Summer Adventure Essentials

Summer in Michigan isn't complete without spending copious amounts of time in the sun attending festivals, adventuring outdoors, making trips to the lake, and one of my families favorites, picking blueberries. 

No matter what we're doing, I won't leave home for a day in the sun without some essentials that make adventures that much better.

1. Shades: Squinting all day is no fun. If you can, invest in a good pair of sunglasses.
2. Water: My Nalgene is usually always within 5 feet of me, staying hydrated is key.
3. Snacks: Adventures are no fun when you're hangry. I usually bring a Lara bar or fruit.
4. Adventure Bag: Recently my favorite bag is the Patagonia Atom 8L Sling bag. It holds all of my essentials (including my DSLR), is comfortable and convenient. (Below i'm wearing the Osprey Talon 11 which works great when I have a few more items)

What are some of your 'Summer Adventure Essentials'?
 

Packing Afterthoughts

After returning from my amazing 33 day, 10 country European adventure many people have asked me if there was anything I brought that I didn't need, or items I wish I had. Thankfully, only a few items come to mind.

Things I wish I had brought:
1. A thicker jacket - it was much colder than we were expecting, I ended up wearing lots of layers.
2. My long rain coat- I was originally planning on bringing my long rain coat, but changed my mind last minute. Had I brought my longer coat I would've probably been okay with the colder temperatures.
 

Things I did not use:
1.  Black shorts
2. 3/4 sleeve black dress
3. Black flats
Had we been in warmer climates for more than a week, I probably would've used both my shorts and dress. I also only brought my flats in case I needed them for any of the churches we were going into, but didn't end up needing them.

Backpacking Europe Packing List

Packing is challenging. Packing as light as possible, while preparing for different climates is even more challenging. After adding and taking away a few items, here is what made the list:

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Necessities:                              Dresses/Skirts:                                      Tops:                                                          Bottoms:
7 Pairs of Underwear               Black 3/4 Sleeve Patagonia Dress       4 Tanks: Blue, White, Pink, Black             Black JCrew Shorts
3 Bras                                        Green Kavu "Eve" Dress                       3 V-necks: Green, Blue, Grey                   Black Under Armour Shorts
4 Pairs of Socks                        Grey Old Navy Knee Length Skirt        MSU t-shirt (PJs)                                        Black Nike Cropped Leggings
1 Bathing Suit                                                                                            One Direction Shirt!                                  Black Nike Cropped Pants
Boxer Shorts (PJs)                                                                                    Black Long Sleeve North Face 1/4 Zip    Black Eddie Bauer Active Pants
                                                                                                                   Navy Long Sleeve Cardigan                    Black Eddie Bauer Active Leggings
                                                                                                                   Striped Eddie Bauer Sweater                  Black Old Navy Leggings
                                                                                                                   Denim Shirt   

Outerwear:                                                     Accessories:                          Shoes: (not pictured)                        Toiletries:
Pink North Face Raincoat                              MSU Flag                               Black Nike Frees                                Shampoo/Conditioner/Body Wash
Green/Grey LLBean Running Jacket            Pink Scarf                              Grey/Black Merrell Sandals               Toothpaste/Toothbrush/Mouthwash
Black Patagonia Down Vest                          Pepper Spray                        Cheap Black Flats                              Deodorant
                                                                         Knife                                                                                                   Quick Dry Towel/Wash Cloth
                                                                         Metal Spork
                                                                         Umbrella
                                                                         Selfie Stick (it was a gift!)
                                                                         Detergent/Clothes Line
                                                                         Power Strip

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All of my clothes fit in a medium sized packing cube besides: rain coat, plane outfit, vest, "necessities", and shoes

Carry On:                                                                                                                   Electronics Bag:
Black Patagonia Atom Sling (used as day bag)                                                     Converter
Baggu Market Bag                                                                                                   3 Portable Chargers
Toiletries Bag: Razor, Toothbrush, Face Wipes, EmergenC, Kleenex                 Camera Charger
Liquid: Mascara, Foundation, Hand Sani, Lotion                                                   2 iPhone/iPad cords
Electronics Bag                                                                                                        2 Portable Battery cords
iPad Mini                                                                                                                   2 USB wall chargers
Vera Bradley ID Zipper Pouch                                                                                SD Card/ iPad cable
Pen & Notebook (not pictured)                                                                               Headphones
Rick Steves' Best of Europe                                                                                    SteriPen (I drink a lot of water, so I want to make sure I'm safe)
Cannon Rebel SL1
Soft Camera Case
iPhone 5S

Osprey Aura 65L

I chose not to bring jeans because quite frankly I don't like to wear jeans when traveling unless I need to, they're also heavy. I should be able to mix and match my items quite a bit, and they all will wash well.

For my bag I chose this one because I knew (well I hope!) I will be using it again someday for camping/hiking. I also have had lower back problems in the past so it was important to have back support that is evenly distributed. The color is pretty amazing too!

Now, with my bag packed, i'm ready to head off to Europe tomorrow!