coffeeneuring #5

Tuesday 1 November
66° humidity 94% wind 4-5 NE

looking west at sr54 and mpb

Pam told me about the wellness café at Florida Hospital. I decided to check it out. To make it worth the calories, I went out MPB to SR54. O rode the MUP along MPB. I prefer the road but it gets busy along this stretch and I wasn't sure I could keep my tired brain aware enough to be safe. 

looking south at sr54 and bbd

There is a decent shoulder along SR54. The wind was behind me and I cruised along. I had to stop briefly at Curley Road for the light and then again at BBD to cross safely. While waiting for the light, I realized I have never been to the Waffle House. We have homemade waffles and sausage every Sunday at home so there is no need to have waffles anywhere else.

non-descript entry for visitors

I rode south down BBD. The wind was with me and helped me get some good speed. I rode in the road instead of the MUP. The bike lane is clear.

I have not been to Florida Hospital. I followed the signs to the Wellness Center and looked for a bike rack. I found two in the back with the visitor parking. I locked up my bike and went in. The Café is very small but had a good variety of smoothies. Why do most smoothies include bananas? I ordered a berry blast. It was $4.82. 

There is seating inside but I prefer to go outside. At least there were other people around in workout clothes since the Wellness Center includes a fitness area. There was no seating outside so I took my smoothie to go. I rode back against the wind, SR56 to Mansfield. 

18.17 miles
12.82 mph

coffeeneuring #4

Monday, 24 October
61° humidity 80% wind 5 NNE

this is the barrier at the end of mansfield. there is a worn path along the right side.

I wore my long sleeve base but didn't need it. The sun was warm. I went out CLR to Mansfield over to Kinnan. Kennan is an abandoned future road. It was built to connect two counties but the counties cannot agree. There was no broken glass but shredded mattress someone dumped here. I rode to Cross Creek. 

no bike lane and a lower shoulder is no very bike friendly.

I had to stop to cross traffic to get across the road to Hunters' Green. My speeds were good with wind behind me. I went north on BBD.

cross creek and bruce b downs

I missed hitting resume on my Apple Watch and lost 1/4 mile. Oops. 
I rode east on Regents Park All the way around to BBD. I rode it back to Pebble Creek and took that to the shopping center. Regents Park and Pebble Creek are narrow roads with no bike lanes and no shoulders. The sidewalks are narrow and not meant for bikes. The pavement is bumpy in places due to the street trees. 

Tropical Island Smoothies and Subs is a small place with a big menu. I don't know how he can keep all of it fresh. I ordered a mango strawberry and kiwi smoothie. It came with some whipped cream on top! It was good and sweet but expensive. Smoothies are $7.99 and he was so nice I felt obligated to give him a tip. 

There is no bike rack around. They do offer seating inside and outside. I rode back with most of my smoothie. I rode home, against the wind. 

starve and wahoo will connect the dots but not the Apple Watch.

15.8 miles 13.8 mph

coffeeneuring #2

wasteful foam cup i cannot recycle

Friday, October 14
77° humidity 88% wind 3-7 NE

they look cool but do they attract birds?

i would expect to see purple martins in this type of bird house

I went out to Union Park. I stopped at the bird houses. They are interesting but I doubt many birds use them. They are probably too close together and not maintained. I accidentally hit resume and lost my average speed on Wahoo app. 

the trees are still too small to attract squirrels, there are several fake squirrels around the development

I rode to SR56 to BBD. I went across BBD and then down to Smoothie King at CLR. I had never there been before. I saw one bike chained to a street sign, a recumbent just sitting on the walk so I assumed there was no rack.

the rack is off the walkway but is visible from the shops

I got off my bike and saw the rack, unused. I locked my bike and went inside. SK is nicer than I expected. They have loads of energy bars and protein canisters. 

too many choices?

I got a Greek Yogurt with Strawberry and Bluberry. There were too many options. SK is expensive. A small Smoothie is over $5. I had a coupon and paid $3.20. 
There is seating inside but it was too cool to stay. There is no seating outside. I took my Smoothie and went home, against the wind. 

