Last ride of 2013

Look at that blue sky!  A nice way to go out.  Now I'll feel better about sitting down to that big pile of chips and dip tonight.

I have no idea what this expression is.

All studded up

Given that it is increasingly apparent that a Pugsley is not in my imminent future, I decided that I'd work within my own confines to create a winter-ready bike.  I considered a 2nd wheelset for the Cross Check to swap out when conditions warrant studded tires.  But, in reality, the need for studs is probably limited to a handful of days here in Colorado.  The sun comes out and dries the roads (at least the main roads) pretty quickly, so a full set of studs is probably overkill.

Thus, I decided to go with just a front studded tire.  I inquired with my LBS (in this case, Chocolate Spokes) to see if they had an extra front wheel hanging around.  I was richly rewarded for the inquiry, and was able to pick up a very nice wheel for $35.  A Mavic XP21 rim laced to an Ultegra hub.  And, since I was investing in a single studded tire, I figured I might as well go for the gold and got a Schwalbe Marathon Winter.  Some pretty serious hardware, right there.  The manufacturer recommends running the tire in dry conditions for ~20 miles to set the studs.  I got that done in mostly dry conditions in the last couple of days so I am ready to roll.

Continental Top Contact Winter Tires on the rear and on the front in dry conditions.  Now that I am ready for what Old Man Winter has to dish out, there is nary a flake in the forecast.  Soon enough, soon enough.

Holiday humor

Especially pertinent this time of year

But relevant ALL year long.

Post Office run

More Straggler love

They are doing some nifty stuff at Omaha Bicycle Company.  Here's a 650b Straggler they recently built up.  Hmm, this makes me reconsider my Pugsley lust.

Makes me want to take a trip to Omaha to check out more of what this shop is up to.  And have some coffee, too, of course.

Really amazing

This video is making its way around the internet this week, and I'm going to join the crowd.  Really spectacular and well worth the watch.  Be sure to stay tuned for the outtakes at the end.

Another red bike for your viewing enjoyment

Such a lovely winter scene.  I would like to find one of these under the tree!  Or next to it.

Forthcoming project

Wait and see!

Just something fun

And if you don't find this amusing, you are dead inside.


I tell ya, the people that make these things are brilliant.

Straggler!

Me likey!

via Omaha Bicycle Company

The new Brooks Cambium saddle is on my Xmas list!  I've seen nothing but good reviews on it.  And the thought of having a low maintenance Brooks saddle is highly appealing.  Not that I spend a lot of time and energy worrying about their upkeep, but I prefer to be carefree (and possibly careless) in the saddle department.

Help a girl out?

I'm thinking I should start a Kickstarter, etc. campaign so I can get one of these:

Photo via Prolly is Not Probably

I suppose there have been more stupid and more selfish campaigns out there, right?  Right?

My Sentiments Exactly

I'm not the only one who gets sentimentally attached to my bikes.

Oh this old thing? http://t.co/4DSmC8Mr4c

— Surly Bikes (@surlybikes) November 12, 2013

Coffeeneuring Finale!

And it was kind of a doozy.

I had the trip all planned out and the day dawned sunny and warm.  Got some stuff done, had lunch and then around 1:00, we headed out.  It was about 65 degrees and a breeze had come up but no big whoop.  We had a delightful tailwind that began to blow harder as we rode, and I knew the ride home was going to be a pain in the butt.  But not to worry, we would be fueled by caffeine and that would solve all problems.

We made our way to Novo Coffee, which had recently opened its newest location at 6th and Gilpin.  I had watched the construction progress for months--or I guess I should say I saw the paper go up on the windows and then come down a few months later.  I've been meaning to get there for some time, and the challenge presented the perfect opportunity.

My usual Americano.  I found out later that they have cold brew.  D'oh!  Next time.

The decor was sparse and minimalist, and they did a nice job with the refurb of the space (a former antique store).  I'm a fan of exposed brick, so that part definitely gets a thumbs-up from me.  It's not a cozy place that you'd want to hang out in for hours, but that's probably intentional.

Bike date!

Another sunny fall day in Denver

Ah, but don't be fooled but the sun's presence!  That wind was ushering in a cold front, and the temp had dropped about 15 degrees in the time we were enjoying our beverages.  In retrospect, I'm very glad I didn't get that cold brew.  And, then I think the temp dropped another 10 degrees on the ride home.  It was 40 degrees by the time we got home (colder with the wind chill) and we were both woefully underdressed.  I have not been that unprepared (or miserable) on a bike in a long time.  I usually have at least an outer layer and light gloves in my bag, but I thought, "Oh, we won't be gone long, it'll be fine."  The joke was definitely on me today.  In the larger scheme of things, 20 minutes of discomfort in relatively mild temps isn't a tragedy but merely an inconvenience.  And, yes, I am a complete wimp.

