Not enough groceries to cover the week and I had to get ReddiEgg because I wasn't ready to try carrying a dozen of the real thing...
While we're waiting patiently for our new Big Rig (the Mundo), we've still been out and about this week. Six miles on Tuesday, 5 on Wednesday, 13 on Thursday, and today was 5 more. This week was horribly windy, blowing the trailer all over the place. Not fun at all! At least with rain and cold you can dress accordingly and manage. With wind, you're left to struggle on even the flattest roads and work twice as hard without the gain. My rides took longer and I fought with the trailer with each pedal stroke. Wind is easily my least favorite weather for biking.
One of my stops this week included my weekly shopping at Trader Joe's. I hadn't ever biked there with the kids and the trailer and I hope to NEVER have to do it again! The TJ parking lot is horrible on it's own. Their bike rack is right in the middle of the lot, separated from the entrance by a brick wall and up on a curb. The space isn't big enough to pull the bike and trailer up together (it's hard enough to pull the trailer up the curb anyway). I had to take apart the rig, lock the bike, and bring the kids in the trailer-turned-stroller. Not the worst thing in the world but combined with the kid's gear, the trailer didn't have much spare room. Our measly shopping load is pictured above (or it will be soon). On our way out, we had to repeat the process of putting the rig back together. The Chariot was heavy with the boys and our larger load and I still had to unlock the bike, all while trying to keep the trailer from rolling back into the parking lot. Didn't work! The wind+the weight+the teeny, tiny space given=a strained back from catching the Chariot as it tumbled backwards off the curb. Ouch! Not a fun experience. I will now lock the whole rig together either at the shops next door or out on the sidewalk, lesson learned. Hopefully, however, this will most likely be one of the last load-bearing errands I have to take with the Chariot as our Mundo will be here soon!! I am looking forward to comparing the two set-ups for different purposes.
One of my stops this week included my weekly shopping at Trader Joe's. I hadn't ever biked there with the kids and the trailer and I hope to NEVER have to do it again! The TJ parking lot is horrible on it's own. Their bike rack is right in the middle of the lot, separated from the entrance by a brick wall and up on a curb. The space isn't big enough to pull the bike and trailer up together (it's hard enough to pull the trailer up the curb anyway). I had to take apart the rig, lock the bike, and bring the kids in the trailer-turned-stroller. Not the worst thing in the world but combined with the kid's gear, the trailer didn't have much spare room. Our measly shopping load is pictured above (or it will be soon). On our way out, we had to repeat the process of putting the rig back together. The Chariot was heavy with the boys and our larger load and I still had to unlock the bike, all while trying to keep the trailer from rolling back into the parking lot. Didn't work! The wind+the weight+the teeny, tiny space given=a strained back from catching the Chariot as it tumbled backwards off the curb. Ouch! Not a fun experience. I will now lock the whole rig together either at the shops next door or out on the sidewalk, lesson learned. Hopefully, however, this will most likely be one of the last load-bearing errands I have to take with the Chariot as our Mundo will be here soon!! I am looking forward to comparing the two set-ups for different purposes.
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