Catching Up

With a cup of Nicaragua Matagalpa from Flagship Coffee Roasters (defiantly filling a large Starbuck's cup), the ASUS tablet up and running it's a good time to make an attempt to catch up on several things.

Tablet Computing

Because I'm typing this text using the ASUS MeMO I'll update its years-worth of usefulness. After a lot of research I purchased the MeMO as a replacement for an aging and failing MSI Netbook. Its primary use is as a portable word processor and sometimes internet surfer and it does both these things adequately after adding a bluetooth keyboard (Anker Model A7726) and finding an application (TextMaker) that mated well with Word 2000.

The single nagging problem with the ASUS is the abundance of bloatware the manufacturer puts on the machine. It is more an irritant than a problem except when multiple downloads occur. In general the MeMO is a satisfactory replacement for the Netbook; more transportable, quicker to start up and does what it was purchased to do.


Bicycle Computing

When my VDO bike "computer" ceased working I discovered the VDO C3 Wired Cycle Computer at model was no longer available except in a wireless model. I've never had good fortune with wireless computers and the wireless VDO I purchased as a replacement failed to function properly. I've no need for most of the data that modern bike computers can provide, but the VDO's "Navigator" function (which allows for independent tracking of intermediate distances) was extremely useful when touring. I could not find a similar function on any devices at a price I was willing to pay, until I discovered the SunDING SD-563B, a wired computer costing about $10.

Not only does the SunDING have a count-up and count-down function for time and distance like the VDO's Navigator function, it is back-lighted, too. Unlike the VDO and many other computers, the relevant information I want to see most is always visible; time of day, current speed and distance traveled. Stopwatch, average and maximum speeds, count-up/count-down and even temperature are all available in one of the three modes accessed by pressing a single, centrally located button. The display is large enough be read with my aged eyes. I gave a SunDING to a friend who rode the 2016 RAGBRAI where it functioned so well that when someone cut the wire from the pickup he purchased two more; one as a replacement and the second as a back-up.

The first of the SunDING computers I purchased functioned frustratingly, resetting for no apparent reasons at unpredictable times. Because of the success my friend had coupled with the low cost I was willing to take a chance on getting a second one. The replacement has worked properly for many months and miles. Like my friend, I also purchased a second one just in case! With the SunDING readily available on both Amazon and ebay at a range of prices from about $6 to $16 or $17, the purchase of two is not a budget burden. One additional consideration is to purchase from someone selling in the USA thereby avoiding the long wait typical of China Post where delivery can take twenty to thirty or more days.


Cellular Fix

It's been more than a year since I upgraded to my current smartphone, the LG Stylo. The phone is oversized and fits the broad category of phablet, but is a good choice for my large and mildly arthritic hands. I was disappointed when I found a crack in the back plate of the phone and anticipated having difficulty finding a replacement. My worries were misplaced. On ebay I found an assortment of replacement back plates. I ordered one (Unbranded/Generic) priced  at $1.99 and free shipping (by China Post) from forever-mall888, figuring it to be a minimal risk whether it fit or even arrived.

When the back plate arrived after about a month, which was still within the anticipated delivery time, it not only fit, but was more than a back-plate. The vinyl-like material wraps around the edges of the phone providing some impact and scratch protection. All of the necessary cut-outs for USB, camera, speaker, et cetera, are where they need to be. After two months of use I see no evidence of undue wear which suggests that it might outlive the phone.

Đại úy Chuck and the NCOIC; What Worked?

It makes for a better trip if more things work than don’t. Because someone considering setting off on an unsupported bicycle tour might have happened upon the story of Đại úy Chuck and the NCOIC I figured it’d be a good idea to point out some our “goods and not so goods.”

Pretty much everything deserves a passing grade because any failings or shortcomings were resolved or overcome. Obviously, anyone thinking about bike touring is gonna need a bike, but discussion about what’s-the-best-bike can be found elsewhere because the Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo Tandem is not a typical touring choice.

Because some of the equipment was well-used touring gear, camping lack any drama. Big Agnes performed flawlessly as a tent. The Lynx Pass 3 tent, a three-person tent, was excellent as a two-person tent for two guys over six feet. Its single vestibule was inconvenient, but large enough to keep all four panniers under-cover at night. Đại úy carried a Big Agnes sleeping bag with integrated pocket for an inflatable pad and pillow, while I used a Kelty and a minimalist foam pad; neither of us had much trouble sleeping.

Day first and day last were blessed with heavy rain (and wind and lightning). Stopping to put on rain covers makes no sense when you’ve experienced the dry-bag nature of Ortlieb Rollers. Yes, they lack exterior pockets and are essentially rubberized duffels, but better to root among dry things than sort our wet stuff.

