Setting goals.

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As the human in our duo, planning adventures falls on my shoulders, and I can’t help but be inspired by the new year and the opportunity to throw down new gauntlets. Enter our 2022 New Year’s Resolution:

MICROADVENTURES

The biggest lesson I learned in 2021 is that you don’t have to go far to have fun. Charlie and I bikepacked the 60 mile Corvallis-to-the-Sea (C2C) trail 3 times last year, and I swear it got more enjoyable each time. There's something special about keeping it local - the process of cultivating an appreciation for the overlooked beauty in your own backyard, the lack of pressure associated with driving several hours to a novel location, and of course the accessibility and relative ease of planning. So in 2022 we’re committing to monthly overnight adventures that begin and end from home, otherwise known as microadventures.

Finding multiple places to camp within dog-running distance is not an easy task. I’d be lying if I claimed that I never did any rogue camping, but one of my objectives is to make adventure more accessible, which means only camping where it’s legal. Keeping this project on the up & up will force me to seek out new and unconventional camping spots - an exciting challenge.

There’s no guarantee that we won’t succumb to the negative momentum that kills so many New Year’s resolutions, especially in these first few months of wet, cold weather. That’s where the grit comes in - and few things are more coercive than Charlie’s collie stare.