Have Backpack, Will Travel
Several decades ago, there was a popular television western called Have Gun, Will Travel. It was about a West Point graduate, Paladin, who offered his services as a gun-for-hire in the old West a short time after the Civil War.
I write that—to say this: Give me a backpack and I’m on the road and ready to travel. Or at least jetting my way around the world, or hopping a train, or cruising in a houseboat, barge or ship. The only thing I haven’t tried as my means of transportation, so far, is a stagecoach or hot air balloon.
I have proclaimed the year of 2026 as the Year Of Travel. With two weeks on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, in January, under my belt already, my husband and I have no less than four trips (as of today’s date) slotted in on our 2026 calendar. All of which will be facilitated by the use of my trusty, dusty, and well-worn backpack.
My husband and I only travel with backpacks. Even when we’re going to be gone for a full month or more as well as over a period of two seasons of weather, that includes fancy and grubby clothes. We don’t want the hassle of waiting for our belongings at a baggage claim only to find out they’ve been lost. We want to “hit the road running” so to speak as soon as we arrive to our destination. Some may wonder—how do you do that? How do you fit everything into a backpack? We look for B&B’s and hotels that offer in-room laundry facilities, although we hand wash when needed. We carefully select what types of clothes we will need for all of the activities we will be partaking in. And at the time of packing, we cut out one-third of what we want to bring. BINGO!
Our method works. For a recent trip to France—on a houseboat for two weeks navigating the Canal du Midi and operating as many as 67 dirty and grimy locks in rather hot and sweaty conditions—to visiting the many wonders of cosmopolitan Paris during a season changeover—we were appropriately outfitted, including nice dress clothes, without any problems and never felt we should have packed more clothes.
Our next trip is out west in three weeks with our backpacks to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. We will be hopping an Amtrak train in Chicago and staying in a “roomette” bound for Albuquerque, New Mexico. After picking up a rental car we head north to Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Pagosa Hot Springs Resort & Spa has the world’s deepest geothermal hot spring with over 50 pools of various sizes with temperatures ranging from 45° to 114° that can be used 24 hours a day. We will be staying for three days—long enough to soothe our weary bones, and soften and heal even the roughest parts of our anatomy and mind.
Please stay tuned in three weeks for my next update to Have Backpack, Will Travel! I’ll also be sharing with all of you during the year the rest of our 2026 travel itinerary that includes Stratford, Ontario, and a houseboating trip on the St. Lawrence River in May, and a conference we will be attending in Warsaw, Poland, in July. Beginning in August we wrap up our 2026 tripping through the end of the year with a trip to Alaska, Japan/Okinawa, and Hawaii.
Photos courtesy of Nancy Hesting and Pagosa Springs Resort
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WOW, I admire your energy and how well you plan out your trips. Glad to read about your adventures.!
Nancy I am a huge fan of backpacks too—I never over pack—they’re soft and fit easily under the seat in front of me. A few years ago I bought a Cabin Zero turquoise bag and I get compliments on it wherever I go—and I feel ready for anything with it! The Cabin Zero brand specifically meets the airlines requirements for accurate measurements—which is why I choose them—also for rigorous handling. I’m totally excited for you that 2026 is your year for travel—-what could be better—safe and happy travels, I look forward to reading you!