I think this was our first time donating a full bike-load by bike. It was fun to wait in the drop-off line behind a car. The kids were totally into it–probably since this was their first self-directed toy purging. They regaled the donation guy with stories about the retired toys.
The idea was to travel to the thrift shop with a full bike and home with nothing new…or maybe just a couple kid clothing items. I found the kid clothing items, but also a set of like-new TV trays. $12.99–or $9.99 considering the $3 off coupon our donation netted us. Now my laptop has a stable perch. And I get to bring our old usable-but-wobbly TV trays to the thrift store next trip! And, OK, OK, a couple toys came home with us, too.
Our TV trays then accompanied us to the zoo for a couple hours and finally along to the Bicycle Urbanism Symposium where our bike was part of the Family Bike Expo. I was a little embarrassed to show up with an impulse purchase on my bike, but I guess it’s appropriate and authentic of family biking.
Photo courtesy @LMBikes
Family Ride 
LOVE it! I have had to stay away from thrift shops for that very reason. But now it’s garage sale season and I can find mason jars, sweaters and toys left on curb sides. Maybe I should just stay home… riiiiiight!
:) It’s so hard to bypass enormous road-side FREE items just because it’d be SO FUN to see if they’d fit on the bike.