Grocery Bike

On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 10:43:03 AM UTC-6, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I'm not arguing its fun to ride. I enjoy riding. But for simplicity, its easy to walk 3/4 mile to the store. Just grab my plastic bags and walk out the door. No clothing or shoe change needed. Coming home is a little harder if I buy heavy stuff. My arms get stretched from the weight of the bags. My walk is pretty pleasant when its not winter. Flat. Sidewalk the whole way. Shade from trees for half the distance. And its good exercise. More exercise than riding the same distance. But its not hard exercise that will improve cardio vascular or strength or anything. Its exercise that gets me off my butt and helps circulation and moves the joints. And I get to breathe fresh air.

On Wed, 30 Jan 2019 14:30:08 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 10:43:03 AM UTC-6, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I'm not arguing its fun to ride. I enjoy riding. But for simplicity, its easy to walk 3/4 mile to the store. Just grab my plastic bags and walk out the door. No clothing or shoe change needed. Coming home is a little harder if I buy heavy stuff. My arms get stretched from the weight of the bags. My walk is pretty pleasant when its not winter. Flat. Sidewalk the whole way. Shade from trees for half the distance. And its good exercise. More exercise than riding the same distance. But its not hard exercise that will improve cardio vascular or strength or anything. Its exercise that gets me off my butt and helps circulation and moves the joints. And I get to breathe fresh air.

The normal marching rate is, and has been since the days of the Roman
Empire, about 3 miles per hour. So a 0.2 mile distance could be walked
in about 4 minutes and a 3/4 mile in 15 minutes. It seems hardly worth
opening the garage door :-)


Cheers,
John B.

" writes:

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 10:43:03 AM UTC-6, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I'm not arguing its fun to ride. I enjoy riding. But for simplicity,
its easy to walk 3/4 mile to the store. Just grab my plastic bags and
walk out the door. No clothing or shoe change needed. Coming home is
a little harder if I buy heavy stuff. My arms get stretched from the
weight of the bags. My walk is pretty pleasant when its not winter.
Flat. Sidewalk the whole way. Shade from trees for half the
distance. And its good exercise. More exercise than riding the same
distance. But its not hard exercise that will improve cardio vascular
or strength or anything. Its exercise that gets me off my butt and
helps circulation and moves the joints. And I get to breathe fresh
air.

No other mode of transportation is more conducive to thought, provided
the way is pleasant. Not riding the train, much less cycling.

--

On Wed, 30 Jan 2019 21:20:10 -0500, Radey Shouman
wrote:

" writes:

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 10:43:03 AM UTC-6, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I'm not arguing its fun to ride. I enjoy riding. But for simplicity,
its easy to walk 3/4 mile to the store. Just grab my plastic bags and
walk out the door. No clothing or shoe change needed. Coming home is
a little harder if I buy heavy stuff. My arms get stretched from the
weight of the bags. My walk is pretty pleasant when its not winter.
Flat. Sidewalk the whole way. Shade from trees for half the
distance. And its good exercise. More exercise than riding the same
distance. But its not hard exercise that will improve cardio vascular
or strength or anything. Its exercise that gets me off my butt and
helps circulation and moves the joints. And I get to breathe fresh
air.

No other mode of transportation is more conducive to thought, provided
the way is pleasant. Not riding the train, much less cycling.

Some Buddhist Monks even teach what they call "walking meditation",
although they probably don't recommend it while walking down the
street :-)


--
Cheers,
John B.

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 2:30:12 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 10:43:03 AM UTC-6, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I'm not arguing its fun to ride. I enjoy riding. But for simplicity, its easy to walk 3/4 mile to the store. Just grab my plastic bags and walk out the door. No clothing or shoe change needed. Coming home is a little harder if I buy heavy stuff. My arms get stretched from the weight of the bags. My walk is pretty pleasant when its not winter. Flat. Sidewalk the whole way. Shade from trees for half the distance. And its good exercise. More exercise than riding the same distance. But its not hard exercise that will improve cardio vascular or strength or anything. Its exercise that gets me off my butt and helps circulation and moves the joints. And I get to breathe fresh air.

Personally, I wish more people drove -- which is actually a quote from my son as we encountered ten cyclists at an intersection this morning. This was in a congested bike facility that funneled into a MUP that ascended to a road intersection with a traffic light. It was maybe 200-300 meters of 2-3% percent grade to the light, so my son hit the gas and we passed everyone and made the light -- peak output 1000 watts as measured by my son's power meter. I about hacked a lung.

-- Jay Beattie.

