Getting Started in Road Biking

Bikes are meant to be… simple, right? Just throw on a helmet and push the pedals… right? This simplicity comes to a halt after you’ve outgrown your childhood bike or that old college fixed gear. If you’re ready to upgrade and looking to ride for fitness or for distance, a road biking setup can be a bit more complicated—but factor in the speed, the efficiency, and the mileage opportunity, and it’s all the more rewarding.

In addition to being a choice fitness activity for those with joint pain or those recovering from high-impact sports injuries, cycling is a lifelong activity that can benefit people of all ages. It’s an efficient means of travel; there are hundreds of paved miles crisscrossing the Front Range alone that serve up prime road biking opportunities with a side of stellar Colorado views. Here’s how to shift your road biking setup into high gear.

Gear

There can be a lot of gear to sort through when setting up your road bike–and it can all add up quickly. To begin, stick with the basics so you’re not tempted to compromise quality for price. As you grow into the sport, you’ll develop a better idea of where you want your road biking to take you, and how best to supplement and swap out your gear.

1. Frame

The goal of any frame is to balance strength with weight. Ideally, you want a strong machine, but a lightweight one that is easy to use. When buying a frame, the two most important aspects to consider are material and size. Most bikes will come in aluminum or carbon. The biggest difference here will generally be price—aluminum can be cheaper, while carbon will be a bit pricier; both are good beginner options.
As for fit, you want to measure the inches between your ankle to your inseam. Bike frames usually come in extra small to extra large, and will fit a range of heights according to this measurement. Bikes also come in different versions for men and women, so be sure to try a variety a frames to ensure you’re getting the best fit.
You also want to look for the ability to upgrade. If you buy the more basic version of a bike now, can you later exchange or add on more advanced mechanical systems or features to the frame? Some good road bikes to try are the Cannondale Synapse AL Sora or the Giant Defy 3.

2. Pedals

Most road biking bikes won’t come with pedals. You’ll have a choice between platform, clip-less, and clip-in to add on your bike. For now, stick to the basic platform pedals until you’re ready to invest in special cycling shoes and committed to riding a least a couple days a week. Try something like the EVO Adventure Trekking Pedals to start, and later you can always swap them out for a clipless pedal upgrade.

3. Water Bottle Cage

Especially in arid Colorado, hydration is key on long road rides. Buy a simple cage to hold your bottle so you’re never far from your next sip. Don’t splurge here, try: Planet Bike PB Water Bottle Cage.

4. Lubricant

You want to keep your machine oiled and working well, so specialists recommend cleaning and lubricating the chains on a biweekly basis for those that aren’t necessarily riding everyday. As you ride more consistently, you’ll want to clean and lubricate about once every 7-10 days. Again, no need to get fancy here: Finish Line Dry Lube 2.

5. Bike Lock

The last thing you want to is to finish a big ride at your favorite brewery, rehydrate, and then walk out to find your bike missing. Invest in something good, but not too heavy, for example: Kryptonite KryptoFlex 1018 Cable Lock.
 

Trail Etiquette

It’s my favorite time of year in Colorado- trees are turning from soft pink to vibrant green, festivals and farmer’s markets are lining the streets on weekends, and the warm sunshine is beginning to melt snow away from my favorite alpine hiking trails. Like many Coloradans, reaching the summit of the state’s 53 majestic 14,000-foot peaks is high on my bucket list. With more people than ever getting out and exploring Colorado’s 14ers, it’s important that everyone is practicing the correct trail etiquette and is aware of how to properly share the trail. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker in need of a refresher or are new to the outdoor scene, below are some of the ‘common laws’ of the trail. Follow the guidelines and share them with your fellow outdoor companions on the trail this season.

1. HIKERS RIGHT OF WAY

Right of way on the trail. Photo Credit: BWJones Hikers going up-trail have the right of way over other hikers. Be courteous, and don’t break the rhythm of uphill hikers.  

