These are the things in your neighborhood

Sometime at the end of 2007/beginning 2008, when gas was crazy expensive, I realized I was only using my car for weekly errands, recycling and visiting friends. I already had been riding the train to work for a few years and did a bunch of errands in Pasadena, where I work, on foot. I was driving about 2000 miles a year. I realized how awesome it would be if I could actually do most of my errands on bike though. I had already walked the 4 miles round trip on Sunday mornings to the farmers market with some frequency. It was doable, but not always fun. The path was all along Ventura Blvd and in some places there are no sidewalks. My neighbor from New York that didn't own a car thought I was a little nuts for doing that. My friend and I walked from my apartment to his apartment in the middle of the San Fernando Valley and I realized I could walk and use my body to move myself much further than I had originally thought possible. So I decided I would buy a bike.

I struggled for months though, wondering where I would I store the bike. I wasn't allowed to put anything outside of a car in my apartment garage. I don't have a porch, utility room or hall in my 1 bedroom apartment and couldn't put heavy duty hardware in my walls. I didn't really have a solution to this problem, but I decided that I should start visiting the garage sales in my neighborhood and looking for a bike.

I realized how difficult and annoying it was to go to some garage sales in a car. I had to find parking on a street that generally had way more cars than normal. At one point, I found a bike, but didn't have enough cash on me. I went home to grab cash and as I managed to get my car in a parking spot, I saw the bike being placed in someone else's trunk. Grr. But I continued on and eventually came across a cheapish used bike that fit me (I'm kinda short). Almost instantly I loved the freedom that came with the bike. It didn't take long before I was able to do most of my weekend errands by bike

Now I'm to a point where I don't even have a car anymore. I bought a new bike when I realized my old bike was a little too cheap in some ways and not exactly the right size for me. I use the train a lot, I've taken way more buses than I did in the past and I still continue to walk a great deal. But I do enjoy biking the best. It's caused me to rethink where I am living and understand the area bit more. I am amazed at the distances I can travel while not even feeling tired afterward. Many of my friends now have bikes and will go out on rides. Some things are more difficult though, while others have become even easier. One of the things that has become easier is visiting the weekend garage sales in my neighborhood.

Simply due to the fact that I have a tendency to bike through more residential areas to get to my weekly errands, I'm already in the areas where the garage sales are. I don't even have to get off my bike to take a good look at what's available. I keep a mental inventory of things that I will need in the near future, but not immediately and keep my eyes open. It's awesome because I don't have to go to some special store to buy these things-- I just keep my eyes open where I already am going.

I don't buy a lot of furniture and other large items, but I generally don't need these items. If you really need that giant chest, it's worth talking to the sellers about holding it while you go get a car or find some other way to get it home. I recently bough a folding wooden chair that matched the 2 I already had at home from a previous thrift store visit. I always carry bungee cords in my backpack with me when biking, so I managed to strap the chair onto my bike rack with the legs of the chairs sticking out straight behind me. I'm sure I looked weird, but I made it home! I've found glass jars to store my bulk bin items, small gardening items, embroidery thread and an awesomely colored silk scarf for 25 cents! (ok, I really didn't actually need that, but I'm surprised at the number of ways I've found to use it!)

At garage sales I always keep an eye on my bike when I need to step away for a moment so that people don't think my bike's for sale. I must keep in mind whether I have enough space in my backpack or panniers to take home whatever I to buy. It's satisfying to know that this is one of the most local types of shopping I can do and I am buying reused things. I've had some fun moments too with people I'd never get a chance to interact with otherwise. One day a red crowned parrot appeared in my neighborhood. These parrots make me giddly like a small child when I see them in Pasadena, so I was excited to point it out to others at the garage sale and have a chance to talk with them about it. Freecycle is still great, but some things people are less likely to give away or you might be waiting for a while or need to travel longer than expected. Garage sales, especially on bike, can be incredibly efficient to visit, a fun way to explore your neighborhood and a super earth friendly activity.