From Drizzle to Light Rain

We had a successful drizzly bike ride on Tuesday. Yesterday it was a steady rain and I decided to bike anyway. How else was I going to test the elements and prepare for year round car-free living?

 The trailer is a great napping location as well as warm and dry. When we get our new bike (in two weeks?), I will be keeping and using the trailer for such occasions.

 My perfectly grumpy gus had a disappointing experience at the end of her school day which impacted her attitude the entire way home. She never once complained about the rain. She's probably got the "Pacific Northwest Gene" that Brent and I have. We love the rain and the cloudy days, as long as we get some mix of occasional sun. Snow is also very much appreciated. Anything over 80 is dreaded.

Avery's new helmet. The boys are have been in "no pictures" mood lately, hence the many covered faces.

Everyday we stop at the blue mailbox on the corner of Woodland and Washington. We feel it's about 1/2 way home and after the tough uphill with stressful traffic on Norway, we are all ready for a snack. During those weeks of 80 to 100 degree days, this was the perfect place to stop in the shade and stretch in the grass. Turns out that on rainy days, those mature oaks are also nature's umbrella. The sidewalk was dry, the grass was just damp.

Rain Lessons
In preparing for the rain, I was most concerned about my glasses. I don't wear contacts and probably never will. I read a couple of forums online Monday and felt there were two basic options, Rain-X or a ball cap. I didn't have Rain-X, and the forums all suggest testing it first, for compatibility with your lens type. I slipped a ball cap on under my helmet and found it did the trick nicely. I still got misted, but my glasses stayed clear enough to see well.

Another lesson of biking in the rain; fenders are important. The children's backs were splashed with the muck of the sidewalks and roads. Brent reports of the unpleasant via-duct material (sewer, car and train muck?) that splashes up on him during his commute. My back tire was spitting mud on the trailer and consequently the children when I had the rain cover up. The new bike will have fenders, Brent's looking into getting some for his soon.

Miles Walked: 0	Biked: 33	Bused: 0	Drove: 16	This week
43.7	223.8	12.6	438.2	Since August 14, 2011

Feeding Six: The Shopping Experiences

Feeding six people is not cheap, nor is it quick and easy. Not for this family. Over the years our eating habits have been modified by education, taste preference, prep time available, interests, friends, and finances. We have been in a pretty frugal period, or a beans and rice stage for a couple of years. Regardless of how much we spend at the store, I still manage to spend between 30 and 40 hours a week planning, preparing, cooking, and cleaning up. Fortunately I like my kitchen, I love cooking and I enjoy eating. Planning is another love. Cleaning up, not so much. I try to clean when I am talking on the phone, but I don't spend that much time on the phone, so the kitchen is never very tidy. As it is we run the dish washer twice a day and request the children clear their own places at the table, but you know, it is just not enough. Having a galley kitchen with an attached dinette (no dining room) also helps. Less to clean.

What I was getting at was the groceries. Since we have taken to getting our vitals by bicycle we have been very mindful of the weight of the items we put into the cart. We also try to stick to one cart. One cart full seems to equal one trailer in both space and weight limit (100lbs or so). Growing up in a family of six, my parents would get two carts, shop every two weeks and take the whole family. If it wasn't on the list, it didn't go in the cart, but we never bought one of anything. We needed green beans, we got a flat or two of cans. Stock piling. I have tried this in the past with my own family, but then we feel this compulsion to eat it all. Sticking to the list is about the only habit I have kept.

Simple Shopping
When we set out to do our car-free August I speculated I would drive to do my grocery shopping when the month was over. I am very surprised to report that we are going to continue ferrying our groceries by bicycle. It may mean more trips initially and slightly more planning for weather and time. It may mean only going out for groceries and not looping in extra errands. It doesn't mean we have to give up our family shopping, as we have shown a few times this past month (here and here). It also doesn't mean we can't get frozen goods on 90 degree days or our seven loaves of bread. We have transported glass, produce, eggs, many gallons of milk, and ice cream without any incidences. The children gripe because the store we now shop, because it's closer to home and closer to the bike path, doesn't carry as many toys. This little Kroger on the western side of town just doesn't have the variety I have come accustom to, and like. Yet, this makes things simple. Less choice is often a great thing. I needed quinoa last week and they didn't have it, but they had bulgar wheat. I made the tabbouleh the traditional way because the choice was made for me through a reduction in options. Simply.

