While I enjoyed a quiet cup of freshly brewed coffee in a city park one overcast morning, a great disturbance in the force snapped my attention to the nearby bike path. A solitary Canadian Goose angrily stomped about the base of a large cottonwood tree, squawking and generally creating a ruckus.
Thinking that perhaps a perceived predator wandered too close to a hidden nest, I scanned to find something, anything, to cause such a scene. Nothing on the ground. Not even another goose. Maybe in the sky above.
Then I saw it.
No way. Another Canadian Goose stands on a large limb of the cottonwood tree, a solid 40 feet off the ground.
What series of circumstances and decisions put that relatively large, heavy, web-footed water fowl up there? Maybe it had something to do with the other goose aggressively patrolling below. I don't know. Somehow, that Goose landed in dramatically unfamiliar territory, far outside its norm.
Maybe it's time to do the same.
Addendum. After a little research, I learned that Canadian Geese have been known to nest in trees, although rarely. I certainly have never before seen one high in a tree. A lesson in creatively adapting to circumstances, despite limitations and obstacles.
My post last week entitled "Better Coffee For Bikepacking" elicited a variety of responses and a number of suggestions. Thanks to all. I will try some new options, while continuing to tinker with what I have. If I find something that works better for me than the CoffeeBrewer or the AeroPress GO, I certainly will write about it.
In the meantime, today I arose to some kind of wonderful morning for enjoying coffee outside. 40 degrees. Little wind. Overcast. Drizzle. Like riding through a cloud. Almost heaven. South Dakota. With my Jones 29+ already set up with packs and loaded for breakfast, I only need to dress appropriately before pedaling.
After about an hour of lightly spinning around town, I stop near the base of M-Hill at Founders Park. The City of Rapid City, or a couple of kind citizens, finally moved two picnic tables under the shelter there. Great timing. It will be nice to be under a roof today, even though I wouldn't get very wet out in the open.
Looking for that next long ride, somewhere out in the prairie beyond the Black Hills. Not from today, but not long ago.
Onto the task at hand. Within a few minutes, I savor a sip of fresh hot coffee made in my AeroPress GO with beans roasted by local cyclist Christopher Grady of Sawyer Coffee Lab. Oh. That is good. That is very good.
Soon, I am ready for a second cup. For some reason, I decide to conduct a direct comparison with Starbucks Via, the instant coffee that I used on my 2021 ride of the GDMBR. More accurately, I carried it until I simply could not stand drinking it. Today, the Via instant tastes okay, although well short of that from the AeroPress GO. Little wonder that it failed after a few weeks on the trail.
I realize that this goes beyond coffee. Something that works well enough for an hour, may not work over a day. And something that works for a day, may not work over a week. If for a week, will it over a month? Some things must be lived out.
Long rides reveal much, particularly with all the trials that emerge with the passage of time. Much is revealed over time - about coffee, food, gear, components, bikes, and especially the person pedaling. What awaits discovery during your next long ride?
Ready to make some hot coffee, somewhere out in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Enjoying a hot cup of good coffee in the morning can really start the day right, especially in the backcountry. However, bikepacking back roads and trails often leads to remote campsites far from a civilized coffee shop. What to do?
In my first two years of bikepacking, I went ultra-lightweight and tried instant coffee. I really tried. Over the course of 20+ overnighters, the Cloud Peak 500, the Black Hills Bounty, and many CoffeeOutside rides, I experimented with all kinds of instant coffee, none of which were very good. Admittedly, a couple of brands weren't altogether awful, if just for one morning. So, I settled on one for my 2021 ride of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. However, after a couple weeks, I could no longer drink it and eventually gave away the few remaining packets.
Since then, I've tried more instant coffees, to no avail. So, I looked harder for alternatives.
AeroPress GO ready to make some go-juice.
I first backed all the way up to making fresh coffee from grounds with my AeroPress GO. No problem there. An AeroPress will make as good a coffee as the grounds you put into it and the care you give to the process. I love my AeroPress and will take it on Overnighters or TwoNighters. I just didn't love the idea of lugging it around on longer rides, even though the GO model packs pretty small (about 3.5" x 3.5" x 6"). This works, but there must be other options.
