#coffeeneuring2017

[urbanadventureleague]

And so I end the 2017 Coffeeneuring Challenge the same way I started it: With a trip to the fabled Portland arm of the international Coffee Outside movement. In many cities around the world on a given weekday morning (usually Friday), you can find a group of cyclists huddled around camp stoves in a park, making joe and shooting the breeze.

This time (Friday November 10) Coffee Outside was happening at Peninsula Park in North Portland, a very convenient locale since it’s less than ten minutes from my house. (Glad I suggested it! 😉 ) This made it easier to wake up after a night shift: stumble out of bed, throw on clothes, grab my (already packed) bike, and off I go into the misty morning.

There was a good turnout this time, maybe a dozen people? Peninsula Park has the advantage of a picnic shelter, which helped out on this drizzly day. As the years go by, the “spread” of Coffee Outside gets better. For example: I don’t even have to worry about bringing coffee, as Ristretto donates beans. (I do need a grinder, though, and a way to boil water, but I’m sure I could bum those if I needed to.) And someone even freshly baked muffins in the morning. Still warm!

So with a three mile loop ride, I have successfully completed my Coffeeneuring 2017 challenge. This will mark my fifth year of participation, yay! I’m looking forward to this year’s patch…

*****

My personal challenge for all of the Coffeneurings has been to ride all of my active bikes at least once. And I completed that, too, as I pulled out the Schwinn Heavy Duti for today’s adventure.

I did want to pull it out earlier, but my U-Lock key had jammed, and I “hobble-locked” the bike, frame to wheel. (I typically do this to my bikes at home.) Thankfully my roommate John has an awesome set of tools* and cut the lock. I also had him install the ABUS wheel (or cafe) lock to the rear, since the fender needed to be crimped in order for it to fit. I also decided to throw on a front basket, since it’s been naked since I removed the old Wald 157 “paperboy” from it awhile back.** So I had a Wald multi-fit basket lying around intended for some project or another, why not use it on here? Setting up the basket went surprisingly fast (no cables sure helps) and now the bike is a lot more functional.

And since the bike is more functional, I feel like I’m going to ride it more again. I’ve felt bad about basically mothballing the Heavy Duti this year. I have thought about selling it from time to time, but haven’t. It’s not like I’d make a lot of money selling it, and it’s not like I’ve had to put a lot of money into it, either. Plus, I’m not going into a minimalist phase nor is bike storage space at a premium at my house. It’s still a fun bike to ride, and it’s nice to have a beater/bar bike for when the occasion arises, like going downtown for a show.

Now if I can ever sort out the front brake issue! But that might be happening soon…

*Just like Spicoli’s dad!

**At that time, I had just gotten the super duper Wald 257 “pizza” rack for the Crested Butte, and felt that two bikes with ginormous front baskets was redundant.

Coffeeneuring 2017, Ride 7: Another #pdxcoffeeoutside and the return of the Heavy Duti And so I end the 2017 Coffeeneuring Challenge the same way I started it: With a trip to the fabled Portland arm of the international Coffee Outside movement.

[ahhyea777]

Our first coffeeneurs ride for 2017. It was an adventure by bike #wtfpope style. @bikelawsc @bikelaw #adventurebybike #coffeeisforclosers #ridewithfriends #enjoyeverymile #coldbrew #coffeeneuring #coffeeneuring2017 (at C3 Coffee Bar)

[urbanadventureleague]

Yep, I cancelled my originally planned Chehalem Range Ramble because the weather forecast was fairly dire. And true to form, it ended up being not that bad after all. Maybe a sprinkle, a temp around 50F/10C. Oh well, I do know of a few folks who went out and did some form of the Chehalem Ramble after all, so all was not lost. And honestly, after a tough work week and working until 10 PM on Saturday, I’m glad that I didn’t wake up early, hustle on the MAX, and do a 40 mile ride with about 2,500 feet of cumulative climbing.

What I did instead was a bit more mellow. After spending the AM around the house, I departed the Holland House around 1:30 with a general objective of heading west through the Peninsula. First, I aimed north towards my favorite bottomlands of the Columbia Slough. Oh slough, you are so peaceful, and so close. The first bit of exploration was along the levee on the north side of the slough just east of NE MLK Blvd. This is technically “off limits” to public use, but that gap in the fence is so damn wide due to years of use and abuse, ain’t no stopping no one. The first bit was a rough grassy track, then the inexplicable orphaned paved path behind FedEx, awaiting a linkage to a network that may be decades in the making.

