| I can remember a time when transporting a | | | | there-Thule, Surco, Swagman, Allen-and they |
| bicycle meant popping your trunk, shoving in as | | | | were hosting a contest called "You Couldn't Pack |
| much of it as you could and praying for the best. | | | | this Car if Your Life Depended on it!" The idea |
| (I remember because mine flew out and landed | | | | behind it was simple. The companies selected an |
| under a pick up truck) A time when packing for a | | | | array of couples who live active lifestyles and |
| road trip required a degree in Tetris. A time when | | | | enjoy the outdoors. The couples were then given |
| active lifestyles clashed with vehicular constraints. | | | | twenty minutes to shop through the store and |
| I checked out this contest that got me thinking | | | | pick out whatever they wanted. Here's the catch- |
| about buying one. | | | | they could only keep what they could pack into a |
| One may underestimate the capacity of the | | | | mystery car; and they had to do it in 10 minutes! |
| cargo carrier, and wonder, "I mean really, how | | | | The couples rushed the store, grabbing fishing |
| much can you really fit in one of those things?" | | | | rods, pool sticks, snowboards, mountain bikes, and |
| That's a bunch of malarkey! You should live your | | | | whatever else they could get their hands on. |
| life by the golden rule: Thou shall not question the | | | | When their time was up, the officials unveiled the |
| capability of the cargo carrier. Well, maybe that's | | | | mystery mobile: a 2007 Subaru Impreza. It was |
| a little drastic, but they can fit golf club bags, | | | | hilarious watching couple after couple attempt to |
| kayak paddles, skis, snowboards, hockey | | | | stuff this small sedan. In the end, I think the |
| sticks-basically any awkward items you wouldn't | | | | couple that won fit 2 pairs of skis, a snowboard |
| want scratching up your car's interior. I can | | | | along with some basketballs and footballs. Then |
| sympathize with your skepticism because I used | | | | the companies got to give their 10 minutes demo, |
| to be you. I even used to have a deep rooted | | | | which consisted of a sponsor rolling up in a similar |
| fear of carriers; dating back to my childhood, | | | | Subaru; except his was decked out to the max |
| when my brother thought it would be funny to | | | | with racks. It had a rooftop cargo carrier packed |
| lock me in one and surf it down our front lawn; | | | | with 6 pairs of skis and poles, a hitch mounted |
| but that's a whole different set of issues. | | | | bike rack, and to top it all off-plenty of interior |
| Anyway, the other day I was at a local sporting | | | | room! The power of the rack is one to be |
| shop and they were hosting this a promotional | | | | considered. |
| event. All the big names in the rack business were | | | | |