20 May 2008

Belated Mother's Day Report

I've been wanting a bike trailer for at least half a decade, but for some reason or another have never got one. On Mother's Day, Dug and the kids announced that they were getting me a trailer! (This is how we do it in our house. You find out what you're getting on the special day, not necessarily getting it then.)

I had already tried to buy two Burley d'Lite's off of craigslist with no luck. Dug asked if we could buy one online cheaper than locally. Of course we could, but with shipping the difference wasn't going to be as great and, more importantly, we wouldn't be getting it that day. So we all trucked over to our favorite bike store and bought the beautiful little ditty. (Thank you Mr. Tax Rebate!)

The 3- and 5-year olds ride in the trailer while the olders bike along with me. It's been a blast and I love it. We've been biking everywhere we can: piano lessons, church, short shopping trips.

What I'm trying to figure out is how to go grocery shopping on bikes. See, I go to three different stores, accumulating approx. 8 bags of groceries, and the store are too far to drop off the groceries after each store. The d'Lite has cargo space for two bags. The two olders and I could each carry backpacks, but they obviously couldn't handle carrying an entire bag of groceries as they bike. And I don't necessarily want to go grocery shopping three different days of the week to get everything. I could probably figure out some way to hang some bags off the handle on the back of the trailer... Oh wait! I didn't even think of people stealing my groceries while I'm in another store. Sheesh! Is there no solution here?!

If you've got some ideas, hand them over. I want to bike as much as possible. Not just to win the battle of the bulge, but to lower our monthly gas bill and reduce pollution. Plus, it introduces happy daily exercise into the minds of my tots. It's good stuff all around.

PS Look behind my bicycle and you will see a super-sweet Honda CBR 600. Come June 5, I'm heading over to the community college and taking the Basic Rider Training course! That baby is sitting there just waiting for me to figure out what all her levers are for. This summer is two-wheels only! (I told Dug we should get two motorcycles, and two side-cars that each sit two people. Then we could go as a family on little trips. Him with the boys, me with the girls. It would be so much fun, I said. He just looked at me and smiled in that way he does when I come up with crazy ideas that he knows are best to not agree to nor argue over.)

6 comments:

bethany (dreadlock girl) said...

YAY!! So are you driving this thingy over tomorrow morning!? looks very aerodynamic! (and cute)

Tricia said...

yes we are! it's totally fun! i'm so excited to see the chickies!

Anonymous said...

a hidden camera with a taser feature would probably work pretty well, don't ya think? :)

Tricia said...

it took me a second to understand, but yes, i like the way you think. now i just have to weigh the two sides...law suits vs safe groceries and free entertainment? i'll have to think on that.

chris and monica said...

Thanks for the comment. Your blog or shall I say blogs are amazing! I like the one of your kids.

You should definitly try the cookie book. I just made chewy gingerbread chocolate cookies and they are by far the best cookies I have ever had!

Also, you have a book club?? I have been wanting to join one, and would be interested in finding out more if you are taking new members.

Anonymous said...

law suits are probably the more profitable choice considering you know a very good lawyer :) but the free entertainment WOULD be hard to pass up.