Under the Wire, Under the Knife: Coffeeneuring 2018

When I scheduled my total hip replacement for late October, I was focused solely on creating enough recovery time to include both rehabilitation and training to finish strong at Paris Brest Paris in August 2019. The impact of this schedule on my Coffeeneuring Season did not occur to me until too late. Fortunately, Her Royal Highness of Coffeeneurlandia, has a big heart and allowed me to get an early start by logging some pre-season coffeeneuring in order to complete my 8th year (!!) of coffeeneuring just before getting my left hip replaced. My last day of coffeeneuring was on October 23rd and my surgery was scheduled for October 24th. I would have ridden to the hospital, but I couldn't get a clear confirmation that they would store my bike for the during the procedure.

Ride 1 (September 29)
Mudd Puddle - New Paltz, NY
8 miles
Black Coffee

On a beautiful fall afternoon, my wife Jessie and our friend Jasmine and I teamed up to discover the beauty of the new River to Ridge Trail linking the quaint village of New Paltz with the majestic Shawangunk Ridge.

Ride 2 (October 7)
Apple Bin - Ulster Park, NY
12 miles
Black Coffee

What can I say? Backyard ride. Had to get a quick one in on a day that involved a few other obligations.

Ride 3 (October 9)
Greca - Tribeca, NYC
22 miles
Cold Brew

Nothing quite like a cold brew on a warm day. I grabbed a quiet table on the streets of Tribeca on my way home to my in-law's apartment after a long day of school visits.

Ride 4 (October 14)
Cafe Dolce - Kingston, NY
24 miles
Double Espresso

I always enjoy a quick trip to Kingston's historic Rondout District. These few blocks sure pack a lot in with hip cafes, antique shops, 18th-century homes, old ships, and even the Hudson River Maritime Museum.

Ride 5 (October 16)
Rough Draft Bar and Books - Kingston, NY
4 miles
Black coffee

I arranged a quick loop through my other favorite neighborhood in historic Kingston on my way home from a conference in Albany. I threw my Brompton in the back of the car and enjoyed a short 4-mile jaunt from the Senate House to the new Rough Draft Bar and Books. Bar, Books, Coffee? What's not to like?

Ride 6 (October 22)
Coffeeshop Without Walls - Walkway Over the Hudson - Highland, NY
10 miles
Starbucks Frappuccino

As my time started to run thin, I threw my Brompton in the back of the car again and rode down to the lovely Walkway Over the Hudson where I enjoyed a cool frappuccino from Starbucks one evening at sunset.

Ride 7 (October 23)
FIKA - Tribeca, NYC
22 miles
Black coffee

I made sure to enjoy in some great urban miles on my last day of riding for at least six weeks until my hip is adequately healed from the total hip replacement the following day. After a lovely coffee and a tasty Swedish treat, I decided to make a pilgrimage to the top of my favorite bridge to see one of my favorite views in all NYC. It felt just like being home again.

My Coffeeneuring Roundup: Seventh Heaven Edition

Q: Which came first, autumn or coffeeneuring? A: I'm not 100% certain, but it's getting harder and harder to remember what life was like before Mary G. launched her global Coffeeneuring Challenge seven years ago. I'm a proud member of the founding coffeeneuring generation and wouldn't miss a season for the world.  I mean, coffee, bicycles, photography . . .  what's not to love? There's even a patch involved!

Ride 1 (October 25)
2 Beans - New York City
14 Miles
Black Coffee

While in NYC for a few school visits in late October, I made sure to check out the citywide Ai Wei Wei sculpture installation and filled up my travel mug with some black coffee from 2 Beans to enjoy a little coffeeneuring along the way.

Ride 2 (October 27)
Mudd Puddle Roasters and Cafe - New Paltz, NY
15 Miles
Espresso

I teamed up with my pal Peter to enjoy a brisk fall ride through New Paltz one morning with a stop at everyone's favorite muddle puddle for a shot of espresso to start the day off right.

Ride 3 (October 28)
Village Market and Eatery - Gardiner, NY
40 Miles
Black Coffee

When your friend Jasmine tells you that she bought a new bicycle, you have no choice but to go out for a ride (and have a cup of coffee) with her to celebrate.