Total mileage = ~9 miles

My only regret of the challenge is all of the places I didn't get to visit!  As I've said before, so many coffee joints, so little time.  And I wasn't able to highlight some of my favorite spots, like Happy, Kaladi, and Black Eye.  Maybe I'll continue the coffeeneuring challenge on my own, as it's a most worthwhile endeavor.  And I still think beerneuring is on tap for next summer.

Many thanks to the challenge sponsor.  You got me off my ass on a few days when my motivation level was low and I ordinarily wouldn't have gone out.  Good times, good times.

Coffeeneuring #6, Coffee in Hipsterville

Denver is thick with coffee shops, as it is with breweries.  It's a good problem to have, for those of us who like to drink coffee and beer.  And where you'll find coffee and beer, you will find hipsters.  You know, stocking caps, skinny jeans, beards, tattoos.  I have nothing against hipsters, especially when they serve good beverages.

So, on a beautiful fall afternoon, I struck out for hipster central.

65 and sunny in November, not too shabby

Americano, my coffee barometer

Crema has been around for a few years and is located in a gentrifying neighborhood called River North or RiNo.  It still retains a measure of industrial grit, although the grit is slowing being supplanted by coffee shops, breweries, restaurants, architecture/design studios and condos.  

Outside the shop, I never fail to marvel at the array of people coming in and out of the shop, as well as the foot traffic out front.  A steady stream of luxury cars and SUVs mix with neighborhood denizens (ie. hipsters) and the homeless.  And, the medical marijuana dispensary across the street attracts a certain demographic, as well.  Always entertaining and worth the trip, especially if you can score the lone outside seating option.  And, much to my chagrin, the bike rack is usually full on weekends and I had to park my bike across the street this afternoon.

I bring the age curve up a standard deviation or two when I walk in the door but I don't care.  I've never had a bad cup of coffee here and I appreciate the innovation and creativity that I see in their coffee, the food menu and the decor.

Crema's environs.  I would love to see vibrant storefronts and dramatically increased foot traffic.  The bones are there, it will just take some time to fill in the gaps.  The bike lane can't hurt, either.

Another coffeeneuring adventure is in the books.  So many places, so little time.  Total mileage = ~ 9 miles

Coffeeneuring #5, Non-snow day

This is what 1-3" of snow looks like:

The weatherguessers got it wrong again.  But I am not complaining, as their flub provided a gorgeous day for a coffee jaunt.  But first I had to do my civic duty.  There was a constant stream of people dropping their ballots here.  I was the only one on bike, though.

Then it was off for coffee.  The sun was shining but it was still brisk, so I didn't want to do anything too ambitious, thus I settled on the Denver Bicycle Cafe.

I took this photo to the side, lest anyone sitting in the window seats think I'm a stalker.

Mmm, Americano

A sight that never fails to warm my heart

The Denver Bicycle Cafe is a delightful spot to grab a coffee or a beer.  If you can get a seat, that is.  I don't even bother trying to go on the weekends because people camp out with their laptops and it's impossible to get a seat.  Lucky for me, I can get there on the weekdays.  My only regret is that I was there for coffee today and not beer once I spied a Fluffy Pumpkin Porter on the beer menu.  This just gives me a reason for a return visit in the very near future.

Total mileage (with add-on errands) = ~7 miles

Coffeeneuring #4, Home Sweet Home...?

I have been remiss in the coffeeneuring challenge and thus I will yet again find myself with my back against the wall to complete my assignment.  It's not an unfamiliar position for me, but for once it's not unpleasant, as I am confident that I can rise to the challenge of drinking coffee and riding.

While it's always good to be home, the memories of vacation still linger.  And it's a cruel reminder that my day-to-day life is not what I'd like it to be, which makes the return home sting that much more.  But I digress yet again.

So, a week after our return home, I finally found the time for a coffee jaunt.  And not a bit too soon, since snow is in the forecast.

Today's coffee foray took me to Beet Box, a local vegan bakery/cafe.  While they don't specialize in coffee, they do offer a decent cuppa joe to accompany their fantastic baked goods.  I was highly disappointed that there weren't any turtle brownies to be had, but I grabbed a pumpkindoodle cookie and a chocolate pumpkin doughnut for later.

Headin' out

Snow is on the way!

Americano.  You can see my rear wheel just outside the garage door

A little stop on the way home

The pumpkindoodle cookie was delish; will sample the doughnut in the morning.  

