Dear Bikemiker,

Your daughter's trick of tucking a bottle of ice water into a front pannier is an excellent idea. It's reminds me of another trick: using a sleeping bag as insulation. On even the hottest day, a can of beer snuggled into a sleeping bag (stuffed in its sack and strapped on the rear rack) stays cold for several hours. And if you don't like beer, it will work with anything cold.

Yours,
Jim Malusa