This biking thing ain't cheap

Time to upgrade, before my fingers snap off and I start losing things again. Last winter, if you recall, I lost both gloves and a pair of rainpants. I’ve replaced the rainpants, but my fingers are still out there in the weather. Losing things happens when you don’t have a way to carry the dozens of accessories necessary for biking. So yesterday I shopped for some bike stuff.
Gloves: $30.
Rainproof jacket: $200.
Shoe covers: $33.
Set of panniers: $120 to $145, depending on size

I put several items on hold while I ponder the expense: eeeek! But if you don’t have the right equipment, you’re not going to last. I made it through last year without everything, but at least I had the pants, the helmet cover, some semblance of a rain jacket, and gloves.

This year I just gotta do something about the schlepping situation if nothing else, or I’m going to lose the things I do buy -- again. Stuffing my basket with plastic bundles was ok for a while, but I’ve had it with the vagabond look, not to mention the hassle of keeping track of the bundles.

We're thinking maybe this is the moment to sell my car, and then go all out and buy everything we both need to make this biking life work. So Lindi and I are doing the One-Car-Household Experiment. During November, we’re going to pretend we only have her car, and see how we do. That way we’ll see what it’s really like to share.

Even though I like my car better, if the experiment works out, mine’s the one we’ll probably get rid of. Just because mine needs a repair (engine kills for no reason in the middle of driving) and hers doesn’t, and because hers, being a hatchback, is better for hauling things. She doesn’t like my car because she says the seats hurt her back. I don’t like hers because it’s clunky and heavy and has a turning radius the size of a skating rink. My car is sometimes known as the FreezeMobile because the heater isn’t perfect. Hers is sometimes referred to as the Cat-Pee Car because a cat peed in it once and I swear I can still smell it but she says it’s gone. So those are the issues. Maybe I should open it up to public vote. Long as we're all in voting mode. Which one do you think we should keep? Is it better to freeze, or smell cat pee? I can’t decide. When voting, keep in mind that the seat problem is easily fixable with a back-support thing, and a good turning radius is important for prompt error reversal.