Five Ways to Find More Adventure
"Adventure" doesn’t have to mean huge multi-day excursions requiring hours of logistics. Sure, you can drive hours or fly to a riding destination (and those trips are fun!) — but you don't have to do that to get your adventure fix.
So how do you keep the adventure rolling? Start small and start easy. You can make it happen! With a proper attitude and a good, close destination in mind, you’re guaranteed to have an excellent time (bonus: invite a friend or two along for the fun).
Here are five ways to sprinkle Adventure by Bike into your busy life:
1) Commute by bike: Pick one or two days a week that you ride your bike to work or to do errands, no matter what. Even if you’re going to be late (disclaimer: check with your family, boss and coworkers to make sure they’re supportive).
On the days I drive to work, I bring extra food and clothes. I keep a pair of sandals at my desk and dry shampoo and deodorant in the bathroom. This way I don’t have to remember to pack extra things in the morning, and I’m comfortable once I punch in.
I mix up the routes that I take to get to work and take new routes on the commute home. I live less than 10 miles from work, which means my commute time isn't much longer than driving. If you work farther away, check to see if there’s a carpool lot that’s more convenient.
I’m so fortunate to be able to do this and wholeheartedly believe that riding to work makes me a happier, more productive employee.
2) Bikepack locally: Pick a friend or family member who has a decent-sized yard, and bikepack to their house.
Even if they live only a few miles away, you can create a route of any length based on how ambitious you’re feeling. If you start riding and you’re not feeling it, there’s no shame in shortening the route to fit your mood.
One of my favorite overnighters was from my house after work on a Friday to a friend’s wooded backyard only seven miles away. We created a 20-mile route to get there that included rail trail, gravel, singletrack, and a deli to scoop up dinner. We could have streamlined the route directly to our destination, but it was nice to feel like we were going a little further into the unknown.
In the morning, our friend delivered breakfast to our bivies and we headed home on a different indirect route. We arrived back home and still had the rest of the weekend to tend to our to-do lists. This trip was short and sweet, but packed full of adventure and good times!
If you don’t have to be at work super early, you can also pull off something like this in the middle of the week.
3) Riding to or home from non-bike things: If I already have a commitment lined up but I’m feeling particularly wanderlust-y, I’ll let the people I have plans with know that I would like to bike there. If we’re heading north to meet up with family, I’ll leave earlier and pedal there. When we’re heading home from hiking with the dogs, I’ll hop out along the way home and ride.
It could be a short ride or it could be a long ride through the night with a bunch of my gear and I’ll have Dan waiting for me at the destination with clean clothes, snacks, and coffee. Sometimes I get to the destination first and I’ll nap while I wait for him.
Sometimes I pre-make a route and other times I figure it out as I go.
It takes a little brain-power to figure out these logistics, and I recommend thinking about where you'll leave your bike while you do the non-bike things. Try bringing a heavy-duty lock or covering the bike in a locked car when you’re not around.
Your family and friends might think you’re crazy for a little while but they’ll get used to it — they might even begin to expect it!
One favorite memory of riding to commitments was volunteering at an aid station for the Lumberjack 100 in the Manistee National Forest.
Dan drove me a little north of town Friday after work, and I rode into the night. I arrived in the early hours of the morning and set up my hammock to rest (note: please make sure wherever you set up is safe to stay and sleep).
At 6 a.m., I awoke to my friends setting up tents and tables, and I was able to roll out of the hammock, brush my teeth, and help. It was so much fun cheering for the racers as they came through! The other volunteers were high-energy, which helped me forget that I hadn’t slept much the night before.
After the race, I rode to meet up with another friend for a mushroom identification class in Cadillac. Dan picked me up after the class for a camping trip with the dogs in the Pigeon River area. We were back to work on Tuesday. There's a lot packed in there, right? It’s worth it!
4) Stash goodies at your camp spot: If you know where you’re sleeping and you’re able to, drop a cooler and food at camp before your bikepacking adventure. This is a great party trick when bikepacking with friends, because nothing brightens days on the bike quicker than beverages and other treats! Stashing food will also help you pack lighter and make logistics less heinous on a time crunch.
I like to choose a spot off of the beaten path and stash items in a bear-proof container. If you’re staying at a campground, it's smart to call ahead to ask it this is all right. Be mindful if your drop spot is unsupervised — it stinks to have your favorite items lost or picked up by something or someone.
There’s also no shame in dropping extra clothes or other comforts, especially if you’re still getting the hang of packing things on your bike. Guaranteed food and dry items at camp can give you a positive thing to look forward to at the end of your ride.
I once tricked some friends into going on a winter overnighter by luring them into the woods with promises of a family camper to retreat to when it got cold outside. We showed up to drop some stew, beverages, and extra goods, and realized the camper was locked. We had already committed to the overnighter at this point, so it wasn’t a big deal and we were fine sleeping outside. I am so grateful that my friends didn’t bail – and we’ll forever laugh about this mishap. At least we had our stew!
5) Sign up for a group experience: One of my favorite events each year is a group bikepacking excursion, the Fargo Sub-48. It's a unique event where the organizers take care of the meals, beer, route, and campgrounds. All you have to focus on is you and your bike. If you’re lucky, they’ll even carry your camp chair so you have a comfortable place to sit around a campfire to share stories as you make new friends with the other riders.
Seeing how others pack gear on their bikes is a great way to learn how to organize your own kit. I always leave the Fargo Sub-48 inspired by other riders' setups and with a full list of items I need to check out.
Ask your local shop if there are events like this near you and sign up! The bikepacking community is full of cool people just waiting to be your friend. Most people I meet want to show off the neat things on their bike and learn about what other gear is out there. It’s a common ground we can all find together and it always leaves me wanting more.
To review:
- Commute by bike to challenge yourself
- Bikepack close to home to control the size of the adventure
- Bike to more activities to see new places and practice logistics
- Stash goods beforehand to make planning easier
- Try group experiences to share the load and meet new people
Life can get hectic sometimes, and the irony is that bike adventures are a perfect cure for the stress of a packed schedule. We hope these five tips help you fit more Adventure by Bike into your day-to-day life.
