Poor Cyclist's Porteur

I've wanted to get a porteur rack for my daily commuter for some time now.  Yikes are they expensive.  Some for good reason (e.g. Pass and Stow) and some for unknown reasons (e.g. Velo Orange).  Either way they are out of my price range unless I happen to make a good sale of some used bike parts I have hanging around that are hovering between vintage and old.  Yea, not likely.  So, enter Wald baskets.  I found a good deal on a Wald 139 and figured I'd give it a go.  For under $20 I have a porteured cross check.  I axed the rear rack for vanity reasons of which I'm remiss to even mention.  The end result has been a pleasingly functional commuter that isn't half as wobbly as I thought it might be.  I put my normal daily pack in it this morning and I think it's a pretty decent solution.  I carry a nylon shopping bag with me and now I can shoulder the pack and deposit groceries in the basket on the way home.  It's kind of like having panniers with you all the time without having panniers with you.

I've no love of panniers really.  Functionally speaking they are a simple way to carry a bunch of weight (more than this basket could) but I'm forever wishing I had my backpack when I have my panniers and the reverse when I have my pack and extra to carry.  Time will tell how functional this basket is but the price is right.  In the end I'd love to have a nice stable front rack.  I notice the wire nature of the basket mostly when starting and stopping.  Normal cornering and riding I almost don't know it's there.  Track stands and hard sprints aren't going to please you when fully laden though.

Motivation

It's easy to drive the car.  I've always known that.  I've just recently come to realize that.  You see, when I was in high school back in the dark ages I was the last of my circle of friends to be eligible for a driver's license.  I put that one off for a while.  I didn't want to drive really.  It's not that I had anything against it but I had this great bike at the time.  At age 14 I started working weekends at a neighbor's veterinary clinic cleaning out the dog kennels before the place opened up.  I can't say it was the nicest first job but you got used to the smell after a few days.  It was a simple job.  You moved all the dogs into one side and hosed/scrubbed/squeegeed it down and then did the other side.  I started it with my sister and then the next summer I did it by myself.  I saved up enough money to buy my first bike on my own.  It was this bike that I rode to high school and had every intention of riding thru my three years there.  My parents had a different idea.  They (my Mom really) were tired of driving me around and they knew that I'd need to drive some time so thus my lessons started.  It was the death of my riding as transportation for a while.  I got my license and then saved up for my first truck and the rest as they say is history.

I had a similar moment this morning.  The wind was rising all evening and I had run outside to get the laundry off the line after dark lest it blow away over night.  By morning it was windy enough that my daughter took one look at the swings in the tree hanging at 45 degree angles to the ground and said "it doesn't look like a day for the bikes".  I have no idea why but I quickly agreed and put my bike on top of the car.  I feel kind of silly now.  It's windy.  There's no doubt about that but I feel like I missed an opportunity to teach and for the kids to learn.  I fee like it would have been a good thing to ride and see that it was OK if a bit wobbly at times.  It would have been a good confidence booster.  For me, not them :)

I guess I got to learn another lesson today....again.  Staying motivated to leave the car at home is at times difficult.