Two dirt bikes and three mountain bikes is what the Carlton family have acquired. Paul and Laura, (Mom and Dad) and daughter Jenny are mountain bike enthusiasts and each have a bike. The two sons, Jake and James, prefer noise and power and each has a dirt bike.
The Carltons live a kind of double life they live in Big Town suburbia during the week, they are an average family and do what average families do, Mom and Dad work nine to five, all three kids are at High School, but come the weekend and vacations and they are away to the hills.
They have a log cabin way up in the hills, miles from civilisation, and the nearest neighbouring cabin is two miles away. They call it their hillbilly home and they all just love it there. They have five old bicycles at the cabin which up until now they have been using to ride about on the various trails and for generally larking about. Paul has spent most of his time on repairs and has kept them going until now, but they are not mountain bikes and the kid's have outgrown theirs and now is just about the end of the road for them all.
Although not worn out, their SUV was about five years old and Paul and Laura were debating about buying a new car, but knowing that they couldn't really afford one and knowing that they all needed new bikes, they decided to hang on to the SUV for a few more years and buy new bikes instead. To them the bikes were more important than a new car because they all got so much enjoyment from their bikes.
After much deliberating, many phone calls to dealers, various test rides, they ended up with good deals on three mountain bikes for Paul, Laura and Jenny and two dirt bikes for the boys. All five were thrilled with their pending acquisitions.
At this point a major problem occurred. Although they would use their bikes at home they all wanted to take them each time to their hillbilly home, but how to physically do that with three mountain bikes and two dirt bikes in one SUV that was always loaded to the roof with all the gear and food that five people would need for a period away from civilisation, was their problem.
They did have a small but strong trailer that was just big enough to carry the two dirt bikes if they were stood side by side and they were well tied down. This left the three mountain bikes and with zero space inside the SUV they would have to go on a rack on the outside. Inquiries suggested that a roof rack for bikes was a possibility but this idea was dismissed when only a two bike roof rack could be found. This left only the possibility of a three bike carrier mounted on the rear of the SUV. Further inquiries produced various options but a bike carrier mounted on the towing hitch appeared as the main contender.
That was nearly problem solved, but for just one thing, how to tow the trailer with the boy's bikes on, when the hitch was in use with the bike carrier? Jake came up with a possible answer because he was sure that he had seen a car with a bike rack on the back that was also towing a trailer, so it must be possible. Yet more inquiries and Jake was proved right, that you could indeed obtain a three bike carrier with a very clever hitch extension that allowed towing as well.
So, all they wanted was possible to do. This just left the small matter of paying for it all and Paul and Laura worked out the total cost of the new bikes, the tie downs for the dirt bikes, and the carrier for the three mountain bikes. They had budgetted for a new car and with that idea now delayed for a few years, they found they would save several thousand dollars going for the bike deal.
The decision was made, the bikes were ordered, the carrier with towing extension and the motorcycle tie downs were purchased and within days they were ready to go.
Go they did, first stop the log cabin in the hills. Everything worked like a dream and it was like a dream come true for all of them. James and Jake were in ecstasy scrambling around the rough terrain in the hills, making plenty of noise, and knowing that there was nobody around to complain. There was of course Mom and Dad and Jenny but they would be miles away riding their new bikes that could cope with the terrain and now they were able to explore the old trails to their heart's content.
Bike Carriers with towing extensions are available here
Motorcycle Tie Downs are available here
This article was first published on Sunday 14 June, 2009.
|
