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.

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.

Racks and Hard Places: The Archer Road Tour, Part 3

So far on the Tour de Rack along the south side of Archer Road a few places offer adequate, if not exceptional, security and access for your bike. An equal number are inadequate by any standards. The standards for comparison are quite subjective but include: visibility while in the establishment and to customers entering or leaving the facility; substantial rack; accessibility.

Willy's, Wendy's and Chick-fil-a offer the best security using the above standards. Willy's rack is the least visible and Chick-fil-a's the least sturdy. Rack size is the only knock on Wendy's.

Papa John's Pizza
Not known for it's dining-in facilities also offers no provision for a rider wanting to use take-out. There's not even practical flyparking nearby. Better ingredients? Better Pizza? Not so good parking for bikes.

Papa John's lacks any place to secure a bike

The Century Shoppes
It was surprising to find that the location of Five Guys Burgers and Fries was totally lacking in bike security, but since it also lacks adequate accessibility not having a bike rack is a minor matter. If you're going to visit the battery place, chinese take-out or smoothie place you have to trust in your fellow man, use the not so nearby chain link fence or avail yourself of the assorted flyparking places at Five Guys.

Flyparking on the fence

Five Guys lacks a rack but has some flyparking

There are several places to secure a bike while in Five Guys and it could be visible, so things are not quite so dismal there. To Five Guys' credit, they also have provided accessibility.

The only accessibility at Century Shoppes?

Dine outside and watch your bike

KFC
Across the street from Five Guys (and The Century Shoppes) is KFC. No discussion is necessary. No rack. No nothing.

No bikes allowed?

Pizza Hut
Recent renovations to the Hut included many accessibility changes such as lowering portions of counters. Along with these and other modifications a wave rack was placed at the edge of the parking lot. Visibility will be difficult from within, but at least there is something.

The Hut's new rack

Panera Bread, Moe's, Cold Stone and Starbuck's
All four establishments are served by a multi-bike rack. Seldom is this rack empty and it is quite visible for patrons seated outside at Starbuck's. Everyone else takes his or her chances.

Always in use but not very accessible except to Starbuck's

Walgreens
Both Walgreens and it's competitor CVS provide sturdy racks, but placement is well outside the secure comfort zone. Maybe the feeling is that anyone coming to a "drug store" is too ill to contemplate theft. (One recently complete CVS, Archer at Tower, has a rack installed within ready view of its entrance, so it meets customer visibility standards.)

Sturdy but not visible

Pita's Republic had a good arrangement

Dunkin' Donuts and formerly Pita's Republic
Pita's Republic will eventually become something else at which time its bike parking will be very good; sturdy and highly visible. Sharing the same building with Pita's Republic is Dunkin' Donuts which provides no other secure parking and limited flyparking. America may run on Dunkin', but unless you're seated outside someone might run with your bike. 

Nothing but flyparking here

Two asides:
1.If you want more caffeine to start your day amnd you are driving east of Archer, Starbuck's is the better choice according to http://www.energyfiend.com/category/coffee. Twelve ounces of Starbuck's will give you 260 mg while Dunkin' provides a paltry 178 mg in its fourteen 14 ounces serving.

2. For one of those examinations of a question you never thought about asking, in this case, "What's the difference between Starbuck's and Dunkin Donuts coffee drinkers?" visit this blog; http://blog.civicscience.com/blog/2012/9/24/the-huge-differences-between-starbucks-and-dunkin-donuts-cof.html No, really, go look at it!