Automobile Advocacy Illustrated

So well all love to ride bikes, but there are times when it's just not practical. 'Live Free or Drive' sounds clever until you are up against an errand that really calls for a car.



Say, for instance, they're wrapping up the homebrew competition and you want to take a case of leftover beers to some folks. You'd need car for a trip like that, you're not going to take 24 longnecks of suds on a bike. That'd be impossible.



Or your hose is so leaky you decide to go to Lowe's for a new one. And you want a heavy duty 100-foot deal. You'll sure be glad you have a car that day, won't ya?

Personally, for these errands I gleefully drove my Surly Long Haul Trucker. I hear it referred to as the Honda Accord of bicycles, but I think it's more like the Toyota Land Cruiser of bikes: not the most off-road capable vehicle (see Pugsley/Humer H1), not the greatest hauling capacity (see Big Dummy/panel truck), but it will get you and as much stuff as you likely need to take with you anywhere you probably need or want to go, and it will get you there comfortably.