Mom on bike vs. drive-thru burgers....

[Biciclista]

great story!

[lph]

What type of food places exist for travellers in more remote areas of Norway?

Oh, we certainly don't have an abundance of healthy cafes around, and a lot of people on the road will just eat junk food as it's easily available. Gas stations in Norway sell "food for the road", mostly hamburgers and hotdogs, but there has been a shift towards packaged sandwiches, salads, wraps, stuff like that. But even the smallest hamlet will have a grocery store where you can buy bananas, nuts, cookies, etc.

[badgercat]

It had NOTHING to do with "stereotypical American laziness" or not wanting to "be bothered to get off my bike" and everything to do with not carrying 10 pounds worth of locks with me on a 7hr mountain bike ride (which is dangerous to me) and refusing to leave a bike worth $3k+ outside alone while I ordered but wishing to show some respect for the establishment by not dragging my filthy, muddy bike through their dining area. After I got food I'd sit in the outside patio and eat.

In what was an urban area with a high bike theft rate I was protecting my property with the best compromise I could come up with. I'd have much rather gotten off and gone into the restaurant...

The part about being lazy was meant to be a bit tongue-in-cheek Sorry if that wasn't clear.

I'm also not in the habit of carrying locks on recreational rides, and even though my bikes aren't that fancy, I wouldn't dream of leaving either of them unlocked outside.

[msincredible]

I got in trouble for trying to take a bicycle through pedestrian immigration from Singapore to Malaysia...apparently bicycles are supposed to go with the motorcycles.

It was no problem on the way back once I knew, there were multiple drive-up windows to stop at. I was the only one pedaling my way through though.

[GLC1968]

I find it a little amusing that a dedicated cyclist, in my mind promoting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, is fighting for her right to eat junk food like everybody else

Actually, (not that you'd know this from their name) but Burgerville has quite a few healthier options - more so than you'd find at McDonalds or BK or the like. They have a great salmon salad and more than a couple veggieburger/bean burger options as well. They also pride themselves on working towards a sustainable operation and they source most of their food locally.

I *heart* me some Burgerville!

[abejita]

LOL! Good for her. Hubs and I go through the drive through at walgreens and no one gives us a second look...they did, however, look at me funny when I walked through the drive through with my giant schnauzer...

[PinkBike]

the one time i tried to ride my bike thru jack-in-the-box the guy said he couldn't take my order - it's against their policy.

what really chapped my hide was that the restaurant was not open, only the drive-thru.

it was close to midnite. so i slunk away hungry and vowed not to spend my $$ there.

[KnottedYet]

I had that happen at a Starbucks drive-up. The guy at the window told me I wasn't allowed to leave via the driveway, either, and I had to pick my bike up and carry it through the flowerbeds out to the parking lot.

Rode my bike to a small local drive-up coffee cart on the other side of the lot, asked if they served cyclists. "Of course!" the barrista said. I ranted about how Starbucks had just treated me, and she gave me a discount... Awww, I love local businesses!

(if drive-ups don't allow bikes they really should post that where it can be clearly seen before the rider gets into the driveway)

[witeowl]

Resolved?

But it's weird that this article with a clear announcement is dated 8/14... while the USA today article, leaving it up in the air, is dated 8/19.

[deeaimond]

Hey've u've been in this area before as well? How did that transpire? (just really curious) u did it alone??

We ride through the customs checkpoint quite often and we time our ride throughs to miss peak hour traffic. the motorbikes rushing home can be pretty intimidating.

Now the new Malaysian Customs building has loads of ramps/slopes/hills and many drain gratings, just the right size for a road tire to get stuck in. So the first few times were pretty stressful! bikes roaring up behind ya and u trying to make sure u didnt get stuck in a grate on a slope

Seems cyclists are getting more common, being a female though, they always ask me where i'm headed

I got in trouble for trying to take a bicycle through pedestrian immigration from Singapore to Malaysia...apparently bicycles are supposed to go with the motorcycles.

It was no problem on the way back once I knew, there were multiple drive-up windows to stop at. I was the only one pedaling my way through though.

[ilima]

I remember trying to order a frosty from Wendy's drive through window on my bike some 25 years ago. They said nothing doing even though there were no cars in line.

[msincredible]

Hey've u've been in this area before as well? How did that transpire? (just really curious) u did it alone??

We ride through the customs checkpoint quite often and we time our ride throughs to miss peak hour traffic. the motorbikes rushing home can be pretty intimidating.

Now the new Malaysian Customs building has loads of ramps/slopes/hills and many drain gratings, just the right size for a road tire to get stuck in. So the first few times were pretty stressful! bikes roaring up behind ya and u trying to make sure u didnt get stuck in a grate on a slope

Seems cyclists are getting more common, being a female though, they always ask me where i'm headed

Hey there, I was there on business travel, was about a year and a half ago and I did it solo on a rental road bike (from the Bike Boutique). I just really wanted to do a border crossing on a bicycle, had no idea how to do it. I even carried the bike through the turnstile. Those guards had me a bit worried when they were shaking their heads at me!

My last trip to Singapore was in November and I brought my folder with me instead, but just stayed in the country this time.

Not sure when I'll next be there. Good to know about the grates if I try again!

[KnottedYet]

I find it a little amusing that a dedicated cyclist, in my mind promoting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, is fighting for her right to eat junk food like everybody else

Nice story though. But did you read the comments underneath I know the States are car-centric but this really brought it home.

I was just reading her blog (came across it by accident). I didn't realize her husband was on deployment in Iraq. I can totally sympathize with trying to handle 3 kids alone and just wanting to zip into a drive through and buy burgers for everyone.

[lph]

Oh sure, no problem with that.

As an aside, I was at a seminar today where a speaker commented that the vast majority of trips by car were quite short ones, ie. "trips of convenience". (so that making electric-powered cars capable of driving just a bit further than they do today on one charge would make them much more appealing to buyers.)

I had to really bite my tongue to not yell out "well try riding a BIKE instead!"

[KnottedYet]

As an aside, I was at a seminar today where a speaker commented that the vast majority of trips by car were quite short ones, ie. "trips of convenience". (so that making electric-powered cars capable of driving just a bit further than they do today on one charge would make them much more appealing to buyers.)

I had to really bite my tongue to not yell out "well try riding a BIKE instead!"

Oh, I know! Talk about totally over-engineering a solution!

"Here's Ms.Knot, driving her AWD station-wagon 1.25 miles to Costco to buy groceries. My, what a waste of gas and what wear-and-tear on her combustion engine, since it can't get up to operating temperature on such a short trip. I know, let's put her into a $30,000 electric car for those trips!"

Ms. Knot raises her hand: "But I have 3 bikes and a cargo trailer... maybe I should just get off my lazy butt and ride to Costco with my trailer?"

I was really pleased when my Costco installed a BEAUTIFUL rubber-coated and roomy new bike rack on a concrete pad safely away from the shopping cart storage area. I told them "thanks." That rack is usually at least half full. I must admit though that I haven't done a Costco run by bike since early this summer.