Tag Archives: coffee outside

Coffeeneuring 2023

December 3, 2023coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuring, tandemnutMeg

Seeing as how it’s December already, you may be wondering what happened to Coffeeneuring this year. Or not. Anyhoo, yes it did happen. Well the challenge definitely did. In fact it was the 13th season! For me it was a sorta. But it’s always fun seeing what other folks are up to. The variety of locations, beverages and treats were quite lovely.

Mary posted a roundup after two weeks, which included one of Paul Steele’s charming recap illustrations. I really enjoy those. There was another roundup at the beginning of November, and again with two days left. At the end of the challenge there was the patch design reveal! So fun!

For me, there was no particular theme this year. Unless being haphazard and scattered counts?

1: October 12, 2023 / 5.5 miles around the block from the cabin / jonesbike / soup outside!

2: October 15, 2023 / 14.6 miles from YouBet! Bike Shop in Nevada city / (semi-imploding) tandem / dcaf latte at Three Forks.
The original plan for this was to have our coffee/snacks stop midway through, but then one of the friends we were riding with had a pedal failure shortly after we left, so we went for the coffee/snacks first (super yummy, I did not get a picture) while waiting for a bike shop to open to address the pedal failure. New pedals installed we headed out on the ride. At maybe 3/4s of the way along the route our rear wheel started feeling and sounding not right. We shortcutted the rest of the route, gingerly riding the bike for a while, then walking after it seemed to be getting worse, and eventually getting a lift from one of our ride companions who’d ridden back to the start and come back in his truck. Quite the day. Oh, we found out later the hub was broken. Yeah, that would explain it…

after the broken pedal was fixed, before the hub broke, there was nice riding with friends!

3: October 21, 2023 / 2.5 miles to Tia Maria / yellowbike / dcaf latte and the breakfast concha sandwich of awesome
Must. have. breakfast. concha. sandwich. Perennial favorite/repeat from previous seasons.

4: October 29, 2023 / 4.4 miles little free libraries / Brompie / dcaf made and taken with.
Working on de-stuff-ifying. Brompie has a cavernous front bag that I filled up with books, then sprinkled around to a bunch of little free libraries, some that I’d been to before, others that were new to me. So proud of myself I did not pick up anything, arriving back home with an empty bag!

(no pictures) (maybe that was part of the non-completion this year – not that it’s a Huge Thing, but somehow the taking pictures or otherwise documenting kinda felt like it was… getting out the door was enough effort and I didn’t want to think about/do anything else than go on the bike ride)

5: November 4, 2023/ 32.7 miles from Cotati, see where the bikes took us ride / yellowbike / dcaf made and taken with
This was a fun heading out with no route and just making it up as we went ride. Some new to me bits, and some roads I hadn’t been on in a while.

after a foggy morning, some clearing

trusty bluemug and yellowbike

And then … ? Life / weather / did do some other riding in the time frame but it wasn’t particularly coffeeneuring… but I wasn’t going for a trinket anyway (see de-stuff-ifying above) and one can ABC (Always Be Coffeeneuring.) And there’s always next year!

Coffeeneuring 2022: 6

November 6, 2022coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

Bill at the Schoolhouse

on the way to Lake City

Daffodils!

Another riding around in the woods + coffee outside, this time with rando-pal Bill. We met at the Schoolhouse in North Columbia and moseyed over to Lake City. Which, as far as I can tell, has neither a lake nor a city. Go figure. There’s a crossroads, a couple/few homes, and a cool metal daffodil sculpture. Being a crossroads, we had a decision to make, and went up Back Bone Road, which runs along one of the borders of Malakoff Diggins Park, rather than continuing on into the park.

view over Malakoff Diggins

We were going in the uphill direction, and it was a bit steep at first, but the grade mellowed as we continued, which was a nice feature. Part way up Eric scouted a clearing with some view, where we made our coffee and enjoyed it and snacks. After getting back on our bikes we shortly came across another clearing that would not have required the little bit of bushwhacking we’d had to do. Haha. All part of the adventure! But note to self for next time…

At the top of the climb we were on pavement, and it was (almost) all downhill back to the start! It’s always nice to wrap up a ride that way, and it’s somewhat rare in these parts, so that was pretty super-deluxe. It was a beautiful day, and nice having some company. Yay Coffeeneuring!!!

10/30/2022, 11.6 miles, half-caff coffee

Coffeeneuring 2022: 5

October 29, 2022coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

Whee! Where did the week go?! We’d decided on another coffee outside, and to go up to the waterfall, but then along the way got intrigued by a side road neither of us had been on before. Ah, the lure of the new… It was signed as a Forest Service road, but we soon came to a fork. We first tried the left tine, but there was almost immediately a No Trespassing sign, so we went back to the fork and tried the right tine. It went a little further, but again came to a No Trespassing sign and a gate. The gate was open, but neither of us felt comfortable continuing past it, so again we retraced our steps to the fork, then all the way back to the main road. Well, now we know where that goes!

