Here has been my dilemma: I want to go and pick up 5, 4x8 sheets of half-inch plywood for some boathouse construction projects. I did originally buy Big Mama for the purpose of being able to haul my own plywood. However, Frodo, my top choice for hauling big and heavy loads, is still in the shop in the midst of a major overhaul/spa day (very much needed after so much winter riding!).
Looking through the other currently available bikes in the stable:
S's GT: more reach than I'm comfortable with, and I'm not so familiar with its condition (e.g. brakes) and handling.
Froinlavin: There was that one time in Texas when I attempted to haul a heavy load of mulch with her. A bike friend who was with me, right behind me, exclaimed, "I just saw the entire rear wheel FLEX!" That rear wheel had to be completely rebuilt shortly thereafter.
Princess TinyBike: Um, yeah, nope. If for no other reason than inadequate gearing, but also inadequate braking ability. Yikes.
Old Faithful: That's why I test rode Old Faithful with Big Mama this past Sunday, hauling sandbags and the EZ-Up tent back from Tulip Fest. Also a hard Nope. (gearing slippage, definitely not enough brake leverage, whoa so clunky, et cetera).
Bikes in the pile at work: Hmmmmmmm...lotsa mountain bikes to choose from, plus the various vintage bikes I got from the co-op, plus...oh, wait. Wait just a minute. The answer has been right in front of me the entire time!!!!
The Jolly Roger.
Step one, however, is getting the Jolly Roger back home.
Now, I know, I could drive in to campus, hitch on the bike rack, load up the Jolly Roger, and drive home, just like I did to get S's green Bianchi and Old Faithful home again.
But where's the fun in that?
Besides, that doesn't allow for any shakedown ride.
So instead, I present to you:

Looking at this setup, you might wonder about the precarity (okay, fine, precariousness) of Princess TinyBike perched on the Jolly Roger's rear rack.
In practice, it was very thoroughly bunged in place, and so rock solid I hardly noticed it was there.
Instead, the bigger challenge was the heavily loaded front rack, because the (rather heavy) Brompton T-bag does not have *quite* the right strap configuration to easily attach in place at both the top and bottom. But once I added a second compression strap, it was fine.
The Jolly Roger isn't in quite as good a shape as I might like, but that's why I rode it home yesterday.
By this point I'd totally forgotten what it feels like to ride. It has really great low gearing for the purpose of towing heavy loads, so that's good. And I love the shifters.
All I can say for Saturday is, wish me luck...