These panniers are named after my very first bike tour. With no touring or mechanic experience (I could barely fix a flat) I rode from my apartment in lower Manhattan up to a friend's house near Burlington, VT. It was a trip with a goal - to get back to VT for my brother's high school graduation in June of '07. It took six days, and the bulk of the route was on VT Route 7 - a gorgeous path up the valley of the Green Mountains.
I was riding my very first commuter bike - an old silver Zebra mixte, which was equipped with a janky rear rack with a pair of small Ortlieb panniers. Sadly this bike was stolen some months later. I had left for a couple weeks on a different trip and upon my return, not only was the bike gone, but the sign it was locked to as well as the building it was next to.
These panniers match the functionality of those ortlieb panniers - they are simple, lightweight, and waterproof (and - in my opinion - more attractive). I don't have the spring release hook system that they do, and my panniers are a double layer rather than single, but they are a sight cheaper and made by me in your favorite bike friendly town.
I've got a few in stock, and would take an order for some custom colors.
http://northstbags.com/products/route-seven-pannier/
