Two Wheels, the Law, & Vegan Corn Dogs

A good friend of mine once said that when she borrowed our car, though she typically biked everywhere, the very temptation of it's shiny little red cuteness parked outside made biking less probable. She was relieved when we picked little Tercel up so she could get back to biking again.

I am finding this to be true since our license plates were taken about a month ago. What? License plates taken? Are we criminals? It certainly felt like it. Long story into a short biscuit: When we went on tour, to save money (~$25) we called up our insurance company and halted the insurance on Tercel - but kept it for the van which was used during the US leg of the tour. Upon return to the US, we started our insurance back up immediately. However, about six months later, we learned that this gap is a crime of sorts in North Carolina, despite proof of insurance, punishable in a few different ways, which I'm calling the 3 P's for the sake of liking that this can all be summed up with one letter:

1. Public humiliation: The officer looks at your car with disgust as she's writing the ticket, dramatically pausing to note the duck tape keeping the mirror attached to the door (OK, not quite humiliation, I'll admit...we'd have to care about car appearances for that).
2. Prejudice: The officer may or may not have interpreted stickers such as "deep fried vegan" to mean "animal rights terrorist." I'm sure the old BB sticker with Scott and I pretending to eat Rob's head didn't help either.
   
3. Purgatory: 30 days of holding your plates, unless of course the officer does not file the case, in which case you (Rob) show up to court on the specified date, and wait five hours to learn that another date a month later will be set up (and still no plates).

In any case, all of these P's have given us a wonderful opportunity to be mad, but also to ride our 2-wheeled wonders a whole lot more. It feels great to get out there in the warm wind and pedal yourself anywhere you please. We also have baskets handy for grocery carrying and, as pictured, snare drum transporting to marching band practice.

If Tercel weren't naked (that's kinda how it looks with her identity missing) I'm sure that in this case, and others like it, we would have made an exception and driven instead. As depicted, this usually is not necessary. Biking can often be faster and way less of a hassle than driving.

In celebration of all things bike, Rob and I walked Syba (without the lid, see below) to the grand opening of the Bike Co-op today located in the newly established awesome Bull City Headquarters which isn't too far from home indeed. Check them both out when you get a chance, or better yet, before you get a chance.

Another great thing about biking is hunger seems to increase due to all that great calorie burning. I had a craving for corn dogs, ala the kind Dad used to buy for my brother and I at Sears on "Dad Day" Sundays. So, yesterday I borrowed a great cornbread recipe from the wonderful Vegan Lunchbox, and made some vegan corn dogs. Since I don't have a Twinkie baker, I just poured the mixture into a rectangle pan, then placed 1/2 inch thick slices of Field Roast's delicious "Chipotle Sausage" product about 3/4 inch apart. Then I poured the rest of the mixture on top, baked, then cut the bread into little squares.