The Happy Bicyclist and the Supermarket Problem

This post is in the spirit of always offering a Solution whenever there is a Complaint to be made. First, the Complaint. The Happy Bicyclist has been getting more and more irritated with the supermarket in Halswell - it's too hard to find stuff, the shop is full of strangers, and to get to the scanty, hidden - away bike rack requires navigating an enormous wilderness from roads infested with cars.

Today I tried a solution suggested by a friend. The first step was to turn Left at the front gate, instead of Right. Then through Oaklands and Westlake to Dunbars Road, over the bridge and onto the motorway cycle path. Turn off at the Aidanfield Drive overbridge onto Skyhawk Road's painted cycle lane for a couple of blocks. ..to The Landing in Wigram Skies. Straight up to the plentiful, modern bike racks, and in the door. The Happy Bicyclist still didn't know anyone, but at least the place felt smaller than a football field. And nice places next door for a coffee afterwards.

Going to a more distant supermarket requires more planning. Another Solution. A couple of weeks ago, J. attached her bike touring pannier bags for her bicycle visits to Healthy Harvest, and today I figured out that I could do the same for supermarket trips. Not exactly the boot of an SUV, but certainly enough to feel virtuous.

So, how often will we apply these Solutions? Probably not every time, but enough to ease the frustration that goes with powerlessness. And if we want to get really serious, we can always go see Steve Muir about a bike trailer.