Ride 4 (November 3)
North River Roasters and Coffee House - Poughkeepsie, NY
14 Miles
Latte

I've been meaning to get over to check out the new North River Roasters and Coffee House our friends launched at the old Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory for some time and I was not disappointed. If you're ever in Poughkeepsie, this is a great place to while away some time.

Ride 5 (November 9)
Mohonk Mountain House - New Paltz, NY
17 Miles
Mohonk Tea

Every year at this time, I have back-to-back conferences at one of the finest hotels on the East Coast. Not only is the Mohonk Mountain House a historic treasure, but it's surrounded by countless miles of carriage trails with views for hundreds of miles in all directions. After a 17-mile loop during a break, I sat by the lake to enjoy a hot cup of their signature Mohonk tea.

Ride 6 (November 11)
Coffee Shop Without Walls
Slabsides - West Park, NY
8 Miles
French Roast

Looking for some inspiration on a big writing project, I filled up my Trek SOHO travel mug and rode up the hill to Slabsides, naturalist John Burroughs' rustic cabin in the woods.

Ride 7 (November 19)
Coffee Shop Without Walls
Walkway Over the Hudson - Highland, NY
22 Miles
French Roast

My final coffeeneuring entry comes on the last day of this year's challenge. I filled my travel mug with French roast and took off to meet up with Christopher M. at the finish of one of my permanent routes to clock his 10,000th RUSA kilometer in 2017.

My Coffeeneuring Adventure: 6th Time's a Charm

As the leaves make their annual transition from green to brown making stops along the way as yellow, red and orange alarm bells signaling the end of summer, we are reminded of the importance of warming beverages to fend off the cool winds of winter and to stretch this season of riding out just a wee bit longer. For the past five years, the Coffeeneuring Challenge has helped me cope with, and even enjoy, this change of seasons.

This year, I created a "Theme Within a Theme" by riding my new(ish) Brompton folding bike on all of my coffeeneuring adventures. While I remain a devoted roadie and randonneur, the Brompton has revolutionized my commuting and urban cycling over the past year. As someone who works from a home office in the Hudson Valley, I am often on the road visiting schools throughout New York State. My travel often brings me to New York City, 90 miles to my south, and the Brompton has enabled me to ride to the commuter train 10 miles away and then directly from Grand Central Station to meetings without having to worry about the bike share or public transportation. I can also throw the Brompton into the back of my car or the carry-on compartment of an Amtrak train or commuter jet to pick up a short ride following meetings or conferences without difficulty. While daily bike commuting is not currently possible, riding to meetings and school visits has enriched my work while helping me fit additional exercise into my routine.

Ride 1 (October 15)
Bank Square Coffeehouse - Beacon, New York
3 miles
Latte and an oatmeal raisin cookie

Like quite a few other places, Beacon, NY has been heralded as the "next Brooklyn" following the creation of the Dia: Beacon museum and an influx of artists in search of more reasonable rents. Nestled into the hills of southern Dutchess County, Beacon lies on the MetroNorth train line right on the banks of the Hudson River. My trip to the Bank Square Coffeehouse involved a typically convoluted plan to drop off a car at a friend's house for my daughter to claim as she returned from college for a short fall break. Following a nice latte and fresh-baked oatmeal raisin cookie eaten while being serenaded by a ukulele-playing millennial, I rode over to the station to catch the train north to Poughkeepsie and ride home.

Ride 2 (October 25)
Aroma Espresso Bar - New York, New York
8 miles
Black coffee, oatmeal and fruit

Ironically, the only chain shop I visited during the Coffeener Challenge was the Aroma Espresso Bar, right in the heart of authentic cafe culture. While one can literally stumble over a hipster coffee bar on just about every street corner in NYC, Aroma was the most convenient place for me to stop on a day I was zipping around Manhattan. I must say, it was a bit of a disappointment.

Ride 3 (November 1)
La Deliziosa Pastry Shop - Poughkeepsie, New York
4 miles
Black coffee and a mini cannoli

The delicacies in this family-owned pastry shop in the heart of Poughkeepsie's Little Italy neighborhood are more than worth the trip from wherever you may be. A short ride or walk from the MetroNorth train station, this spot is a must-see destination the next time you find yourself in the Hudson Valley. Miniature cannoli, eclairs and cookies more than make up for the pedestrian coffee patrons make for themselves using a Keurig maker that sits on the counter.

