"You're pulling how much?"

Every Wednesday, Ben and I take on the task of delivering "The Source", which is a weekly independent newspaper in Bend. Out of all of the jobs we do, this is the one that really illustrates to people what is possible by bike. As I was rolling away from a stop yesterday, someone asked, "So how much weight are you haulin'?" The answer always raises an eyebrow..."Oh, about 500lbs." To most people this seems impossible. How can a bike pull this much weight? The truth is, it's not that difficult. Sure, the hills can defeat you with this amount of cargo, but in most situations, pulling a loaded trailer just means going slower and gearing down. So here comes the challenge of owning a business like this...I know fully well what me and my bike are capable of...Convincing others is the real work. Even the most progressive businesses will be a bit skeptical at first. I always look forward to Wednesday afternoon for this reason...It is rewarding to see someone's perception about bikes and what they can do, change instantly.