Among the most useful pieces of camping equipment was the JetBoil Java Kit. It is impossible to deny the value and efficiency of the JetBoil at behaving like a French Press and brewing good coffee quickly. Using high quality coffee contributed to the JetBoil’s success because Flagship Coffee Roasters' Cuppa Joe responded well to rustic locations, making mornings more pleasant.

One of the things we did not use but might have needed was a water filter the Đại úy has acquired for his intended walk of the Appalachian Trail. We were never unable to get water, but availability was limited on The GAP and the readily available water on C&O was purified with Iodine. This contrasts with the numerous resources when off of trails.  Similarly, having a good supply of on-the-trail edibles is important; Kind, Lara, Luna, Clif, et cetera. As with water, places to get food when touring on roads and highways are common . . . and you’ll eat anything!

Next time I’ll tell you about the bike and its accessories, then, eventually, about maps and directions and anything else that seems relevant.


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Đại úy Chuck and the NCOIC Part 11

June 14 – Day 10

Horsepen Branch Hiker Biker Campsite to Washington, D.C.

The previous day at the Veterans’ gathering,Đại úy Chuck learned that he’d unintentionally planned the arrival in DC for Flag Day and the Foundation Day of the US Army, so wearing the Stars and Stripe/U.S. Constitution shirts given to him by RUSeeN Reflective Apparel  was even more appropriate.


Cuppa Joe made using the French Press feature of the JetBoil's Flash Java Kit, along with some energy bars satisfied morning hunger before setting off for Great Falls where there was supposed to be food. Here’s the sidebar about food. When riding an unsupported tour the greatest concerns are water, where to stay next and where’s the food. Specifics about food are irrelevant. If it’s edible, it’s food. So, if the Visitor’s Center at Great Falls has a concession stand, it was a potential bull’s eye.


The Visitor’s Center was good preparation for an anticipated mass of humanity to be encountered in DC and there were lots of people to test our ability to cope! Salvation in dealing with “Where’s the food!” came in the form of volunteers for Borrow-a-Bike, a program offering free, two-hour, loaner bikes to visitors. Deena, one of the volunteers, acquired an ATV and knew the route to the concession stand. Yay, food!



Wearing jerseys depicting Stars and Stripes, the Constitution, Blind Veteran and Vietnam Veteran attracted the attention of many people at the Visitor’s Center, including the gentleman taking orders at the concession stand, a former Vietnamese National. On a very personal level the NCOIC spoke with the widow of a Vietnam Veteran and experienced a deeper understanding of the significance of the Vietnam War at home. Thank you, Ingrid.

Great Falls was a good stopping point to delay arriving in DC as Đại úy’s cousin would not be avail for a pick-up before 5PM. The journey through Pittsburgh had made an impression and if a ride could be had, then, fine! The operating, replica canal boat at the Park would have to wait for another day.


Traffic on the Towpath increased dramatically inside the 10-mile post and became heavy before mile 5. Hasty, mumbled and cryptic directions were the norm inside the metro area. “Look for the pointy building” was the funniest and least helpful. Eventually, The Wall was reached. There’s nothing more that can be said about that right now.

While waiting to be found in DC a storm arrived in full force and making the decision to accept a ride a very good decision. Eventually, through rain and mysterious roads Debi arrived. Yay, Cuz! Now, two Zero Days awaited.

Đại úy Chuck and the NCOIC

Just as Non-Commissioned Officers, NCOs, are the backbone of the Army, Captains (Đại úy  in Vietnamese) are the heavy lifters of the officer corp and as such gained a special level of respect during the Vietnam War; being called “di wee”, the Americanized pronunciation of the Vietnamese words. Officers, typically, had drivers because the simple operation of motorized vehicles (other than aircraft) can be challenging for many of them. Drivers were drawn from the enlisted ranks and served their officers every needs, like opening doors, another difficult mechanical task. When the former Army officer, Captain Chuck, gave me the opportunity to pilot his tandem bicycle (clearly equivalent to being his driver) it seemed necessary to elevate myself to NCOIC, meaning Non-Commissioned Officer in charge, a slight misnomer, but allowing a greater sense of self-esteem. Thus, this and subsequent writings about our travels together will be grouped as “Ðai uy Chuck and the NCOIC.”

The Đại úy and I have logged more than 500 miles on his Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo and are becoming a good team. Because a previous pilot (the name applied to the person “driving” a tandem bike, also known as the captain and not used by us for obvious reasons) ran Chuck the Stoker (stoker being the name for the person whose primary role is providing muscle) into a metal pole and I have not, Đại úy Chuck thinks I am good pilot/driver, his blindness keeping him from witnessing some of the potentially harrowing moments we have avoided.

