Coffeeneuring 2015
Coffeeneuring is not new but it's new to me. There's a lot of rules around coffeeneuring but the simply put, it's getting out on your bike for a social weekend ride for coffee. You can only do it at weekends and you have to do it within a timeframe but it will definitely push people to get out more once the autumn weather kicks in.
Drink: Latte
Miles: 13.9
Ride details: For my first coffeeneuring ride I decided to get my youngest son Alex to join me. He's only 11 but we often do cycling challenges together. A we were heading to Subway for breakfast, we didn't want to leave too late. There's several ways to get to Hailsham but I opted for the quiet back lanes. I had a latte with my food and the boy had a hot chocolate. The coffee was good but nothing special as it's from a machine. For the return journey I gave my son the choice of route. He opted for the Cuckoo Trail which is a shared use cycle path.
Bike friendliness: The shop has outside seating and back racks opposite so is a good choice for cyclists.
Drink: Latte
Miles: 15.5
Ride details: I took my youngest son with me for ride number 2. The plan was to ride into town and get a drink there but with the weather being so nice we rode the whole length of Eastbourne seafront and back again. Once we reached the harbour, we stopped at Seasons, a nice little cafe/restaurant. They serve illy coffee which is one of my favourites. I chose a latte and it was amazing. The boy had a hot chocolate again. It was nice sitting outside and the woman sitting at the table next to us had a gorgeous labradoodle puppy. We then took a quiet route back home.
Bike friendliness: The cafe has plenty of outside seating and table service so great for cyclists.
Drink: Latte
Miles: 29.1
Ride details: My friend Alex can't ride to work now he's changed jobs. I suggested he join me for some Coffeeneuring. He rode over to my house from Hastings and the plan was to ride back with him. On the way we stopped at Subway in Bexhill. I had my usual latte and Alex had hot chocolate. It 's always smooth and predictable in flavour. Nothing special but always good. Once I rode back with him I then turned around and headed home.
Bike friendliness: The shop has outside seating and back racks opposite so is a good choice for cyclists.
Drink: Latte
Miles: 9.9 miles
Ride details: Visiting Subway on a regular basis I have a good number of loyalty points. Me and the boy took a gentle ride into town. If I was riding by myself, I'd probably go via the seafront, but as I had my son with me I thought I'd take him a route we've not been before which has less traffic. Once we got there I ordered a latte for me and a hot chocolate for him. The ride home was via the seafront. We then went past his junior school and saw their animals including, turkeys, peahens, chickens, sheep, goats and ducks. The turkeys were extremely curious when we arrived. We then rode the rest of the way home.
Bike friendliness: The shop has outside seating and back racks opposite so is a good choice for cyclists.
Drink: Latte
Miles: 29.9 miles
Ride details: My friend Alex needed a little bit of work doing to his bike before he could ride next so I suggested I ride over to his first and we ride from there. So we could get the ride finished early, I left mine at 6am and got to his by 7. Alex wasn't really awake by then so he wasn't ready to ride. He made me a coffee while I sorted his bike and I waited for him to get ready. It was 8 am before we left. We did a reverse of the last ride we did so rode back to mine. We stopped for breakfast and a coffee at my local pub, the Farm. We both had pancakes and bacon with maple syrup and I had a latte in Alex had a hot chocolate (can you see the theme now?). We parted company and I was home in under a minute.
Bike friendliness: Plenty of outside seating if the weather's good and a nice fireplace to warm up with if it cold and wet.
Drink: Latte
Miles: 8.8 miles
Ride details: The fog started coming in around 1pm. By the time me and my youngest son left for our ride at 2pm the fog was everywhere but not too dense. We kept off the main roads and headed for Pevensey. We had a brief stop as we passed Pevensey Castle. We arrived a few minutes later at Starbucks. The shop had no atmosphere and the small amount of mess really stood out. Not many comfy chairs but as it was empty we got one each. I wasn't asked if I wanted the coffee to go, but our drinks came in paper cups. However, the coffee was very good indeed. The boy had a hot chocolate with cream this time. We then rode back via the foggy lanes through Rickney and Hankham.
Bike friendliness: Not an ideal location for a bike stop as there's no real places to lock you bike and the entry road is heavily potholed.
Drink: Latte
Miles: 12.8 miles
Ride details: Being remembrance Sunday, my eldest son was taking part in the memorial service in town with the Air Cadets. My wife went took him into town and me and my youngest son Alex rode there. We arrived just before 11am and watched all the armed forces both past and present showing their respect for fallen heroes. After the service we walked with our bikes to the cafe. I had a latte and the boy had a hot chocolate. This time we also had a mince pie. Very nice indeed. My wife and other son met up with us at the cafe. We then rode back home.
I'd recommend anyone giving it a go next time. It makes for a very pleasant and social challenge.
#1/7 - 3rd October
Location: Subway HailshamDrink: Latte
Miles: 13.9
Ride details: For my first coffeeneuring ride I decided to get my youngest son Alex to join me. He's only 11 but we often do cycling challenges together. A we were heading to Subway for breakfast, we didn't want to leave too late. There's several ways to get to Hailsham but I opted for the quiet back lanes. I had a latte with my food and the boy had a hot chocolate. The coffee was good but nothing special as it's from a machine. For the return journey I gave my son the choice of route. He opted for the Cuckoo Trail which is a shared use cycle path.
