Saturday, October 11, 2014

Coffeenuering Part The Second

There is, I believe, no one who doesn't like a fall day in Wisconsin. The sky is a not washed out but rather a blue that isn't trying to prove a point; the Sun is shinning pleasantly down on a wide array of happy folk; everyone is aware that around the corner lurks subzero temperatures, snow, and the long tunnel of darkness yet this underlayment of sorrow is well-tempered by the gloriousness of today. So the ride to Lakeside Coffeehouse really couldn't have been better. The wind, as Shane McGowan might say, was gently laughing, the view across Mendota Bay was outstanding. The coffee, alas, was forgettable. I honestly can't recall what it tasted like. The sandwich was equally memorable and the coleslaw bland. The beer, however, was just the ticket and the staff were pleasant and cheerful.


The cafe is right by the bike path and it has two bike racks but at least one rider has no idea  that it is wrong to take up five or six spaces.


I saw this sign on the way home and I wonder why Edgewood decided to ban Pleasure Drive Trucks and, just as important, what one would look like.


 I rode the Xtra-cycle with its new hand built fight deck. Pretty snappy, if I do say so myself.



I figure the ride there was around 10 miles, I meandered, and, despite the forgettable food and coffee, I rate the experience double plus good.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Coffeenuering 2014

This weekend is the start of the Chasing Mailboxes Coffenuering Challenge. Yesterday I rode 4 miles give or take to go to the Zoma Cafe on Atwood, actually I was going to Revolution Cycles but this challenge is all about the coffee. I had a Macchiato and it was perfectly okay.

Zoma is pretty cycling friendly; its backyard abuts the bike path, they have two or three racks along the bike path and so forth. I noticed that the local beer tours are, however, not cycle friendly. The Hop Express, or what ever it is called, passed me unsafely and the all bike brewery tour took up every inch of the corner of Willy and John Noland. Still a good time was had by all, which is to say me, because 1) the new generator hub is on its way, 2) One Barrel Brewery  had a nice small batch sour ale

 and decent Penquin * Sausage pizza

, and 3) the coffee was perfectly fine. The weather, on the other hand, tended tword the bluster and cold.

*No Penguins were injured:
.
The Penguin sausage is regular Italian sausage made using their Penguin IPA.