2. BIKERS ON TRAIL

Technically, mountain bikers are supposed to yield for hikers. It’s often easier for hikers to step out of the way though. That said, bikers need to be cautious when riding fast down the trail, making sharp turns and should never expect hikers to move over.

3. LIVESTOCK 

Horses and other livestock, which can often be unpredictable, always have the right of way. Step aside and try not to make any sudden movements or noises that could spook the animals.

4. GROUP SIZE 

Limit the size of your group. In Colorado, most trails allow no more than 15 people per group.

5. LEAVE NO TRACE 

Pack it in, pack it out. Simply put, everything that you start the hike with should return with you.
Bonus Points: If you find trash, take it with you.
Extra Bonus Points: Bring waste bags to dispose of your and your pet’s waste. Otherwise, follow Leave No Trace guidelines for appropriately burying your solid waste at least 200 feet away from water sources, trails, and campsites.

6. MUSIC 

Your music is not everyone else’s music. Everyone has his or her own reasons for being out in Mother Nature. For some, that reason is enjoying the peace and solitude. Be respectful and wear headphones if you want to listen to music. Note: If you do choose to listen to music on the trail, it’s best to use earbuds. Keep one ear bud out so you can hear oncoming hikers, bikers or equestrians as well as approaching wildlife.

7. TRAIL ALIGNMENT 

Always stay on the right hand side of the trail, pass on the left, and walk single-file when in a group.

8. TRAIL PRESERVATION 

Trail crews, several organizations and volunteers work hard to maintain Colorado’s trails. Do your part to preserve the trails and gentle ecosystems around them by staying on them. Do not cut corners, switchbacks or make your own shortcuts.

9. PET OWNERS 

Pet owners need to be aware of what trail restrictions are in place for their pets ahead of time. While Colorado has several dog-friendly trails and parks, many are leash-only or do not allow pets at all.

10. TRAIL COURTESY 

Happy hikers up to Blue Lake. Photo Credit: joshgray

When you pass by another hiker, look up, make eye contact, maybe smile and start up a little conversation. Ie. “Hello! Good morning!” “What are the trail conditions like up ahead?” “Keep up the good work, almost there!”
Not because you have to, but because that’s just what we do here in Colorado. 

6 things To Know about Colorado Mountain Climbing

1. Altitude sickness is a very real thing.

The higher above sea-level one gets, the less oxygen there is in the air. This can lead to a serious condition called “altitude sickness.” In its mildest form, altitude sickness tends to feel like a bad hangover. It will make you dizzy, lightheaded, and achy. In it’s most serious form, altitude sickness can lead to passing out and even death. This condition can effect anyone, regardless of physical fitness, and it tends to be more prevalent when someone is physically active at a high altitude. Most sources pinpoint 8,000 feet as the elevation where symptoms start to show, but this can vary from person to person. A few tactics to help prevent altitude sickness include acclimation (letting your body get used to the higher altitude), drinking plenty of water and consuming mostly carbs, as well as breathing deeper, thus giving your body more oxygen (some even suggested a portable oxygen tank). Most importantly, know the initial signs of altitude sickness and move to a lower elevation immediately when they start to develop. Want to learn more about altitude sickness? Click here.

2. All mountains aren’t created equally.

Some mountains are much harder to climb than others. When you’re trying to summit a peak, be aware of the route you’ll be taking, planning ahead to know what it will require. Never underestimate a climb, even if you’ve heard something along the lines of “it’s not that bad.” One website that can be helpful with Colorado fourteeners is 14ers.com, which even has a list ranking the difficulty of all fourteener summits in the state. Some mountains require years of training to tackle and many require technical climbing where a single mistake can mean death. Study the mountain you’re wanting to climb. Be aware of it’s features and be aware of whether or not climbing it is within your skill level. A few Colorado fourteeners that can be good for beginners include Grays Peak, Torreys Peak, Mount Sherman, and Quandary Peak, but even these “easier” mountains can be deadly.

