What if such prompts for introspection were ubiquitous? What if we replaced every street sign with a call to action or opportunity for reflection. It could be called propupganda — messages designed to "prop up" one’s self-esteme. Would it make a difference in the way we see things? Would it make a difference in the way we treat each other? Or would these just blend in and be ignored. The same way we so easily ignore the mundane beauty that surrounds us daily. Would we rush pass signs like this and leave them unnoticed in the same way we rush past the beauty of the morning dew that has fallen on the lawn overnight. Unnoticed because getting to the where-we-go always seems to be more important than the where-we-are.

I’m in some ways glad this message is rare and off the beaten path. It makes the impact on those that notice it that much more appreciated. Here, in my rushing, I was stopped in my tracks and asked to reflect. And now my answer is: Right here, right now, I took the time to notice this. And, thus, my self is the better for doing so.

Yesterday, I went on my first run after ten weeks of not doing so. Yep. Ten whole weeks.

About, eleven weeks ago, I went on my last long run of training for the Minneapolis Half Marathon. I set out for a two hour run and went 12.5 miles. It was a bit of a slog after I hit a wall at about mile nine. But, that was the same place I hit a wall in my first half-marathon so that was OK. I now know where that wall is. After I made it back home I was a bit sore but still felt like I had a bit more “left in the tank” and felt good about my overall time and pacing.

Then, after a few days of recovery my shins were still pretty sore. I began to get worried so I decided to go for a very short run to work out the kinks and see how I felt. Well, every step felt like my shins were on fire. I barely ran a mile like this and, at the point of tears from the pain, I walked home. I spent the next two days massaging with a couple of rollers, icing, modifying my nutrition, and just about every other tip I could find to see if I could fix it. The day before the marathon, I decided to try that same short run to see if I could make it. Same problem. I was certain it was shin splints. This is a common injury for those who have tried to increase their running distance too fast (as I had done). And, though I had paid the registration fee and picked up my race packet, I decided right then to bow out of the race. It was for the best.

I knew it would take a few weeks of babying my shins to heal. Resting, icing, massaging, stretching, etc. All of which I did. It was going to be a pain in the ass because I really had worked hard to form a routine — a habit — of running. I knew a couple of weeks off meant that I would spend every two to three days with the urge to go for a run. I also knew that, once I got back out there, I would need to take my time and be careful not to make the same mistake twice. All I would have to do is to fight that urge until I was well rested and healed. Then just give into it when the time came. It would still be there if I healed up soon enough. Which was the plan.

But then, two to three weeks became three to four. I always put it off to tomorrow. Then each tomorrow became just another tomorrow. And, each time I said tomorrow it became easier to say it again when tomorrow came. And, soon enough, I had formed a new habit…

A not-running habit. A tomorrow habit.

I had spent a good month or so when I started running coaxing myself to put on the shoes and get out the door. But, each time it required less and less coaxing. Until, eventually, I did it naturally because I had formed a running habit. Not running was not an option becuase I got a nagging feeling every time the time came to run.

Well, what I discovered is that one can form habits in the opposite direction as well. And, they work just like forming any other habit. The more you say no the easier it becomes to say it again.

This is true in other areas of our life too. That task on your list you keep putting off will become easier and easier to put off until, eventually, you form a “putting that particular task off” habit. That dream you keep talking about pursuing but never do, eventually becomes a “talking about it but never chasing the dream” habit. You get the idea.

The only way to break any habit is to eat that frog and replace it with a new one.

So, yesterday, I decided I needed to replace and rebuild my running habit. I refused to let it be just another tomorrow again. After so much time off, I would need to form the habit all over again. And the only way to start was to strap on my shoes, get out the door, and go.

You know those people who always seem to blame their misfortune on everyone but themselves? I know that I know them. It’s always his fault or her fault or their fault or the world’s fault. It’s even just plain bad luck or things just never seeming to go their way. It’s always someone or something else’s fault. It’s never their own. As if everything bad that happens in their life is part of some well orchestrated grand conspiracy.

And even if this is not who we generally are, we all have these singular moments. Moments where we are quick to point fingers and assign blame. Moments when, if something does not go as well as expected, it is not our fault — it’s theirs.

My first thought when I encounter such people or situations is this: Why would anyone give all of their power away so easily?

Power?

Yes. Power.

You see, if you are of the mind that everything bad that happens is someone else’s fault, or if you think that life just kind of happens to you as you are living it, then you are assigning a tremendous amount of power to them and assume no power to be able to change it yourself. If your choices and actions are always a reaction to the things that they do, then you have no agency to take action or make the independent choices that drive your life. And, I can’t imagine a life more sad than one where you believe that bad things just happen to you for no good reason. Where others are mean or things don’t go your way and you have no ability to make it stop.

But, if you see things differently and assume the responsibility for the things that happen in your life, then you also command the power to change them. Once you stop believing that them or they or the man or life are to blame, and start to look within for reasons instead, you can start about the work of making the changes needed to turn the tide.

The position of power is the ability to accept responsibility for one’s fortune — good or bad. Because only in this position does one have the power and opportunity to change or sutain it.