Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#503), a couple comments, and a few things I saw along the way...

On the bike...a canvas bag containing an extra change of clothes (dry clothes in the event of rain, but it didn't rain). A large plastic cooler full of prepared food and ice.

I was on my way to my sister's house for my nephew's graduation party today. She lives just past the city line in a first-ring suburb; Kenmore, NY, which is (I believe) our area's oldest suburb. From door-to-door it is roughly about 8 miles/12.8km each way. For a split second I thought about reserving a car share (of which I am still a member but rarely use), then I came to my senses and remembered that it would be a really lovely ride (and it was). So I strapped the cooler full of ice and food on the back, stuffed a pocket camera in my pocket and rode the bike instead. Each way took just under 40 minutes, which includes time to snap some photos. And to reiterate what I've said in previous posts (many times...yes, I know), I wouldn't have seen all these things (at least not in the same light) if viewing them from a car window (and I certainly wouldn't have been able to take a shortcut through Delaware Park, which is represented in the bottom three photos). And besides, 16 mile/25.7km round trip on a heavy cargo bike...I didn't have to go to the health club today. I'll get off my little soapbox now.

Urban Simplicity.