MiiR Pourigami ready for a pour-over into a 10 ounce camp mug.
Another fresh-coffee-from-grounds option is a single serve pour-over with some kind of frame to hold a filter and grounds over a cup. One such device is the MiiR Pourigami, which features three small, stainless steel sheets that interlock to form a triangular-shaped funnel. It disassembles into a 1/4" x 3" x 6" case.
For the experienced pour-over crowd, this may work great. I'm not particularly skilled or patient with pour-overs and, out in the backcountry, I always seem to spill a lot of precious water and too often knock over the entire setup. So, this one should work well, but doesn't for me, due to operator error. I'll keep working at it, but I'll also keep looking. And keep using the AeroPress GO in the meantime.
Of course, the traditional French Press is another option, both as an accessory to a cook kit and as an independent device. However, I'm not going that direction, as I prefer my results from the AeroPress GO over any straight up French Press.
Front & Back of Single Speed Coffee Roasters' single serve steeped coffee bag.
A promising concept is the single serve steeped coffee bag, which works somewhat like a tea bag. My latest experiment with a steeped coffee bag was the "Wake Up And Kiss Me" blend from Single Speed Coffee Roasters out of Flagstaff, Arizona. I enjoyed talking with the folks running their mobile coffee shop at the 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo mountain bike race and picked up a box there.
Although a big improvement over instant, I found my results to be inconsistent, even when carefully following the instructions. Four of the eight bags remain from the Old Pueblo, so maybe I can make it better with more practice. If so, I may order some more from their website or simply try to fashion a steeped coffee bag of my own.
The "Coffeebrewer," from The Brew Company of Denmark. On the left, unopened brewer. On the right, brewer opened for use and then re-used 6 times.
And finally, a possible game-changer. The Coffeebrewer from The Brew Company of Denmark.
On its website, The Brew Company describes its "Coffeebrewer" as "an innovative and worldwide patented coffee product, designed as a crossover between French Press and pour-over coffee. It is designed and constructed as a kraft paper pouch, with an inner filter containing 20-22 grams of fresh, pre-ground specialty coffee, and a very thin, BPA-free PE base, allowing it to stand upright on its own while you're brewing your coffee."
From the outside, it looks like a paper packet with a re-closable top and a spigot. Inside lies a coffee-containing filter pouch surrounded by a thin plastic bag. Pour hot water through the top opening into the filter pouch and close it. Water slowly flows through the coffee and filter into the surrounding bag. At the desired time, pour the coffee out through the spigot.
Instructions on the back of the "Coffeebrewer."
Magnificent design and execution. I love everything about it. Makes very good coffee. Very easy to use. Very stable while filling, brewing, and pouring. Very lightweight and compact (paper and some plastic about 5.5" x 7.5" x maybe 0.5" thick). And the bonus - re-usable. Simply scoop/rinse out the grounds, add fresh grounds, and brew again. I've re-used a packet 6 times with great results.
This is a possible game-changer for my longer bikepacking trips. For my next week long ride, I think I could take one, but I'll plan to take two "Coffeebrewers" with enough fresh coffee grounds for the rest of the trip. I'll enjoy great coffee all week and carry practically no more weight than that of the grounds.
The "Coffeebrewer" won't replace the venerable AeroPress GO for everything else, but it sure looks to be a nice alternative for a 5-10 day bikepacking trip.
NOTE. I'm not a reviewer and certainly not an influencer. I occasionally share my experience with a product that works well for me. That is all.
Push through the darkness, and the light will be so bright.
Tyler Pearce, aka The Vegan Cyclist of VC Adventures
What does a 24 hour mountain bike race feel like?
From responses to my series of posts of the 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo ("24 HOP"), I realized that many people, including endurance cycling friends, are not familiar with 24 hour mountain bike racing. It was a relatively small niche type of event that peaked in the early 2000's, then all but disappeared.
Somehow, over the years, 24 HOP not only survived, but thrived. And, now, here's a video race report that captures the essence of what it's like to race a mountain bike solo at that venerable event. It's great fun.