Now about those two trips. Brent, Oliver and I went to the store on Friday morning. Brent wanted to go with us. We just love biking together that much. Other than the company I kept for him, I was only useful to putting things in the cart and bags. Brent did all the work of hauling it home. Yet, this is good time for us. Away from our screens and our roof and away from the distraction of house responsibilities.



Friday's Trip
Things of note on our Friday trip were the cabs we saw coming and going to pick up passengers and groceries. First Friday of the month? Perhaps. We also got home and realized our "quick trip to get a few things" was still a 100lb load.

Yellow Cab in Huntington.

We really did go in for a light trip....but since was hauling, I added some heavier things.

Full load, front and back. The pool noodles were $1 each and Brent is a spoiler.

I lost my co-pilot on the last mile. Nap time.

Today's Trip
I didn't get anything I needed to cook for my meal swap when we went on Friday, knowing I would need to come back. London and I set out today, she on my bike and me on Brent's. We made it a quick trip, two hours there and back, and it was a lighter load, roughly 60lbs. This was technically our third grocery trip in 8 days as we went last Sunday as well. 260lbs of food in 8 days. Yet, I feel we are stocked up and can survive the stormy weather in our forecast this week.

London towed the trailer to the store, with her stuffed animal raccoon, "Raccoonie" in the cat carrier.

I think this is the first original "punch buggy" London has spotted. She was pretty excited about her find.

Hard to see, but London said she loved her new short do because she can spike it up when she is sweaty. Think I ought to ask Kroger for bike parking? We have yet to go and not see at least two other bikes. Yet, I fear they might stick us in the lot with the cars, and I like my door side spot.

This is our light load. It all fit on the belt. I forgot it was Sunday and no beer sales till after 1pm...just meant an even lighter load!

This may seem dull, but finding the water fountain to fill up is very important.

Busy Sunday at the park. Our small space on either end of the path that is not chained is now blocked by cars. We had to ride over the curb and around the rack on the right (no real issue, just an irritant).. I know that being close to the action is important but there were plenty of empty spaces in the lot.

I like those temperatures, don't you? How about those rain drops? Hmmm.

 You can read about most of our grocery shopping by bicycle adventures by clicking the Grocery tag in the right margin. It's actually kind of fun to just sort the posts by tag. Rather, fun for me.

Miles Walked: 0	Biked: 5	Bused: 0	Drove: 0	This week
43.7	195.8	12.6	422.2	Since August 14, 2011

The Great Bike Debate

Nothing quite like a frustrating situation to propel a change. My anger and worry over our finances was the impetus for lightening our car burden and plowing into a bicycling life style. I have not had a regret since. It's been a very rewarding and exciting change for me and our family, despite my husband's worries over us biking to and from school.  He admits he worries when we drive there as well. Worry and anxiety is his nature, especially when children are involved.

I don't want to give up on my current life style choice. I set out to do one month because I like finite self imposed limits. If I has said "as long as I can," I might have given up at anytime. Anything longer than one month might have pushed my husband to the edge of his patience with my process and he too found he liked knowing that "if he could just wait it out till September..."

Interestingly, he didn't know that today was September first and as our friends who take our children to school were out of town, he biked the three children to school himself. He came home to leave me the trailer and reported the ride was relatively easy and fun, although he still thinks crossing onto Washington and Norway are very dangerous (I agree). I didn't ask him how he handled Washington, but he did ride the children on the side walk on Norway. No complaints from anyone till the very last steep hill just two blocks from school. It took them 30 minutes, and because we didn't leave enough time this morning to debate with London, they were about two minutes late.

