Hello readers, randonneurs, bike riders, members of the Always Be Coffeeneuring Club, and everyone else who finds themselves reading this post. Have you given any thought to your fall plans?
I have. I’d like to encourage you all to join lucky year 13 of the Coffeeneuring Challenge. On October 7, the Chasing Mailboxes Coffeeneuring Challenge returns! If you ride a bike, drink coffee or tea (or even hot chocolate, coffee stouts, or cider), and enjoy low-key adventures please consider this fall endeavor. Now at year 13, we might even call it an annual tradition.
The Coffeeneuring Challenge is a time to slow your roll after the lively pace of summer. Time for some leaf-peeping and leisure. Let’s make the most of this delicious time of year with bike rides that include a stop for your favorite fall beverages, and perhaps the consumption of a pastry or two or three. By yourself or with friends, shared on social or not (remember the days when we used to do things and not post about them? I don’t), the way the Coffeeneuring Challenge unfolds is up to you.
The short version of the Coffeeneuring Challenge is as follows:
- between October 7 through November 20, 2023,
- ride your bike to 7 places,
- at least 2 miles round trip each time,
- drink 7 total cups of coffee (or another fall-type beverage), and
- document your coffeeneuring (either photos, Strava tracks, journal entries, control card, etc.) in case the Coffeeneuring Challenge Committee and the Intern (yes, the Intern is back!) ever conducts an audit.
The 12 official Coffeeneuring Challenge rules are described below. As those who have previously completed the challenge can attest, the rules are totally manageable, maybe even sometimes breakable, and everyone who completes the challenge must follow them within reason. You may even be left with extra days for bonus rounds (c+1!).
We’ve made it through some tough times and have proven ourselves resilient. The rules below accommodate all comfort zones and a multitude of ways of enjoying fall beverages. So let’s keep pedaling forward together and give this Lucky 13 year a go.
How to Complete the Coffeeneuring Challenge
Caveat caveat: If you’re new here, these rules may look like a lot at first blush. I think you will see that it’s really an expansion on the bullets above. What I’m saying is, you can do it!
Here we go with the full guidelines for 2023:
- Ride your bike to 7 locations from Saturday October 7 through Monday November 20, 2023, and drink a coffeeneuring-approved beverage. Any place where you can drink a coffeeneuring-approved beverage counts as a location. This could be a coffee shop, café, gas station, or even a coffee shop without walls (see #2!). New for Lucky 13: You may use one location twice (see Rule 12)! Reusable cups or mugs highly encouraged! Please, whenever you can, bring your own mug or ask for a real drinking cup that can be washed. That may not be feasible everywhere, but let’s do our part where we can.
- Coffee Shop Without Walls. A little fresh air is a tonic for both body and mind. A coffee shop without walls is a place like a park, campsite, gazebo, picnic table, field, a bridge (either under or over it), or even a parking lot like those people in Des Moines like to use. Essentially, a coffee shop without walls is anywhere you pause during your ride to prepare and/or drink a beverage.
- Two Rides Maximum Per Week. You can coffeeneur any day of the week. A maximum of two rides per week qualify, and only one coffee location per day counts toward official completion. There is latitude with how one defines their week. As long as you define it as seven consecutive days, you can start your week on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. You make the call, and don’t switch it around. If you reach your 7-ride total, go for some c+1 rides, you’ll thank yourself! Maybe try for 13 since it’s our Lucky 13 year!
- Eligible beverages. Hot chocolate qualifies, as does tea. Apple cider is also a coffeeneuring-approved beverage. Hard cider counts! Coffee porters or stouts qualify as well. Affogato counts, yum! Coffee ice cream can count, but don’t go crazy with the ice cream, it’s a beverage-focused challenge after all. Note: Drinks do not have to be hot! They just have to be coffeeneuring-ish type drinks. Again, reusable cups when possible, por favor.
- Controversial beverage rule. Occasionally, participants will introduce a questionable drink into the challenge. (Remember that hard coffee Pabst Blue Ribbon made?) This will be arbitrated in the Court of Coffeeneur Public Opinion and ruled on by the Coffeneuring Challenge Committee and the Intern.
- Minimum Distance. Your ride must be at least two miles total for each trip you take, but there is no maximum distance so yes, you could ride 100 miles (or more!) for a cup of coffee. You do you! Long or short, whatever you want to ride that day, at least two miles.