At this point we decided may as well go total alternate plan, and, rather than continuing on to the waterfall, went back down the main road a short ways to do an ‘around the block’ loop. I’d been worried about being cold when we stopped for coffee, but with this route our stop was in an open sunny spot, so it was not an issue. We’d brought our camp chairs, which are better than sitting on rocks or in tree sap… Maybe we should leave that as a product review? Eric had been inspired by his What Goes Up Must Have Snacks! mug and made scones! So we had tasty treats to go with our warm beverages. After the stop it was almost all uphill to get back home, but sometimes that’s how it goes.

10/29/2022, 6.7 miles, half-caff mocha

Coffeeneuring 2022: 4

October 27, 2022coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

So I did not get the posts from last year’s Coffeeneuring wrapped up before this year’s challenge started, and now I’m posting this year’s rides out of order… what havoc will it be next? Anyway, trying to let go of that “in order” thing, as it does often back me up, so perhaps some leeway will actually mean more posts done, and maybe even closer to when the rides happened. What’s that saying about not letting the perfect get in the way of the good (enough)? Don’t let the in order get in the way of the getting something posted. Ha.

This was an around the neighborhood from the cabin, with coffee outside at the spring. The weather was a bit unsettled, but pleasant. While we were at the spring some folks arrived to fill up their 5 gallon jugs. One of them had previously lived closer, but they raved about how great the water was – obviously enough so that they drove up the hill for it!

Every time I’ve been to or past the spring, it’s been flowing merrily away, and I’ve often wondered what the rate is. With their defined volume containers, we were able to figure out the flow was ~3 gpm. Which may not sound like a lot, but would be 4320 gallons in a day, and assuming steady flow year ’round, would be 1,576,800 gallons for the year! Dang! (I keep second guessing myself on that number, and redoing the calculation, but still coming up with the same thing.)

Then, in the way these things often go, I wondered how that would compare to “average” usage. The Internets claims average household usage is anywhere from 60 to 100 gallons per person per day – which also seems kinda high, but maybe that’s just me. Anyway, say we go with 100 gallons per day, that spring would supply 43 people. Huh. Although I do have to wonder if it was all piped away and used, rather than most of it not being captured, if that would make a difference in the flow. (I’m assuming at least some of it is soaking back in and helping recharge? Or it may be getting water from further up hill and the surface discharge doesn’t matter?) And certainly having 43 more people around, although it doesn’t sound like much, would make a difference in the neighborhood.

Regardless, I think it’s important to think about these sorts of questions, and do these sorts of calculations. How much water or fill in the blank other resource are we using? Where does it come from? What is being done for my lifestyle and convenience? Whew. And this was just supposed to be about riding bikes and drinking coffee… but that’s a thing about writing, you never know where it might end up.

10/22/2022, 3.8 miles, half-caff mocha

Coffeeneuring 2020: 4

November 3, 2020coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

yabba dabba Mukluk

where did all these rocks come from?!

Eric repaid the favor, and we rode some new-to-us roads in his neighborhood. A little different than mine… This route was all dirt, and more climby. Good times.

AND! Now I can say I’ve been to Moores Flat (and not be lying.) I had been on Moores Flat Road (yes, no apostrophe), and there’s a spot that seems like it would be the eponymous flat, but no. Eric had gotten the scoop on where the Actual Moores Flat is, and we took a turn we’d always ridden by before, and headed down hill. I tried not to think too much about having to come back up.

getting the glamour shot! although the pictures don’t really convey the long, steep drop off down to the Middle Fork of the Yuba, just behind bluebike

making hot chocolate!

After a bit, all of a sudden we were in Flinstonelandia, with all sorts and sizes of rocks stacked and strewn about. Where had they all come from?! Nearby we found a nice spot to make and enjoy our hot chocolate, with the whipped cream Eric had brought along – how super dee-luxe is that?! and a view over the drainage of the Middle Fork of the Yuba River. After drinking, we continued on, which I kept thinking might drop us precipitously toward the River, but not so much. We mostly contoured along, and were able to make a loop of the extension bit, rather than having to retrace our steps, as I’d imagined would be the case when we started down the hill.

beautiful light

quiet climbing through the forest

It was a glorious day, and just the right amount of adventure.

ONE GOOD THINGS: new to me roads, riding bikes in the woods with Eric, WHIPPED CREAM!!!

Date: 10/24/20
Location: Moores Flat, Nevada County, CA
Distance: 13.6 miles
Beverage: hot chocolate, made onsite, plus WHIPPED CREAM, carried with
Bike: Eric’s Mukluk

Eric’s pictures

Achievement Unlocked!