Ride 4 (November 3)
Mohonk Mountain House - New Paltz, New York
15 miles
Black coffee

The Mohonk Mountain House is one of the nation's most remarkable historic resorts. Sitting high above the village of New Paltz on the Shawangunk Ridge, patrons are able to view the Catskill range off in the distance and hike, bike or cross country ski along hundreds of miles of well-preserve carriage trails that date from the nineteenth century when horse-drawn carriages were the principal form of transport that brought guests up to the hotel from the docks along the Hudson River where they disembarked from steam ships heading north from Manhattan. I often ride on these carriage trails with my road bike equipped with cyclocross tired, but this was my first foray into the wilderness on my Brompton. Verdict: not terrible, but hitting a root or a pothole with a 17" front wheel is a bit of a shock.

Ride 5 (November 5)
Slow Train Cafe - Oberlin, Ohio
18 miles
Latte and a salted chocolate chip cookie.

When our daughter called to invite us to see her perform a solo dance composition in a fall student concert, we didn't think twice about reserving a hotel room and clearing the date. Unfortunately, though, my son came down with a nasty virus and my wife had to stay behind while I drove to Ohio with my Brompton in the back of the car anticipating the opportunity to grab a nice ride through town with my daughter should she have a few spare minutes. As luck would have it, she cleared the day (which for her begins about noon) and we were able to take in a fun ride on a rail trail that stretches from the center town out through the farmland that surrounds it. While she had an early call to prepare for an evening performance, I spent some time spinning through this lovely college town, an oasis of blue in an increasingly red state, and enjoyed a fresh latte and a rather delicious salted chocolate chip cookie.

Ride 6 (November 7)
Outdated Cafe - Kingston, New York
5 miles
Double espresso

The Outdated Cafe is an old Coffeeneuring standby in the historic Uptown section of Kingston, New York. Another "next Brooklyn" outpost along the Hudson, Kingston was at one point the capital of New York State. Now a bit down on its lucky, following the departure of IBM in the mid-90s, Kingston contains several historic neighborhoods filled with 18th century stone homes ripe for hipster conversion. The Outdated Cafe serves as a vibrant community meeting place for patrons old and young who sit at long tables drinking great coffee and eating fine food. Some work, some play and others look at the antiques, most of which are for sale, that line the walls and shelves.

Ride 7 (November 19)
The Poughkeepsie Grind - Poughkeepsie, New York
6 miles
Cappuccino

My final coffeeneuring journey of 2016 involved one of my favorite multi-modal locations in the Hudson Valley. The Walkway Over the Hudson was opened to the public in 2009 and brings hundreds of thousands of visitors each year from near and far to marvel at the beauty and spectacle of the Hudson River Valley. Once the site of a busy rail line linking trade from New England to the American Mid-West, the bridge fell out of use following a track fire during the early 1970s. After many years, the structure was converted to become the longest pedestrian bridge in the world towering 220 feet over the river below. On Saturday. following the bar mitzvah of a family friend, I parked at the lot on the west side of the river near my home and rode through throngs of tourists to Poughkeepsie where I enjoyed a hot cappuccino at The Poughkeepsie Grind, a new cafe with what I hope will be a long and bright future ahead of it.

And now to order that patch . . .

My Coffeeneuring Round-Up (2015)

Autumn is a lovely time to be alive in the Hudson Valley and this year was no exception. In fact, it's been one of the most spectacular years anyone seems to remember. Mild temperatures, dry weather and gorgeous foliage have all contributed to create pretty much ideal riding conditions. While work and family demands kept me off the bike more than I would have liked, I was still able to get out for some remarkable riding and the Coffeeneuring Challenge helped me to make this happen for a fifth year in a row.

Coffeeneuring helps us celebrate and enjoy not only the coming of fall, but also the restful transition between the intensity of summer riding and the buildup to base-training for the cycling season ahead. No wonder this global phenomenon is so popular!

Ride 1 (October 17)
The Mudd Puddle - New Paltz, New York
3 miles
Double espresso

An important autumn ritual involves bike maintenance at the end of a busy season of riding. I stopped at the Mudd Puddle, one of my favorite cafes in New Paltz, on my way to the Bicycle Depot to have them investigate some shifting trouble I was experiencing. Turns out I needed a whole new drive train. Maybe I should have had something stronger than a double espresso. Ack!

