Coffeeneuring 2019

Sunday November 17, 2019 Ride six took us on our longest journey so far this year on the tandem.  Under perfect conditions (sorry, but I like to rub it in) we rode to the Naval Live Oaks north side.  Riding with our neighbors, we chatted about goings-on over the past couple of weeks, and caught up on life in general.  It was a little chillier than normal, but by the time we rode home from one of our absolute favorite spots, it was clothing/knit cap shedding time.  The ride there was in knit caps, jackets, and two extra layers in 54 degrees, but the ride back after warming up from coffee outside, turned into sleeves rolled up, jackets tied around the waist , and a little fight against the east wind.  No problems though for Jen and me on big blue.  The tandem rides again after a week off with cruisers while at the Naval Live oaks. Even though I need a better saddle for the front (my Selle Anatomica X came unriveted and was trashed)  I'll finish out ou...

Saturday November 9, 2019 Ride 5 Every year we try to camp at Fort Pickens to view the pride of Pensacola's Blue Angels from across the sound. It is usually the best weather of the year, and although Friday night was miserable for  tent life with intermittent rain and very cold winds, Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day.   Jen and I awoke, and, after some morning breakfast rode the Florida Trail to Battery Langdon for some 'take it with us' coffee and some pics.  We got to the location, then hiked up to the top of the Battery, viewing the snowy white sands, the Santa Rosa Island geography and the ranger station.  Another perfect day on the gulf coast for coffeeneuring.  This is usually our quality not quantity (miles) ride but when you can couple coffeeneuring with a nice hike on the beach, it's hard to not enjoy yourself.  We definitely made up our miles later in the day with the ride to the fort, then beach rides.  It was anothe...

Ride 4- Standard time--Sunday, November 3, 2019 Our fourth ride took place on a chilly Sunday morning with our neighbors today. Amber and Joe got up with us, and we decided to do a round a bout ride to the Oriole Beach Boat Ramp. We bundled up, hopped on the tandem and warmed up quickly as the winds slowed down somewhat.  Sunny skies and 50 degrees made for a great trip.  Jen and I cooked our Folgers and green tea at the picnic table, while Amber told us about learning a new style of coffee on TikTok. Something about Almond milk, ice, coffee and creamer of some sort.  It was coffee-ish to me, but hey--there was coffee in it so it counts.  Too sweet for my tastes, and cold coffee on a cold morning just doesn't make sense, but I drink hot coffee in 90 degree weather--to each his own! We spent a good hour catching up on what we as neighbors have been up to recently. I even learned some things that I wouldn't have expected to hear over coffee, but hey, what ca...

October 28, 2019 Our third ride ruined all hopefulness to cook our coffee outside for all our trips this year.   After riding my motorcycle today for 118 miles; on my day off and battling a 'slight' hangover from the Lucero rock show the night before, we checked the weather forecast.  We also felt lazy today:)  Upon seeing the next three days as being constant rain forecasts, we chose to ride the easy ride to our local Starbucks .  The weather was too beautiful not to be outside doing something, so we got up with our neighbors, also veteran coffeeneur-ers and met up for a 6 miler through golf course back road neighborhoods in order to keep away from the dreaded hwy 98 and the rush hour mayhem.   Jen chose the pumpkin spice Frappuccino and I went with my small Cafe Latte. Just what we needed after long busy day. Her, with actual work, and me with too much fun and riding. It was great catching up with our neighbors as we haven't seen them too ...

October 20, 2019 We get maybe one to two weeks of fall here on the Panhandle.  It'll either go straight to winter (last week) with dull grays and rain and early darkness, or back to summer for at least two weeks to a month before actually settling into winter. This is our fall week. This is perfect weather to ride in. This is just..it just is.   Today's morning ride took us to the Naval Live Oaks sound side to heat up our Folgers packets in the very calm winds and 68 degree weather.  It was true bliss.   We originally planned on riding to an overlook spot on the trail to cook our coffee, but the no bikes on the trail sign nixed that. We ended up cooking our coffee on the patio deck overlooking Pensacola Sound under perfect conditions. I managed to throw a chain when we entered the park and hit a hole while changing gears, so we'll have to remember to bring paper towels for future occurrences or issues. It's not overly fun to drink coffee with gre...

Coffeeneuring 2019 Ride 1 Hard to believe it's been another year already. Already supposedly autumn and the colder weather rides are to commence, but it's been 90 degrees. Still. In the middle of October. Yuk.  I'm ready for cooler weather until it gets cooler, then I'll yearn for warmer temps. Every year.  Jen and I will be riding again this year--hopeful to make every ride again on the tandem.  We liked the idea of boat ramps last year, but are definitely going to try and do the tandem on all the rides this year. Looking forward to another year of Coffeeneuring! RIDE 1 October 15, 2019 So it's been another year of short rides.  Another year of a different kind of ride, as I was able to achieve my motorcycle license last year. I guess it can be easy to get lazy in your old age, but the new motorized 1400CC Suzuki can be exhilarating, and has become the ride of choice lately! HOWEVER.... I still love my two wheeled Burley tandem and rides with...