At the Friday expo with Tyler Pearce, vlogger and film maker VC, aka the Vegan Cyclist. (image by Tyler Pearce)
Tyler Pearce, aka Vegan Cyclist of YouTube fame, recently published his story of racing solo at 24 HOP. In about 33 minutes of narrative and quickly paced video, Tyler describes the race concept, course, venue, vibe, and experience from his saddle as a first time solo racer near the tip of the spear. His take is informative and entertaining, with lots of footage flying around the cactus infused course.
As a solo racer at the same event, but at the other end of the spear, I really enjoyed this video. His description of the physical, mental, and emotional challenges and rewards could have been mine, and likely most other solo racers. We all were wrung out, passing through the same wringer at different speeds.
With a plan sounding eerily familiar, Tyler rode steadily through the afternoon and into the evening, pacing for a 24 hour race and forcing himself to take regular breaks to recover. Then, in the deep of the night, he "got a little arrogant," pushed too hard, and cracked. In the pre-dawn bleakness back at camp, Tyler concluded his race was over and fell asleep. An hour later, his son woke him and, somehow, in "the hardest one minute of my life," Tyler got up and back on his bike.
Ultimately, he completed 16 laps to finish 5th in the Open Solo Men category. Afterwards, Tyler addressed the question of what it feels like to race a mountain bike for 24 hours.
"It feels like everything. You feel the happiest you've ever felt. You feel the worst you've ever felt. You feel connected to nature, but you also are connected to nature (showing image of cactus stuck to his arm). You go through every range of emotion. You fight with every excuse. Everything goes wrong. Everything goes right. You live an entire lifetime in those 24 hours."
As for 24 HOP specifically, Tyler simply says "the 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo is gotta be the best 24 hour race on the planet. I can't recommend it more highly."
I know that I hope to return in 2025. If you're considering it, know that registration opens on October 1 and last year filled in 2 hours 10 minutes.
No shortage of primo gravel roads in and around the Black Hills of South Dakota. (image by Paul Brasby)
Grass roots gravel returns to the Black Hills!
Not one, but two community gravel ride series this spring! Wowzer!
Leading off, the Black Hills Mountain Bike Association is hosting a series of four free gravel "Social Rides" in the spirit of the wildly popular Black Hills Gravel Series. For our riding pleasure, Lucas Haan of Black Hills Gravel once again hand-crafted a series of unique routes over a mix of county gravel roads, minimum maintenance roads, Forest Service dirt, and perhaps even a smattering of two track. Every route is a gem.
As always, there's something for everyone. Each ride will offer three different routes, increasing in length and difficulty, for each start location. They're named by color: Green (10-20 miles, moderate elevation gain), Blue (20-40 miles, moderately more elevation gain and difficulty), and Black (50+ miles, significantly more elevation gain and difficulty, likely with another challenge). A route exists for every level of ability, experience, and ambition.
Saturday, April 6 (9 am) - Gravel Social #1 (Sturgis)
Saturday, April 20 (9 am) - Gravel Social #2 (Spearfish)
Saturday, May 11 (9 am) - Gravel Social #3 (Custer)
Saturday, May 18 (9 am) - Gravel Social #4 (Hill City)
There's more. There's always more to ride out here. (image by Paul Brasby)
But wait. We've only just begun.
Rushmore Bikes of Spearfish is also hosting a series of four free gravel rides on different dates over different routes. Here's their announcement of the Rushmore Bikes N(A)R Classic Spring Series, which includes links to more information and maps:
"Join us for the NAR Classic (Not (A) Race) Spring Series, a one-of-a-kind cycling event that's all about the joy of riding and the camaraderie of fellow cyclists. At Rushmore Bikes, we believe in creating a family-friendly atmosphere where riders of all ages and skill levels can come together to celebrate the beauty of cycling."
Sunday, April 14 (10 am) - N(A)R Classic #1 (Whitewood)
Sunday, May 12 (10 am) - N(A)R Classic #3 (Spearfish)
Sunday, May 19 (10 am) - N(A)R Classic #4 (Beulah)
Our gravel cup overfloweth!