Ride 2 (October 18)
Fika - New York City
8 miles
Black coffee and a blueberry muffin

While I had to work in NYC on this particular Sunday, I made sure to stop off for a coffee and a muffin on my way downtown from Grand Central. I was finally able to justify an annual CitiBike membership now that the network has spread above 59th Street and riding in NYC never gets old. It may have been the most expensive cup of coffee in this series, but it sure hit the spot.

Ride 3 (October 24)
Minnewaska State Park - New Paltz, New York
25 miles
Hot chocolate and chocolate covered macaroons

My daughter arrived home for a week-long college break just as the leaves reached peak form. I took the opportunity to swap my road tires for a pair of Clement 35mm cyclocross tires and we hit the gorgeous carriage trails in Minnewaska State Park to enjoy the season in all its glory. Since there were no coffee shops for miles around, we decided to fill a Thermos with hot chocolate and brought along some gourmet chocolate macaroons for nourishment.

Ride 4 (October 25)
The Apple Bin - Esopus, New York
14 miles
Black coffee and an apple cider donut.

One of the several short rides I was able to fit in this fall brought me to the local Apple Bin farm stand where I was able to enjoy a hot cup of black coffee and a fresh apple cider donut, one of their seasonal specialities.

Ride 5 (October 31)
The Bakery - New Paltz, New York
51 miles
Black coffee and a classic black and white

On my longest ride in the series, I arranged to meet up with my friend Doug, a fellow PBP ancien, to explore the carriage trails in Mohonk Preserve while discussing our travels to Paris in August. On the way home, I stopped at The Bakery in the village of New Paltz for a hot cup of coffee and a classic black and white cookie just in time to see the award-winning pumpkins in the annual Halloween pumpkin contest.

Ride 6 (November 14)
Slabsides - West Park, New York
4 miles
Black coffee

I spent the penultimate day of the challenge blowing thousands of leaves off my lawn with a rented leaf blower. As a result, there was no time for riding until sundown when I grabbed my bike, a light and some coffee and headed for the top of the ridge behind my house to the site of John Burroughs' rustic Slabsides cabin to watch the sun set.

Ride 7 (November 15)
Shaupeneak Ridge - Esopus, New York
10 miles
Black coffee

I spent the final day of the challenge on some important seasonal house chores, but I was also able to get in one final ride up Shaupeneak Ridge as the sun fell low in the sky. Thank goodness for the Coffeeshop Without Walls rule or I would not have made it this year! Thanks too, MG, for all of your Coffeeneuring leadership. Onward to 2016!

Lanterne Rouge: My Coffeeneuring Wrap-up

To say that the Coffeeneuring Challenge was not my highest priority this fall does not convey my fondness for this unique and growing phenomenon. I feel honored to be one of the original coffeeneurs and set out this fall with plans to build upon my past accomplishments to take this challenge to a new level. The trouble is that life simply got in the way. To begin with, October has become a harried month in my calendar with school accreditation visits to supervise as well family demands that have grown rather than lessened now that my daughter has begun her first year of college. With a few six-day work weeks and a trip to Ohio, it's been nearly impossible to squeeze in even the most rudimentary coffeeneuring excursions.

Yesterday, for instance, I was committed to riding a 100K permanent populaire to keep my monthly streak going after dropping off my wife to teach a workshop for childbirth educators in New York City. I selected JB's Yorktown Heights 100K, which begins and ends in Yonkers. The route itself is both pleasant and challenging with over 20 miles of rail trail and additional miles along sleepy (hollow) backroads throughout Westchester County. The only way I could fit in a coffeeneuring ride while staying true to the challenge rules, however, was to add on a two-mile loop after completing the permanent ride. 

Today, with the curtain closing on the 2014 Challenge, I managed to fit in a five-mile loop beginning and ending at the state park where my son was playing in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament. While I was able to succeed, I did not excel -- and this, sometimes, has to be good enough. Out with a whimper rather than a bang. Lanterne rouge it would be.

I can tolerate a Dunkin' Donuts coffee, but I typically don't enjoy it unless I've ridden several hundred miles before drinking one. This was not the case here, it was simply the best I could do under the circumstances. As with randonneuring, not all rides are inspired, but the satisfaction of completing a series is very sweet indeed. So with gratitude and humility, I thank MG for her fine organization and inspiration and promise that I will put in a superior effort in 2015. 

