Happy Friday. Hopefully everyone had a safe and fun July 4th. Colorado cancelled almost all fireworks celebrations due to the dry conditions and many fires which is a fine restriction if it results in fewer fires. If you are camping anywhere in the western US this year, please obey all fire bans and restrictions because we don’t need any more mega fires. In Colorado alone, there have been more than 600 homes lost to fires in a fire season that is just beginning.
Now, on to the sites and articles for this week that may be of interest to you. This week’s edition has budget bikepacking, kids activities, bike safety, and tarps.
Tramplite’s Travels – MLD Monk Tarp Review – It’s a review about a silnylon tarp, but it also gives good pictures of different ways to pitch a tarp. If you’re not used to tarps, you may not realize how versatile they can be and how much they can help you reduce your total pack weight. The key to using a tarp is definitely learning how to pitch it correctly.
Outside Mom – Ideas for outdoor ‘dates’ with little kids – This post provides a good list of outdoor activities with kids. It’s easy for us to forget how the simple things can keep kids busy for hours. And chances are, you’ll remember how much fun the activities are and you’ll have a lot of fun yourself.
Ride Nice MN – Ride Nice and Save – A good resource for cycling safety including how to navigate within traffic. Nice Ride MN is a bike sharing system similar to the B-Cycle program in Denver, CO.
Salsa Cycles – Bikepacking Style Adventure: Making Do On A Budget – Glenn describes how he reduced his touring weight and didn’t spend much in the process. His main point is “You don’t have to spend a ton of money to go light.”
