On Two Wheels

The vegetable harvest (red frying peppers, red grape tomatoes, paste tomatoes and some herbs) tucked into the bicycles' paniers, the precious and delicate tomatoes wrapped in pants and newspaper to protect their skin from all the jostling of the Brooklyn streets. The flowers atop the bike rack wrapped in newspaper and little foil at the bottom to hold water.

There are easier ways to get your perishables home intact from the community garden, but they aren't as much fun as rolling on two wheels with the wind at your back.

For big fun on two wheels, a tandem bike ride across the country visit here. We met this lovely couple on the first day of their ride out of Manhattan at Bear Mountain and check in daily for inspiration, funny bits of roadside conversation and lessons in geography. It's a welcome break from all the negativity about cycling I keep reading about lately in the New York City tabloids and blogs and it reminds me of the most important reason to ride. For the love of it.