We've been living without a vehicle for almost a month now, since July 3
when we returned home from a month-long trip back East. The clutch went
out on our VW van in Escanaba, Michigan, on the way back to
Wisconsin. We rented a U-Haul truck and trailer and towed the van to a
VW specialist in Ironwood, Michigan. It's still there as he couldn't
begin to work on the van until a week ago and we're having some other
work done, too.
Our decision to live close to town (less than a couple of miles) rather
than further out is now paying off. We've been getting along just fine
without a car, using our Marin "utility/commuting" bikes to get
groceries/run errands. (Note the cool baskets made by Amish folks from Pennsylvania.)
This month-long period without a car has made us
even more aware of how easy it is to use the bikes for our every day
needs rather than jumping in the car. Using the bikes gives us much
pleasure and makes us feel self-sufficient. We expect to have the van
back within a week but, after this experience, I think we'll continue
to use the bikes more often than before.
P.S. Much has happened since I last updated this blog. I'll post a review of our activities during the past few months soon.
