Tuesday

Juggling Life, School, and Bike Buckets

I have been in a bit of a funk the past week or so, I wonder if this is, at least partly, inherent to the process of the shift I am making: I have lost some of the bright-eyed, giddy enthusiasm of the newly converted, mastered most of the novice level challenges, and am getting down to the real work of creating a sustainable life.

It hasn't helped that I the boy and I have been plagued with myriad complications and theoretical barriers to going by bike: cold and flue season, I have had an ankle injury, finals are looming large. Making the life I have work, while concurrently creating the life I want is proving daunting, and I'm not far enough along to see the rewards and benefits, gotta go on faith at this point.



The good news is I got my bike back from the shop, complete with front rack (managed to score a used one: more affordable and more sustainable) and have finally, just this evening, gotten to work on the "bike buckets". These awesome pannier alternatives that protect contents form crushing as well as the elements, while widening the bike's profile (thus making it more visible) and offering the perfect surface for political stickers and extra reflectors. (photo, above, shows an example)

I figured that I could make a pair myself for far less than the $50 the shop was charging.
Sure enough, for less than $8 I was able to get the hardware to mount 2 buckets obtained from the local food co-op's bulk food department (DIY photos coming soon)

2 comments:

Wisteria said...

Spring will be there soon. I would guess if you hang on until then your choices will seem easier to attain. I can imagine having the flu and cycling do not work well together. This is when the community of sustainable living should come into play (having someone to call who doesn't have the flu to bring you chicken soup). I know that community is almost non existent in society today. If there was virtual chicken soup, I would send it. Warm fuzzies from Mississippi!

westwind said...

You are so sweet! Thanks for the warm fuzzies and the encouragement. Thankfully, I do have a friend who makes Chai that will cure anything, and a folk I can carpool with when I have too.
It is sad how rare a thing community is these days. Happily there are cyber communities, as well as the "live" version, so we can be assured there are good like-minded folk everywhere; and be reminded that Spring is on the horizon