Reason to get outside?
Because outside is uncomplicated! In day-to-day life there’s emails to send, meetings to attend, bills to pay, messages to respond to, and chores to do. Usually being outside is much more simple than that. It’s just one foot (or one pedal stroke) in front of the other, soaking in the scenery, and taking care of your body to get you through whatever adventure it is you’re doing. Even when the going gets tough usually a bad day outside beats a day sitting in the office! 

What I never forget to pack?
Super comfy (and dry) socks for camp! I love big epic adventures rain, hail, or shine. And more often than not I somehow find myself wading through rivers multiple times every trip. Getting into camp and being able to slip on a pair of comfy wool socks for the night means that no matter how rough conditions are during the day, I feel comfortable and content at night.

Bit of advice you’ll always remember? 
Do lots of planning upfront, plan some more, then once the adventure begins throw the plan out the door! It pays to be prepared and know what your plan is, but adventures always have so many variables you can’t control. The sooner you accept that sometimes things don’t go to plan, the sooner you start to learn to have fun no matter the circumstances.

One tip to share with budding outdoorists?
Everyone was a beginner once, and don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself while learning. Every single adventurer has had moments where they felt out of place, or made a silly decision, or did something embarrassing. I’ve fallen into the bushes while learning how to ride with cleats, forgotten to bring a water filter, broken things on my bike that I had no idea how to fix, and tried to fry chillis in my tent in the middle of a storm (I do NOT recommend this, I think I discovered how to make trailside pepper spray!!). It can take a lot of guts to show up when you don’t really know what you’re doing, so taking things with a bit of humour is a good way to tackle new things. 

One time you felt out of your comfort zone?
The very first day of the Hunt 1000, a 1000km bikepacking event from Melbourne to Canberra through the high country, I felt like a fish out of water. I loved bikepacking, but the scale of what was required to get to the finish line was so daunting. Would my body hold up day after day of big riding? Would I have the mental strength to get to the end? It took a bit of time on the bike to calm the nerves, but eventually I realised I just needed to follow the same simple recipe as every other trip before it. Keep pedaling one foot in front of the other, eat enough food, drink enough water, and take each day as it came. Once I settled the nerves I ended up having the best 10 days of my life, and now no trip feels too big when you just take it one day at a time. 

One thing you love to eat outdoors?
I am a massive cheese enthusiast and whenever I have the chance I’ll pack all the critical elements of a charcuterie board. A nice block of vintage cheddar, crackers, salami, and don’t forget the quince paste!!

One reason there’s no place like home? 
I adore living in Canberra for so many reasons, but the top one has got to be because of the amazing outdoorsy community I’ve managed to find myself a part of. Canberra has some amazing riding and hiking in its own right, and it’s right on the doorstep of Kosciuszko National Park, so there are so many other people around who are just as keen to get out there as I am. Whether it’s a casual gravel ride after work followed by burgers and beers, a fancy overnight bikepacking trip where it’s almost a competition to see who can bring the most impressive dinner or drinks, or a full-blown weekend mission that starts with a 4amalarm, there are always people around who are keen to get involved! Particularly over the last year and a half where I’ve been much more involved in organising events of my own, I’m blown away by how many people are willing to show up.