3. Bad weather can kill you.

One of the biggest mistakes that beginners tend to make is not understanding how high-altitude weather works. The general rule of thumb tends to be “be back below treeline before noon,” with the reason being that intense mountain storms tend to roll in like clockwork after that. At first sign of bad weather, the smartest decision is often to turn back, even when that means you might not bag a summit. Lightning, wind, and freezing rain can kill you and many times these storms can appear with little notice. Take this point especially seriously. Mountain weather is not something to mess around with, regardless of your skill level.

4. Don’t overestimate your abilities.

Yes, you’ve hiked a trail that’s 10 miles long…but that wasn’t a rugged trek above treeline. Yes, you can run a half-marathon with ease…but that half marathon doesn’t require slow scrambling over loose rocks where speed simply isn’t an option. When you’re climbing a Colorado mountain, expect some of the hardest terrain you’ll ever encounter. There might be snow, ice, and loose rock that makes moving even just a mile per hour seem fast. The only way to know how you’ll do climbing in these conditions is to try it on the easiest possible scale and then go from there. Getting in over your head on a mountain climb can result in serious injury, necessity of an expensive rescue, or even death. Be aware of your own abilities and don’t overestimate what you’re capable of doing.

5. Always leave no trace.

Mountain trails are often very remote and difficult to clean. Never leave anything behind, whether it’s a banana peel, leftover food, trash, or feces. Because these ecosystems are relatively untouched, any abnormality can have an impact. Follow the Leave No Trace principles religiously and consider bringing along a trash bag to clean up after those that don’t.

6. Plan for the worst.

When you’re climbing a mountain, preparation is key. When things go wrong, preparation can save your life. Bring food, water, and survival tools with you. Tell people where you’re going and when you’ll be back before you leave. Familiarize yourself with features of the landscape so that you might still be able to determine direction when all else fails. Here’s a list of 13 survival tips that we put together with the help of a helicopter rescue service. The mountains aren’t the place to take caution lightly. If you’re careless, you might not get a second chance.

Navigating a Hike

  Seriously, if you don't know how to read a topographic trail map and use a compass, then don't go hiking. Seriously. Having someone in your group that knows how to use them is not good enough. You'll get separated from him and then you'll be in big trouble.
You really should learn How to Use a Compass - its a good tutorial describing maps, compasses, declination, topography, and more.

Stay On Course

  On many frontcountry hiking routes, such as state parks and nature centers, all you need is a simple trail map of the area. It's only a few miles on a well-traveled route so your chances of getting lost or injured are pretty slim. But, even there, a thunder storm, accident, or recent trail damage may force you to take a detour and lose the trail. On backcountry treks, understanding a topo map will help you plan where the more difficult steep ascents are and where you will have nice views from high ridgelines or be stuck in a gully with no view but the trail ahead. By reading a topo map at home, you can visualize what the terrain looks like even before you ever see it. You'll know the name of a high mountain in the distance and more importantly know it is East from where you are hiking in case you become disoriented.
Your compass is the other half of the navigating toolset that you need to bring. In some areas with enough visual landmarks, you can do just fine with a map alone. A compass alone can keep you heading in a certain direction, but you don't know what you are heading towards. For all areas, a map and compass together can get you home along the safest of routes. Using your compass to orient yourself and your map and then identifying objects on the map in your real world will keep you going the right direction.
Global Positioning Systems are very common now. Unfortunately, some people think they are magical devices that keep people from getting lost - Nope! They are useful tools, but you still need to know how to use your specific model and you need a trail map. And, if they run out of batteries, get wet, or break, then it would be a good idea to have a compass as a back-up.

Hiking First Aid

  Major injuries from hiking are rare. Walking doesn't tend to break bones or kill people. But, there are a whole bunch of smaller injuries and ailments that can make your day miserable. Being ready for the majority of them will make your trips more enjoyable and may help someone else that was not prepared.