We’ve managed to become an increasingly efficient team, maybe because I don’t deal with him as a blind guy and he doesn’t care that I am old. The result is that we’ve ridden 60+ miles one way to spend a long weekend on the Gulf in Cedar Key, completed a windy metric century as part of the Tour de Forts and next week plan to go large and ride from Pittsburgh to D.C on the GAP and C&O Trails, then take on the challenge of riding from D.C. to Baltimore and finally north into central PA. The Đại úy’s motivation is to not surrender to his blindness. Mine is to stay alive. Makes us a good pair.

I don’t know whether it was too presumptuous or arrogant to ask Andrew and Razia of Flagship Coffee if they’d like to be the official coffee providers for Đại úy Chuck and the NCOIC for our ride. “Of course” was their response. Got a similar response from Monica and Mike of Monica’s Cococastile Soap who are creating wrappers for sample-sized bars noting Đại úy’s accomplishments and efforts to encourage others to develop a more active lifestyle. As Đại úy puts it, “I’m not handicapped. I’m blind.” We’ll use Monica’s soap and give the rest away to spread the good word. Another “hot damn!” moment came during the past week when Aero-Tech Designs, manufacturers of my favorite bicycle attire said they’d provide a couple of shirts, shorts and socks for the old guys on a bike. I’ve worn their touring shorts for three years and all are still in good condition despite regular use. That they make their products in Coraopolis, just north of Pittsburgh (yes, made in America) is a nice subtext.

When we stop where there’s WiFi I’ll update the blog and let you know what’s happening as I did while trying to make the trip August 2012 trip to PA. You can also see what’s happening from a different point of view by checking Twitter; Chuck’s CoMotion.

4th Annual Coffeeneuring Challenge; The Finale

The 4th Annual Coffeeneuring Challenge is over and 7 weekends, 7 cups of coffee, 7 different places way to spend some riding time. Thanks is due Mary of Chasing Mailboxes  for making it happen and I'm guessing that anyone participating did so with a smile on his or her face. I mean, bikes and coffee? How can you not smile . . . seriously!

For me the schedule was easy at least for the first few weeks with Haile Plantation's Village a place I go every Saturday, so planning the first few destinations was much easier than my ride up the East Coast a few years back. Below are my destinations and some relevant pictures.

Cup #1; October 4, 2.5 miles, Tree City Coffee Roasters
Tree City (soon to be called Flagship) is not in Memphis, but the young lady from whom I purchased my first Challenge Cup is Memphis.

It’s hard to match the freshness of coffee roasted by Andrew on Thursday and sold on Saturday; that is exactly the way it works when I visit the Farmers’ Market in Haile Plantation’s Village each Saturday morning.
Memphis filled my cup with Tree City’s Breakfast Blend and I took along a pound of Full City Roast (medium) Natural (Nicaragua – Selva Negra) for $12. A fine way to start a weekend morning!

Cup #2; October 11, 2.5 miles, PattiCakes
PattiCakes is also located in Haile Plantation’s Village and, as the name implies, specializes in cakes of the cup variety; very suitable to accompany a cup of coffee.


PattiCakes brews locally roasted Rembrandt Coffee in a neighborhood friendly environment where locals kibitz, chat and relax. Their house blend was even better when coupled with one of their cupcakes.

Cup #3; October 19, 1.65 miles, Barnie’s
Franchise coffee places are not my favorite places, but the local Barnie’s is more neighborhood then franchise and is a comfortable place to spend a few Sunday morning hours checking email and reading online news. The coffee of the moment was Mocha Java and it required a Danish to help overcome the UF Gator’s loss to Missouri’s Tigers.

Cup #4; October 25, 4.5 Miles, Starbuck’s
I’d talked about bike parking along G’ville’s highly commercial Archer Road and one of the establishments with adequate through remote racks was Starbuck’s. Since then they have relocated to the other side of the street and I decided to check their bike security along with getting the Cup #4.

Like any Starbuck’s in town it was full of young patrons, virtually all of whom were virtually connected to some virtual part of the virtual world. Like any Starbuck’s in town there was a steady din of conversation. The coffee d’jour was satisfactory and the donut I chose was above average.

The new location offers adequate bike racks and reasonable security, but with the drive-through passing within inches of the racks extra care is required when coming and going .


Cup #5; November 1, 2.5 miles, Limerock Road Neighborhood Grill (LRNG)
A place featuring adult beverages might be excuse for the quality of its coffee, but when you call a tavern a “grill” and serve meaningful meals, the coffee should be as good as the meal. LRNG doesn’t serve mediocre coffee. Order a cup and you get some of G’ville’s best; Tree City.

I settled at the bar on an unseasonably chilly, blustery morning when the recently completed extension of Archer Braid Trail (ABT) through Haile Plantation was being officially acknowledged. Bike riders in their brightly colored kits mingled with the usual Saturday morning Farmers’ Market patrons, enjoyed some music, collected a few freebies and sampled munchables from LRNG.