Enjoy these group rides. Bring your families and friends. Thank these folks for making this happen. Support the businesses that provide our start/finish facilities.
This is our Black Hills grass roots gravel community. What a treasure.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here. He is risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples. He is risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell the disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
The 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo ("Two Four HOP") is well known for its welcoming, celebratory vibe. The promoters, vendors, and sponsors certainly contribute, but the racers and their crew are the life blood of this event. Throughout the weekend, I enjoyed nothing but positive and enthusiastic interactions with everyone I encountered. What an affirming experience.
Even out on the course, with challenging passes on fast, twisty single track hemmed in by large, nasty cactus, I found every cyclist to be friendly and encouraging. Every single interaction was positive, even with the fastest of the fast guys and gals. Maybe especially the fastest.
Everyone genuinely seemed happy to be there, and happy to see you there.
Ultra Trail Runner Extraordinaire Kristen Schindler brings a ready smile and a cheering section. (image by Ultra Cyclist Extraordinaire Colin Schindler)
Here's a short introduction to some old and new friends who shared this experience and, along with many others, made the whole weekend memorable.
Local Fast Guys
Among other things, Kristen Schindler is an elite ultra trail runner and her husband Colin is a competitive cyclist. We met at a cycling event in the Black Hills of South Dakota in late 2021 when Colin was preparing to race the Tour Divide. After his amazing 19 day finish in 2022, I interviewed him for my blog and kept in contact with them after their move to Tucson last year.
Colin entered Two Four HOP as part of Team "Los Pitudos" in the 4 person Mens Open division, with Kristen joining as crew. But her enthusiastic support could not be contained to one team. Kristen screamed and waved a "CRAIG" sign at the start and kept tabs during the race. I later saw her (and heard her!) near the transition tent with a "COLIN! COLIN! COLIN! COLIN!" sign. I can only imagine the energy at their team camp site.
Not surprisingly, Colin rode 5 of his team's 16 laps, including 3 of their night laps after midnight, which are the hardest of the entire race, by far. Go, Colin!
Colin Schindler effortlessly cranks out another lap for Los Pitudos. (image by Kristen Schindler)
ChristianCycling - Tucson Spoke
In advance of Two Four HOP, I contacted the Tucson Spoke of ChristianCycling to see if any of their members planned to be at the race. Conor Johnson responded that he was racing as part of a 5 person co-ed team with other friends, but that he did not know of a formal ChristianCycling team. I didn't know Conor, but we communicated over a few days before the start and met at packet pickup.
Out on the course, Conor flew by me on a few laps, always with a loud "GO CRAIG!" or "LOOKING GOOD CRAIG!" I would have loved to ride with him, but he rode much faster. His team, "Chill Team Ride," ultimately rode 22 laps to finish 2nd in the 5 Person Co-Ed (150-199 combined age group) division.
ChristianCycling - Racers from Vintage 24 Hours of Moab Teams
Checking into the transition tent on Saturday morning, I heard someone exclaim, "Craig!" I turned to face an excited Jovan Fritsch. He introduced himself as a racer on a ChristianCycling team at our 24 Hours of Moab ministry, way back in 2005, where I was Race Teams Director for our 10 race teams. The years melt away as we quickly catch up before the start.
Much later, while checking through the transition tent in the middle of the night, I again hear someone call my name. Now, it's Mark Berghoefer, another racer part of another group of ChristianCycling teams that I directed at the 24 Hours of Moab, this time in 2004. He's retired now, but looks as race-fit as he did 20 years ago.
Both Jovan and Mark bring big smiles, along with a flood of warm memories from those ministries and from many other team rides, races, and events back then. Better yet, both shout encouragement whenever they see me out on the course or in the transition tent. I really wish I had pictures with them and hope to ride with them again.
