Paper Bag, Please!

I love to pedal to get exercise or to be near the lake. I might decide on a whim to peruse the re-use store, a church sale, or ride to the north end of town. When I set off I don't always know where I'll end up. So, I'm often caught unprepared to haul my purchases in the space of one bag.

Scenarios go like this: I fill the pannier with produce, including 6 tomatoes, which seemed plenty in a makeshift pannier (but the flowery print is nice, no?). Then I buy packaged goods at another source. This is where the mighty bungee cord saves the day. I request a paper bag at the check-out counter—plastic will not do—because its structure allows most anything to stay intact on a rack. In this instance, I carried tortilla chips and other goodies and fastened all, gently, but securely. All items safely made the 2 mile trip home.

How do you capture more cargo space?