Jack's Electric Bicycle

Hauling loads

Local readers of this blog are probably familiar with Jerry Eaves.

Jerry is the sole proprietor of Jerry’s Recycling, a recycling business that he operates with a bicycle and a trailer. He basically goes around town picking up recyclables from businesses and then redeems them for cash at the local recycling center.

Jerry hauls amazingly large loads.

How big? Sometimes he has two supersized trash bins filled with cans and bottles, precariously stacked on a large metal trailer.

I would be intimidated enough hauling the trailer, let alone the stuff inside. I’m not sure what would be worse – the strain of pulling it uphill, or the potentially disastrous tracking problems when going down hill. Wouldn’t the trailer wiggle back and forth and ultimately cause the rider to lose control?

That almost happened to me once when I hauled a trailer behind a VW Bug. The trailer wiggled side to side. Then the car started wiggling and I thought I might lose control. I slowed down and ultimately pulled over on the freeway. Disaster averted.

Jerry has never mentioned any such incidents, but I wonder. Especially after seeing the load he apparently hauled on Tuesday.

I didn’t see Jerry, just his bike parked in front of a business. Inside his trailer were a bunch of metal objects. I don’t know whether they were steel tubes or rain gutters or what. But the entire load appeared to be 2 feet wide, 2 1/2 feet tall and 6 feet long. The entire mass was so heavy that his attached bicycle was elevated about 2 feet off the ground due to the weight of the trailer.

I assume he hauled that load across town to the recycling center. Next time I see Jerry, I’ll try to get an exclusive interview for those that are interested in the ins and outs of hauling large loads on a bicycle.

This topic came to mind today when I went to the hardware store to purchase some supplies for a small construction project. If I had Jerry’s trailer, I probably could have accomplished my mission on the bike. Instead, I was forced to use the car and the utility trailer.

I burned gas, which means my end-of-the-week gas savings will be less than expected.

posted by Jack Durham @ 9:20 PM