Why I should ALWAYS shop by bike

This week (it was Tuesday I guess) I got this wild hair to ride to this little outdoor mall where there is a Whole Foods AND a City Sports.  It seemed far enough away that it would count as a workout, far enough that it would certainly be an accomplishment, and since I had really been craving this corn on the cob appetizer and needed the ingredients, I planned to ride there, buy the stuff, put it in my pack (you know the kind that all the 7 year olds take to soccer camp) and ride home.  Easy peasy, right?  Here's my route, should you care.

Well, a couple of issues.  (and this is a very Goldilocks and the Three Bears moment.)  When I got on my bike, the gears were all messed up.  Definitely someone had either been riding (for shame) or just messing with (worse shame.) my gears.  I must get to the bottom of that one! 

But that wasn’t a huge deal.  The big issue was this rotary that I needed to navigate around in order to cross over the highway.  Do you know “The Rotary”  It’s not a traffic platform that was common in Indiana where I grew up.  It’s basically a circle (think a clock) that you come upon from a variety of directions.  I was heading in from 6 o’clock and needed to get up to noon.  Folks ON the rotary have the right away.   So you have to find a good break in the flow before you enter.  And there are folks heading into the rotary from different spokes on the wheel.  And just to be clear, these folks are exiting the highway and going 40 or 50 mph! It's not really the pleasant looking Nantucket rotary of this picture.  It's deadly.  It’s scary.  I know I did it incorrectly, but at some point you just have decide, I’m going for it and just pedal your ass off.  I think this is something I can get better at but would love some tips, anyone?  Anyone in Montana have a tip for me?

If you looked at my ride, it was only a little over 9 miles.  Thats not that far on a road bike.  But remember, I did have to ride home.  So lastly, - I should probably always shop by bicycle because it definitely makes me think about every food purchase.

• This is too heavy (the bag of spelt flour I had in my hands) 
• This will get crushed (the heirloom tomato)
• This is not worth the extra weight on my back (the red onions – plus I knew I had one at home) 
• This is perfect (bag of freeze dried bananas)      

Of course I got the ears of corn (awkward to fit in the soccer pack), the cojita cheese, and a pack of tomatoes in a plastic carton (for smush proofing)

And I made the delicious corn when I got home. This is NOT what mine looked like, but a close representation.  Minus the tablecloth, and water glasses, and tray, and breadbasket.  I will  do an additional post about soon about this MOST delicious treat, because it’s the PERFECT summer indulgence food.)  And I had a couple a Harpoon Summer Ales – because hey, I RODE to get my groceries and because I can.