I saw an email in my in-box entitled, Ridiculous Load #49. I opened it and saw the above photo.

A smile crossed my face.

Reuben tells me that the above is a wood and cast iron, woodworking machine that he hauled by trailer. The distance of travel wasn’t the challenge; it was the weight that was the perceived challenge. As Reuben share with me in his email, “the seller was convinced [the trailer] wouldn’t work; couldn’t possibly work; ‘two men can’t lift that [machine].’”

So the thought of carrying the machine by bike was probably a laugh. That was until Reuben hauled it away.

I love to get emails and photos from cargonauts, sharing an idea or great haul. I received the above haul from Reuben Deumling.

I met Reuben at a Cargo Bike Roll Call. The Roll Call was underway and Reuben pulled in with a bike and trailer combination. My attention was caught. Reuben’s trailers are much like himself: confident, unassuming, and practical. In essence … awesome. Reuben carries a great conversation, and punctuates it with laughter and smiles. I love his commitment to changing the way we live. He knows there is a great deal of work ahead, and yet continues with verve.

Our exchange of ideas started in earnest during the summer of 2012 as the final pieces of the Disaster Relief Trials were falling into place. Reuben was the first person to sign up for DRT and he sent wonderfully arranged disaster photos of himself a his rig. Top notch!

Trailers are powerful tools and can be part of a neighborhood tool library, or a group of people can share a common trailer. The greatest feature of a trailer is that it gives hauling power to anyone with a bike because a trailer does not have to attach to a specific bike. This leads to user flexibility.

Last summer, I came across a free hutch/coop sitting on a curb. As great as my BULLITT is, it was not realistic to carry something of this size, shape, and weight on my cargo bike. However, with a borrowed trailer, it was an easy haul. This summer I will build a trailer to augment my cargo capacity. And I will look to Reuben for his wisdom and resources.

Bookmark Reuben’s site at wedontneedoil.com and check back now and again as content on the site develop. Trailers go unheralded, often losing press and prestige for more glamorous forms of cargo hauling machines. Don’t overlook them. Trailers have capacities to expand your cargo hauling needs.