School Commuting Troubles Continue
What I was getting at, was how frustration begets change. I have had several frustrating commutes home from school with the children. It is usually because one of them is very, very tired and I don't have enough room to transport more than two with the trailer/stroller/bike combos I have been using. The closest I came was yesterday when London rode my bike, towing Avery and Oliver in the trailer. Yet it was Elliot who was exhausted to tears for the first half of the walk. I offered him space in the trailer and putting Avery on the bike seat we could continue walking the bike home, but he declined. We actually jogged home together for the last quarter.

London towing Avery and Oliver and all the back packs, Elliot and I jogging home down Wiltshire Blvd.

Coming home from another 95 degree, 90 minute bike-walk-jog, exhausted and frustrated was yet another prompt for change. The research for a new bike has been in progress for a couple months. The past couple weeks it kicked up a notch as I test rode two bikes in Columbus last weekend and I have been in touch with two other bloggers, Car Free with Kids and Family Ride, who have been tremendous about helping me hash out different scenarios. I thought all I needed to know was on the internet, but between the forums, reviews, flicker pools, blogs, business sites, my lack of knowledge, lack of diverse bikes in the area, and our unique situation (location and family size), it's been daunting, and that is an understatement. The experience of someone who has "been there and done that" is invaluable. I can't thank these women enough for what they have done for me. The email exchanges with Car Free with Kids are continuing as I parse out options and considerations.

The Debate
The research process has led me to two bikes I feel will best, but not perfectly, meet our needs. I know that neither the Madsen kg271 or the Yuba Mundo will roll out of the box just as I need them. There will need to be some adjustments with seating and towing options and the consideration of an electric assist. Neither will fit on the bus bike rack. I looked at several different options that would allow us to continue using the bus but they were outside our price range at this time, but something to consider later when the children are older (as the scenario and cost would change). Despite some of these barriers, both of these cargo bikes are better than what we have now and would make the commute more pleasant for us all. I don't want our methods of transportation to be the only thing we think, talk and blog about, I want it to be a solution and means, enjoyable and safe, empowering and inspiring.

The Madsen contender (older model)

Yuba Mundo option.

While I will be purchasing one of these bikes soon, the possibility of purchasing them both has entered the equation. I displayed this option to Brent last night as I knew it would be one of the two and I couldn't decide. I asked him to sell his brand new bike and then consider getting both the Madsen and the Yuba, as having a team of bikes like this would certainly meet all our needs. His argument was that neither would fit in the elevator at work, like his current bike does.

How would you solve our problem? Pros/cons comparison to the Madsen and the Yuba? Do you have another option?

*As I finish up this post it has started to rain and has the potential for rain the remainder of the day. This will add a little spice to our home from school commute today and I will let you know what becomes of it.

Breakfasty bike date: Recycling, CSA & River and Rail Bakery

When we set out to reduce our driving I made a chart of the places we go and the alternate ways we could get there. One of our driving issues was the recycling drop off. We typically would take our items to the stream recycling bins in South Point, OH, which we would have to drive to. We then discovered a recycling bin on 6th Avenue downtown that was located in the parking lot were we pick up our CSA. During my reduced driving phase, I would take out recycling on Tuesdays and pick up my produce at the same time. When we decided to park the cars I signed up for curbside pick up but discovered the service did not accept glass or cardboard.

Running up to a porch requires someone to hold the bike steady with Oliver in it, or take him out.

Dropping off our cardboard and glass.

During the month of August we have been asking a friend and our share partner to pick up the CSA and we have been holding our glass and cardboard in the basement till I could muster the organization to get it to the bin on 6th. Today was the day. With the three older children in school I knew Oliver and I could take out recycling and pick up CSA using the iBert for Oliver and the trailer for all our cargo. Brent came along for company on his way to work so we turned the whole affair into a date.

Locking up at First Presbyterian for CSA pick up.

Lewis, the farmer who provides all the CSA produce, was bagging and unloading when we arrived. He said the heat shriveled his entire fall crop of cabbage (5000 plants) and cauliflower (2500)! We certainly thanked our farmers!

