So this recently happened to my car…
After much debate on whether to get a roof mount or a rear-of-car mount, I went with this option. And man, it was not cheap. How are these things so expensive? I had REI install it for me, because I knew that if I did it myself I would be paranoid that I did it wrong and that the bike would go flying off the car. Turns out, I was paranoid even with them having done it. I made my first short trip with it, driving the short distance to Cadence in Manayunk and I was terrified. I drove so slow around turns and over bumps and was still convinced that the bike would launch itself off the car and kill somebody.
Then last week I made my first trip with it (just rack, no bike) on the highway. I was SO upset at the high-pitched whistling it made. I had even splurged for the more expensive “aero” model because I was told it was so much quieter. Maybe I could get used to it (or drown it out with loud music), but that was a total let down. Making matters worse, on my drive to the beach it became a bug magnet and by the time I got there it was covered in dead bugs. Not having a home with a hose and driveway to wash my car, my only option is the car wash. Well, upon doing some research it turns out that it’s not good to let the rack go through a car wash. I had even thought to ask about it at REI before purchasing, but they basically told me it should be fine as long as I removed it about once a year. Now it looks like I’ll have to remove it each time. One of the reasons I went with the roof rack in the first place was because it seemed more permanent and hassle-free. Not so much.
Any advice out there? I’m so disappointed. I might see if REI will let me take it back. It was too expensive to be so unhappy with it. I don’t really like the idea of a rear-of-car mount because I am in and out of the trunk so often and because it makes the car longer and therefore harder to park in tight spaces. Maybe I’ll just stuff the bike into the interior of my car, but that doesn’t seem like a good option either. Ahhh!!
On a positive note, homemade beet chips. MMmmmm!
so pretty 
Also, this is my final week off before marathon training begins!!! I’m hoping to post regularly about my workouts and what I’m eating (need to clean it up!), but we’ll see if I actually do 