Checking in with Conor Johnson, captain of Chill Team Ride and member of the Tucson Spoke of ChristianCycling. (image by Conor Johnson)
Other Racers
Right before the start, a woman burst out, "Hey! Do you know if Michael Hast is here?" I recognize that name as the Director of the ChristianCycling Tucson Spoke, so my team kit must have sparked that question. "No, I don't think he's here, but I don't know." Undeterred, she introduced herself as Sarah Mulholland and wanted to know all about my story. What an energetic bundle of good cheer!
Racing with Team Baaad Hombres, Sarah and her teammates sport custom jerseys that included a happy, excited looking goat to reflect their team spirit. Later, at the start and at unexpected times during the race, I'd hear Sarah's enthusiastic shouts of "Go Craig!" What fun!
Also exemplifying the event's friendly, welcoming vibe, Ty Pessin of Tucson introduced himself at the Outbound Lighting tent as we checked out some demo lights during the Friday expo. He was plumb full of positive excitement. The next time I saw Ty was well after noon on Sunday on the final lap. He looked strong on his 10th solo lap, but apparently was pacing a struggling racer around the course. I'd love to ride with him some day.
Neighbors
Peter Stocker and Lonnie Calmes entered Two Four HOP as part of "Toadie's Wild Ride" in the Corporate Team division. Peter has raced here 5 times before and, amazingly, Lonnie is back for the 18th time. Yes, their camp setup is primo. When I arrived on site after dark on Thursday night and stumbled around searching for a place to camp, Peter and Lonnie recognized my predicament and carved out some space near their site. They then offered food, drink, heat, and light throughout the weekend, along with a friendly spot to relax. Good neighbors, indeed.
Other friendly neighbors included Bob and Holly (unknown last names). They are an adventurous young couple from Phoenix that enjoy a wide variety of outdoor pursuits. Bob is here for his first 24 hour mountain bike race and chose to race Solo Single Speed. Holly is crewing this weekend, but will reverse roles with Bob at their next event. They both are so jazzed to be here and to just soak in the entire experience. They watched over me throughout the race, with encouragement and coffee.
Vegan Cyclist
At the venue expo on Friday afternoon, I spot Tyler Pearce, aka The Vegan Cyclist of YouTube fame. We met on a back road in Montana in 2021, where Paul Brasby and I were on Day 3 on our ride of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and he was on Day 1 of one of his "Impossible Rides." Tyler and crew pedaled up, cameras rolling, interviewed us on the fly, and included us in his film. After I introduced myself at the expo, he immediately remembered all that and genuinely wanted to know all about the rest of our ride. He's the real deal.
During the race, Tyler passed me several times, shouting encouragement by name each time. He ultimately rode 16 laps to finish 5th in the Solo Men division. Notwithstanding his high level of achievement, on and off the bike, Tyler fit right in.
At the Friday expo with Tyler Pearce, vlogger and film maker VC, aka the Vegan Cyclist. (image by Tyler Pearce)
Vendors
Even the vendors at Two Four HOP were awesome. Leading the way was Tom Place of Outbound Lighting, who patiently provided demo lights and neutral charging of all devices. He worked a long day on Friday and throughout the entire 24 hour race on Saturday and Sunday to keep the lights on for everyone. I demo'd their Hangover helmet light during the race and plan to buy their upcoming Portal light, which offers even longer run times. Great lights. Great service.
I enjoyed all the food vendors, but especially Single Speed Coffee Lab, which also provided high quality means to make it through the night. They even offered their "Wake Up And Kiss Me" specialty coffee in single serve steeped coffee bags to make back at your camp site. Nice. I bought an extra box to take home for #CoffeeOutside rides.
The 24 Hour Town expo additionally featured several non-profits and other organizations that contributed to the community spirit of the event. I particularly loved meeting and talking with Abby Wrent, an artist who painted, on site, four bike frame sets that would later be auctioned for charity. I recently found a short YouTube video she made of her experience, which includes the bikes she painted, some of the expo, and even the Whiskey Tree. Thanks for your positive presence, Abby!
Painting Bikes at Two Four HOP.
AbbyWrentArtistry.com
Many others contributed to my experience and to the overall vibe of the event. The 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo attracts special kinds of people. I'd love to return.