Heritage Station

Brent hauled his gear and the trailer and I took Oliver in the front seat carrier. This was a good use of our physical strengths and bike abilities. His bike is better suited to haul. Something I need desperately to fix, as I am the one who has more time for errands.

This morning was very chill and foggy. Fleece for Oliver and jeans for me. I think some of that fog seeped into my brain because a mile or so after we left home I realized I forgot my helmet.  I used Brent's and left his head unprotected (we joked it was because the life insurance was higher for him). Later we discovered I forgot to put the flag on the trailer when I converted it from stroller to trailer this morning. Some days are like that.

Recycling dropped off and the CSA picked up, we took advantage of our downtown location, reduced child accompaniment and smidgen of extra time Brent could spare, and headed to River and Rail Bakery at Heritage Station. Perfect breakfast date for us. Cinnamon roll for the boys, mocha for the parents, both shared unequally on the outdoor patio. Tonight River and Rail is hosting the CAFE dinner, something we won't attend this time, but wanted to let you all know about.

Inside River and Rail Bakery

A lending library

Brent got a hold of my camera.

More shops at Heritage Station

Riding home we came across the PATH mural project on 10th Street at the via-duct. A dozen volunteers were busy painting a scene to reflect the people of PATH in Huntington. I don't know how long folks will be painting, but they need more volunteers.

10th Street via-duct heading south. It was blocked to traffic, but we meandered through on our bikes to thank everyone and snap a few pictures.

Brent did accompany us home as well. He lugged Oliver and the produce back just so he could get his helmet and see us safely in. I am very happy he did. I love his company and that's what makes every time we spend together a great date.

Miles Walked: 2	Biked: 23.9	Bused: 0	Drove: 0	This week
39.7	136.8	12.6	399.9	Since August 14, 2011

Grocery shopping, again

My meal co-op group is meeting in the morning and I needed to get the foods I was scheduled to prepare. I had said before that the only thing we do altogether is go to the grocery store, and it's true. Before we dropped the car usage we would go to the store as a family. I genuinely thought this would change when didn't have a large vehicle to strap everyone into and load our provisions into the rear of. It hasn't. I managed to stroll off to the store last Tuesday by my lonesome but we barely had enough to get through till today. I have seen barer cabinets and far more empty shelves on my refrigerator, but there was no fruit or milk. Between school and work and the meal exchange, we decided not to wait.

Our neighbor's were hosting Elliot and Avery for some playtime and kept them till we returned from Kroger. Brent hauled the empty trailer, I had Oliver on the iBert and London rode alongside. We took our usual route along the PATH then up 1st Street. Uneventful if not a bit whimsy with the wind and crunchy leaves that are starting to drop.


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We got just what we needed, very few general wants, no ice cream and the minimal milk to get us through half the week (three gallons). Without listing it all out this time (as I did the first, second and third large trips) we totaled near 105lbs of food today. It exceeds the trailer weight limit marginally. If we had just tossed in any old thing we felt like eating we may have broken the axle. Thankfully we stuck to the list and only nudged some chocolate chips into the cart.

Loaded and ready to go. There were two other bikes in the back near the entrance. This is a very convenient Kroger to bike to.

If Avery had been with us in the trailer we may have had to reduce our purchases. We should get those panniers for Brent's rack, which could have taken two bags of weight from the trailer, and Avery would have fit, but might have still tipped the scale. That Yuba Mundo is looking very appealing right now. We could have hauled three children, four pannier bags and a trailer behind, if we were strong enough. Sounds like a fun challenge to me. Wonder if I could pull off something like that?

In the mean time, we will work with what we have and shop more frequently with a few extra stops at Julian's market as needed. I don't think we will give up on family grocery shopping just yet. It's still fun and it's good for us all. Although I do find myself reminiscing about the milk-man I had in Denver. At 8lbs a gallon, having fresh milk delivered is something worth daydreaming about.