The ABT extension makes Haile’s Village very bicycle-accessible which fits well with the New Urbanist development’s concept. The Trail now extends nearly nine miles from the west trailhead in the small community of Archer to its current terminus at well-maintained Kanapaha Park and will eventually connect with other existing and planned trails. Ample parking at Kanapaha Park makes it an ideal place for families to enjoy the Trail and the 2.5 mile ride to The Village. Cup #5 blended all the things that’re good about riding a bike in Gainesville and the Challenge simply added another good reason to be in the saddle.


Cup #6; November 8, 7.5 miles, Maude’s Classic Café (A Gourmet Coffee Shop)
With the last weeks of the Challenge at hand Cup #6 could be had in conjunction with the Fall Arts Festival in downtown G’ville. Whata deal! Maude’s was the right place to have a cup and a muffin before plunging into the crowd drawn by the Festival perfect weather; neither too hot nor too chilly.

A cursory study of Maude’s could cause it to be viewed as a hipster café, but it’s neither more nor less so than the other trendy coffee shops in G’ville. A cup of Sweetwater Organic Coffee, also a G’ville roasted brand, and a muffin while watching the eclectic mix of people made it a good way to prepare for the larger than usual crowd of Festival-goers.


Cup #7; November 16, 2.8 miles, Waffle House, Archer Road
America might run on Dunkin’ but in the South there’re a lot of people who’ll have their coffee at Waffle House so I decided to make the Southern Tradition the place for my final cup.


The coffee at WH isn’t exceptional, but it comes in a heavy cup that keeps it hot and you’ll get the question, “need some more hon’?” until you pay and leave. It’s hard to beat the value and even more difficult to ignore the Southern Diner ambiance; that’s one of the reasons to go there. Another reason? Waffles, of course. And then there’s the show put on by the grill operators on a Sunday morning.

Meeting the requirements of the 4th Annual Coffeeneuring Challenge was well worthwhile and helped put my disappointment from the Bicycle Challenge into proper perspective. Serious bicycle riding has little to do with kits and carbon fiber and centuries. It’s about caring about yourself and your community and enjoying the ability to get around on two wheels powered by your own effort.

Convergence: ABT, Haile Village and the 4th Annual Coffeeneruing Challenge

After years of debate, misinformation and misbehavior the extension of Archer Braid Trail (ABT) became a reality and making Haile Plantation’s Village easily accessible from Kanapaha Park.

ABT and Haile Blvd.

The Village is an integral and extremely under used part of New Urbanist Haile Plantation.. On Saturday I combined the extension’s Grand Opening Celebration, my fifth stop in the 4th Annual Coffeeneuring Challenge and my regular visit to the weekly Farmers’ Market.

Fewer riders appeared at this event than at the Grand Opening of the first six miles in June ‘13 becasue of the unseasonable weather, but those who did were dressed for the sunny, chilly, windy November morning. Adding to the small gathering, though, were curious patrons of the Farmers’ Market drawn by the music of Weeds of Eden.

Weeds or Eden “We play original bio-regional music, folk and rock standards, Celtic tunes, and filthy pirate songs.”  See facebook site

It turned into a friendly, busy get together. Of special note, though, is the courtesy of Gordy and his Limerock Road Neighborhood Grill staff who provided an assortment of finger-edibles, bottled water and congeniality.

Limerock Road Neighborhood Grill

Months ago I wrote a brief review of eateries in Haile’s Village, but focused on bike security. Four U-racks easily visible from inside make security a nonissue, though the cobbles into which the racks are secured make footing a mite awkward.

Bike security at Limerock Road Neighborhood Grill

When the opening event was announced I knew I’d make Limerock one of my stops on the Coffeeneuring Challenge for two additional reasons; I’d be in the Village for the regular Saturday Farmers' Market and Limerock serves Flagship Coffee (formerly known as Tree City). If the weather had been less blustery I would have settled outside to observe the goings-on, but had I done that I’d’ve missed the energetic and friendly staff and the comfortable Neighborhood Grill environment.

Flagship Coffee at Limerock Road

I’d visited the establishment in its previous iteration, but had no knowledge of the current state of is comestibles. As a place to hangout and enjoy some conversation it’d be hard to beat; comfortable seats at the bar, large windows with a pleasant view of Haile’s Square and a place to enjoy the Gators on a couple of large screen TVs (and Happy Hour when the Gators are on the road). Unlike many “sports bars” Limerock maintains its pub style without forgetting how to offer a family friendly, part-of-the-neighborhood enviornment.

Bright and Welcoming Limerock Road

The coffee was good. The service and accessibility of the serving staff was exceptional. Now it’s past time for me to see what they can do with their food. For the rest of you; leave your car at Kanapaha Park, follow the Trail, visit the Farmers' Market and go see Gordy.

Limerock's specials