December 18, 2019coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

pin (for USA finishers, or international with extra postage) (photo by Mary G)

patch (for international finishers, or USA if the prefer to pin, or in addition to for a bit more $) (photo by Mary G)

Right out of the gate with the first ride on the first day, and a few more in fairly quick succession, then a bit of a lull, then got it back together to complete the 2019 Coffeenuering Challenge! With a few days to spare, although I’d had ideas about an “Eight is Great” ride on the last day to bookend the series, but <insert lame excuses here> it didn’t happen. Oh well, maybe next year. Except I suppose that will be on up to “Nine is Fine.”

Anyhoo, I didn’t super specifically have a theme, but they did all end up to be coffee outside! And there was a variety of bikes used, although not all of them. As the series went along I did have a few ideas for possible future themes, we’ll see what happens with that. It was super fun seeing people’s rides on the Facebook group. Gotta hand it to those people that live and ride in more extreme weather places than California!

And, speaking of handing things to people – I’m actually getting the trinket! It’s such a great logo, I couldn’t resist. Oh, but I derailed my train of thought. Where I was really going with that was WOW big shout out to Mary, the Chief Coffeenuer! Coffeenuer-in-Chief? Not quite sure what her official title is, but she came up with the idea and administers it. Which, not sure how many people did it this year – here’s a numbers roundup she did of previous years (right?! Where does she get the time?!) – or how in depth she checks peoples’ results submittals, but I got a nice personal email reply congratulating me on completing the challenge! Then there’s the trinket fulfillment. Whew!!!

Coffeeneuring 2019: 7

December 7, 2019coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

through the Cal Park Hill Tunnel again

For what turned out to be my last coffeeneuring ride during the official season, another new bit of bike infrastructure! A bike lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge!!! It is on the upper – west bound for vehicles – deck, and fully separated from the two vehicle lanes by what looks like the same movable barrier that is used between the vehicle traffic lanes on the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Bay is a definite physical barrier to getting around the Bay Area by bike. Previously, to cross the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge you would have to drive a car or take the bus. If you wanted to ride to the East Bay from the North Bay you would have to go miles out of your way. That made it seem very far away.

we’ll be riding over that!

Having a bike lane is like a magic carpet – all of a sudden that _so far away_ is actually quite close! We were going to meet Rob along the way, but he ended up riding all the way over from Richmond and joining us by Eric’s work in San Rafael. I hadn’t really studied up on how to get onto the bike lane, and it did not seem very well marked on the Marin side, fortunately Rob and Eric knew where to go.

We did see one person on the San Rafael end who was walking – I have no idea if they went all the way to Richmond or not – it’s about 5 and a half miles, and a half dozen or so other cyclists. There’s a bit of a hill, but it’s a pretty gradual grade, then a second, smaller bump – that is if you are going eastbound. The lane is on the north side of the bridge, so the views are better to that direction. The guys were rolling along ahead, finally I had to stop the train to take some pictures. As I was stopped I was a bit surprised by a ferry sweeping under the bridge.

yellowbike and bluemug

shadows

Coffeeneuring 2019: 6

December 6, 2019coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

ped/bike bridge over SFD

Cal Park Hill Tunnel

This excursion was a full bike commute home, with the bonus being a BRAND NEW (OK, opened at the end of August) section of bike path giving another option for getting between Novato and Petaluma. Until 2014, the most direct route between these two cities required riding on the shoulder of 101. I never did that.

In fact, when I first started doing the occasional bike commute home in 2007ish, I took the “back way” out through Fairfax, over White’s Hill into the San Geronimo Valley and through Nicasio – similar to several SFR brevets. This avoided the highway section, was more scenic, and was more back roads, so seemed like it would be quieter and more bike friendly. Alas, as construction on 101 started and continued (and continues), and the traffic also increased, more drivers took to the back roads. And generally they were the type of driver who was doing that since they were in a hurry, so they were not so excited about encountering a cyclist on a narrow road.

bike path by Olompali that gets you off the 101 shoulder

So, once there was an alternative to the highway section I started taking the “front way”, which, for the most part parallels 101. In Marin it is mostly the Marin County Bike Route 5, which is well signed, and much of it is separated bike path or, if not completely separate, at least a marked bike lane. There are a few awkward transitions, but in general I have fewer threatening feeling interactions with vehicles than going the “back way” even though the “front way” passes through more urban/populated areas.

Another bit of bike infrastructure which made the “front way” more appealing is the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, which gets one from Larkspur to San Rafael easily. Funny I think of that as “new”, but it actually opened in December 2010! Maybe I think of it as new since it was a bit of a challenge to get there on the Larkspur end until the pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Sir Francis Drake Boulevard opened in May of 2016. So, I may not have been through the tunnel before then.