Spinning my hypocratic-web

Can you have a car-free month and still drive your car once, how about twice, three times? I know we got off to a rough start, but we have been going great since the 2nd of August. Oh, then there was that one time Brent drove to get Grandma from the Greyhound station. Does that count? I mean, if we really didn't have cars, we would have had to rent one in that particular situation, so driving was relatively unavoidable. Having two cars sitting out front and driving one to the station was sort of like renting a car right? One of the purposes to this entire car-free month was to set out to discover what was possible, for our family of six, without driving a car in Huntington, WV.

If part of our self-inflicted contract was to reduce our carbon foot print, this blog would read more like No Impact Man. While what we are doing has great benefits to the environment, it's not one of our primary purposes, just another great by-product of our efforts.

With two blemishes on our record since August first, I am knowingly committing to another. After spending four days with my grandma she was picked up by her friends from Milton last Saturday, and has spent the past week with them. Before she left our house she was wanting to get her return ticket from the Greyhound station to leave tomorrow, August 27. Grandma is 76. She was obviously slowing down considerably since the last time she visited and I feel that going home on the Greyhound isn't right. I am driving her home tomorrow. She's paying for the gas, at her insistence, and no objections from me. It was a compromise. She doesn't like to have folks go out of their way for her and she really just wanted to take the bus. I told her I had been wanting to get up to Ohio anyway and she would be doing me a favor by providing the excuse. I think we are both happy.

I couldn't let an opportunity to go to central Ohio pass by. I am making plans for an afternoon in Columbus.

While I feel like a cheat and hypocrite, I do feel justified with the next breath. We are still saving enormous amounts of money. We have been able to live without our cars here in Huntington and I am replacing a potential rental with my own van. Yet, obviously I feel guilty enough to lay myself out here to try to assuage my own mind and keep my path honest.

Fairfield Community Garden at the Barnett Center

Does this require a caption? Brent rode with us then went to work.

Our family has been out to help at the Fairfield Community Garden on Hal Greer a couple of times in the past.  One of those times was in July this year when I biked with the four children to enjoy dinner and some weed pulling while Brent was away in Elkins. I have always enjoyed my time there and wanted to do even more, so today Oliver and I did. We biked the brick paved 15th Street (partially a one way) to Charleston Avenue and then cut the wrong way up 14th. There were no cars going this route, which was more quiet, shadier and safer than taking Hal Greer. It was also only about two blocks out of our way. I should clarify that "out of our way" really doesn't apply, as we appreciate the shade, quiet and safety even more when we are on our bikes, making the two blocks a complete pleasure to endure.


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The patch after I unburied it. Note: I must remember to do those "before" pictures.

Eve, the master garden, guided us to a completely over grown strawberry patch and kept us company while we worked as she watered and weeded alongside. I was surprised by all the insects and produce and Eve was a great resources of information on the flowers versus weeds conundrum I found myself in several times. She was a huge resource for everything, but I especially needed help with weeds.

I learned that the last Friday of each month the Barnett Center has a healthy food pantry and they welcome your donations of produce or time. This is important information. I am over whelmed with green beans from our CSA and while I preserve and eat what I can, I will be dropping off a bag for others to enjoy. Maybe you have extra garden produce that you could spare and share? Stop by tomorrow morning before 11:30AM.

Ever bearing strawberries. I never imagined eating a ripe strawberry off the vine in late August.

ArtWorks mosaic mural from 2009. More information on ArtWorks can be found at the Huntington Museum of Art.

I also learned that egg plant grows on a large upright plant. I thought it grew on a vine like zucchini.

A SPIRAL herb garden. Serene and practical.

The garden is completely fenced in, making it great to bring our children. Oliver piddled about picking up rocks, throwing balls and plucking flowers. He played a bit in the water and helped us move weeds. Oliver and I only worked for about 90 minutes, but we ate a few strawberries, picked a pumpkin, took a few pictures and filled a wheel barrel heaping full of weeds.

Miles Walked: 9.2	Biked: 42.4	Bused: 0	Drove: 0	This week
33	98.4	10.5	3.6	Since August 14, 2011