Adventures in Coffeeneuring 2018 - Ride 7

Saturday November 24, 2018

Our final Coffeeneuring ride of 2018 came under beautiful sunny skies, even though the weather showed an 80% chance of rain.  The roads were wet from an evening thunderstorm, but the clouds blew out of our area and the morning was beautiful.  A slight breeze out of the north made it cold in the shade but our final destination and the coffee warmed the bones.  

We rode to a favorite private spot of ours, between million dollar mansions where a lot remained clear of hurricane debris from fourteen years ago; a dock in good shape but not connected to land. 

 I guess this counts as a boat launch or at least it could be, if you don't mind barefooting through sand spurs and broken rock and glass. 

We enjoyed our coffee in the sun, talked about how we would never get anything done if we lived on the water. We'd sit out there on the dock all day.  

Luckily, all of our rides this year were pretty much under perfect conditions.  Happy to complete a seventh year. 

Ride miles: 3.8

Weather: perfection 62 degrees with a light wind

Coffee effect: strong--Rob with black coffee and Jen with her staple pumpkin spice. 

 

Adventures in Coffeeneuring - Ride 6

Sunday November 18, 2018

After riding the motorcycle 95 miles yesterday, we decided to slow our roll down today and get a coffeeneuring ride in. The weather was absolutely perfect at 65 degrees with no wind.  

After some coaxing, I was able to convince Jen to ride with me to the Naval Live Oaks "kayak launch" area on the sound. The ride went very smoothly, with very little traffic this Sunday morning, and we were able to burn off a little energy. We stopped at one of our favorite places, cooked up the coffee and enjoyed the perfect day. 

Everyone seems happier when there is perfect weather.  We got a lot of waves from fellow motorists, walkers, pedestrians, kids playing...just a perfect day to ride.  Even the butterflies were happy, so i had to capture them too:)! My only regret is that we didn't ride further, maybe to the beach, but we had things to do, so, after spending time at the lookout point, we headed back, leisurely of course. 

Ride: 9.5 perfect miles

Coffee effect: I'm done with pumpkin spice

Ride quality--best of the season. 

I can only hope our final ride of this 2018 coffeeneuring season is as perfect.  

Adventures in Coffeeneuring 2018 - Ride 5

Friday November 16, 2018

We had a frigid cold snap last week. Thirty - eight. Degrees. 

Close the roads. Stay inside. Find fire. Ok actually, it was a dreary, cloud induced depressive four days, right after the time change kinda cold.  We hunkered down and had hot cocoa and soup instead of coffeeneuring. HOWEVER, the sun came out on Friday, and the temps rose to a nice 58 so, as soon as work was over, Jen and I rode to a nearby local boat ramp for our coffee. The wind died down, and the folgers insta packs were warmed in the park. The closed down, under construction park. So, we didn't get too much enjoyment in the sun, on the dock, under the trees, but we did warm up quickly once the water was boiled and the coffee steeped.  A quick ride, but we got the job done on this beautiful day.  Only two rides left--we'll probably do a Turkey day coffeeneuring ride and one not long after. 

Miles 4.3

Shake Factor: non-existent except for shivering

Warm up factor: excellent

Adventures in Coffeeneuring 2018 - Ride 4

November 3, 2018

Had another fantastic day to enjoy a ride to a local boat ramp for more coffee outside.  Joe and Amber managed to finagle a way to ride with us, even though Joe was deported for a week to help with cleanup efforts in Panama City.  

Our first ride with our coolest neighbors took us to Bal Alex Boat Ramp, a modest 4 miles away. Slightly cooler weather, but sun galore. We took the usual off the highway 98 route through the Tiger Point golf course subdivision then rode across, north to the lovely shaded confines of the boat ramp.  

We noticed damage remnants of hurricane Michael--fence posts, and different wood pieces washed up into the holding pond just north of the parking area; other wooden foot-planks removed from their intended spaces, splintered wood and metal entwined with reminders of what could have been, but luckily hadn't been. 

A few years ago we put our brand new paddle boards in here at this boat ramp. As soon as I got Jens board in the water, a young girl about age 5 or 6 jumped FROM THE DOCK onto her new board.  We all freaked out a little bit, but were a tad bit interested in her daring ways, and how an adult would have let her jump on without stopping her. 

This same inquisitve girl, now more around the age of 8, came to the boat ramp yesterday asking questions about us, sparking memories past.  Of course I had two film cameras, a Lomo LC-a and an older Argus SLR that i was testing for a friend. When she asked how many cameras and whose they were, Jen cackled, as well as my neighbors.  I know. I have way too many cameras.  The girl took interest in the lomo and immediately asked how she could get the film out.  I kept my cool, stating that film can only come out in the dark, when the roll is finished or it'll be ruined.  Then I figured I'd show her the much older Argus and let her shoot a couple of pics with it. Setting the aperture at f16 and speed at 100, i showed her how to focus and press the button and advance the film.  She thought it was really need and seemed very interested. It's funny how kids always look at the back to hopefully see the instant gratification of digital.  This wasn't the case, today--it was like she understood.  Her uncle who came down with her said she learns everything on youtube, even how to wrestle alligators.  This generation......

