Coffeeneuring Summary 2017

It was a quieter coffeeneuring year, but all 7 rides were duly accomplished.  Two Coffee Outsides, but brought from home, not brewed on site.  My successful theme this year was No Disposable Cups.  The handy Contigo Autoseal West Loop mug did for the Coffee Outside, and some coffee shop stops, and I carried a thermal mug to the Verboort Sausage Festival, because they only have paper cups, which tripped me up last year.

#1 Coffee Outside on the Fanno Creek Trail

Bridges aren't slippery (yet). Coffee from home. I have upped my porteur bag game from previous years :-) 12.6 miles.

Bleriot on the Fanno Creek Trail

#2 Solace Coffee

I had to get out between the bands of downpours, and saw a window. First, a trip to the fabric store, for the backing and batting to finish grandson #2's quilt, and then decisions, decisions. Which coffee shop? I settled on Solace, right by the Beaverton Police Department, and, bonus, a covered staple rack!
I ordered a Blood Orange Mocha, and settled down for some enjoyable reading on the squashy sofa.
The fabric store has nothing to lock to, and I do mean NOTHING. The kind cashier let me bring it inside. She said the owner had been asked about a bike rack before and decided they didn't want to spend the money. I wrote a customer comment note; keeping up the pressure.

3.85 miles.
Followup on the bike rack - I spoke with the manager when I was there for a 3-day weaving class this past week.  She's not got the power to have a bike rack installed, but I am welcome to bring the bike inside any time.  I'll take it.

In between the bands of rain (I'm right near the two 51 degree markers)

Outside Solace Coffee

nice place to sit and read

Inside the fabric store

#3 New Season's Grocery (and place to get a nice lunch and coffee)

I was planning to ride over to the bagel store for coffee and a bagel, and some bagels to bring home, but the spouse suggested instead going to New Seasons, where they have really good bagels, coffee, and other things if one doesn't want a bagel for lunch. Sure.

We took the direct route over (1.8 miles), but a slightly different route home, to enjoy the NEW NEW NEW paved path over what was a sucking dirt mud pit desire path for as long as I remember (36 years!) and the new path by Beaverton Creek.

New Seasons has perfectly adequate bike parking.

4+ miles.

fall foliage on Millikan Way

formerly sucking mudpit desire path

Right, coffee and bagel

Beaverton is going to get a food cart pod!

#4 Edge Coffee

 Millikan Way, end to end, a flu shot, and coffeeneuring at Edge Coffee. 7.4 miles. Portland Clinic has bike parking, Edge Coffee doesn't appear to. I locked to a chair. Chai Tea Latte. I'll have to update my blog post on SW Millikan Way; with the addition of the path from the east end to SW Lombard (previous coffeeneuring post), it is now continuous for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, if you don't mind hopping a few curbs. The "no disposable cups" theme continues.

Bleriot hanging at Edge Coffee

Bleriot parked at the clinic

The Westside Trail

Beaverton Creek

Hall Creek Trail

#5 Coffee Outside, Council Crest Park

We are trying to get our friends K and R more accustomed to riding on the streets, so offered up the Council Crest Loop from our house. Half trail, half streets, a climb there and a fun descent back. Especially today as it was very blustery, and the tailwind home was wonderful.

Council Crest Park, views of Mt St Helens, Mt Adams, and Mt Rainier

15.5 miles, coffee from home.

Fairmount Drive

And Mt Hood, from the far east point of Fairmount Drive

#6 Annual Verboort Sausage Fest

Got coffee from the industrial sized urn, with powdered creamer and sweetener. Also a sausage on a stick. Bike parking anywhere. 3+ miles back to Forest Grove. Brought my own mug; the no disposable cups game is still strong.

Sausage on a stick and coffee.  In my own mug.

#7 Jim and Patty's Coffee

The bike rack situation is unchanged (bent up wheelbreaker, "our employees don't complain"). Rode to the library to get a long awaited book; not open for another 35 minutes. Went to the grocery (eggs, ginger root, carrots), then back to the library. Got the book, then off to Jim and Patty's to get a Borgia Mocha in a ceramic cup, and settled down to enjoy the first chapter of La Belle Sauvage. 6.05 miles. 4 lock/unlock repeats. You can see Bleriot through the door, locked to a table and chair.

Borgia Mocha and The Book of Dust

Coffeeneuring 2016 Summary

The three postings are here:
Rides 1, 2, and 3
Ride 4
Ride 5
Rides 6 and 7

Picture Summary

Coffeeneur #6, Morning Glory, Eugene

Michal and I thought we could squeeze in another coffeeneur on the way to taking me to the Eugene Amtrak Station.

Cyndi had an errand to run, so she would be meeting us there, and carrying my daypack, which had somehow acquired a book and a jar of home-roasted coffee...

Of course there was wonderful coffee beforehand, but that has never stopped me from drinking more coffeeneur-approved™ beverages.

