Since Knack was founded in 2018, the entire team has worked remotely. Today on the One Bag Blog, Knack CDO, Keith Bristol, shares how he used his Knack Pack while on a family vacation and working remotely near the Sandy River – not far from Mt. Hood in Oregon.
“We canceled a couple of family vacations this year due to travel restrictions,” shares Keith. “My wife and I wanted to take our two daughters for a vacation, while also keeping proper social distancing in place. We love the outdoors, so we opted for a cabin near Mt. Hood.”
Below, Keith shares how his family was able to take a much-needed vacation, as well as advice on social distancing and vacationing (more) safely.
Planning a Family Getaway
“I like to tell people that my title in the family is ‘Chief Athletic Coordinator,’ as I spend a lot of time on soccer fields, as well as volleyball and basketball courts, for my two daughters,” shares Keith. “We opted for a vacation in a cabin because it was remote and surrounded by nature. It also was close to a lot of outdoor activities without crowds.”
Keith and his family were able to enjoy a number of outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, swimming and boating! “Nature has a wonderful way to give me a fresh perspective,” he shares.
Family Vacations & Social Distancing
“I definitely recommend renting a cabin or house in a more remote area, near national parks,” shares Keith. “We tried a resort about a month ago thinking it would be relaxing but it was over crowded and not relaxing at all. We stayed for 2 hours and turned around and drove home, so we are probably not going to a resort any time soon.”
Keith continues on, sharing how important it is to respect each family member’s comfort level. “We have a range of comfort levels in our household when it comes to social distancing and views on the pandemic, so finding the right place to stay for the family members in the household who get more stressed out about it is the best choice. That’s why we chose to rent a cabin.”
Want more posts like this in your inbox? Join our email newsletter list by clicking here.
Pressing “Reset” by Deleting Phone Apps
“The favorite part of the trip was getting away from everything and hanging out as a family.” Keith shares. “I took all the apps off my phone and cleared my mind of all the obstacles we’re currently facing on a professional and personal level. It’s really important to have a way to reset, and this trip was definitely needed!”
Working From Anywhere
“We wanted to be next to a river and be in a remote location but I needed to be able to work a few hours each day,” shares Keith. “Thanks to having a remote office that I can pack up and take with me, we were able to spend a few more days in the cabin. I work in the early AM, and then we’d go do a family activity after everyone had had breakfast.”
While looking at cabins to rent, Keith made sure to get information on WiFi upload and download speeds. “My wife and I both needed to be able to stay in contact with our respective jobs,” he shares. “We were able to go ‘off the grid’ when doing family activities, but still stay in the loop for work.”
Keith booked his cabin through Mt. Hood Vacation Rentals, and the team there was extremely helpful. Shares Keith, “The management team helped us find the right cabin with great WiFi. They were extremely helpful!”
Using the Knack Pack for a Family Vacation & Working Remotely
Keith is a big proponent of the #OneBagLife (no surprise there!), sharing that he was able to pack both his tech items, personal items and snacks for the kids in his Medium Sized Knack Pack. The Knack Pack is the go-to expandable laptop backpack, enabling Knackpackers to pack for work and play!
“I carry my work essentials like my laptop, cords, external hard drives,” he explains. “Thanks to The Cloud, I don’t have to carry a lot of work essentials so I have plenty or room to pack clothes, books and other items in the hidden compartments. I was even able to fit a few games in for this trip!”
Keith’s two daughters each have their own Small Knack Backpack, using the main compartment to pack games and books, with their clothing in the expandable luggage compartment.
Share your Tips
What family vacations or weekend getaways do you have planned? Share your plans in the comments, and you could be selected to win a Knack Bags accessory!
