Treat yourself with a good cup.
As someone who started cycling semi-seriously, primarily because of commuting, I find it really difficult to do a “loop”. The principle of riding on your bike aimlessly, to finally come back where you started and close your “loop” sounds almost impossible to me.
I need to go for something and have a reason to go out.
But what do you do when you feel the need to ride but your moody self is more inclined to stay home.
“Don’t wanna go to the usual cafe, don’t wanna do the same route again, or just don't really wanna see people today.”
If this happens (and trust me it will) you might as well create a reason for yourself to go catch some fresh air.
The choice is yours and you can choose from an infinite number of activities. Yet, I found out that treating myself to a self-made cup of coffee and an hour of lectures, handheld video games, podcast listening, or just meditating in a calm place was the best excuse (for me) to get my butt out on the road and to spin that crank.
Today I wanted to use this context to talk about something I don’t do nearly enough but is still my go-to activity for “sunny day quality time.”
Bikes, coffee, and some greenery to brighten my day.
It’s a really personal approach but it might give you some inspiration for your future micro-adventure. So let’s get into it.
First I wanna point out that I’m not the best at coffee making. I have very little experience because I always let experts do it for me. But with time, I can confidently say that I’m getting better and everybody will soon be able to taste my coffee without making a weird face.
One thing that will help the process a lot though, is the coffee beans you’re taking with you. You could take ground coffee from the nearest supermarket but that’s not the vibe we’re here for. My goal while going out is to take things slow and enjoy the full process of making a few cups. It’s the kind of activity where the experience ends up being as enjoyable as the final result.
It’s like shooting in medium format or building a wheel: it takes time, but you’re enjoying the moment and the step-by-step process that you’ve started.
I always had plans to make this write-up but, unfortunately, I really don’t take the time to buy these kinds of quick trips. This time is different though! Mike, an SSS podcast listener, and Patreon supporter have, as an extremely kind gesture, sent me this extra-awesome surprise box from Hi-Top Coffee, where he works. So not only did I get beans that they roast in-house, but I was also gifted T-shirts, caps, a travel tumbler, and many more goodies you’ll see here and in later articles.
Showing part of what they sent me is the minimum I can do to thank them, plus, it looks like they are into film photography, and that’s hot.
So I started with the “Two'fers” which are 45g, so just enough for two cups. I tried a few of them, but I can confidently say that “El Salvador Red Bourbon” is my favorite at the moment. With its hints of salted caramel and pear, it is a sweet coffee that would have been perfect with a little snack. (Don’t forget the snacks!) I have to say though, everything they sent me, were all really good and tasty varieties!
Full disclosure, I’m not a boss of the “pour-over” technique but I was able to get two great cups to enjoy in the middle of our journey before heading back home. It takes some practice but you’ll quickly get the hang of it.
If you’re curious about this process here is my very basic understanding and explanation:
First here is what you need: a Dripper funnel, the server pot that goes underneath it, a kettle of boiling water, a grinder (if you want the full experience), filters, some BEANS, and your favorite mug!
Grind your beans down to ground coffee. (With the “two’fers” you’ll just need to grind half since you’ll need 22,5g of beans) To avoid taking extra weight, take only the necessary amount with you.
When you’re done grinding you can rinse your filter with some hot water (mine has an integrated filer) And don’t forget to empty your pot after!
Place your fresh ground coffee in the filter and shake it flat.
Then pour a little bit of boiling water just to make your coffee bloom. (You don’t wanna start the dripping process here, just getting the coffee to absorb a bit of water)
30 seconds later do the same thing to slowly start the dripping process.
Wait another 30 seconds and you can start to pour the rest of your water (150ml) on your coffee.
Make small circles above your dripper to cover as much area as possible and extract as much aroma as you can!
Let it finish to drip and you’re done!
The proper way has many many precise measurements but I personally don’t really bother with all that. I just use boiling water and what volume I believe is right for one cup.
In the end, you could make the worst coffee ever, I will still taste ten times better in the wild than at home or work.
So there you have it! Here is my process! And if you’re like me, and always have dozens of different ideas firing up in your head at any given second, something like this could help you to just focus on a single thing and enjoy some quality time. Since I mainly get the feeling of extreme focus through fixed-gear riding, it feels good to be able to appreciate something more stationary.
Big thank you to@ellaellad for always helping me with the pictures and to Mike and the rest of the Hi-Top coffee team for sending me this awesome care package. You can be sure I’ll drop by next time I visit California. And if you’re around Fresno, why not pay them a visit!
