Will that be paper, plastic, or Ortlieb?

I seem to have a bag for every occasion, on a bike. I've got messenger bags of all shapes and sizes depending on what I need to carry. This one, however, is for carrying lots and lots of stuff. It's the Ortlieb waterproof messenger bag, and I use it primarily to transport groceries or carrying bulky items. No frills, no thrills. Just a big, single-compartment backpack with a roll-top.


Unless I'm bringing a load of books, tools, laundry, etc. into work, I generally do not commute with this bag because it's a bit excessive for light detail. It's sort of like bringing a bazooka to a knife fight. And some days, work kinda feels like that, like I've been in a knife fight. (Hmm, I suppose that if I were to get into a real knife fight, a bazooka might come in handy. So does that mean this bag is a really good thing to have? Whatever...) Anyway, let's take a peek at what one might be able to carry in a rucksack like this...

With plenty of room for more tofu products...

I will admit, when I'm schlepping home enough groceries to fill two paper bags, I am pretty jealous of people with milk crates tied to their bikes. Maybe one day I'll graduate to the full-on panniers (also made by Ortlieb). Alright, I gotta scram and cook some of that stuff now...

Ride safely and happy trails.