midweek marauder
Chris Maxcer

Are You a Weekend Warrior or Midweek Marauder?

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Let’s get this straight: Heading outside for the weekend is always far better than staying home and running errands — weekends are not for errands.

That’s a damn good rule that should remain etched in stone for centuries to come.

Although . . . what if, by actively choosing to run errands and get your work done on the weekend, you free up some midweek days to get outside for some new adventure?

I’m sure you’ve had this idea before, probably as you hit the beach, river, trailhead, or campsite one Friday evening or Saturday morning to find a parking jam.

But did you do anything about it?

This whole point struck home for me over spring break, during which time we went skiing with some friends who had created a tradition, of sorts, of going skiing midweek in early spring. Not only was it easier to find accommodations midweek, the ski lines were short and the mountain was full of fresh snow and open runs. Personally, I missed one of the best snow days of the year, coming in a day late, but I took the consolation prize by hitting some hot springs with barely anyone there.

Lots of winning midweek, it turns out.

Weekend Warrior vs Midweek Marauder

The point is, planning your weekends in advance will enable you to pack far more adventure into each year. That’s huge. It’s even better when you turn a two-day weekend into a three- or four-day weekend, maximizing holidays and vacation days.

To go one step farther, take a look at some of the cool-but-too-popular places you’d like to go that tend to get high utilization pressure on the weekends. Instead of writing them off altogether, use the term ‘Midweek Marauder’ as a tongue-in-cheek sort of catalyst and imagine how those places might be in the middle of the week. . . .

I have an epic fly fishing trip in mind right now, perfect for a Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday.

As for you, you need to find a way to work in a midweek adventure at least once or twice a year — and trust me, it’s worth it.

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