#6
November 15
Dunkin' Donuts, Yonkers, NY
Dark roast coffee and a Pumpkin Pie donut
2 miles

#7
November 16
Dunkin' Donuts, Arlington, NY
Regular coffee
5 miles

Coffeeneuring Round-up: Chasing the Dream

It's Veterans Day here in the Hudson Valley and I seized the opportunity to enjoy the mild temperatures to ride around the Shawangunk Ridge imagining a hot cappuccino at the end to complete my fifth ride in the Coffeeneuring Challenge. Unfortunately, the "barista" at my chosen cafe decided not only to neglect to create a fancy cream design on top, but also served me the drink in a Styrofoam cup. It was as if I passed through the Looking Glass and into the 1980s. It was a lovely ride, but the drink left a lot to be desired.

I had the inverse experience last Saturday with a short and barely legitimate coffeeneuring ride that ended in an absolutely fabulous brunch with my daughter and several of her friends. It was parents weekend at her college, so as loving parents, we packed the car and headed west for a chance to see our first born in her new natural habitat. Since this is her first term away, there was a little delay with the acquisition of a bicycle, but we were sure to throw mom's old beater onto the roof to deliver it in person. 

The brunch was a highlight of the weekend as it provided us the chance to meet our daughter's delightful new friends, which went a long way to helping us imagine her in her new surroundings. We also had the chance to see her perform in a dance concert, which further warmed our hearts.

Post Script - a week earlier, I discovered a new breakfast spot in Kingston when the cafe I planned to visit was not open when I arrived.

Coffeeneur Ride Details:

#5

November 12
The Mud Puddle, New Paltz, NY
Cappuccino
32 miles

#4

November 8
The Feve, Oberlin, OH
Black Coffee
One pancake, two eggs and three slices of bacon
2 miles

#3

November 2
The Frozen Rainbow, Kingston, NY
Hot Cider
Toasted Corn Muffin
23 miles

'Tis Time for a Little Coffeeneuring

I have been SUPER busy this month. So busy, in fact, that today marks only my second ride in the 2014 Coffeeneuring Challenge. If you're not familiar with coffeeneuring, a) what?, b) where have you been?, and c) check out MG's great Chasing Mailboxes blog on the subject or take a look at the posts in the active Facebook group. I'm proud to be one of the original coffeeneurs and while several weeks have passed without my participation, I'm now eager to join the party.

Today I decided to keep it local and sample the wonderful fall fare at the bountiful Apple Bin Market where I was surprised to find not only fresh apple cider donuts, but also a new pumpkin-apple cider donut variety. Needless to say, I had to stage a taste test. Results: pumpkin wins by a neck.

Coffeeneur Ride Details:
October 25
Apple Bin Market, Ulster Park, NY
Costa Rican Coffee w/ sugar and half & half
Apple Cider Donuts
17 miles

My first coffeeneuring adventure this fall was on October 12 when I went for a quick ride to check out a new combination art shop/cafe in Kingston's famed Rondout district. The coffee was tasty and the location quite lovely.

On my way home from Kingston, I spotted a new historical plaque on a familiar street corner. I've known that abolitionist and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth had ties to this area, but I did not realize the complex depth of the connection. After seeing the plaque below, I decided to do a little research. It turns out that Truth was born into slavery in 1789 on a farm within 10 miles of my home, sold at the age of 9 with a flock of sheep for $100 to a man in Kingston, sold at the age of 11 to a tavern owner in Port Ewen with whom she lived for the next 18 months until she was sold to yet another slave owner two doors down from my house in West Park. At the age of 29, Truth finally escaped from slavery by walking over ten miles one night over the road I now use as a major training route directly across 9W from my house. Since the farm house I live in was built in the 1770s, it's likely that Truth knew or visited it during her time in this town. While I've known that slavery was present in all of the northern states in the 18th and 19th centuries, it is still a shock to learn how embedded in New York society it once was.  I don't think I'll look at this training route in quite the same way again.

Coffeeneur Ride Details:
October 12
Olivieri's, Kingston, NY
Espresso
Fig Newton
22 miles