By now it was time to get back on the bikes and head back to our homes. We bid adieu and rolled off, though the massive oaks and bald
cypress trees, hot coffee in our bellies and wide awake, wondering how the pics she took will turn out when they come out of the developer.  Hopefully i'll be able to get results and add them in a later post.  

Trip 6.6 miles 

Coffee black; --Glasses; intact
Shake factor: decent--should have used two folgers instant packs instead of one today. 

Adventures in Coffeeneuring 2018 - Ride 3

October 29, 2018

After quite the eventful fun hiking, music loving, camp out in the minivan weekend, we got back on Sunday exhausted. We originally had plans to take our bikes to Chewacla State Park in Auburn, AL, but with just an overnight and 7 concert hours, we felt it in our best interest just to hike the trails and enjoy what the beautiful park had to offer.  

With that meaningless opening paragraph having nothing to do about coffee outside, (other than cooking it on the mountain top before we hiked to the waterfall) we spent our Sunday driving home and napped with some more hiking afterward. 

Knowing today was a day we both took off, because--we could, we decided to make our third coffeeneuring trip.  The weather in Auburn was 43 at night--great for camping but not so great for my old joints, but today was amazing--no wind and a low-humidity 78 degrees.  A perfect day to ride a longer ride, so we decided to go for the distance run and the boat ramp a whole 7.2 miles away.  

Since we liked the whole path to our last destination, we rode the same particular path, just on a longer trip to a boat ramp further away. The shaded newly paved roads of Soundside Drive were worth the extra effort, as low tide was very gentle at the Nahanthala Boat Ramp; our stopping point of choice this run.  

The coffee cooked as we chatted about the weekend, and how we were going to fulfill our Monday off, the wafting scent of pumpkin spice overtaking my olfactory nerve. I still drink mine black--makes it easy to carry less stuff.  The wind picked up a tiny bit on the way back, but we took the busy 98 all the way back to the house--shorter, but business route. Unfortunately, this is the most expensive coffeeneuring trip ever, as while I was changing my prescription glasses to my sunglasses via hanging on my too old saggy shirt, my real glasses fell to the pavement--not to the left or right, but somehow physically in a miraculous scientific way right under my back tire. The same tire that skidded to a halt once I realized they were falling. Guess ill be wearing scratched glasses until 2019 arrives and my Rx starts over.  

Trip 13.8ish miles. 

Coffee; cost of gas for the burner

Original cost of glasses damaged: $550

Shake factor: heavy vibration, but not due to coffee. 

An awesome ride before the incident.  Gonna earn this badge this year, for sure.  Anyone wanna start a go-fund-me?

Adventures in Coffeeneuring 2018 - Ride 2

October 20, 2018--Water theme

So, with some thought after our first ride, since we live in such a beautiful place, we plan on doing all of our 2018 coffeeneuring rides as coffee outside, near a boat ramp; marina or fishing hole.  We plan on making every ride a #coffeeoutside ride this season as the summer weather is lasting LONG into the autumn season.  Todays ride was 87 degrees but it felt like 94 with the heat index. Hardly autumnal in the Florida Panhandle. 

Todays trip took us through a local golf subdivision and to a favorite spot we like to go with our neighbors, whom I'm afraid wont be able to participate with us this year. This is due to the fact that Joe will be working Hurricane relief efforts for our neighbors to the east for the VA. We'll miss them but the coffeeneuring adventures must go on. 

This spot is kind of a 'secret' spot to locals and we actually took the cruisers off-road to get there. A grove of live oak trees, interesting railroad tie/barge formations and plenty of places to recreate and take pics!  This place is awesome!  Once again we cooked our coffee, (probably more of an iced coffee day) and dipped our feet in the sound, explored the area and eventually headed home the way we came--off the bloody 98. We are so ready for actual autumnal weather--hopefully the front will blow through tomorrow and we'll have much nicer conditions, albeit with plenty of wind training!

Ride Details:  Off-road; on Road 7.5 miles

Coffee Strength:  MSR Stove, Stanley pot; Rob Black, Jen with french vanilla prepared creamer. 

Ride finish and shake factor: tired, yet AWAKE!

Coffeeneuring 2018- Ride 1

October 13, 2018

So, already a year has absolutely flown by again--it was a busy one, as I have one kiddo starting college and another starting high school--not to mention all the other goings-on of late to take time away.  

I haven't been great about gathering bike miles this year, but I always gain mileage in October from our coffeeneuring trips with wifey and our neighbors. This will be my sixth year coffeeneuring officially by bicycle, but we've incorporated other means of enjoying coffee outside, like on paddleboards, and on hikes, and on simple mornings of tent camping.  Coffee is definitely a staple in this family.  

So we rode yesterday.  In tune with years past, usually our first trip and last trip are shorter ones, with longer ones in between.  This year, on a perfect autumn day, we rode a loop to cook our coffee outside at a local boat ramp under a cloudless sky and oak tree lined picnic table. Unfortunately our neighbors couldn't join us for today's ride, but they will join us later for sure.  I look forward to beach rides (very thankful that Michael missed us, but heartbroken for our neighbors 100 miles east) and making the majority of our pedal-pushing "coffee outside" rides this year.  

Ride 1: 4.2 miles
Caffeine level--simple black coffee--good--no shakes 
Unfortunately I left my strava on after the ride, it's not fifteen miles, only 4.2. luckily Jen had hers to get definite mileage :)