Fortunately, it was considerably less dark and foggy than the day before, but somehow, no less steep.  I am not exactly sure how we got there (well, sort of sure), but there was the train station, Morning Glory, and Cyndi.

They have a fun bike rack setup, and a giant bicycle wheel sculpture outside.



Went in and ordered (this is Eugene; what sort of milk-like substance did I want in my chai?  Dairy.), then walked my bike across the street to get its luggage tag.  Very low key.

Back for the chai, some pictures, and further visiting before it was time to catch the train.




(picture by Michal Young; train station out the window to the left)



We walked my bike over to the baggage car, and I handed it up, said good-byes and got onto my car (PDX bound, cars 6 and 7).

Another very fun weekend!

Chai, 3.84 mi, Morning Glory Cafe

Coffeeneur #4, South Store Cafe

I was casting about for a coffeeneur for this weekend, but was a bit time-constrained today because we were scheduled to babysit Asher (perhaps I haven't said here, but we became grandparents on May 28.)

I could have done an expedient one, but really wanted to do something with other people.  And the weather was going to be OUTSTANDING.



Susan O proposed the South Store Cafe in Scholls.  She was reserving the right to do a longer ride, but I could easily get home from there in plenty of time.  After much thinking, I planned to ride over to Susan's for an 8:30am (ish) departure, so as to get in more riding, and not have to ride back to her house and drive home, as Scholls is closer to where I live.

Up at 6-ish, and out the door right around 7:30.  It was cold.  Nice view of the moonset on my way over.



Arrived to find a bicycle with sparkly reflective green stars all over it by the front door.  Clearly Asta was in on this.  And so was Jeff!  We spent a fair amount of time chatting before finally heading out.

After working our way though East Hillsboro and onto River Road, we got out into the country.  I did call a photo halt at Northwest Alpacas, because there were lots of baby alpacas and they were all so darn cute.





Right turn at the new traffic circle at River Rd and Scholls Ferry, and over to the South Store Cafe, which I have ridden past many times, but not ever stopped.  It is right across the road from Smith's BerryBarn, which is the raspberry u-pick of choice.





It was wonderful.  Jeff ordered two things, plus coffee, Susan went for the strata, and Asta and I ordered up some Italian Torta, which was an egg/spinach/roasted red pepper/tomato layered pie.  And coffee.  Can't forget that.  I got a Pumpkin Spice Latte.







Enjoyed our coffee, food, and the company.  Jeff went and ordered more food; I bought a cookie.  Asta bought some cookies.  The staff thought we were great fun, and delivered a plate of pumpkin pastries with frosting on the house. :-) Yum.



After a good long while, Susan, Asta, and Jeff set out to ride down to St Paul, and I headed home.

There was major road construction at Scholls Ferry and Roy Rogers.  I had a great conversation with the flagger during the very long wait.  I haven't ridden on this stretch of Scholls Ferry for a couple of years.  Still rural and very pretty.  Then into the south edge of Beaverton.  I worked my way north on SW 125th, Greenway, the Fanno Creek Trail...





Brief stop at the battery store before finally arriving home.

The route:

39.8 miles
Fabulous weather!

Coffeeneuring #7, Chatterbox Coffee

Our last (for the series, probably not our last ever!) was to Chatterbox Coffee, in far west Beaverton.  About 6.5 miles due west on SW Baseline.  37 degrees when Fitz and I set out, but not raining.  Brought my jacket along just in case.

Jeff A was there when we arrived; Susan O showed up shortly thereafter.



I had a Mexi-mocha in a real mug, and a marionberry scone.  That was it for pastries.  They had breakfast things, but I'd had my bowl of Cheerios before departure.



Discussions included special purpose tools, both bicycle (Park Master Link Plier, yeah!) and kitchen (that Williams-Sonoma pie drip catcher was perhaps a bit over the top), cycling clothing (vests are so amazingly versatile), and riding up Bald Peak.  Apparently there are 5 ways up it.  I have ridden two of them, and not on the same ride.



Noticed that all the rando bikes had S&S couplers.  Fitz's tank didn't count - utility and commute only.

Seemed to be raining on the ride home, so everyone but Susan pulled out jackets.  We directed Jeff A to the Willow Creek MAX stop (he comes in all the way from SE Portland, and multimodes), and stopped by Bike Gallery in the hope that they would be open; Sweetpea's rear derailleur is doing that skip thing again.  Still too early, so I'll try later.

All coffeeneur expeditions were in Washington County.  No trips into Portland for coffee.  Only one trip to Starbucks, all the others were independents.

13.42 miles round trip.

All the coffeeneuring pictures here.

Coffeeneuring #6, Maggie's Buns

Susan suggested we meet at Cafe Montecassino in Forest Grove before the annual Oregon Randonneurs Verboort Sausage Populaire.  We'd then ride the last 3 miles to Verboort in plenty of time for the start.  Our backup plan was Maggie's Buns, my very favorite place to stop in Forest Grove.



