Coffeeneuring 2019 Control # 2: Headed out to one of my favorite #coffeeoutside spots and set up a ‘coffee shop without walls’ for Control #2. Fixed myself up a nice coffee black. Gas station cream cheese and chocolate chip muffin was only a 6 out of 10 though. Did manage to drop a bunch of existential angst on this trip thus making it a legit Corrective Action Bicycle Ride as well. Also, learned that the @porcelainrocket Microwave Pannier holsters work great even without the proprietary drybags just for stuffing extra stuff in. Layers, ground scores, what-have-you. I imagine they would also work great with other dry bags in a ‘multiple-smaller-dry-bag’ configuration as well as with various kinds of totes and other bags or whatever. I believe in the marketing industry this is all referred to as ‘added value’. I’mma call it rad.
Coffeeneuring 2019 Control #1 – Rode out with my Number One Wingman @spoke_n_words in ridiculous conditions. Raining, like, a lot. More than we had planned when ride planning last evening. We called an audible and changed plans at the start for a different route to coffee at @chesspiececafe We got to our turn around point soaked to the bone. No amount of rain gear mattered today. We rolled into Chess Piece and scarfed double espressos and ‘breakfast cookies’ (yes a real thing). My mind and body were so flooded with water I forgot to take any pictures for my Control report which may come back to haunt me later if I don’t end up getting enough Controls before deadline. Then we headed back to Andrew’s where I had another coffee in a legit AC/DC mug, because, METAL. All my stuff should be dry by Thursday. Maybe. A beautiful day to ride the bike. Thanks for the company, conversation and the official rock coffee my friend – officially, dirty deeds, done dirt cheap.
Plagued again by my small town’s lack of open coffee shops on Sunday morning, I was forced to be resourceful to knab my final control for this year.
Control #7
Date: November 15, 2015
Location: Tim Hortons, Marysville, New Brunswick
Order: Large Dark Roast Black, 3 sour cream glazed
Distance: 25km round trip
Bike Friendly: whatever.
Due to circumstances, I was forced to take advantage of the ‘same franchise, different location’ coffeeneuring rule and hit a different Tim Hortons’ than previously visited. S’ok, weather was great, was an excellent day for a ride and I took my coffee and donuts and found a nice spot by the river – so like a pseudo #coffeeoutside.
While I was on a mini-getaway in St. Andrews, NB, I went on an all day rideabout and took the opportunity to get some #coffeeoutside action in with the inaugural use of my new coffee outside rig featuring a Caldera Cone Keg Stove from Ocean Air Cycles. A more fantastic and appropriate setting you could not find than the banks of Chamcook Lake on a crisp, sunny, fall day. The views and the Hobo Rouleur coffee were excellent. As was my custom mix trail mix stash. (My ‘secret’ recipe is Costco Kirkland trail mix augmented with an additional bag of regular m&m’s AND a bag of peanut butter m&m’s. Stove worked great too. Truly an epic and idyllic coffee experience.
The Disc Trucker camoflaugin’ in downtown Fredericton.
Control #6
Date: November 8, 2015
Location: Tim Hortons, Regent Street, Fredericton, NB
Order: Large Dark Roast, Black
Distance: 25km round trip
Bike Friendly: Sure
Control #6 had me making the best of a less than desirable situation. Apparently, if it’s early Sunday morning in Fredericton and you want a really good coffee, my fave joint, Chess Piece is the only place that’s gonna hook you up. No one else is open on Sundays, save the franchises. I’ve already used Chess Piece as a Coffeeneuring control so couldn’t double up, so after checking out the deserted Rogers Hometown Hockey setup in Officer’s Square and some choice back alley Fredericton murals, I was forced to go lowest common denominator with some Tims. The Dark Roast isn’t that bad, but, well, it’s not Chess Piece. I know ’cause I hit Chess Piece up for an Americano anyway. The Tim’s in no way rivaled Control #5’s epicness or ambience, but I did at least get it to go and enjoy it with a view of the river, along with a few sour cream glazed.
Hit up the Read’s news stand and cafe in downtown Fredericton. It was raining pretty good, which in my mind merits a ginormous cookie purchase as well. The Americano was good, better than most, but I still prefer the one at Chess Piece. Still a few spots to check out in town, though before I crown a King.
Control #4
Date: October 12, 2015 – Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday
Sometimes, in the name of ‘The Cause’ sacrifices have to be made. I got out for a road ride on Monday, a Holiday, while most folks were still sleeping off food comas. Drawback was that pretty much nothing of consequence was open. Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to punch my #coffeeneuring card, I had to resort to the dreaded gas station/convenience store stop. I just narrowly avoided complete tragedy as they were almost out of coffee in the ‘warming thermos’, but luckily I was able to draw enough ‘Breakfast Blend’ to fill a meager cup. Somewhat redeeming was my purchase of the ubiquitous ‘ginormous roadside chocolate chip cookie’ only to discover later it was actually a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie. The whole ‘Breakfast Blend’ (shudder) debacle was almost completely forgotten.
Order: Americano with extra shot, Sausage Roll, Breakfast Volcano
Distance: 50km round trip
Bike friendly: Yeh
Might have totally stewed myself by hitting my favorite, and in my opinion, the best coffee shop in Fredericton, Chess Piece Pâtisserie. Was worth it though. Killer Americano with an extra shot, sausage roll and something they had new that day, the Breakfast Volcano – a cheese bun stuffed with sausage, red peppers, eggs and cheese. All in the middle of a 50km road ride. BAM!
Rode into town for a meeting. Still had to get an Americano from Chess Piece beforehand, but afterwards, got one from Second Cup to fill another Control. Not as good as Chess Piece, but at least there was a bike rack.