I descended down from here and made a beeline (relatively speaking) to one of my favorite spots down here, the Columbia Children’s Arboretum. The gist behind this random park is to have a state tree from all 50 states. I don’t know if that ever happened, but I do know that my home state of Connecticut is represented with a White Oak. (It also happens to be the State Tree of a bunch of other states too, but did they have The Charter Oak? No!) Of course, all the (deciduous) trees were at peak poppin’ now, so a great time to be down here.

I kept heading westward along the Columbia Slough path, which sits on the north side levee above the slough. While it had remained dry and off/on sunny, the stiff west wind was not exactly fun, and made it feel a bit colder than it probably was. I paused at the bridge over the slough by the wastewater treatment plant, watching a UP freight pass by in the distance, and hoping for a heron to pop out of the water.

So it was definitely time for coffee. My original hope was to try Willamette’s End Coffee on N Lombard, since it was a cafe I had never been to before. And also, a cafe on N Lombard as well. I commented a few years back about how N Lombard was one of the few long avenues in Portland to be bereft of coffee shops. That’s been changing over the past few years. But unfortunately Willamette’s End closed at 3 PM and I was too late. I could just go to Cathedral Coffee, a great place, but I’d been there before. Is there another new-to-me cafe? I did a search and found a few in St Johns, Portland’s farthest-flung North neighborhood (and own city at one point.) One piqued my interest: 2 Stroke, a two-wheeled themed cafe, albeit around motorcycles. They promised some interesting coffee drinks and food trucks in back. Why not?

I rambled further west, trying to find some great off-the-beaten path streets. And I definitely found one on the north side of St Johns, N Seneca St. Most of it was in some form of unpaved, yes! (I even passed by a chicken coop.) I found myself at 2 Stroke around 3:30. Normally I go for a tried and true “house”/drip coffee, but they had an interesting menu of specialty drinks. I got a “Vermont” which was espresso, white chocolate, maple, and cinnamon. Delicious, especially with a marionberry hand pie!

And then it was nightfall, so early with Daylight Savings Time done. I got some food, drank some beer, headed home. It was cold now, around 40F/4C. Winter is on its way…

Coffeeneuring 2017, Ride 6: Moto coffee? Sun 5 Nov Yep, I cancelled my originally planned Chehalem Range Ramble because the weather forecast was fairly dire. And true to form, it ended up being not that bad after all.

[urbanadventureleague]

Oh, challenges. There’s always the urge to make every ride in a challenge “epic”, unique, cool, or interesting. If not that, make it a misadventure, something comic, something that you’ll laugh at after it’s done, or at least learn something from. But the mediocre installment of a challenge? What fun is that?

But mediocre is what Coffeeneuring Ride No. 5 for this year’s Coffeeneuring Challenge is what I find myself at. So read on, dear reader.

Monday October 30 was a day off, and I wanted to get a quick Coffeeneuring Ride in later in the day. I aimed for a familiar spot about three miles from my house. I won’t name it this time, but it’s near the intersection of N Killingsworth St and N Greeley Ave, and used to have another location on E Burnside. I have been here before many a time (probably even during a previous Coffeeneuring Challenge), but this time it just wasn’t as good as it has been in the past. Sure, the interior is great, and the counter jockey friendly and pleasant. I got a cup of house (drip) coffee, which I get nine times out of ten at a coffee shop. The beans were from a reputable roaster (Coava), but somehow it tasted burnt and weak at the same time.*

Not only that, but the music. Oof. I know that most coffee shops are playing some sort of a mix/”station” from Spotify or Pandora or what-have-you. But they were playing what is probably listed as the “Coffee Shop Mix”, that “blend” of bland MOR/Adult Contemporary/”Light Alternative” songs that some marketer determined as the “best” sound for a coffee shop.** And some owner of a coffee shop looks at their Spotify, clicks “Coffee Shop Mix”, and voila! They don’t even have to think about the music being played. It’s basically the modern form of Muzak for people who (think they) don’t like Muzak. Man, I miss the era when people actually played albums*** (and) **** in coffee shops, or at least played an actual radio station.*****

Anyways, enough of that. I left the coffee shop and went next door to pick up a burrito. It was mediocre as well, but convenient. (I’m not going to name the tacqueria, but if you were around Portland in the early aughts, it was one of the two “it” places to get a burrito in this town, albeit at its Alberta location.) The sun was getting ready to set, and I was mere yards from Rivendell Ridge, so why not do a Sunset Burrito Club? It’s late in the year, there ain’t going to be too many more of these (if any.)

