Sunday is one of the days I get some groceries at the store - that way the milk and bananas stay fresh during the work week. When I pulled up to the grocery store, I saw a few other bikes locked up by the front door, which is kind of unusual. When I came out to load up my groceries, I saw another lady nearby, loading up her groceries too! :) She had these wire baskets on the rear of the bike, which were full and she was plopping a large container of toilet paper on top of the load, using a couple of bungee cords to hold it in place. As she got ready to leave, I stopped to chat with her briefly. I said how nice it was to see another person (a lady even!) getting groceries by bike! :) I admired her bike - it looked new...it was a beautiful red retro-looking one-speed bike. She said she had seen it in Target for under $100! She couldn't believe the price, so she bought TWO - one for her and one for her husband. :) She said she lived on the other side of the shopping complex and mall, so she didn't have too far to go. We commented about how busy and full the parking lot was -- she said she bet some of the cars belonged to people who lived within a stone's throw of the store. I agreed. We both looked at each other with a look that said we were having more fun getting our groceries than they were. :)
There are a number of good reasons to shop for your groceries by bike:
1. Hassle-free parking - - just pull up in front of the store and lock 'er up.
2. Portion control - - you won't be picking up a lot of EXTRA things while you shop - because you know you have a certain amount of space, and you need to get it home. :) Plus, you stay within your "food budget".
3. Shop locally - - you'll buy groceries from the closest grocery store - to get the items home while they're still cold. :) And yes, I've bought ice cream and brought it home by bike. The grocery store is about 2 miles from home.
When I have A LOT of groceries or cat supplies to get, I pull out my flatbed trailer that I recently bought from www.BikeTrailer.com:
It can carry 150 lbs.! Not that I'm planning on carrying that much weight, but it's nice to know I have the option. :) I HAVE carried about 70 lbs. on it so far. :) I bought a large Rubbermaid crate to place on the trailer, and the straps hold it in place. With the lid off, I have carted a busted wheel from another bike. So the trailer is versatile. In storing the trailer, the wheels have a hidden release button, so the wheels slide off and everything fits in a closet. :) So, between my panniers and the trailer, I'm able to bring home the basic necessities. :)