15.13 miles
13 mph

#coffeeneuring

coffeeneuring #3

Tuesday, October 18, 2016
72° humidity 92% wind 5-7 NE

this is the best view at union park, at least the route i ride

I was tired but wanted to get another challenge out of the way. I rode out to Union Park. I had to ride over the wooden bridge because kids were waiting for the bus on the sidewalk. I saw a girl riding her bike and wondered if she rode to school. I saw her bike parked near the bus stop when I left Union Park.

mt wesley chapel?

I had to stop at SR56. I took a photo of the mound of fill dirt that has been there for months. Is it for the future road extension? 

I rode west on SR56 and had some good tailwind. But my legs didn't feel like pushing too hard. 

small & noisy with the mixers whirring

I rode to Wiregrass and rode through Paseo Drive to Fresh Healthy Café. There was no bike rack nearby so I locked my bike to a street light pole. 

I ordered a Green Tea Berry with energy supplement. $6.41
I sat outside and drank my smoothie. 

I rode home when I finished. It wasn't a good ride. My belly was too full and the wind was too strong. 

16.4 miles 12.9 mph

coffeeneuring #1

Coffeeneuring 2016: smoothie roads ahead

This is my second year with the challenge. I don’t drink coffee so I tried tea last year. Hot tea is too hot for Florida, iced chai is just OK. On a long ride last year, I tried a smoothie and realized this is my drink of choice after a ride. This year would just be smoothies.
I planned to start October 7 but Hurricane Matthew rolled through the area. I started almost a week later on October 13.

Thursday, October 13
70° humidity 93% wind 7-8 NNE

wooden bridge at union park

Windy. Rode up to Union Park. Rode my usual route backwards. 
Rode up SR56 in the road to Panera. I did the short loop at WRB. The road may be complete but I didn't try it. 

a cyclist at panera was hogging the lone bike rack with a cover for his bike. i locked up my bike and went inside.

I ordered a Superfruit Smoothie. I don't really care for the tang of Greek yogurt but it is OK and the calorie count is low. I got my smoothie and went outside to the patio.

the patio is nice but SR56 runs along side and there is car noise. 

Ugh. Don't slurp down Smoothie too quickly or risk a brain freeze!

i prefer not to ride on sidewalks but this is the quickest way to the light and is usually empty.

The ride back was a bit rough. I had a headwind all along SR56 and most of Mansfield. Also, my belly was full of smoothie. I forgot to hit resume after the stop light and lost some mileage. I lost some speed but gained it back once I turned away from the wind. 

13.68 miles (bike computer)
13.2 mph (bike computer)

#coffeeneuring

20161016 cycling

no empty blocks except sunday.

Monday
63° humidity 88% wind 6-7 N
Yay for cooler weather!
It was dark this morning and I needed my lights. 
One loop. 
Had to stop for ambulance on Mansfield. Ran into school traffic at JLMS. Two cars ahead stopped to let car turning left go. Car behind him snuck in behind him and cut me off. Asshole. 
9.03 miles 13.53 mph

union park bridge

Tuesday
66° humidity 83% wind 7 N
Carrot Weather said wind was NW so I went out CLR to BBD. I ran into a headwind on SR56 and lost some speed. I gained it back when I turned on Hueland Pond. Headwind along Mansfield until it turned south
8.13 mph 13.01 mph

Wednesday
70° humidity 90% wind 5-10 NNE
More time to ride today. I went to Union Park and tried another road. Kids were waiting at the clubhouse for the bus. I rode around the park to avoid having to slow down or stop. 
Wind was annoying and my legs were not up to the challenge. 
13.2 miles
13.02 mph

not so sweet smoothie

Thursday
Coffeeneuring #1
70° humidity 93% wind 7-8 NNE
Windy. Rode up to Union Park. Rode my usual route backwards. 
Rode up SR56 in the road to Panera. I did the short loop at WRB. The road may be complete but I didn't try it. 
Cyclist at Panera hoarding the line bike rack with a cover for his bike. 
Ordered a Superfruit Smoothie. I don't really care for the tang of Greek yogurt but it is OK and the calorie count is low. 
Panera has one lone bike rack. The patio is nice but SR56 runs along side and there is car noise. 
Ugh. Don't slurp down Smoothie too quickly or risk a brain freeze!
The ride back was a bit rough. I had a headwind all along SR56 and most of Mansfield. I forgot to hit resume after the stop light and lost some mileage. I lost some speed but gained it back once I turned. 
13.68 (bike computer)
13.2 (bike computer)

