My third Coffeeneuring trip this year, no cake so far, but my hopes were high for Grounded in Corsham. This lovely cafe does offer a Vegan cooked breakfast which was my fallback treat in case of cake-failure.
A fairy speedy ride out to our closest small town, and having remembered a bike lock this time I didn’t have to bother any window cleaners to keep my bike safe, unlike last time (see here!)
Wanted my Trek closer than the official bike rack
I headed inside, ordered my coffee and with baited breathe asked if they had any vegan cakes. “Oh – only the dark chocolate brownie”. ONLY??? It was amazingly good, and because it was dark chocolate not too sweet.
Vegan Dark Chocolate Brownie
I ate it all too quickly, and then decided I’d better put some effort into the ride home to burn it off!
Still enthused about this year’s Coffeeneuring challenge, when my car was booked into the garage for its annual service and MOT I decided to squeeze my bike into the boot and then cycle home (via a cafe) whilst I waited.
First part of the plan worked like a charm. After dropping off the car I cycled down into town towards one of my favourite coffee shops, Coffee#1 on Chippenham’s High Street. This cafe has really friendly staff, a range of dairy-free milks and offers a very fine vegan chocolate tiffin-style cake. Optimistic of not having to make do with a packet of crisps this time, I was practically salivating at the thought of this treat as I cycled up the High Street*.
At this point – I had a sudden horrible thought. I’d remembered my bike, I’d picked up my helmet, I had cash to spend – but I’d forgotten to pick up a bike lock. Chippenham is hardly the crime capital of North Wiltshire, but I still wouldn’t leave my lovely Trek there, unlocked and out of my sight. Somewhat less enthusiastically (in fact, I nearly turned around and headed straight for home) I carried on, thinking I might be able to order a takeaway coffee whilst keeping my eyes on my bike propped up against the window. Or wheel my bike inside. Or just shout my order in from the doorway. Or .. or … or ask the lovely window cleaner who was hard at work cleaning the cafe’s front windows. Bless him, he said of course he’d watch my bike whilst I ran inside to use the toilet and buy my coffeeneuring reward.
My chocolate treat was in sight! I propped my bike against a table, out of his way, and dashed inside, only to have my hopes dashed when I was told they hadn’t received any cakes that morning. They did at least have soya milk, so it wasn’t a totally wasted trip, but I’m starting to worry that the theme of my rides this year might be NO CAKE!
Little bit chilly for sitting outside but needs must
Total ride was 4.5 miles, drink was a soya latte, cafe was Coffee#1, window cleaner was a top bloke.
Scenic 😉 Still no vegan cake
* For anyone local, this was before 9:30am so the High Street was still open to traffic. You didn’t think I was cycling through a pedestrianised zone, did you??!
The days are getting shorter, the weather is colder, I feel like hibernating, it can only mean one thing – It’s time for Coffeeneuring! (Explanation of what Coffeeneuring is given here, but briefly it’s a challenge over 7 weeks or so to get out on your bike and simply go for a coffee (other suitable drinks are available). 7 weeks, 7 rides, 7 different cafes).
Starting this year as keen as a keen thing, I decided to cycle to tai chi, and then call in at the local farm shop cafe to see if they’ve managed any vegan cakes yet. Or at least, a non-angry way of telling customers that they are very sorry, but they don’t have any cakes suitable for a vegans diet (which would be a change to last year’s experience here!)
In my mind, I would cycle effortlessly to town. I would float into class all pink cheeked from the fresh air, and remove my helmet with a hair toss worthy of a shampoo advert. The reality was an incredibly muddy slog in, then an inability to find anywhere to park my bike resulting in it having to be chained to a small tree and a hasty scramble up the stairs to avoid being late. Taking my trainers off I realised I was splashed with mud nearly up to my knees. Those who remember “The Royle Family” will appreciate I could hear, in the voice of Jim Royce, “serene, my @rse!”
Never mind, I enjoyed the lesson and retrieving my bike I headed out to Allington Farm Shop. This is a lovely, and very popular cafe (with bike racks) and I took the last table between a group of mummies chatting about their husbands and a pair of silver haired ladies gossiping about friends. Yes, the cafe had soya milk, but yet again my enquiry about the possibility of a vegan cake was met with a very short “no”. Ah well, Biscoff biscuit and a packet of crisps it was, then back home through the mud again for a change of trousers.
Thank heavens for Biscoff and Crisps!
Coffeeneuring 2019 #1 completed! October 16th 2019, 7 miles
Saturday 12th October 2019 was parkrun day, like any other Saturday, but more particularly it was parkrun away day. Well, for the Chippenham Harriers (my running club) it was, anyway. The coach was booked, seats purchased, plans made. The destination was to be Somerdale Pavilions parkrun, not too far away from Chippenham and home of the famous “Curly Wurly”.
The parkrun is in Keynsham, in the grounds of the now closed and redeveloped Cadbury factory. The trek over soggy fields to another soggy field was not inviting, but the veritable maze of tape marking the route was. I’ll post my Strava trace of the run which hopefully will illustrate what I mean:-
and the close up of the Curly Wurly:-
Nothing illustrates the Curly Wurly better than this video made by Mike, one of the Club stalwarts (and a former Chairman of our club). I finally appear at 4 minutes in (wearing a red t-shirt under my Harriers vest). Turn the sound on – the tune is called “The Curly Wurly!
And before anyone snitches to my physio, yes I ran but I also walked. I tried my best to “run clever”, but I also just enjoyed myself. Fabulous!