I rode over to the Ridge and managed to get there as the sun was setting. Though technically sunset was 6 PM, due to the West Hills and the angle of the sun, it was passing behind the hills at 5:30. And while it was a warmish day of about 60F/16C, the stiff east wind meant it felt a lot cooler. I had to immediately put on a sweater as I sat down. But it was still a nice time.

So next time, I hope for a more grand Coffeeneuring Experience. But you have to take the good with the bad.******

*I carry a twelve ounce travel mug with me, and normally put in about two teaspoons of sugar. Normally it’s just right, but when the coffee tastes too sweet, I know it’s weak.

**If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s basically a mix of songs that sound somewhat like “Meet Virgina” by Shawn Mullins Train.

***It’s so weird to hear someone playing an actual album in a cafe/restaurant/bar/store anymore, that when they do, you think it’s Spotify messing up somehow. For instance, on my June bike tour when I went to Double Mountain Brewing in Hood River, I heard something that was deep off of The Clash’s Sandinista LP. And since I have listened to that album many of times in my life, it took me hearing a couple more songs in to determine that yes, they were playing Sandinista in sequence and in its entirety. And that is quite the commitment, because Sandinista is a TRIPLE ALBUM with almost 2 1/2 hours of music!

****Then again, every time I walked into a coffee shop in 2002, they were playing Yoshimi Vs. the Something-Something by The Flaming Lips, and I don’t miss that…

*****As long as it’s not the Kmart Radio Network.

******This footnote is just here for Norm.

A ho-hum Coffeeneuring 2017 Ride 5, plus Sunset Burrito Club. Mon 30 Oct Oh, challenges. There's always the urge to make every ride in a challenge "epic", unique, cool, or interesting.

[urbanadventureleague]

Back to back Coffeeneuring Rides, who would have thought? Well, technically it’s legal according to the rules Mary laid out, and you can do two rides in a week, so why not? I had the hope of pulling down the Schwinn Heavy Duti for this ride, since it would mean a different bike for each ride. But my lock appears to be jammed on it (wheel is locked), so no go there…yet. I hadn’t ridden the Raleigh Superbe this week, and we’re still in the bounds of the Three Speed October Challenge (though I’ve completed it), so why not?

This ride would be less epic than Tuesday’s jaunt to deepest SW. I was going to stay local. Living in Portland means there are plenty of options, so where? How about a place I haven’t been to in awhile, but less than two miles away! I chose The Arbor Lodge at the intersection of N Interstate Ave and N Rosa Parks Way. It was another nice(ish) day, but cloudy with a risk of a shower. Still I took my chances and sat outside, enjoying my macchiato and a snack.

And that’s about it! I then rode to my favorite neighborhood tacqueria for dinner, and enjoyed a pint at Lucky Lab Brewing on N Killingsworth. A total five mile loop from my house.

Maybe next time I’ll try something more dramatic…

Coffeeneuring 2017, Ride 4: A coffee shop quickie, Wed 26 Oct Back to back Coffeeneuring Rides, who would have thought? Well, technically it's legal according to the rules Mary laid out, and you can do two rides in a week, so why not?

[urbanadventureleague]

Portland is a rather large city. Its 640,000 denizens occupy an area of 145 square miles. So there’s a lot of area. For many people, “far out” Portland is the part of the city east of I-205, a vast swath of postwar suburbia. But I spend a lot of time out that way. For me, “far out Portland” is another swath of postwar suburbia at the opposite end of town. I’m talking deep SW.

How would I define “deep” SW? Well, it’s for one not the close in SW of downtown and the area hugging the Willamette River. Nor is it the tony hills above it. Nope, it’s the area beyond all that. As a dyed-in-the-wool eastsider, I have little reason to go out that way. Granted, there are a few areas of note like Hillsdale and Multnomah Village. But while a SW’er may argue otherwise, there’s not much there that couldn’t easily be found on the east side. The major reason I venture out this way is because my dentist is out here (Garden Home). But every once in awhile, I find the urge to come out this way and explore. What better time to do so than the Coffeeneuring Challenge? If anything, it means a longer ride. And a day like Tuesday October 24, with possibly the last time we’d see 70F/21C until 2018, was a perfect opportunity to explore.