On 1/30/2019 5:30 PM, wrote:
On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 10:43:03 AM UTC-6, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I'm not arguing its fun to ride. I enjoy riding. But for simplicity, its easy to walk 3/4 mile to the store. Just grab my plastic bags and walk out the door. No clothing or shoe change needed. Coming home is a little harder if I buy heavy stuff. My arms get stretched from the weight of the bags. My walk is pretty pleasant when its not winter. Flat. Sidewalk the whole way. Shade from trees for half the distance. And its good exercise. More exercise than riding the same distance. But its not hard exercise that will improve cardio vascular or strength or anything. Its exercise that gets me off my butt and helps circulation and moves the joints. And I get to breathe fresh air.

I agree, the walk would actually be better exercise than the bike. I
just like the bike.

And when I built this bike up from spare parts, maybe 5 years ago, one
objective was to be able to ride it with absolutely no preparation, not
even clipping on my tiny eyeglass mirror. (It's the only bike I have
with a handlebar mounted mirror.) Flat pedals, chain protector... I
simply get on and pedal.

Maybe I should start jogging to the post office for bone health? But
that's another thread.


--
- Frank Krygowski

On 1/30/2019 9:20 PM, Radey Shouman wrote:
" writes:

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 10:43:03 AM UTC-6, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I'm not arguing its fun to ride. I enjoy riding. But for simplicity,
its easy to walk 3/4 mile to the store. Just grab my plastic bags and
walk out the door. No clothing or shoe change needed. Coming home is
a little harder if I buy heavy stuff. My arms get stretched from the
weight of the bags. My walk is pretty pleasant when its not winter.
Flat. Sidewalk the whole way. Shade from trees for half the
distance. And its good exercise. More exercise than riding the same
distance. But its not hard exercise that will improve cardio vascular
or strength or anything. Its exercise that gets me off my butt and
helps circulation and moves the joints. And I get to breathe fresh
air.

No other mode of transportation is more conducive to thought, provided
the way is pleasant. Not riding the train, much less cycling.

I've done _lots_ of very effective thinking while riding. Perhaps I'd
have done it while walking too, but for me cycling really is more
meditative.


--
- Frank Krygowski

wrote:

The problem is - do you continue to use a bike for shopping after the immediate idea that driving there is dumb? Some of you probably have some experience with this - what is your take?

I've been using bikes for in-town shopping for the past ten years. I'm in
Davis, CA, just west of Sacramento, so the weather's mild and the land flat.
There's no obvious reason to stop, so long as I'm physically able.

For small stuff the folding rear baskets that hold grocery bags are
most convenient. When pushed far enough aft to clear my heels the bike
gets squirrely if the bags are too heavy, but that's a rare problem.
When not used the baskets fold out of the way, always at the ready.

For bigger, heavier stuff (20-pound propane cylinders) a bike trailer is
immensely useful. I happen to have a CycleTote, you're far more apt to
find a kid carrier like a Burley. The CycleTote is capable of carrying
more than I can comfortably pull, a Burley will fold for more compact
storage. I'd rate trailers as the most useful accessory for a bike. They
outperform all other luggage carriers, at the price of requiring a little
setup and storage.

HTH,

bob prohaska

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 6:29:26 PM UTC-6, John B. Slocomb wrote:
On Wed, 30 Jan 2019 14:30:08 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 10:43:03 AM UTC-6, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/29/2019 11:42 PM, wrote:
I am fortunate to have a grocery store only 3/4 mile from my house. So I walk for groceries.

When I was working at my first engineering job, I owned a car, a
motorcycle and a bicycle. But I walked the mile to work, unless I woke
up late.

Now I ride my three speed even to drop mail at the post office 0.2 miles
away. For me, it's just more fun to ride.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I'm not arguing its fun to ride. I enjoy riding. But for simplicity, its easy to walk 3/4 mile to the store. Just grab my plastic bags and walk out the door. No clothing or shoe change needed. Coming home is a little harder if I buy heavy stuff. My arms get stretched from the weight of the bags. My walk is pretty pleasant when its not winter. Flat. Sidewalk the whole way. Shade from trees for half the distance. And its good exercise.. More exercise than riding the same distance. But its not hard exercise that will improve cardio vascular or strength or anything. Its exercise that gets me off my butt and helps circulation and moves the joints. And I get to breathe fresh air.

The normal marching rate is, and has been since the days of the Roman
Empire, about 3 miles per hour. So a 0.2 mile distance could be walked
in about 4 minutes and a 3/4 mile in 15 minutes. It seems hardly worth
opening the garage door :-)


Cheers,
John B.

Are you sure? 3 miles per hour, 20 minutes per 1 mile, is very slow. I easily walk at a pleasant pace to the store 3/4 mile away in at most 10 minutes. Or a bit less. Even carrying heavy bags of groceries home, I still only take about 10 minutes to walk 3/4 mile. That is about 4.5 mph. 50% faster than your official marching rate. I can't imagine any army ever getting anywhere if they only marched 3 miles per hour. It would take them all day to even have a small parade for the top brass.