How’s that first Arctic Blast for you, much of northern North America? While we here in the Northwest haven’t gotten the foot-plus of snow that has hit places like Minneapolis (who is better than Portland!), we’ve gotten some cool weather over here with highs just in the 40’s and lotsa wind. Tuesday night saw the first frost of the season, and tonight (Wednesday the 12th), there’s a possibility we’ll see snow! While the thermometer dipping below freezing isn’t uncommon for us in November,* wintry precipitation is. In the 13 years I’ve lived here, I don’t think that’s happened before!
Anyway, Tuesday was a brilliantly sunny, but chilly and very windy day for a Coffeeneuring adventure, but goldarnit, I was going to do it! And this time, a different bike: The Schwinn Heavy Duti, it’s inaugural coffeeneuring run! And the Wald Giant Delivery Basket (originally on the Crested Butte) is good to haul big and awkward stuff. So, errandeneuring as well!
First, off to the Community Cycling Center on NE Alberta Street, one of Portland’s non-profit bike shops, to drop off some donations. I have amassed quite the collection of used tires, so I wanted to get rid of them, along with a few other random parts. The Giant Delivery Basket came in handy for that awkward load, and I deposited the goods at CCC. While on Alberta, I dropped of a package to be shipped via UPS and also picked up a few things at the Alberta Co-op.
Then off to N Mississippi to swing by North Portland Bikeworks about ordering a part. I continued westward (convenient, since the wind is coming out of the east) over I-5 and had a burrito (burritoneuring?) at La Bonita on N Killingsworth. Since it was so close, I made an obligatory stop at the Dead Madrona Tree on Rivendell Ridge and admired what was left of the fall colors on the Willamette Bluffs.
Enough of the errands, now coffee! If I were a bit hardier, I would have done Coffee Outside and tested the ability of my Trangia 27 Stormcooker set to handle such wind. But I also wanted to draw while drinking coffee, so I preferred to go to a coffee shop instead. So I headed to the Arbor Lodge cafe on N Rosa Parks Way in the Arbor Lodge neighborhood, had some house coffee, and drew.
Soon it was time to go home. I swung by the New Seasons for some more provisions, then headed homeward into the wind.
COFFEENEURING/ERRANDENEURING RIDE SIX, Tuesday 11 November 2014
- Coffeeneuring Destination: Arbor Lodge, N Rosa Parks Way at N Interstate Ave
- Bike: 1990s Schwinn Heavy Duti balloon tire industrial cruiser
- Length of ride: 9 mile round-trip
- Type of coffee: Tanager
- For those of you who are paying attention: Yes, I’ve used every bike in my fleet so far (including one I’ve sold since the Challenge started.) Also, every destination has been in North Portland with the exception of the first one at Ainsworth State Park in the Columbia Gorge.
*Generally by now we usually have had a frost.
Urban Adventure League 
Hi Shawn, I’m a regular reader of your blog. Just wondering is the Heavy Duty a single speed?
Have a good one,
actcyclist
Thanks! Yep, it’s a single speed. More deets about the Heavy Duti coming soon…