Travel Preparation
Bike, Hike, Travel Planning
This general list should provide for hiking, biking or traveling.
Lay out everything prior to the trip before sub packaging.
Use this list as a guide to what may be needed for the trip.
Consider telling someone where you are going and returning.
Use screen captures of maps for areas traveling, send the images to your portable devices.
Be familiar with the elevation gain and loss on the route chosen.
Phone numbers of motels, friends, contact points
Use lots of colored, small, sub packing bags for specific items. Makes finding items really easy instead of digging through everything all the time.
Phone SIM card for destination country?

Trip Prep
Wallet (remove unnecessary items)
Passports
Driver's License
International phone card
Check Book
Airplane/train etc Tickets
Money (local and foreign currency)
Credit Card
Map to hotels
Contact Phone numbers, people, hotels
Insurance Cards
House Key
Foreign language phrase book
Guide Book
Maps
Book to read (or e-book purchased to read)

Bike, Hike Prep
Tires Pumped
Tire pump on board
Front pack carrier
Water Bottles
Paniers
Chain lubed and wiped down
Brake pad check
Bike Locks
Back packs fitted
Back pack travel sack if checked on plane
Luggage tags

Clothing
Clothing to suit the weather and location
Sunglasses
Jerseys
Hats and/or visors
Winter/Summer Gloves
Head/face covering for cold weather
Reflective arm band, ankle wraps
Glove liners
Booties
Glasses (day/night)
Glasses (reading)
Reflectors for legs
Wind breakers
Rip Offs
Ponchos
Rain hats
Backpack covers
Helmets
Helmet covers
Arm sleeves
Socks - lots of them
Long sleeve shirts, for warmth or sun protection
Evening clothing (dry underwear, socks, pants, outer jacket)
Second shoes for walking/hiking
Bike shoes, hiking boots, sandals
Spare prescription glasses
Tools, Gear
Sun glasses / Bike glasses
Wrist watch
Spare tube
Axle wrench
Glue, repair kit
First Aid kit
Thermal blanket
Multi Purpose Knife
Water Proof Bags
Spork
Paper, Pencil, Pen
Reading Glasses
Seat Cover
Hands free, on-head flashlight
Small LED Flashlight
Needle and thread
Rag for cleaning oily chain, mud
Extra bugee or cord
Water purifier (Katadyne)

Electronics
Multi Purpose Plug Adaptor
Camera
Camera battery, extra
VGA (DVI) to iOS device
Extra camera chip
Battery charger
Phone
iPad
iPhone (phone cover for bike gps use)
Laptop?
Charger for iPhone/iPad
Garmin GPS
1/4 inch to mini plug adaptor for airlines
Earbuds
Computer and its charger
Binoculars

Toiletries
Sun Block
Arnica
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Vitamin C
Cough Drops
Nails Clipped?
Eye drops
Portable hair dryer?
Beard trimmer
Dental floss
Lotion
Q-tips
Soap
Shampoo
Toilet paper in ziplock bag
Razor, electric shaver?
Foot powder
Small Kleenex
Extra ziplock bags
Lip Balm
Insect repellent
Hair ties
Wet wipes
Diarrhea pills
Umbrella
Small clothes line
Vitamins

Food
Waterproof travel bags
Food Bars
Goo energy packets
Chocolate
Nuts, Raisins, trail mixture
Bread, Peanut butter
Fruit
Fork, knife, spoon
Salty food
Tea bags

REMINDERS
Take lots of pictures, video
When biking long distance: water, rest, and food every hour
Generally spend more cash than anticipated
Have an internet accessible list of logins that may be necessary. 
Divide up cash between persons preventing possible loss of everything.
Left something at a hotel? inform them immediately
Unplug ALL electric items
Plants? Fish? Make arrangements
Leave key with neighbor
Turn off Internet connection, router, power strips
Turn down hot water heater
Empty all garbage and recycle bins

Having received a postcard yesterday and enjoying that my friends are having a wonderful vacation in Italy, I realized that the rain I am experiencing each day is not allowed to appear in postcards. Of course that led to the conclusion that no agony or suffering or bad weather condition is shown in postcards. There is some kind of unwritten code that prevents a store owner from displaying objectionable or non-beautiful scenes in his window or on a display rack.
So do we ever see life as it really is: A balance of the grey, dark skies with the cold and wet shivers contrasted against the pleasant relaxing warm sun on our skin, safe and relaxed? Postcards are a prisoner of their creators.


The "Postcard's Pledge of Allegiance"

I am the photographer, equipment in hand, waiting for the perfect sunset. 
(I only need to get close to the perfect capture of light - my photo software can fix anything.)
I am the publisher, gloomy sales are not what I appreciate. More color, more depth, more creativity in presentation - that's what I want.
I am the retailer, all happy with smiles for my endless stream of tourists, each spinning the display rack looking for that special picture moment which they have not experienced.
I am the rack who faithfully holds the postcards, gazing dizzily from within, peering from between the cards, adoring the accents of all the languages, playing 'guess the next favorite card' chosen, bearing with sorrow the unchosen.
I am the traveler who wishes to capture a memory of the places I've been, to see and hold a memory captured in a season, to believe that I have been there when the postcard arrives.
I am the postal carrier who for a brief moment glances at the blue, orange, green, white, brown, warm, embracing, welcoming tones and says, "Someday..."