If you read The Daily Randonneur, you may recall my interview last month with Joe Platzner. At the end of it, he noted:

A bunch of us have trained pretty hard for PBP. After PBP, I’m probably going to lobby RUSA for an official “Coffee Shop Run” medal. To earn it, you need to ride your bike slowly to a nearby coffee shop and enjoy a fine beverage. I think this would be a big seller in September.

Since returning from Paris, we’ve seriously ratcheted back the weekend cycling miles. In exchange, we’ve spent some luxurious hours in local coffee establishments, telling stories and sipping espresso. Our post-PBP coffee shop visits made me remember how much fun coffeeneuring can be. Also, this fall weather puts me in a coffee drinking, coffee shop mood.

After giving Joe’s comments some additional consideration, I’ve decided that coffee shop rides are a fantastic idea and I’m creating the Coffeeneuring Challenge, a relaxed weekend cycling endeavor for cyclists everywhere.

I hope you’re up for the Coffeeneuring Challenge and will play along, too.

Interested in the Coffeeneuring Challenge? Here’s what you have to do to play.

1. Ride your bike to 7 different local coffee shops from now through October.
2. Only Saturday and Sunday rides qualify. Weekday rides are ineligible.
3. Only 1 coffee shop per day counts. If you visit 7 coffee shops in one day, you may choose only one as a qualifying ride.
4. You must do a short write-up of your experience that includes: where you went (address and website, if possible), the date you went there, what you drank, who was with you (or state whether you were solo), total mileage, and a few details about your coffeeneuring ride.
5. You must take at least one photo during your ride, caption it, and submit it as verification that you actually went to the coffee shop and drank a beverage there.
6. Hot chocolate qualifies, as do tea beverages.
7. You may not combine your coffeeneuring ride with any other ride such as a populaire or brevet. You may, however, combine your coffeeneuring ride with a grocery run, ride to the gym, or other transportation/utility-oriented ride.
8. Your ride must be at least two miles total, but there is no maximum so yes, you could ride 100 miles for a cup of coffee.
9. There are no geographic limitations to the Coffeeneuring Challenge.
10. You have to go to 7 different coffee shops, although you may ride to multiple locations of a chain (though that is not preferred).
11. Deadline for submission for the Coffeeneuring 7 is November 2, 2011.
12. Submissions must be sent to me at gersemalina “at” gmail.com.
13. All qualifying rides must be submitted at the same time. That is, send me all 7 together, NOT ride 1, ride 2, etc.
14. Premium unknown, BUT you will be featured as a guest post on this blog. So fame is part of your premium. Beyond that, I cannot say.
15. During Columbus Day weekend (October 8-10), you have three days to accomplish two qualifying coffeeneuring rides.

There you go. 14 15 rules for the 7-ride Coffeeneuring Challenge. I think that’s enough. Seven shops in six weekends. Are you up for it??

Let’s have fun, and maybe I’ll see you coffeeneuring!