Packing Challenges

Usually I don’t find packing especially challenging. I’m sure I’m not alone in my ability to pack for a tournament or weekend away in ten minutes flat. I prefer not to do it that way, but sometimes, man, sometimes. I mean, how much do you really need? It’s just two days.

That said, I have had some unique challenges of late where my packing seemed woefully inadequate. Picture this:

Chicago weekend - the plan: go to Capitals practice Thursday night, then head back to Waterloo and catch our ride to Chicago from there. Sounds easy, right? Well it wasn’t. It was a billet tournament (a super fun girl – Val on Nemesis – hooked us up with a sweet place to stay), so I had my sleeping back and thermarest. Also, I had borrow my friend Laurel’s bike the Tuesday previous, with the plan to ride it to/give it back at practice on Thursday. It was a good plan. It was a HEAVY bike. H E A V Y. Picture riding trying to pack everything you need for three days and a tournament, including sleeping gear….plus a random anvil thrown in for good measure, and riding with it for an hour. The result: no problem. Tiny thermarest + tiny sleeping bag (they are both sweet) + a lot of sweat (riding to practice) + sweet weather in Chicago = problem solved. Heather 1, Packing Challenge 0.

This weekend - the plan: Hit up Dee’s party Friday night, and head to Waterloo for the weekend the next morning. In a car. Sounds really easy, right? We swung by my place (after staying overnight at Mere’s – I might have sort of kind of a little bit crashed out on the couch at 2 am) to grab some stuff early the next morning. I hadn’t packed yet because I hadn’t planned to stay over and thought there would be plenty of time in the morning. Well, I didn’t know it until several hours later, but as it turns out, when I packed for what turned out to be a very cold weekend in Waterloo….I was still drunk. Quite drunk. Thus it seemed adequate to set off with my computer, a few spare clothes (I do mean few). I didn’t even think to change out of the clothes that I had worn all day Friday, worn to the party, and then slept in. Yikes. It was 7 degrees in Waterloo, and I ended up staying until Tuesday. I borrowed a lot of clothes. Heather 0, Packing Challenge 1.