Tag Archives: Coffeeneuring

Coffeeneuring 2015: Controls 5 & 6

A tale of two coffees.

Two more disparate coffees, I challenge you to find.

The Caldera Keg heatin’ up on Chamcook Lake.

Control #5

  • Date: October 24, 2015
  • Location: Chamcook Lake, NB, Canada
  • Order: Fresh ground cup of Hobo Rouleur from Ocean Air Cycles
  • Distance: 55km round trip
  • Bike Friendly: Oh, hells yeah.

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.

Coffeeneuring 2015: Controls 3 & 4

Subcategory: Cookieneuring

The Coffeeneuring Challenge 2015 continues. And sometimes, it gets ugly.

Control #3

  • Date: October 11, 2015
  • Location: Read’s, Fredericton
  • Order: Americano, Ginormous Chocolate Chip Cookie
  • Distance: 30km round trip
  • Bike Friendly: Yeh

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
  • Location: Irving Gas/Convenience
  • Order: ‘Breakfast Blend’, Ginormous Peanut Butter/Chocolate Chip Cookie
  • Distance: 50km round trip
  • Bike Friendly: Does it matter?

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.

Coffeeneuring 2015: Controls 1 & 2

Got out for my first two controls for #Coffeeneuring Challenge 2015.

Control #1

  • Date: Oct. 3, 2015
  • Location: Chess Piece Café
  • 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!

Control #2

  • Date: Oct. 4, 2015
  • Location: Second Cup, Kings Place Mall
  • Order: Americano
  • Distance: 30km round trip
  • Bike friendly: Yeh

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.