jppe

I finally took a few minutes to go through all my water bottles that were stashed in the pantry. I had no idea I'd collected so many. I wound up throwing away a large bag full and was able recycle another bag full. I've made more room for butterfinger candy bars. Hooray!!!!!

While going through all of them it was easy to reflect back on the 6-7 years I've been riding. There were the bottles that used when I first started riding and shared so many miles together it had been tough to dispose of them before now. They were pretty well beat up plus the tops had cracked so fluids leaked out the lids.

There were bottles from a lot of different organized rides over the years-a couple different ones from repeat rides I've done -or a bottle for each event per year. I finally was able to see I just wasn't going to use a lot of them and decided to send them on their way. There were a few I still couldn't quite let go.

Some bottles were just plain too cheap-but were gifts from epic rides so I'd collected them. For anyone organizing bike rides and giving away bottles, for goodness sake give out ones with the rubber mouthpiece. The hard plastic ones are uncomfortable banging against your teeth after lots of drinks on long rides.

Now, on to dealing with all the ride Tshirts!!!

aRoudy1

An idea/suggestion for all your t-shirts--find a quilt maker in your area and have them make you a quilt.

Monoborracho

Coincidentally, today I was warned about the continued use of an upper cabinet in the kitchen as a water bottle repository. I fear it may soon be taken from me.

DnvrFox

And what, pray tell, does SWMBO want to put in the cabinet space? Something as dull as food or dishes? Oh Pshaw!

Water bottles have a HISTORY and a personality. Dishes - well, Duh!

Terex

I keep two for everyday use and two for backups in the pantry. Everything else stays out of the way. I am not stupid.

Monoborracho

+1

NOS88

I never seem to have extra water bottles around. This is due to my kids and wife saying, "Can I borrow one of your water bottles?", after which the bottle are never seen by me again. I used to ask about this, but realized it wasn't going to get me anywhere but annoyed the hell out of them. So, I always put a clean empty water bottle in the cage after each ride ensuring I have at least one for the next ride. (I've learned the hard way that I need to put them in up-side-down so I remember to fill 'em).

stapfam

The spare bottles are kept in the garage. There must be 20 or so there but they keep changing. Friends turn up and they have forgotten a bottle so they get loaned. If the bottle is a good one- it always seems to be replaced with a type I do not like.

But the ones I use are kept in the bike shed. The two on their own-- One from the South Downs Way ride- They only gave them out for two years and I have both versions- And the Giant bottle is of the type that I find best. They never leak and are easy to fill

Dchiefransom

You have the same problem with water bottles that I have with tools, but mine don't ask, and I don't find out until I need them.