And now there is a Five Points Coffee Roasters out in as deep of SW as you can get. Yes, the coffee shop owned by my former roommate Chris. I visited the original SE Division location during Coffeeneuring 2015. Since then, he added two more locations: one in Johns Landing on SW Macadam (which I have been to before, but not on a Coffeeneuring Challenge) and the newest one (added this year) on SW Capitol Highway in the West Portland Park neighborhood, a half mile down the road from Portland Community College’s Sylvania campus (and also from the city/county line.) It’s a 12 1/2 mile from my house, and it’s beautiful, so…ride time!

The first part of the ride was familiar territory, bombing down N Vancouver Ave to the Broadway Bridge and across the Willamette. Broadway through downtown has a bike lane, but it’s less than pleasant (Don’t get right hooked! Watch out for the clueless student walking into the bike lane!) Then it was the climb over the West Hills. Besides picking a route more suited for mountain goats over this small mountain range, bicyclists (and most cars) are funneled onto two primary routes: Barbur Blvd, which has a more gradual slope but is busier (State Route 99W) and features disappearing bike lanes where you most need it, or Terwilliger Blvd, a more scenic route (planned by the Olmsteads) with less traffic (but still more than you want) and steeper grades. I opted for Terwilliger. Besides, the big-leaf maples were showing off their colors.

From Terwilliger, I turned towards SW Capitol Highway. This road passes through Hillsdale and Multnomah Village. This part is fairly okay as bike riding goes. But after that, the shoulder/bike lane disappears, and the road becomes windy and hilly and narrow, with fast moving traffic. I was hugging the fog line, dodging speeding cars and shrubbery and branches that jutted out from the sides. This is the stereotype we eastsiders have of biking in this neck of the woods. I find it amazing that there are folks who regularly cycle commute out this way, but they are indeed out here (yet not in the same numbers of the east side.) I wondered to myself if I ended up in this part of town first rather than SE,* would I have become the cyclist I am today?

Finally I arrived at Five Points, in a strip mall a bit south of where Capitol Hwy crosses I-5. Chris was there to greet me. I got a lovely mocha and a blueberry muffin (baked by them!) and chatted with Chris for a few hours about the coffee biz in Portland plus our lives.

Before I knew it, it was 5 PM. I had grander hopes of getting here earlier and doing a more in-depth exploration of this far flung area (this marked the first time I’d been in this neighborhood, ever), but as I left, I could feel the chill in the air as the sun moved behind trees. Still, I wanted to do something out this way. So I headed for Nansen Summit, a small butte and high point (about 1,000 feet) just about a mile from the coffee shop. The last bit of the climb was steep, but I appreciated bringing the Bantam. (Y’see, I did entertain the notion of “underbiking” and ride the Raleigh Superbe out this way, but I figured with the hilliness of this area the lowest geared and best braking bike would be the most appropriate tool.) Nanset Summit would provide a 360 degree view of the Coast Range, west side suburbs, downtown, and all the snow capped volcanoes, if it wasn’t for some pesky McMansions and trees. So I had to squint between it all to take in the view. It was worth it, though.

From there, it was all down. With the sound of squealing brakes, I headed first towards Tryon Creek but then north again towards Hillsdale. While much of the outer SW I had just passed through was “gridded” to some degree, this area featured more meandering roads. It resembled to a degree the semi-rural areas of Connecticut I spent some of my younger years in, though the houses in CT were set back further from the road. I made a quick pit stop to the “beer window” at Moonshrimp Brewing, since it was (luckily) only open on Tuesdays. (Gluten free, too!) I did stumble across a few gravel streets and sneak paths, a definite bonus.

I wrapped up my deep SW biking adventure at Sasquatch Brewing in Hillsdale. The combination of a couple beers plus mac and cheese and a pumpkin spice goat cheese cheesecake did me in, and I decided to take the bus the rest of the way home. Hey, it was late and I had already done 20 miles, so still an accomplishment!

