With the Right Bike…

Mr. Spice, ready to roll

You can do most anything if you have some fun wheels, the right setup, and a little bit of ingenuity. Haul 2 cubic feet of potting soil, an array of veggie starts, but leave room for beer. Featured here is Mr. Spice with potting soil for our spring container gardens making full use of his panniers, rack, and bike lock. Impressive, no? As the Victory Garden of Tomorrow observes, with the right bike, you can carry your fair share. Mr. Spice always carries his own weight: soon after he acquired his panniers, he opted to transport two 12-packs of beer, 10 pounds of potatoes, a couple bags of ice and more. !

The red Ortlieb panniers on my bike work well for local errands and our upcoming Amazing Foodie Tour. Commuting and doing errands by bike is a lifestyle choice, an environmental statement, and a practical way to get a little exercise.

plants on board

Several of our SLO-town neighbors do all their grocery shopping with a bike trailer rather than a car. If you’re not quite ready for trailers and panniers, there are still options that can make your bike a more serviceable machine. Whether with basket, panniers or trailer: put your bike to good use and have fun. Also, look for our bike positive icons throughout CCFoodie.com to find those Central Coast producers who make it easy for cyclists to park and monitor their bikes when they’re enjoying sandwiches, coffees, beers…

May is bike month. San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara both put on great bike parties all month and make it easy to get involved. Give your wheels some love, head out for a spin, and advocate for bike positive features for your community.

Poster from The Victory Garden of Tomorrow by Joe Wirtheim