Living Car Free - just had my first "car free" experience

every other saturday morning, I go to Panera Bread to partake of their free wi-fi, bottomless iced-tea, and occasionally, a pastry (or three).
well, this morning, I totally grabbed the basics (laptop, lighter, notepad, pen, some edc stuff) and threw them in a bag with my lock, and rode my bike there.
I got a bit sweaty (Houston heat/humidity ftl) on the <1/4 mile ride, but it wasn't an unpleasant experience.
Not a lot of places have bike racks, so I just locked my bike on the patio gate.

my only complaint is that I forgot to bring my tobacco (pipe tobacco, or a cigar), but I guess that's not really a bad thing, right?

I could definitely phase biking in to my daily driving experience. I don't have any real big bag, or anything, so I would have to go easy on the grocery shopping, but that's not to big of an issue, since I buy fresh produce anyways, and that just means I can acquire it daily!

Good start. Keep it fun. Add more use of your bike as you can. It will always be a growing thing.

This week I'm enjoying the change of a new rack and a pair of Sunlite Grocery Getter panniers. That's really changed my shopping.

Forgot your tobacco? Is your body trying to give you a hint? ;)

Did I read that right? Less than a quarter of a mile? What did you do before you rode your bike there? Don't tell me you used to drive!

Did I read that right? Less than a quarter of a mile? What did you do before you rode your bike there? Don't tell me you used to drive!


sadly enough, yes
houston isn't a pedestrian friendly city by any measure

Did I read that right? Less than a quarter of a mile? What did you do before you rode your bike there? Don't tell me you used to drive!

I think some of this is just a factor of never having done it. My grocery store is about 1 kilometer from my house. I realize that I don't need to cycle everywhere... I can easily walk that distance... although it is a pain carrying bags back home.

If the OP never walked the 1/4 mile to Panera, he/she wouldn't realize how easily walkable (and bike-able) it is.

As the old saying goes, every thousand mile journey begins with a single step.

As the old saying goes, every thousand mile journey begins with a single step.

It's all about breaking those mental barriers.

It's all about breaking those mental barriers.

Yep. There is a convenience store cater-corner to my apartment complex. Many people drive to it.

Fantastic! I am glad you enjoyed the trip! Next time, bring that little extra item you forgot then you will have nothing bad to remember the experience by

I wonder what the times of your trips to Panera are, bike compared to car. I wouldn't be surprised if riding your bike is faster. Even for somewhat longer trips (5 miles or so), the bike is often faster than a car.

Another thing--riding a bike makes a trip almost an adventure. At least riding makes the journey interesting enough to share with others. I doubt if anybody writes into the car forum to tell everybody they drove to Panera's!
:)

Congrats, jehan! Here's to many more fun outings on a bike instead of in a car. It feels good to go places under your own power, doesn't it? :)


And slightly off topic but perhaps of interest: The phrase "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" comes from chapter 64 of the Tao Te Ching. The TTC would be a good read, I think, for the car free folks here.

As the old saying goes, every thousand mile journey begins with a single step.

First you ride your car to Panera. Then you realize you can ride your bike. Then you realize you can bake your own Panera at home. (The voyage of a thousand miles is reduced to nothing.)

I wonder what the times of your trips to Panera are, bike compared to car. I wouldn't be surprised if riding your bike is faster. Even for somewhat longer trips (5 miles or so), the bike is often faster than a car.

yah, it was faster; I can take parking lots there and don't have to stop



First you ride your car to Panera. Then you realize you can ride your bike. Then you realize you can bake your own Panera at home. (The voyage of a thousand miles is reduced to nothing.)

i suck at baking, I've been trying to make bread for a while, but it's just not panning out.
though, i go to panera more or less to just get out of my apartment!

I've been trying to make bread for a while, but it's just not panning out.
Multilingual pun, probably has them ROFL over in the Linguistics Department, score +3 postmodern humor points.

i suck at baking, I've been trying to make bread for a while, but it's just not panning out.


Have you tried the new recipes for kneadless bread?