tasty but expensive smoothie

Friday
Coffeeneuring #2
77° humidity 88% wind 3-7 NE
I went out to Union Park. I stopped at the bird houses. They are interesting but I doubt many birds use them. They are probably too close together and not maintained. Accidentally hit resume and lost my average speed on Wahoo app. 
Rode to SR56 to BBD. I went across BBD and then down to Smoothie King at CLR. I had never been before. I saw one bike chained to a street sign, a recumbent just sitting on the walk so I assumed there was no rack. I got off my bike and saw the rack, unused. I locked my bike and went inside. SK is nicer than I expected. They have loads of energy bars and protein canisters. 
I got a Greek Yogurt with Strawberry and Bluberry. There were too many options. SK is expensive. A small Smoothie is over $5. I had a coupon and paid $3.20. 
There is seating inside but it too cool to stay. There is no seating outside. I took my Smoothie and went home, against the wind. 
15.13 miles
13 mph

the moon can be faintly seen beyond the bridge

Saturday
72° humidity 92% wind 6 NE
Late start. But I wanted to ride.
Drizzle in the beginning but I kept my glasses on even though they were useless.
Rode one loop to Hueland Pond. Drizzle got heavier but I kept going. No stops.
8.40 miles 14.01 mph

This week 69.4
This year 1961

coffeeneuring challenge complete

I am really glad I did the Coffeenuering Challenge this year. I didn't get to try many new coffee shops because we don't have a big variety in the area. I did get to ride outside of my comfort zone and try new routes. 

I discovered that hot tea is not a good drink for me while riding. It is too hot and I lack the patience for it to cool. I learned that I shouldn't ride on wet boardwalks with my narrow tires. 
I learned that riding in the road without a shoulder is sometimes better than a poorly maintained path.
I discovered that I am not so brave at going fast speeds downhill as I when I was young. 
I am still slow when changing tires.
I learned how to take advantage of wind.
I confirmed that I do not like bananas in my smoothies and Starbucks pastries look better than they taste.
I now know my body and brain cannot take too much bouncing over rough gravel and washboard roads.

I rode 168 miles.

I spent $134 on food, drinks and bike repairs.

I found that I prefer smoothies while riding. I also prefer the smoothies at Panera. I discovered that riding for 2 hours just barely justifies the calories of a smoothie and a treat. I would be better off having the smoothie alone or bringing along a small treat of my own.

I learned which roads have bike lanes and decent shoulders to ride on. I rode my longest distance (34 miles) and didn't collapse. I find that I have to ride harder to get my heart rate up. I want to explore more routes. Riding against the wind still sucks but sometimes it can push you back home.

#1 Stonemill Artisan $4
Helmet $60
21 miles

#2 Starbucks $4
20 miles

#3 Panera $7
33 miles

#4 Panera $7
Two tubes $30
21 miles

#5 Panera $7
25 miles

#6 Starbucks $8
21 miles

#7 Panera $7
27 miles

Total
168 miles
$134

Coffeeneuring Challenge #7

11 november

SR54 east at Meadow Pointe Blvd

I hadn’t really planned to do my last coffeeneuring challenge until the weekend. The boys left for school and I started looking at possible routes. I mapped a route to take advantage of the NE wind. I went out Meadow Pointe Blvd to SR54. I went east to Ashton Oaks. It is a newer residential development. The main road is two lanes with bike lanes. The trees are small and do not provide shade yet. I took Ashton Oaks Blvd to Grecko Dr. Grecko ends at Chancey Road.

Chancey Road

Google maps don’t show whether a road is paved or not and I was surprised when the pavement stopped. I checked my map to make sure I wasn’t lost. I proceeded with caution because I have narrow road tires. They have no tread to grab in sand so I didn’t go fast. Some parts were washboard and made my brain bounce. The pavement returned at New River Road. I continued to Morris Bridge and turned north. Morris Bridge is narrow with no shoulder. The road is busy but the speed limit is 25 mph on this portion. I turned again at SR54 and headed back. Even a busy road feels better with a bike lane.

SR54 west at Vending Road

The wind did not feel like it was behind me. 

Wild Berry Smoothie, 290 calories. Cinnamon Crunch Bagel, 420 calories

I went south on BBD along the MUP. I turned at the hospital and went around the back of the mall to Panera. 