So yes, I need to get out to deep SW again sometime soon. There are still more roads that need to be explored. But I am thankful that I don’t have to bike out that way regularly…

*During my first month in town, I did live in SW, though it was Kings Heights, close to Burnside and west of downtown. Since then, I have not lived west of the Willamette.

Coffeeneuring 2017, Ride 3: To Deep SW, Tues 24 Oct Portland is a rather large city. Its 640,000 denizens occupy an area of 145 square miles. So there's a lot of area.

[uptownboogiebicycle]

Special thank you to Shawn and Alicia owners of Lydia's Magic Garden (El Gardin Magico de Lydia) for hosting The 7th Annual Coffeeneurs Challenge in El Barrio (East Harlem, NY)! #coffee #coffeeneurs #coffeeneuring #coffeeneuring2017 #eastharlem #harlem #spanishharlem #nyc #biking #bicycle #biking #newyork #groupevent #cycling #manhattan #elbarrio #coffeelovers #coffeeneuringchallenge #coffeetime #coffeeaddict #havefun #tourbybike #healthyliving #lydiasmagicgarden #nycgo #garden #communitygarden #community #neighborhood (at Lydia's Magic Garden)

[urbanadventureleague]

Getting some Coffeeneuring on my #threespeedbikecamping adventure! So, Ride 2 for #coffeeneuring2017 Miles: 25. Location: Battle Ground Lake State Park, Washington. Coffee: New Seasons Mountain Park Roast Preparation: Pour over, #trangia stove #trangia28 #coffeeneuring #coffeeoutside #bikecamping #threespeedoct2017 #threespeed #societyofthreespeeds (at Battle Ground Lake State Park)

[urbanadventureleague]

As said previously, I completed my #coffeeneuring2017 challenge with all four of my active bikes. The Schwinn Heavy Duti has not seen much action this year, and that's a shame. A few new mids: My roommate John installed the Abus Amparo cafe/wheel lock on the rear (fender needed to be crimped). And I threw a smaller Wald basket (the one @rivbike calls the "Clem" basket) on front, since the Heavy Duti seems naked without it. Now if I ever get around to figuring out a front brake situation...😏 #coffeeneuring #heavyduti #schwinnheavyduti #schwinn #abuslocks #waldbasket

[urbanadventureleague]

Coffeeneuring 2017 Ride 5: A quick three mile jaunt to Blend on N Killingsworth near Greeley for some drip coffee (Coava). Then, a #sunsetburritoclub at Rivendell Ridge since both it and a tacqueria (Bonita) were close at hand. This might be my last #sunsetburrito of 2017, so get it in when I can! #coffeeneuring #coffeeneuring2017 #rivendellridge

[urbanadventureleague]

Coffeeneuring 2017, Ride 4: Wednesday October 25. A short 2 mile cruise to The Arbor Lodge for a macchiato. It's a nice day to sit outside, as long as you're wearing a sweater!😀☕🚲 #coffeeneuring #coffeeneuring2017 #threespeedoct2017 #societyofthreespeeds #threespeed #raleighsuperbe

[uptownboogiebicycle]

On October 21, we are participated in The 7th Annual Coffeeneurs Challenge at Lydia's Magic Garden (El Gardin Magico de Lydia). We are treated the outdoor event as a Zero Waste Bicycle Event, where asked riders to use reusable bottle, cups or mugs, wooden or metal utensils and cloth napkins. Recipe for a #ZeroWaste Event 1. Carry supplies via bicycle 2. Portable Folding Aluminum Table Lightweight Outdoor Garden Camping Picnic Desk With Bag 3. Kettle, backpacking stove and fuel canister 4. Table setup with delicious Dominican pasteles en hojas and pastelitos from Bitter Orange Cafe. @bitterorangecafe 5. Making coffee using French press coffee and vietnamese coffee press 6. Manual coffee grinder 7. Wonderful friends who arrived to the garden by bicycle! #coffee #coffeeneurs #coffeeneuring #coffeeneuring2017 #eastharlem #harlem #spanishharlem #nyc #biking #bicycle #biking #newyork #groupevent #cycling #citibike #manhattan #elbarrio #coffeelovers #coffeeneuringchallenge #coffeetime #coffeeaddict #havefun #tourbybike #healthyliving #lydiasmagicgarden #citibikes #citibike #elbarrio #nycgo #NYCzerowaste @nyczerowaste (at Lydia's Magic Garden)