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/1494

Welcome fellow houston resident to the car-free world, what part of town are you riding/living in?

Have you tried the new recipes for kneadless bread?

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/1494

That's nice-looking bread. Only problem is that you have to let it rise 18 hours...

Kneading is a pretty easy thing to do, probably good exercise, too. I make bread once a week, especially since the price of a decent loaf went to near $5. It takes about 4 hours. Initial stir and kneading about 10 minutes and probably another 10 for putting in pans, etc.

Only problem is that you need to be around the house for a good portion of the day.

I usually make 3 loaves and have enough left over for pizza.

Have you tried the new recipes for kneadless bread?

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/1494


thanks, i'll take a stab at it next weekend!


Welcome fellow houston resident to the car-free world, what part of town are you riding/living in?

riding/living near Westheimer and Fondren (actually, closer to Dunvale)

I just got some produce from the walmart near me. i usually hate that walmart (long lines, never any shopping carts, hard to find parking near the store), but today I smiled the whole way there, and the whole way back (locked up right near the entrance, didn't need a cart, since i threw everything in my bag, the lines were pretty long, but w/e- you can't win 'em all!). cycling is way fun!

Used to live near voss and westhiemer for a couple of years. That part of town has so many good resturants and I don't visit them near enough now.

That's nice-looking bread. Only problem is that you have to let it rise 18 hours...

Kneading is a pretty easy thing to do, probably good exercise, too. I make bread once a week, especially since the price of a decent loaf went to near $5. It takes about 4 hours. Initial stir and kneading about 10 minutes and probably another 10 for putting in pans, etc.

Only problem is that you need to be around the house for a good portion of the day.

I usually make 3 loafs and have enough left over for pizza.

The trick with a no-knead style recipe is you *don't* have to be around the house or the bread much... just a few minutes while you prep the dough, and the hour or so while it bakes. I usually time mine to rise overnight and bake it for dinnertime the next day. It is a *really* different feel from doing more traditional breads, and a lot less work.

A lot of older recipes work the same way. It's really useful if you're trying to work home cooking into a busy schedule.

That's nice-looking bread. Only problem is that you have to let it rise 18 hours...

Kneading is a pretty easy thing to do, probably good exercise, too. I make bread once a week, especially since the price of a decent loaf went to near $5. It takes about 4 hours. Initial stir and kneading about 10 minutes and probably another 10 for putting in pans, etc.

Only problem is that you need to be around the house for a good portion of the day.

I usually make 3 loafs and have enough left over for pizza.

Mark Bitman has a recipe on the NY Times site that doesn't take as long. besides, you can leave the house while the bread rises. The little yeasties prefer some privacy to do their thing.

Mark Bitman has a recipe on the NY Times site that doesn't take as long. besides, you can leave the house while the bread rises. The little yeasties prefer some privacy to do their thing.

In fact, Mark Bitman is really emphasizing ways to cook good wholesome food "on the run (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/cooking-for-the-run-with-mark-bittman/)" right now.

yah, it was faster; I can take parking lots there and don't have to stop
i suck at baking, I've been trying to make bread for a while, but it's just not panning out.
though, i go to panera more or less to just get out of my apartment!

When I got a bread machine, I ate too much bread and began gaining weight. I gave the thing away to a mom with kids.

The trick with a no-knead style recipe is you *don't* have to be around the house or the bread much... just a few minutes while you prep the dough, and the hour or so while it bakes. I usually time mine to rise overnight and bake it for dinnertime the next day. It is a *really* different feel from doing more traditional breads, and a lot less work.

A lot of older recipes work the same way. It's really useful if you're trying to work home cooking into a busy schedule.

Perhaps I already do something like this. I don't knead very much. And I don't need to stick around the house... just be back within 3 hours of the initial preparation, put it into pans and let it rise another hour.

There certainly are a lot of good recipes for bread... and it isn't that hard to make. And creating a good loaf of bread is like growing an elegant garden or writing a short story. I figure I do save a bit of money, too, but the main reason is to have good quality bread.