Maggie's is 18 miles from my house by the most expedient route.  Out the door at 6:45am (yawn) in pitch dark.  Not raining, and not particularly chilly.  I made it through downtown Hillsboro before it got almost light enough to call it daylight (day before the end of daylight savings).

Found Jeff and Susan's bikes parked outside Maggie's, so went inside and ordered my standard - cup of coffee (Stumptown, very good), and a bun.  Heated.  With the frosting.  Mmmmm.  Bill A appeared shortly thereafter.

A nice 30 minute stop, then northward to Verboort for our populaire.

Coffeeneuring #5, Starbucks

Short and sweet.  It was pouring all day, and the coffee place that I thought I'd try appeared to have gone out of business.  The closest open coffee shop is the Starbucks on SW 117th and SW Canyon in Beaverton, the (not so coincidentally) start point for most of my permanents.



Out and back, 3 miles.  Relaxed for awhile with my pumpkin spice latte, and have decided that the ones I make at home taste better.

A first on the ride home - rode up my street IN THE MIDDLE RING!

Coffeeneuring #4, Pony Espresso

Pony Espresso is our favorite coffee cart (really a truck) at the Beaverton Farmers Market.  We can bet on a long line, and when we finally get to the front, a long conversation with Bruce.  He makes a great Mexi-Mocha.

Since it is getting to the end of the season, there wouldn't be much to haul back from the Farmers Market, so I rode my bike over this morning.  Jeff A planned to meet me there.

Raining lightly, and high 40's.  Got there at 9, didn't see Jeff.  Locked the bike (complicated to wheel it around).  Got in the inexplicably short line for my Mexi-Mocha, chatted with Bruce, then wandered around a bit.





Visited with Polly, our farmer from our CSA.  She was telling me that her friend Lynne (Susan O's CSA) was rubbing it in that this was their last week for the season.  Our CSA goes year round...  Polly sells really pretty wreaths at the Farmers Market.  If I could figure out somewhere in the house to hang one, I'd get it.  Still working on that.

Off to our Apple Guy (Mr. Haury).  Sampled the apples at the tart end of the spectrum, and bought Newton Pippens and Northern Spies.  Stopped by Fressen, our favorite bakery booth, and bought a loaf of Franconia Rye (oh, SO good) and a Nutella Croissant (every bit as amazing as it sounds). ZOMG!  Fressen has classes and workshops!  Oooh!



Wandered back by my bike, and there was Jeff!  He looked at my bike (the Rivendell Bleriot) and wondered if that was my rando bike (as in, it was a full-on rando configuration, but not the one he's seen me riding).  Well, it WAS.  Now it is the nicest utility/commuting bike ever :-)



We cruised the rest of the market; I was still looking for parsnips and rosemary.  I've got a lamb shoulder roast just calling for them.  Eventually found some of each, plus did lots of sampling along the way.  Then I talked him into trying a sausage from Fetzer's.  We've been buying their sausage for over 30 years, back since they had the store at the corner of SW Cedar Hills and SW Walker Rd.

Took lots of pictures of gorgeous produce.



Then it was time to go - me to Freddie's to get some green olives (for the aforementioned lamb shoulder roast) and him to get back for Disney on Ice.



More pics here

4.78 miles
Mexi-Mocha

Coffeeneuring #1 and #2

These first two outings have been flèche-style events - we all converge on a coffee destination by a specified time :-)

Outing #1 was at Insomnia Coffee in Hillsboro.  Bill and I planned to meet up and ride over together.  Now I knew that it was the one off Cornell.  I had read that.  But my head was saying it was the one on Baseline...  Good thing Bill was along.

I had a mocha (with great latte art) and a lemon cookie.  We sat outside for two solid hours (Bill, me, Susan, and Jeff), talked, and took way too many pictures.  Bill had to get into Portland for tango, so I made my own way home.  Round trip 16.28 miles.  Bicycle: Sweetpea

Susan's report

Outing #2 was much closer, at Edge Coffee, on Millikan Way in Beaverton.  I woke up at 9:15 and realized I was supposed to be meeting at 10am...  Fitz was cooking blueberry pancakes, so I waited to eat them, put a pannier on the Bleriot, and zipped off.  Fitz said he'd follow shortly.

Arrived at Edge Coffee to see Jeff and Susan's bikes, a really nice (and tall) Atlantis, and a few others around the corner.  Went in to find Jeff, Susan, Bill and Michael W ("is your Bleriot snogging with my Atlantis?").  Jeff A showed up shortly thereafter, and Fitz a bit after that.  Michael W typically rides a recumbent, so I was a bit surprised to see him on the Atlantis.

I enjoyed a latte (no art) and an almond croissant.

More sitting around, documenting, listening to Michael describe the planned Spring 600, drinking, eating, and whatever that took at least two hours to accomplish.

We all went our separate ways around noon-ish; I paused at the New Seasons grocery to get more hot peppers and garlic for my Pickled Green Tomato project.

Round trip: 4.04 miles.  Bicycle: Rivendell Bleriot

All the coffeeneuring pics here