Bicycle for transportation and going car-free

I'm Car-Free and Bicycle Crazy!

July 27, 2021 I made the decision to sell truck and live a car-free lifestyle. Today marks the four month anniversary and I'm going to share how it's been going and my plans to continue in the future.

A little history first. I retired in September 2020 so I don't have the issues that can sometimes come up with commuting to work by bicycle. Having said that, my bike (REI CTY 1.1) is my only form of transportation, I use it for grocery shopping, running errands to bank, Post Office etc. and also for recreation.  As mentioned on our about page in 2017 I rode my bike across the United States and lived out of my Ortlieb Panniers for 3 1/2 months, riding in all weather conditions so surely I can ride to my neighborhood store for a gallon of milk!

At first, I had some reservations and had similar questions of others considering this lifestyle. The answers came to me pretty quickly!

• What about the weather? Although I haven't gone through the winter months yet, I've ridden in wind, heat and rain and have got where I'm going just fine. The accessories and clothing are a big consideration that I'll be addressing in an upcoming blog post.
• How will I carry groceries and other items? So far, I've been using the Ortlieb Panniers (see photo above) and have been able to handle all my shopping needs. There are occasions when I need to haul larger, heavier loads such as dog food, bottled water etc.. For those instances, I've purchased the Burley Nomad trailer and it's been great! (Review coming soon).
• What will people think? This is an easy one! Who cares??? I'm saving money (a lot), getting exercise, enjoying my travels and life!

As we enter into the winter months, I'm sure there will be challenges but that's part of what makes the car free lifestyle so appealing to me! Just as I had to do on my ride across America, it's all about adapting and overcoming!
I have no plans to own a car again and it's going to be a fun ride! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Social Media for all the updates!

Cheers!
​Dan