First Aid Guidelines

  If a member of your hiking party is injured, you need to follow three guidelines. The highest priority is first, followed in order by the other two:

• Stay Alive - yourself, others, and the victim. Especially yourself. If you are unable to help, then no one gets out alive.
• Stabilize Injury - stop the injury from doing further damage to the victim. Stop bleeding, remove them from the cause.
• Start Recovery - make the victim better. Fix the injury or ailment as much as possible.

You always have to keep yourself safe. Then, you need to ensure the survival of everyone else. This means getting the group to warmer shelter if one person is becoming hypothermic rather than having everyone stop to help that one person. This means running out of the way of a rockslide rather than jumping into it to save someone falling. If someone is injured or sick, you need to check that every action you are taking follows one of the three guidelines. If it does not, then it is probably not a necessary action.

Prevention

  It is so much easier to provide first aid by preventing the need for it in the first place. Easily the biggest hazard for hikers is the environment - changes in weather or ill-prepared hikers get into the most trouble. Make sure everyone in your group has the necessary abilities to successfully complete the planned hike. Make sure they have proper clothing, plenty of water, and extra food. Everyone should have a small personal first aid kit and there should be one more complete kit for the group. There are pages discussing specific preparation for hiking at altitude, hiking in heat, and hiking in cold that you should read.
Before you go hiking in a new area, find out about poisonous plants, snakes, insects, dangerous animals, and other possible hazards.

First Aid Kit

  You can easily buy a ready-made first aid kit and there are some very good ones available through the links over on the right.
You may be able to save space by making your own, or by replacing some parts of a purchased kit. It is important that you know the purpose of and how to use every item in your kit - otherwise it's just extra weight.
You won't have much time to read a manual while administering to an injury. Taking wilderness first aid training should be a personal goal before heading into the wilds. "Medicine for the Backcountry" by B. Tilton has a good reputation for providing helpful first aid information. If you are going into the backcountry, its a good idea to have a small first aid pocket guide along. There are quite a few available, most with help on diagnosing and treating ills and injuries. Wilderness Medical Institute in Colorado offers classes around the country but there are other organizations too.
Inspect your kit before every outing and make sure the gear is clean and supplies are in good condition. Replace expired medications and add items that would have been helpful on your last trip. Be sure the kit is easily accessible and everyone in the group knows who has it.

 

However you decide to go, the following is a list of items commonly agreed on as being essential for a first aid kit:

• Waterproof container - a strong zip-loc bag or plastic-lined kit bag. If it isn't waterproof, it will be a mess.
• nitrile exam gloves
• CPR face shield
• Bandages:
  • Elastic roll bandage
  • Adhesive tape
  • Adhesive bandages, assorted sizes
  • Butterfly bandages
  • Gauze pads
  • Triangular bandage
  • New Skin in small plastic bottle; cuts, abrasions
  • Moleskin and molefoam; blisters, irritation
• Consumable Items:
  • Alcohol swabs
  • Antiseptic ointment
  • Chemical heat and cold packs
  • Cotton swabs
  • Dry-wash pads or wipes
• Other Gear:
  • Mirror, small and unbreakable
  • Safety pins
  • Scissors
  • Tweezers
  • Bulb irrigating syringe
• Drugs:
  • Antacid
  • Antibiotic (Dicloxacillin, etc.); skin infections
  • Antihistamine (Benadryl, etc.); allergic reactions, insomnia
  • Anti-inflammatory (Ibuprofen); inflammation, pain
  • Hydrocortisone cream (soothes allergic skin)
  • Potable Aqua; iodine water treatment

Solo Hiking

Is Solo Hiking for You?

Take a look at the two images. Which looks more appealing to you?
an empty trail ahead or a few people with you?
    We humans are social animals. We normally prefer others around us and enjoy sharing experiences with others.
In some situations, some of us like to experience the world alone. If the empty, open trail beckons to you, then solo hiking might be what you're looking for. Deciding to solo hike or not is completely your decision. Whether you go out alone, with a couple friends, or with a large group there are potential consequences with which you need to be prepared to deal.
Check out recent Lost Hikers and Deaths.