Bike friendliness: The shop has outside seating and back racks opposite so is a good choice for cyclists.
#2/7 - 10th October
Location: Seasons, Eastbourne HarbourDrink: Latte
Miles: 15.5
Ride details: I took my youngest son with me for ride number 2. The plan was to ride into town and get a drink there but with the weather being so nice we rode the whole length of Eastbourne seafront and back again. Once we reached the harbour, we stopped at Seasons, a nice little cafe/restaurant. They serve illy coffee which is one of my favourites. I chose a latte and it was amazing. The boy had a hot chocolate again. It was nice sitting outside and the woman sitting at the table next to us had a gorgeous labradoodle puppy. We then took a quiet route back home.
Bike friendliness: The cafe has plenty of outside seating and table service so great for cyclists.
#3/7 - 11th October
Location: Bexhill SubwayDrink: Latte
Miles: 29.1
Ride details: My friend Alex can't ride to work now he's changed jobs. I suggested he join me for some Coffeeneuring. He rode over to my house from Hastings and the plan was to ride back with him. On the way we stopped at Subway in Bexhill. I had my usual latte and Alex had hot chocolate. It 's always smooth and predictable in flavour. Nothing special but always good. Once I rode back with him I then turned around and headed home.
Bike friendliness: The shop has outside seating and back racks opposite so is a good choice for cyclists.
#4/7 - 17th October
Location: Eastbourne SubwayDrink: Latte
Miles: 9.9 miles
Ride details: Visiting Subway on a regular basis I have a good number of loyalty points. Me and the boy took a gentle ride into town. If I was riding by myself, I'd probably go via the seafront, but as I had my son with me I thought I'd take him a route we've not been before which has less traffic. Once we got there I ordered a latte for me and a hot chocolate for him. The ride home was via the seafront. We then went past his junior school and saw their animals including, turkeys, peahens, chickens, sheep, goats and ducks. The turkeys were extremely curious when we arrived. We then rode the rest of the way home.
Bike friendliness: The shop has outside seating and back racks opposite so is a good choice for cyclists.
#5/7 - 24th October
Location: Farm @ Friday StreetDrink: Latte
Miles: 29.9 miles
Ride details: My friend Alex needed a little bit of work doing to his bike before he could ride next so I suggested I ride over to his first and we ride from there. So we could get the ride finished early, I left mine at 6am and got to his by 7. Alex wasn't really awake by then so he wasn't ready to ride. He made me a coffee while I sorted his bike and I waited for him to get ready. It was 8 am before we left. We did a reverse of the last ride we did so rode back to mine. We stopped for breakfast and a coffee at my local pub, the Farm. We both had pancakes and bacon with maple syrup and I had a latte in Alex had a hot chocolate (can you see the theme now?). We parted company and I was home in under a minute.
Bike friendliness: Plenty of outside seating if the weather's good and a nice fireplace to warm up with if it cold and wet.
#6/7 - 1st November
Location: Starbucks, PevenseyDrink: Latte
Miles: 8.8 miles
Ride details: The fog started coming in around 1pm. By the time me and my youngest son left for our ride at 2pm the fog was everywhere but not too dense. We kept off the main roads and headed for Pevensey. We had a brief stop as we passed Pevensey Castle. We arrived a few minutes later at Starbucks. The shop had no atmosphere and the small amount of mess really stood out. Not many comfy chairs but as it was empty we got one each. I wasn't asked if I wanted the coffee to go, but our drinks came in paper cups. However, the coffee was very good indeed. The boy had a hot chocolate with cream this time. We then rode back via the foggy lanes through Rickney and Hankham.
Bike friendliness: Not an ideal location for a bike stop as there's no real places to lock you bike and the entry road is heavily potholed.
#7/7 - 8th November
Location: Patisserie Valerie, EastbourneDrink: Latte
Miles: 12.8 miles
Ride details: Being remembrance Sunday, my eldest son was taking part in the memorial service in town with the Air Cadets. My wife went took him into town and me and my youngest son Alex rode there. We arrived just before 11am and watched all the armed forces both past and present showing their respect for fallen heroes. After the service we walked with our bikes to the cafe. I had a latte and the boy had a hot chocolate. This time we also had a mince pie. Very nice indeed. My wife and other son met up with us at the cafe. We then rode back home.
Bike friendliness: It's not that great being in the town centre and with outside seating being out back, you have to go through the whole cafe.
Conclusion
I've really enjoyed taking part in the Coffeeneuring challenge for the first time. It got me out on my bike with friends and family when I would have otherwise not done so. One of the suggestions for this year's challenge was to have a theme within a theme. Although I never thought about this from the start, I realised a theme was developing. I always rode with someone called Alex and Alex always had a hot chocolate and I always had a latte. Don't think I expected that before I started the challenge!I'd recommend anyone giving it a go next time. It makes for a very pleasant and social challenge.
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