Packing it in for a greenway adventure

In today's Life, etc., section I do a week's worth of adventure — rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, greenway riding and very nearly skateboarding — in just one day (9 hours and 24 minutes, to be exact). And I didn't spend a penny for gas to do it. In fact, the entire day of adventure cost just $7. The story gives you the how and where. Here, I'll cover how I managed to pack everything I needed for my day of adventure. (And it all fit in my rear-mount travel bag.)

Mountain biking/greenway riding: The biggest issue here wasn't what to pack, but which bike to take. I wound up riding 34 miles for the day, only 10 of which was on singletrack. From a pure ratio-of-riding standpoint, it would have made sense to take the commuter bike — a steel Trek 820. But it's a hardtail, heavy and would have been a burden instead of a blast at Lake Crabtree. Instead, I took the Fuel 80 and endured greater rolling resistance on the pavement. I was happy with the choice.

The biking portion of the ride set the tone for my base layer of clothing: Spandex cycling shorts (they move easily, accommodating a variety of activities) and a quick-dry nylon top. And the usual biking gear: Camelback, cycling gloves, cleats and helmet.

Hiking: A pair of lightweight hiking shorts slipped over my bike shorts (I'm a little self-conscious about parading around in the forest in Spandex), a pair of low-cut hiking shoes (it was a relatively short hike of 3.5 miles), the Camelback for water and I was ready to go.

Rock climbing: I probably could have gotten by with the low-cut hikers I had, but climbing is so much more enjoyable in climbing shoes. Besides, they take up about as much room as a pair of ballet shoes (which I do not own, btw; I'm guesstimating), so why not?

Paddling: Here's where I had to drop $7 — the hourly rental rate for a kayak or canoe at Lake Crabtree. I know they make two-wheeled trailers for kayaks, but hey, cut me some slack. I paddled in my bike shorts and tops, barefooted. Perfect.

Skateboarding: Last year, in Kill Devil Hills, I saw a guy riding a bike with surfboard somehow strapped to its side. Thus, it shouldn't be hard to figure out how to haul a skateboard (on the bike rack, but under the pack, perhaps?). And while Sk8-Cary rents helmets and other protective equipment, they don't rent boards. Besides, the skate park was only open for a camp (public skating didn't start until 3 that afternoon). Need to work on this strategy.

About my on-bike storage:

Camelbak: Water, wallet, spare bike tube & related tools, first-aid kit.

Camera case: (Sorta) water resistant; strapped to my seatpost.

Tri bag (the black nylon gizmo strapped near the headset). Cell phone, Gu.

Bike bag: Rain jacket, hiking shoes, climbing shoes, nylon shorts, map.