Panera patio

Panera has a small bike rack and I locked my bike.

Wood screens help buffer traffic noise from SR56

I decided on a known treat with a Wild Berry smoothie and Cinnamon Crunch Bagel. 
I sat on the patio and enjoyed my snack.

Cinnamon Crunch bagel is best when toasted.

27 miles 13.5 mph

Coffeenuering Challenge #5

4 november 2015

Meadow Pointe Blvd just south of SR54

The wind was coming for the east but I have already gone that was in Challenge #3. I wanted to go to Panera in Lutz. It is only 6 miles west of my home. In order to enjoy a scone guilt-free, I needed to ride longer. I planned my route to take advantage of the winds as much as possible. I knew I would have to return home against the wind so I planned the majority of my ride before I got to Panera.

SR54 at Bruce B Downs

I went east on CLR to Mansfield to Beardsley to MPB. Then I went north to SR54. I continued riding SR54 to Livingston. The bike lane stops at Lexington Oaks but there is a nice, wide shoulder. The bike lanes starts up again where SR56 comes in. SR54 is a busy and fast highway. I felt safe enough riding on the shoulder and bike lane.

SW corner of Livingston and SR54 looking towards Panera

Panera has a lone bike rack in the tall grasses. Panera was busy and it took a while to get my smoothie. The smoothie was runny and disappointing in that I drank it too fast. The scone was as good as expected.

1995 Trek 1220

The ride home was slow and windy. I rode along SR54 to Oak Grove. Oak Grove has no bike lane but there was little traffic.

Caramel Apple Thumbprint Scone and Wild Berry Smoothie

I turned east on CLR. There is no bike lane but it was repaved this spring and they added a narrow shoulder. The shoulder widens at the overpass then disappears completely. That was only for two miles then back into MP with its bake lane.

Meadow Pointe Blvd/CR54 and SR56

25.5miles 13.6mph

coffeeneuring challenge #4

29 october 2015

I had to work on the weekend. I had Monday off but so did the boys and I took them to the chiropractor and to lunch. I didn’t have time to go for a longer ride until Thursday.
It was foggy and I had to turn on my lights and take off my glasses.

I went out Mansfield and rode across the gap to Kinnan. The two counties cannot agree to connect the two roads. Pasco County has a blockade but Hillsborough county just stops its roads. There is a narrow dirt track that leads from the sidewalk on Pasco to the Kinnan. It is very narrow and bumpy and I am always cautious as I rode across. Kinnan is empty and eerie in the fog.

I had to wait for the light to change.

I turned left at Cross Creek. I hadn’t ridden this route before. I am happily surprised that the shoulder is wide and smooth though not signed as a bike lane. I stop for a rest at Morris Bridge Road.

Morris Bridge south at Cross Creek

Cross Creek east from Morris Bridge

I start south on Morris Bridge and before I get any speed hear a tinking noise on my bike. I stop and check my tired which still feel firm. I look at the chain and drive train thinking something is catching. I spin my rear wheel and hear the think and see the nail hitting the frame as it passes by the brake. Damn.

How did I not see this in the road?

I walk back to Cross Creek to change the tire. I haven’t had many flats and am not good at changing them. It takes me about 20 minutes to get it changed. I know my hand pump is not the best and consider which route will get me to the bike shop quicker. I start out again on Morris Bridge. I am happily surprised that there is a bike lane even though it is narrow. 

I was sure to throw this away rather than toss it aside.

I went to Wahoo App on my iPhone and notice it quit my current workout. I start a new workout and ride on Morris Bridge. I go to Flatwoods Park and ride the paved loop through to Bruce B Downs. Along the ride, I don’t feel tired but it seems like I am having to push harder to get anywhere. I finally stop and check my tires. My front tire is losing air. I pump it up and continue on.

Brice B Downs south from Flatwoods Park

My local bike shop, Oliver’s, is just across BBD. I ride over there and leave the bike with Jason. I walk over to Panera for a smoothie. Panera is bike friendly. I have seen a group of recumbent riders come in after their ride in Flatwoods. There is no bike rack but the short fence surrounding the patio is metal.

I didn't feel like I rode far enough for a scone as well.

After my break, I go back to Oliver’s. they changed the front tube and I purchase a spare tube for my bike bag; $29

The ride home is BBD to County Line Road. 

21 miles