deceptively heavy grocery run

Just a quick note that I made my first big grocery run of the new year, after being kept off the roads for nearly two weeks by the snow. I waited for the rain to calm and then hit Freddies to stock up on all the heavy essentials that we depleted while being held under house arrest.

Unfortunately the picture does not do justice to the massive weight of the load. Underneath the military platoon-sized pack of toilet paper are three canvas bags loaded with glass jars, canned goods, bags of flour/sugar, veggies, and a massive glass jug of apple juice.

Fortunately, the load sat pretty low, so the ride was fantastic, but it still rivaled or surpassed the weight of my two little blond gnomes!

This grocery load represents where the pigeons really excel: hauling lots of dense items that require sacks, bags, etc. This type of trip would be impossible on a traditional bike, unless you ventured out several times. If you travel by foot or bus, the same issues apply. This type of grocery run represents the everyday fodder of typical daily automobile use for most of us. Two years ago, I performed this same trip in a car, at least once per week. The total round-trip distance is under two miles.