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 :)