Benefits of Solo Hiking

Being out on the trail all by yourself can be very rewarding in many ways:

• Spiritual Health - Solitude allows time for self-examination, relaxation away from the rat race for awhile, and a chance to meditate, contemplate, or just zone out for miles at a time.
• Outdoor Skills - When part of a group, it is easy to rely on the skills of others to find your way, cook your food, keep you safe, and make all the tough decisions. Solo hiking relies on your own skills and knowledge. Ensuring you have the skills before going solo is key.
• Own Pace - A group can only move as fast as its slowest member. That means everyone is either going faster or slower than they would like to be. A solo hiker moves as fast as he desires and can alter his pace whenever he wants.
• Flexibility - Changes to your pace, camping location, route, rest breaks, and everything else having to do with the hike can be made as you want. There's no group buy-in required so you can hike your own hike. When significantly altering your route, it's important to inform someone of your new plans, just in case you need to be found.
• Challenge - Push yourself to hike faster, farther, or longer hours than you're used to. Build up to more difficult trails, uncomfortable weather, and rough environments.
• Meet your Fears - Many of us have fears that have little basis. Whether you're afraid of wild animals, heights, darkness, storms, being alone, or whatever, a solo hike can help you overcome those fears.
• Meet Nature - Hiking with a group, especially youth, there is not much hope of seeing any real wildlife. The noise, smell, and general invasion will drive most everything away. Just a short hike alone in the early morning will allow you to see many kinds of animals - a longer solo hike gives you even more opportunity.
  Any bit of nature that interests you can be observed. The group won't let you sit and watch flowers, butterflies, waterfalls, clouds, animal tracks, or falling leaves for long. Out on your own, you can spend your hours however you like.
• Responsibility - The solo hiker can say "I did it myself" when finished. Responsibility for the success of the adventure is completely his, as is the pride of completion. Along the way, responsibility for minimizing impact, caring for the trail, staying safe, and being self-sufficient is also his alone.

Concerns of Solo Hiking

Travel alone does have some potential drawbacks which you should address long before stepping foot on the trail:

• Loneliness - The mental drain of isolation is a huge drawback to solo hiking. Long distance trail hikers fail to finish because of injury, poor planning, but most often because of loneliness - the days with no one to talk with become long and boring. Honestly assessing how this will affect you and how you'll deal with it is a crucial planning step. Will an electronic music player or book reader keep you sane? Do you enjoy being alone for days at a time already?
  This is different than living in an apartment alone. On the trail, there's no city noise, background traffic, or other white noise that lets you know you're in civilization.
• Heavy Heart - With someone else around, they can encourage and support you when you're feeling down, tired, or grumpy. When it's just you, a bad case of the blues might be enough to send you off the trail and back home. This is the bane of thru-hikers.
• Heavy Load - No one will be around to carry part of the gear. It's all on your shoulders. But, since there's only one person, there should be very little extra gear. Your shelter, kitchen, water treatment, first aid kit, and navigation items could be split among multiple people, but the rest increases directly as the group size grows.

Real Dangers

Whether alone or not, there are real dangers of being in the wild. Being prepared to deal with these is your responsibility when heading out:

• Getting Lost - With no one to check your map reading and direction finding, losing your way is the most common problem for solo hikers. Just take a look at the Lost Hikers recent news and you'll see that it happens often. Learn all about wilderness navigation and practice it often before setting out on your own. There's a good beginner site at Compass Dude to start you in the right direction :-)
  Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are handy and efficient, but a map and compass should always be ready as a backup. Even with good navigation skills, nature can turn you around with wind, blizzards, fog, overgrown paths, and snow cover. Still the best thing to do when lost is S T O P - Stop Think Observe Plan.
  Whatever you do, don't expect your cellphone to save you.
• Humans - Human attacks are a potential problem, especially for solo female hikers. The closer to populated areas you hike, the more probable you'll encounter a weirdo. Be friendly but not outgoing to people you meet. Give an impression that your hiking partner should be along soon. Pepper spray might be something to take with you if you are concerned with strangers.
• Animals - Animals may attack you in order to protect themselves, their young, or their food. Keep your eyes and ears open.
  Large animal attacks, such as bear, cougar, or wolf are extremely rare. If you hike in their habitat, take some time to educate yourself on their behavior and how you should handle yourself. Hear are a couple starter pages about bears, cougars, wolves.
  Eating your meal on the trail a mile before you set up camp and then storing your smellable items securely solves most problems.
  
  You will more likely be bothered by insects, rodents, or an occasional snake. Insects bite, sting, and bother enough to make a hike completely miserable. Timing a hike to evade dusk and dawn, wearing appropriate clothing or netting, and using insect repellent will take care of most insects. Being careful not to disturb nests or hives is also a good idea.
  You might come across a snake sunning in the trail. Keep your eyes and ears open. If you encounter one, give it a wide berth and wait for it to slither off the trail. If you get bit, use your first aid skills to treat the bite and get to medical help.
  Most probably, you will have problems with mice, chipmunks, or raccoons seeking out your food. They can quickly chew through your pack and cause a real mess. Store your food and pack securely to prevent this problem.
• Natural Events - Wind, rain, snow, lightning, sun, flood, earthquake, falling rocks, falling trees, wildfire - a long list of natural events that can be annoyances or catastrophies. Knowing how to read the weather is an important skill. Having proper gear to protect from adverse weather makes sense. Make camp in safe areas - not on high places, open places, close to cliffs, under large limbs, or close to creeks.
  There is little you can do about some natural events, such as earthquake, tsunami, or wildfire, but you can do some disaster preparedness.
• Injuries - No matter how well you prepare nor how careful you are, an injury is always a real possibility in the wild. As long as you hike steadily on a well-groomed trail, the risk is minimal. But, rough terrain, water crossings, rock scrambling, cooking, and other risy tasks can result in stumbles and falls, burns, and cuts. Of course, an adequate first aid kit is an essential part of any hiking pack but the knowledge on how to use it and how to improvise other aid is even more essential. Before going solo, Wilderness First Aid training should be completed. You'll be the only one around so you'll need to know what to do and how to do it.

Solo Hiking Advice and Tips

OK, so there's good reasons to go solo, things that might make it not so fun, and some trouble you can get into. How about a few tips and tidbits to help keep you safe when you finally decide to give solo hiking a try:

• Be realistic about your skills, pain threshold, endurance, and what you enjoy. If group hiking is more fun, stick with that.
• Think of yourself as a person that you are with - you are not alone, you are with yourself! You can share the nature you see, hear, taste, and feel with yourself. You will have the memories of your experiences forever and you can recall them any time.
• Make your hike FUN and SPECIAL - take a chunk of chocolate for a break at 5 miles, or plan on an ice cream sundae when you make it to the next town.
• Know the area where you will hike - research weather patterns, trails, bailout points, wildlife range, elevations, water sources, private properties.
• Stay on the Trail - cross-country travel can be exciting but damages the environment and makes it difficult to find you, just in case.
• Take baby steps - short day hikes, overnighter trips, weekend outings, week-long backpacking, then long distance treks.
• Become confident - this is different than arrogant. Arrogance is an attitude of superiority while confidence is faith that you will act in the right way because you have skills. Read, ask questions, practice skills, take baby steps, know how to use your gear, and finally take longer hikes.
• Think through "What If" scenarios - what if the campsite is occupied, the stove breaks, the water filter breaks, my foot breaks, I lose my map or drop my compass, a bear/wolverine/cougar crosses my path or enters camp, the trail is closed, it rains for 1, 2, 3, 4 days, it snows, ... Don't waste time on farfetched scenarios, like snow in Florida on a June hike, but work your way through everything you can think of that might go wrong.
• Make detailed plans - trail maps, weather forecast and seasonal weather, food requirements, expected mileage, and day-to-day plans will ensure you have longer hikes well planned.
• Leave a travel itinerary with someone back home. Check in with a ranger station or other land manager at or near the trailhead and tell them your plans.
• Think each trip through in your mind - using topo maps or Google Earth, visualize how you'll be hiking along, where the steep sections are, where there's forest, meadow, sage, or rock, when you'll be on a windy, open ridge or in a sheltered woods.
• Get a feel for direction - at any point in time, you should be able to say, "North is that way" and be generally correct. Feeling the time of day and general direction of the sun is all it takes. Understanding where you are on your map, knowing where you want to be going, and having a feel for your direction will alert you to "something's not right" quickly if you take a wrong turn.
  This sense of direction is very difficult for some - if that's your case, you might be better off not going solo.

