Lists

One of the best habits I've gotten into with outdoor sports is making lists. Whether I'm camping, predicting appropriate attire for foul weather or making repairs on a bike, a list keeps me in line.

There are so many options and opportunities when you make an adventure out your front door, it's easy to miss them because you aren't prepared. Above is a screenshot of my stuff I needed for last week's camping trip. I get so exhaustive that I list "Boat." But hey, how bad would it be to get to the river and look up to see that there's no boat on the roof?

Organization is the easiest way to avoid such mishaps. I keep a running list of repairs that I need to do on the bikes, too. It gives me the opportunity to categorize by time and need. There may be a couple jobs that will only take ten minutes to finish. If they're on my list, I can seize the opportunity when it arises.

Same thing with tools. Getting my tools out and putting them away is a hassle. When everything is out, I look at my list and say, "What else needs to get done while I've got the bike on the stand and the kitchen is already a mess?" It's a great way to keep the efficiency up.

I use the Simplenote app on my iPhone. But a notepad would do the job just as well.

The reality is that organization keeps you outside more. No one wants to get to the MTB trails and realize they don't have their front wheel. It's totally worth it.

Get out there.