I'm happy to be back in the land of endless coffee possibilities.

Total mileage = 'bout 5 miles

Something you don't see every day

It's kind of hard to see, but there's a ship out there!  It must be in the bay taking refuge from this wacky weather.  Pretty nifty to look out the window and see this.  Ya won't see this in Colorado, no sirree.

Coffeeneuring, Week Three

I gotta say, the idyll of vacation has not made this challenge easy!  The weather in Michigan this time of year is, shall we say, fickle.  And I don't have a bike at my disposal here, a situation I'm seriously re-thinking.  It would be well worth it to have a familiar bike here, even if it's only ridden for two weeks a year.  But I digress.

Given the weather variances here, I'm reluctant to spend the cash to rent a bike if it's going to rain all day, and the forecasts here are even less accurate than in Denver.  Case in point: it was supposed to rain all day Saturday and Sunday yet it did not and it was a delight and a surprise to see the sun most of the day.  And normally, foul weather would not be a deterrent in my quest for caffeine.  The outlier in this instance is having to pay to have access to a bike.

My original plan was to rent bikes and ride the TART Trail to Traverse City for coffee, but threatening skies, wind and dropping temps thwarted that effort.  Thus we opted for coffee without walls.  We made coffee at home, walked into town to get the bikes, then headed off to a picturesque locale for consumption.

Dorky rental bike.  Perfectly capable but definitely not optimal.  At Stony Point in Suttons Bay.

Javahhh

Can't get more scenic than this.  TART Trail

A rare non-solo ride

My best side

The weather held off and we had a lovely time.  Total mileage?  Hard to say; I'd guess around 10-12 miles.

This, people, is what fall looks like

Color Tour ... rural sunrise, originally uploaded by Ken Scott.

Coffeeneuring, Week Two

I'm discombobulated this week, what with vacation and all...And I don't want to miss a week (but according to the rules I can add a week at the end), not to mention that there are some great coffee joints in the vicinity.  So, I will do a write-up this week and also do one at the end to ensure my complete compliance.

Rule #17 states: 

1. Vacation Rule: You may substitute a weekend of coffeeneuring for ONE coffeeneuring outing on vacation for every week you are on vacation.

So, this week's visit is Frida Bakery and Cafe in Suttons Bay, Michigan.  It's a tiny shop with a sole proprietor that I'm pretty sure works her fingers to the bone.  For such a small shop, it has a wide assortment of breads, cookies, and other baked goods.  Every day.  And several different varieties of empanadas.  And she sources many of her ingredients locally.  The shop also serves Intelligentsia Coffee and the owner makes her own chai.

I very much enjoyed my coffee and pumpkin spice scone.

It hit the spot on a day that looks like this:

And more of this in the forecast:

Total mileage = 2 miles

Gastronomical enjoyment = high

Coffeeneuring, Week One

So I ran across the Coffeeneuring Challenge via this blog.  Since this is much of the type of riding I do anyway, I decided to participate.  No doubt someone is already doing a beerneuring adventure, but that will keep for another time.

Since my workweek is somewhat unconventional, according to the rules I can move my coffee trips to another day of the week.  So, just depending what's going on, my trips will be on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.  And, I'll be throwing vacation in the middle of it all, so that may require some creativity on my part.  Or, I do believe I have the option to push out a week should the need arise.

I had to take the car in for a pre-trip oil change and checkup this morning, so I thought that would be a perfect opportunity to slip in a coffee stop on the way home.  The shop where I take the car is across town, so it's my usual order of events to drop off the car and ride home.  There's a new-ish coffee shop en route that I've been wanting to check out, so it's all serendipitous today.

My first visit to Steam Espresso Bar was delightful.  I found myself slightly underdressed for the conditions this morning, so I was happy to stop for a warm-up drink only a few blocks from where I dropped off the car.

My Americano was tasty, just what I needed.  Really nice little shop, too.  They did a good job on the refurb of the building, and they have an inviting outdoor patio that I'll have to visit when it's warmer.  They sell pastries from Trompeau (best almond croissants ever and definitely NOT vegan), and I was happy to see at least one vegan baked goods option.  Anyway, this a coffeeneuring ride report, not a coffee shop review, so I'll dispense with the details but suffice to say I liked the shop and will be back!

The illusion of speed:

Morning autumnal light in City Park:

Now I am all hopped up on caffeine and ready to take on the rest of the day!  Total mileage, ~8.5 miles

Pulled this out of my tire today

But no flat.  Thanks, Schwalbe!

Mandatory beverage

For Pugsley owners.  Better get on that.