Pack for Hiking

The Right Pack

This is the fanny pack I use for day hikes.
It's not very big (215 cu. in.) but can hold everything I need for the day.   It's made by Outdoor Products and costs about $7.00
Outdoor Products makes inexpensive gear that works well for new hikers and backpackers.   Both my sons have O.P. backpacks for Boy Scouts and have had no problems so far.
Some people don't like the look of fanny packs but I think they're very useful.   If I get tired of having it around my waist, I can sling it over one shoulder or the other.
If you get something larger, such as this knapsack, you have to have it on your shoulder, not just your waist.   And, you tend to carry more because it has more room and people hate wasted space.   Two or three people could put all their stuff in one hiking backpack and take turns carrying it, but I'd hate to be without the pack when someone takes a wrong turn - you should always have your basic essentials on your body.

Minimize Weight

You wouldn't carry a bowling ball in each hand when you go on a hike.   It's just not comfortable.   But, with a 16 lb. pack, that's exactly what you are hauling up hill and down all day.   The amount of fun packed into a hike is inversely proportional to the amount of stuff packed into your bag.   Except for specific cold weather situations, you should have no need to carry more than 10 pounds in your pack for an all-day hike.   Carry less and enjoy more. A great way to minimize your gear and make future hike preparation easier is to create a gear list.   Gather all the stuff you are going to take, pack it, and just before you leave write down exactly everything that you have with you.   After your hike is over, go over your list and see what you didn't use. Find things you can leave home next time.   But, don't be dumb and choose raingear just because it didn't rain today.
For future hikes, just get out your list and gather what you need quickly.
When hiking with a partner or two, there are more opportunities for minimizing weight.   You can buy larger containers of food so the packaging waste is less.  You can take just one water filter, sunscreen, bug repellant, and other items that can be shared.   You need to coordinate this before the hike.
The types of clothing you choose will greatly effect your weight.   Light-weight synthetic fabrics do a specific job better than natural fiber at a reduced weight.  Some articles of clothing specifically wick away sweat while providing insulating warmth.   Others keep out rain but still allow perspiration to escape.  Hiking clothes come in so many colors, styles, and brands, its almost comical.  Spending a couple hours at an outdoors store should sufficiently overwhelm you and possibly drain your wallet.

Check Your Gear

Make sure your batteries are fresh.
Clean your water bottle.
Test the belts and buckles on your hiking pack.
Sharpen your knife.
Go through your first aid kit.
Basically, check out everything you are taking with you to make sure it will do its job.   Finding out that last year's boots are moldy or don't fit any longer is a bad thing the day you are to leave for a hike.

Hiking Dude's Tips

• Always bring water, even on cold days, cloudy days, or short hikes
• A cellphone can be a lifesaver. Just don't freak out when it's ruined from mud or rain or a fall. Wrap it in paper towel and put inside two zip-loc baggies for extra protection.
• Carry a couple extra gallon-size zip-loc baggies. They have 101 uses and weigh nothing and they take very little room in your hiking backpack.