Coffeeneuring Stop #8: Dwarf Cypress Boardwalk in Tate's Hell Swamp

OK, so last year's last last documented coffeeneuring ride was through a hurricane disaster area.  The only way to top that this year was to take a trip into Hell – specifically, Tate's Hell Swamp – all for a cup of coffee.  Onward to the details and pictures.

1. where: Dwarf Cypress boardwalk in Tate's Hell Swamp, just east of Eastpoint FL

2. date: 11/29/21

3. what: Honduran dark roast, brewed in a French press and brought in a thermos

4. notes: Mid-50's clear late fall weather.  The gravel roads were dry without being dusty.  After months of around-town riding, it felt great to get out on open roads and spin.

5. distance: 15 total miles: 6 out, 9 back on a slightly different route

Let's have the pictures, with a few short notes at the bottom.  Click to embiggen, if so inclined.

This way to coffee.

Even here, a divine light still shines on the gravel bike.  Note the boardwalk in the background.

Out on the boardwalk, up in the treetops.  The trees are about 15' high.

Note how much higher the pine trees in the background are.

Even the ditches are pretty out here.

If the locale seems familiar, it's been blogged several times before: July 2019 (look at all that green!), January 2021, and March 2021.  It's always a good place to visit, whether via bike or car.

And that concludes The 2021 Coffeeneuring Challenge, themed c+1.  What will 2022 bring?  Stay tuned, we'll find out.

Coffeeneuring Stop #7: Cafe con Leche

Hey #7 already, and somehow this year has gone really easily and well.  The biggest problem has been that I'm too darned close to the coffee shops here in downtown, so I have to swing by to pick up my sister to get the required ≥ 2.0 miles in!  Anyway, here it goes:

1. where: Cafe con Leche, Water Street, Apalachicola FL

2. date: 11/24/21

3. what: black eye, with an arepa for lunch; the Big Sis had the house special latte

4. cool, after-the-cold-front weather; as with most of these rides, the gear of choice is the gravel bike

5. 2.0 (whew!) miles round-trip

OK, this picture of the bikes, me, and coffee is really bad, so I'll just keep it small and tuck it in above.  The new pedals did very well with street shoes.

Well, we're not done yet.  The theme for this year is "c+1" so c+1 (or c++?) is what we're gonna do.  Stay tuned for more caffeinated action.

Don't Try This One at Home, Kids

All about OOK neutron modulation, at Hackaday.

Shortwave Listening Post Basics

An article on "things you need to enhance your shortwave listening, especially with portable gear" was published at The SWLing Post this past week.  Along with many useful suggestions and additions in the comments, it's worth your 15 minute read.

All I got for today.

Big ol' Lunar Eclipse Tonight

Here's a decent article, complete with times, what to expect, etc.  I won't rehash any points; if you're interested, just go read it.  I probably won't be up for it either, but then you never know.  I expect that APOD will have some amazing pictures over the next few days.  In the meantime... you have been notified.

This reminds me, satsumas are back in season.

Grind On

Addendum to Saturday's Coffeeneuring Stop #6 – the new pedals are now on the gravel bike.  I'd had an ancient set of Gen 1 Mallets on this bike, but they gave up the ghost last spring.  In the interim I'd been running a spare set of Eggbeaters, but they kind of crimped the bike's style.  Here the pedals need to (1) be no-compromise clip-ins, (2) ride OK with normal shoes for those casual spins to friends' houses – or a to a nearby coffee shop, and (3) take an off-kilter stomp without complaint when I fumble a clip-in and Mr. F-250 is bearing down.  The naked Eggbeaters were light and had #1 down pat, but they failed badly on Items #2 & #3.  Much better now, and on this afternoon's test ride they checked out 100%.

In other upgrades from the earlier version, the pins are much better than the old stamped-steel front and back screw-on plates, and the spindle end caps are now compatible with Crank Bros' grease injection fitting.  Small, incremental changes to be sure, but the new pedals are noticeably better.

It's a good coffeeneuring trip when you stumble upon the pedals you'd been looking at for six months.  Grind on.  More specifically, dark grind on, because I'm sipping a cup of smooth Honduran right now.

Hm, maybe 2020 wasn't so bad...

I mean, when 2021 features an actual plague of scorpions in Egypt, maybe we've got trouble.  Here's the article:

3 dead, hundreds injured after storms rouse scorpions in Egypt over at NPR.

Oh, and it seems the local snakes are riled up too.  Not the 2021 I ordered, would not recommend.