Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#281)...and a few comments

Things that were carried (and pulled) on this particular ride: 
$121.47 in groceries and sundries, an 8lb. bag of dog food, 3L of red wine, and a gym bag full of wet clothes.

A few comments:
As stated over and over again (and over again) on this blog...I am not car-free, just car-lite, sometimes lighter than others. And it seems that this past winter has really been crunching the numbers with my riding ratio...the frigid cold and snowy winter has put somewhat of a damper on my riding, but not entirely of course. If I had to pick a number I would say that I still managed to ride or walk at least 75% of my (short) trips this past winter; opposed to something probably like 90% when the roads are clear. Anyhow, here's an example of how a person can spend a day car-free and still accomplish a lot.

In the morning I rode my winter bike (pictured above) the short commute to work. Then after work I rode home, making a slight detour to stop at the bank. After stopping home I hitched the trailer to the bike and strapped an empty cardboard box to the front rack then rode the the health club for a brief steam and swim (I felt I only had to do half my regular workout when I was riding a 40lb bike and pulling a trailer into the wind...the bike ride was a workout in itself). On the way to the health club I stopped first to buy some wine (I get thirsty with all that pedaling and swimming), and then to another store to purchase dog food. After the swim I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and load up. When I brought the cart full of groceries out I looked at it's fullness, then looked at the bike/trailer and really wondered how I was going to do this; the trailer and box on the front were literally overflowing (I had to push down on it like an over-stuffed suitcase to latch it)...but I did.

All-in-all, I probably only covered 10 miles throughout the day...but I did it using my own energy, and that makes me feel good, physically, psychologically, and emotionally. Even though I--like many cargo bikers--do this often, I still find it fun and amazing to do. Bikes, of course, are far from being simply a recreational toy, and they are much more than just a mode of transport (though they are really good at that)...bikes are also a utilitarian machine that carry not only you but also your cargo.