San Antonio Road headed to bike path northbound

start of the path on east side of 101

going under 101

wonder how high the water will get…

Anyhoo, the first sign I saw for the new path pointed to the right – which, if I’d directly followed it, I would have ridden into a field! That was the direction it seems to make sense to go – when you are travelling northbound you start on the east side of 101, then go underneath over to the west side. In fact, to get to the new path you have to go straight ahead, further north on the frontage road, then the path doubles back south a bit before ducking under the freeway. But it is all splendidly smooth new pavement, and, for that section of San Antonio road, very quiet, since it dead ends. Once you are on the west side of 101, there is similarly splendidly smooth new pavement, and likewise quiet dead end section of road. On my ride I saw one car in that section, going the other way. (OK, I saw lots of cars, but they were over on the freeway.)

So yeah, the scenery is maybe not as “nice” as going the other options you have from there to Petaluma that go to the west, through more countryside, but you don’t have the drivers that are avoiding the freeway traffic zooming past you while you dodge potholes on the narrow roads. Well, you still get some potholes once you get into town on Petaluma Boulevard South. And you still have to figure out some way to get through Petaluma. But the new path section does make getting between Novato and Petaluma a much more viable bicycle transportation option.

west side of 101!

Petaluma Boulevard South

heading to Petaluma

Date: 11/18/19
Location: Corte Madera to Santa Rosa, CA
Distance: 45ish miles
Beverage: ginger tea with honey, made and carried with
Bike: yellowbike

Coffeeneuring 2019: 5

December 4, 2019coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

Eric getting rad on the way over to Spring Lake

One thing and another and a bit of a gap happened in the coffeenuering ride sequence, but I got back out for a ride around Spring Lake, a local park I can ride to from my house. I brought coffee and a snack, but it was still a bit chilly, and the bench where I thought it would be nice to sit and consume them was damp, so I just drank some coffee and we continued on. Then on the way back we stopped at a coffee shop and Eric got some other snacks, so my French waffle was just along for the ride.

it seemed like a good spot, but too chilly and damp to sit

traffic jam

Bonus for this ride was a view of Mercury transiting the sun! Nancy, who is a docent at Robert Ferguson Observatory, had her 8″ telescope, Henrietta, set up on the top floor of a parking garage not far from my house. It wasn’t as immediately visually spectacular as Saturn’s rings or craters on the moon, in fact it pretty much looked like the period at the end of this sentence. Mercury, that is. But we saw it move in the time we were there, which was pretty cool. And seeing a planet, and the sun was very cool (and new to me, the looking at the sun part anyway), although Nancy said the sun was not particularly active at that time – sometimes when they do solar observations there are flares to look at. Anyway, it certainly was a reminder of how vast the universe is and how big the sun is that Mercury (an entire planet!) just looked like a dot in comparison. Super neat that Nancy shared her equipment and expertise! Such an amazing and beautiful world we live in.

Nancy and Henrietta

(photo by Eric)

Date: 11/11/19
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Distance: 8.7 miles
Beverage: coffee, made and carried with
Bike: yellowbike

Coffeeneuring 2019: 4

December 1, 2019coffeeneuringcoffee outside, coffeeneuringnutMeg

waiting for BART

For the fourth edition, a birthday celebration excursion! Not Rob’s Official Ascent of Mt. Tam, but a birthday celebration nonetheless. Eric and I rode to BART, and BARTed over to the East Bay. Rob had a nice route which headed north along a bike route (city streets but well established) to Wildcat Canyon, which was a very pleasant new-to-me park. It was a quiet, car free fire road through hills that were sometimes tree covered and other times more open. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of open space in the East Bay.

We ended up coming out in Tilden Park, and heading downhill on I think it was Spruce, or some street that I actually have been on before. We then wiggled over to the Bay Trail, a separated bike (er, multi-use) path, part of which was also new-to-me. The destination point was Armistice Brewing, where Rob foiled our attempts to buy him lunch and/or a beer. I didn’t know the backstory at the time, but was intrigued by the designation of “pastry stout”, and after hearing it was brewed with raspberries, cocao and vanilla, had to give it a try. Liquid dessert. Almost too much, but I’m glad I tried it.

some new-to-me bike path

more new-to-me bike path

wildfire smoke to the north

and a bit hazy looking toward SF

From Armistice we headed back to Rob’s, and then on to BART and back to SF. With an ice cream stop on the SF end. Super fun ride – great company, excellent weather, neat to see a bit more of the East Bay. And yay birthday celebration!

Date: 10/26/19
Location: San Francisco and Richmond, CA for sure, with a bit of Berkeley, Albany and maybe something else? when you get back into town it all kinda runs together…
Distance: 22.4 miles
Beverage: coffee, made and carried with
Bike: yellowbike