How To Think Like An Ultralight Backpacker Travel Articles | April 6 Marshon Lattimore Saints Jersey , 2008
How does an ultralight backpacker think? A reporter for a backpacking magazine asked me this in a? recent interview. I've gone backpacking in winter conditions with as little as eleven pounds total on...

How does an ultralight backpacker think? A reporter for a backpacking magazine asked me this in a? recent interview. I've gone backpacking in winter conditions with as little as eleven pounds total on my back, so I do think light. In fact, there are some basic questions that seem to automatically come to mind when I am either planning a backpacking trip or looking at gear. I suspect other lightweight backpackers ask themselves the same things.

1. How do I make it lighter?

Habitually ask this of every item you bring. Foam sleeping pads can be trimmed, a stuff sack could be left behind if the sleeping bag can just be stuffed directly into the pack. Shortening a toothbrush and cutting the edges off maps won't lighten the load much, but modify enough different items, and the weight savings can add up to a pound or two.

2. Is there a lighter alternative?

This is where you really save weight, especially if you start with the "big three;" sleeping bag Tre'Quan Smith Saints Jersey , shelter and backpack. Buying new gear may be necessary, but you can also find the lightest choice among the things you already own. Pick out your lightest t-shirts, for example, or take your light tarp for a short trip, instead of a tent. This can make a big difference in how light you go. Many years ago, I went from a 88-ounce (5 12 pound) backpack to a 14-ounce one, and from a three-pound sleeping bag to a one-pound one.

3. What can I leave behind?

"Do I really need to bring this?" Ask that of each item. One shirt may be enough Marcus Davenport Saints Jersey , for example. Ask, "will I use it?" For several trips I carried a small chess set, but never used it. If with a group, see if someone else in the party has an item you are considering. A group of three only needs one stove. Not sure if you can leave something behind? The last three questions may help you find an answer.

4. Are there multiple-use items I can use to cut weight?

If I cook at all (unusual), my pan is my bowl, and my spoon is my fork. Some ponchos can be used as a shelter. A trekking pole can be the support for a tarp shelter or even some tents. The stuff-sack from your sleeping bag can be filled with clothing to use as a pillow. Find ways to use the things you have for more than one purpose, and buy things that have multiple purposes. This is classic ultralight backpacker thinking.

5. Are there strategies can I use to lighten the load?

An extreme example: eat a low-carbohydrate diet for a few days Michael Thomas Saints Jersey , then load up on pasta the day before a trip. In this way you can store up to a couple pounds of extra carbs in your body, so you won't need to carry as much food. Called "carbo-loading," it's been used by endurance athletes for decades. Another strategy: plan according to the weather report. If no rain is predicted, you can leave the rain gear behind, or bring just the top. In an area with many water sources, you can carry just a one-pint plastic soda bottle, if you fill it up every time you come to a stream or lake.

6. What skills and habits can I work on?

This is partly about learning survival skills. Why? Because being at home in the wilderness makes it safer to go lighter. If Drew Brees Saints Jersey , for example, you know how to make a warm bed of dried leaves and grass, it's safe to try that light sleeping bag which otherwise might not be quite warm enough for you. Being able to identify and eat wild edible plants makes it safer to carry less food. In fact, if with sufficient survival skills, an ultralight backpacker can be prepared for almost anything.
Secrets Of Personal Effectiveness In A Digital Age Self Help Articles | January 23, 2008
This article condenses powerful effectiveness principles from Dr. Steven Covey, Roger Merrill Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Authentic Jersey , and Timothy Ferriss into a simple guide that can help anybody accomplish more in their life, in less time!

Copyright (c) 2008 Escape The Matrix LLC

I have studied some of the masters of time management, the best being Dr. Steven R. Covey (7 Habits Of Highly Effective People), Roger Merrill (First Things First) and Timothy Ferriss (4 Hour Work Week), and have distilled some of their best stuff into three key elements of effectiveness that have made a major difference in my life.

Principle 1. KNOW WHAT YOU SEEK. According to Dr. Covey, human beings are comprised of four different fundamental areas: mental, physical Erik McCoy Authentic Jersey , spiritual, and social emotional. Take a sheet of paper, write down the four things, and ask this question: What one thing could I do, that would bring the greatest positive improvement in this area?

Next, identify the different "roles" you play in your life. Things like wife, husband Alvin Kamara Authentic Jersey , father, mother, daughter, member of a community, church or club, entrepreneur, cyclist Marshon Lattimore Authentic Jersey , etc. Then ask the question for each of these roles as well. You now have a list of goals that cover every important area of your life.

Principle 2. DEVELOP A DAILY AND WEEKLY METHOD OF OPERATION. (MO). First, throw most of your long range goals in the trash. They're meaningless. Why? Because they delude you into thinking that it doesn't matter what you do TODAY. But today is all you have. How can you possibly reach a massive goal in five years if you don't do the daily work necessary to get there? Yet not everything has to be done on a daily basis, some thing are best performed weekly. For example, in the role of "husband" I try to have a date once a week with my wife. Weekly makes more sense than daily. But monthly isn't near enou. Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Soccer Hats Wholesale Hockey Hats Wholesale NFL Hats China Cheap College Shirts Cheap NCAA Shirts Cheap Basketball Jerseys