Commute Packing 201

If you're looking to change up your commute a bit, then here's some food for thought. ;-)

When I first started commuting, I figured that I would take everything I needed just for that day with me in my backpack.  So I had the typical nightly list of:

• work clothes
• shoes
• socks
• undergarments (I seriously triple check this one E.V.E.R.Y. time!)
• make-up
• packed lunch

As I've gotten more comfortable with my commute and my route, I've decided to start changing things up a bit and make it a little more interesting....  "How?' you ask. Let's talk about my plan for this week!

Monday: commute to work with daily list of clothes and lunch 

Tuesday: drive to work with 3 sets of clothes for Wed, Thurs and Fri and leave make-up at desk

Wednesday (now this is where it gets fun!!): commute to work with breakfasts, lunches and post-ride snacks for the rest of the week 

Thursday: commute to work with no pack and take the longer route for some hill climbs (b/c climbing with a heavy backpack before coffee just isn't really my thing)

Friday: drive to trailhead, do an early morning CX ride, then drive to work, take home clothes and food containers from the week

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a bit of a planner!  But in reality, figuring out my clothes for the week took me 4 mins and it was one less thing to think about at night (or early in the morning if I forgot to pack my stuff!).  Plus, by driving them to work, I didn't have to worry about my clothes being wrinkled for a big meeting, which was one reason why I considered NOT commuting to work today.  Excuse rejected!!

Planning lunches for 3 days was a breeze, but hauling them to work was a bit more challenging, which made it fun!!  I don't want to carry a 15# backpack every day, but once a week for an added workout isn't bad at all!  (Sidenote:  I had no idea just how much food I actually eat during the week, but I do now!!)

By consolidating my clothes and food, I'm now able to be a little more flexible for the rest of my mornings and can do a longer/harder ride than what I might typically do with my normal bag. 

Moral of the story:  Keep commuting fun and change up your routine once in a while!  You might be surprised at what happens!