- Documentation. Guess what, we’re largely on the honor system here. That said, please complete this form when you’re done and keep some type of evidence that shows you rode your bike for coffee. People take photos, some post on Instagram or in the Coffeeneurs Facebook Group, others illustrate their rides, some provide links to Strava, and still others have done handwritten journals. The trust level is high in this challenge and I can count on one hand the number of people who falsely claimed to have completed it. Therefore, we do not request proof of all rides, only completion of the Google form once your challenge is complete. Easy peasy! Basically don’t cheat, the Spirit of Coffeeneuring is always with us (see Rule 9)! Just keep some ride documentation on hand in case you 1. Want to send it to me just for fun; or 2. In the event the Coffeeneuring Challenge Committee and/or the Intern reaches out to you for a spot check.
- Meetup. Does anyone remember the “home coffee shop rule?” That was a fun rule! Invite people to ride their bikes over for coffee! This year, we’re doing the coffeeneur meetup concept. If you want to get together a group of people for a coffeeneuring ride, do it! You can use the Facebook group to publicize it, if you want, or any other way that works for you. Just be sure you all ride at least two miles round trip.
- Spirit of Coffeeneuring Rule (updated for 2023, just because!). Regardless of when or how you choose to coffeeneur, you must always abide by the Spirit of Coffeeneuring. What is the Spirit of Coffeeneuring, some new participants may ask? The answer is inside you. Yes, you! If you wonder whether a particular ride should count then ask yourself, should this ride really qualify? Listen to the Spirit of Coffeeneuring, and let your conscience be your guide. If you have questions about whether a ride should qualify, let me know. Or call upon the Spirit of Coffeeneuring, it’s always there for you.
- Theme Within a Theme Option! A theme within a theme is any additional theme you use to go coffeeneuring. As an idea, a person might go coffeeneuring with their dog (this is the age of dogs!), some love the coffee outside theme. Others have done a coffeeneuring with friends theme, an exploration of teas theme, or supporting independent shops theme. The sky is the limit! This is an optional rule, so apply as you like.
- Earth Rule. Sorry space geeks, still Earth only in 2023! There are no geographic limitations to the Coffeeneuring Challenge, except that you must coffeeneur on planet Earth. So even if a wealthy tech mogul invites you to go on a bike ride with coffee in space (which really, how much testing has been done to reliably want to do that?), you will have to decline. If you cannot adhere to this rule, please contact me immediately.
- 6 Different Locations (on Earth!) Rule. You have to go to 6 different locations, although you may ride to multiple locations of a chain, if necessary. Yes, this is new for 2023, in response to participant feedback! Previously you had to go to 7 different locations, but if you have a favorite place to go coffeeneuring, you can use it two times during the challenge.
Submitting Coffeeneuring Challenge Rides
Submissions. There is one way to submit rides this year, and that is with a form you can complete here. Please submit your entries by December 10 or so, please.
Prizes! You are eligible for a small prize for finishing the challenge. We’re sticking with the traditional patch this year for sure, and maybe something else if we are inspired, have the time, and people show interest! As mentioned above, Doug of Umbrella Works has partnered with the Coffeeneuring Challenge once again to design something great for year 13. Thank you, Doug! I will get back with you on the cost on the grand patch prize, but anticipate it to be $10 or less.
The Socials
Fill us in on your coffeeneuring via any of the following methods. Post as you like, but don’t feel obligated to do so. This a no-pressure affair.
Blog it: If you blog your coffeeneuring, let us know!
Facebook: There is a Coffeeneurs Facebook group where you can post and share about all sorts of coffeeneuring matters.
Flickr: Share your photos in the Coffeeneuring group on flickr. (I recognize this may be a dying platform, but I still love it!)
Instagram: The hashtag for the Coffeeneuring Challenge is #coffeeneuring, or #coffeeneuring 2023. We’ll also be posting about the Coffeeneuring Challenge at @coffeeneuringclub.
Strava: Under construction. Long story, but I’ll try to get it going again. Update: It’s here! Strava Coffeeneuring Club!
TikTok: We’re not on TikTok but if you are, and you want to lead the Coffeeneuring Challenge charge there, please send me a note!
I think that covers everything, although I usually forget a detail or two. If you have any questions, feel free to put them in the comments section or send me a note.
Many thanks to all who have participated and brought this challenge to life in the past, and hearty hellos to those who will take on the challenge for the first time!
It all starts October 7. Seven locations in six weeks. Get in those Always Be Coffeeneuring and training rides now! We look forward to pedaling along with you again. Lucky 13, let’s make it our year!
Chasing Mailboxes 