So there I was, about to head out for a barbecue, eyeballing my bike and my beer, figuring on ways for the one to port the other. As it happened, I had one of those cheapy 12 pack styrofoam coolers you find at most bait shops and liquor/convenience stores. Eyeballing this, I did see that the angles almost perfectly matched those of my rear baskets. And so I used it.

A few times, as it were. The styrofoam wasn't intended for multiple uses, of course, and the wear and tear the basket gave only further shortened its lifespan. So I duct taped the thing. One year ago, and it's still going strong.

Step 1: The Handle

I realize some step-by-step photos would've been nice, but, seriously, I just duct taped the hell out of it.
The tape I used was some off-brand and, inexplicably, red (I just found it). It seemed to stick even better, however. For the handle, I used some stray rope a friend had, braiding it in standard fashion, then taping a length of it down below the already-present hole in the styrofoam. This I did for strength, as I did the the little tapered ends you can see coming off the top.

Step 2: The Interior

I left it plain styrofoam on the inside (worried about water accumulation/mold), but I stuck a little strip around the rim and lips of the lid to make it seal a little better. I also added a hinge, using the tape, and a little ring for to open it (my finger's through it).

Step 3: In Use

Here's some shots of it on my other Schwinn. On the third shot, you can see how the angles line up. -Snug as a bug.

And it really does work nice, by the way. Unloaded, it's extra light and, loaded, holds the standard 12 + ice. And it makes little difference in control, etc.

Step 4: Where I Really Got Stupid

Yep. The friend who gave me the rope told me I should have been making a red, white, and blue cooler. And thus, the seed was planted...
This is one of those nice thick jobbies that Omaha Steaks, et al, use. I found the "official" U.S. star template online, measured it all, cut, and so on.

That is, indeed, 50 stars and 13 stripes. And I mean c'mon, what's more American than duct tape, Old Glory, and styrofoam coolers? It's by-God emblematic.

...as my girlfriend would have it, perhaps the only bigger waste of time than doing these things is posting/reliving the doing of them

or maybe it's reading about it ;)