Bike early and bike often – that’s my motto. And when the
weather is brisk and beautiful at the beginning of the Fall coffeeneuring
season, I know I will be glad if I get my official rides in early. Because life
offers no guarantees and good weather should never be taken for granted.
That said, while I joyfully took my rides early, I nearly
had an epic fail in recording them. I thought I was being so smart to post each
ride on the Facebook page as soon as I took it. My mistake was not writing down
the ride details someplace more accessible. With the growing popularity of
coffeeneuring, I was not able to look through all the posts to find my rides.
And the search function only turned up four of my rides. However, I had
fortunately not deleted my photos from my phone and with the brilliant I phone
technology, I was able to get the proper date of the photos to reconstruct my
rides. BUT - I encountered insurmountable issues importing some photos into this blog. Although they appear on my phone and computer, I cannot find them through Blogspot AND I can no longer import them via the app. Sigh - technology!!!
So here is the compilation:
Ride 1 – October 17, 2017 – 8 miles
This year coffeeneuring season began on my 65th
birthday, but due to a bikeless weekend trip to Yogaville I was not able to
take a ride on that day. However, on Tuesday the weather was brisk but
beautiful and I took my bike to Trader Joe's for some groceries, stopping at
Northside Social on the return for a cookie and espresso. It was just chilly
enough that few people were seated outside, but as I was warmed up from my
bike, it felt good to sit in the sun and enjoy my treat.
Ride 2 – October 18, 2017 – 5 miles
I am lucky to live in close biking distance to the Eden Center
where Vietnamese treats abound. This day I tried a bubble tea – a very sweet
concoction in which you use a wide straw to suck up blobs of tapioca. It’s a
bit sweet for my taste, but was a nice contrast with the spicy fried tofu that
is made fresh at Thanh Son Tofu. It is addictive! Bike parking is not the
greatest at the Eden Center, but there are racks at the far end by the Good
Fortune grocery store. And, on the way home I used the new bike lane on
Washington Blvd, which makes it much nicer to ride up the hill.
Ride 3 – October 21, 2017 – 14.5 miles
I rode to Baked and Wired in Georgetown for a ginger scone
and cortado (which they call a tallat for some reason). Their baked goods are
always outstanding. The weather was so lovely that I decided to bike home the longer
way – riding up to Chain Bridge. Some days you just want to ride. Only after I'd locked my bike to a fence did I later notice that there is actually a bike rack halfway down the block toward K St.
Ride 4 – October 24, 2017 – 8 miles
Ride 4 – October 24, 2017 – 8 miles
I rode to Courthouse, voted early, and made my first (but
probably not last) visit to Bayou Bakery. I had been craving biscuits and they
made a nice flaky one, which I had with an espresso. I had taken along my
laptop with the thought of doing some writing. But I had the problem I usually
do with coffee shops: the music inside was too loud and the chairs outside were
too uncomfortable. I settled on outside and did manage to write for half an
hour, but was happy to get back on the bike.
Ride 5 – October 31, 2017 – 8 miles
Ride 5 – October 31, 2017 – 8 miles
Decided on a “coffee shop without walls” ride, packing a
picnic lunch and my favorite combination of ½ ginger-turmeric tea with ½ my
homemade kombucha. I rode the W&OD Trail turning off into the grounds of
the Long Branch Nature Center. It was quiet and peaceful, the colors just
beginning.
Ride 6 – November 2, 12017 – 10 miles
It was time to get my senior Metro card, so I rode to the
Commuter Store in Rosslyn, got the card and then stopped on the way home at
Bakeshop in Clarendon. I didn’t enjoy my soy chai latte or peach scone as much
as I’d hoped. Also – it’s an adventure to use the restroom, as it’s a shared
facility for the building, requiring a walk down the block and through the
hallways of a a building that feels practically abandoned. Sometimes when you’ve been riding
your bike awhile in chilly weather you would like a more convenient pit stop!
Ride 7 – November 4, 2017 – 6 miles
This year I clearly saved the best for last. Livin’ the Pie
Life has been open at the corner of Lee Highway and Glebe Rd for about 18
months and, believe it or not – this was my first visit. I first rode to
Pilates class and then stopped at Pie on the way home. It was hands down the
best espresso of this season and the scone was second only to Baked and Wired
(which is pretty hard to beat). It takes great self-control to go in and
NOT buy pie. Even at 10 a.m., plenty of people were bypassing the scones and
going straight to pie. It is definitely a good place to visit by bike, because
car parking is very inconvenient and limited whereas bike parking is readily
available.
Almost immediately after I finished my rides, the
thermometer plunged with temperatures in the 30s. When it's in the
40s I am still happy to bike, if dressed properly. But once it gets much colder
I am less eager to get on the bike. I lucked out this year with lovely weather.
And also – as the Facebook community has grown I have delighted in seeing other
people’s rides.
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