Time brings growth

A common notion, in time there is growth. It applies to riding as well. With riding comes experience and confidence. I just updated my "visited States" map with selecting the states in which I rode one of my motorcycles.

I think I have picked off the easy states, those nearby Ohio. Now I will have to consider putting some real time in the saddle to expand this map. New York and Poconos? Wisconsin Dells? Time will tell. Hopefully, it will not happen because of the time commitment at a new job. ;-)

What does coffee and riding have in common?

I enjoy a good cup of coffee. Dark roast but lower acid. I even was considering buying my own roaster and buying green beans. The problem with roasted beans is that they have a couple week shelf life until they start loosing their flavor. And ground coffee is loses its flavor quicker than the time it takes to read this post! Its not that coffee is bad after that, but it is deteriorating.

There are a few roasters in Columbus, but who wants to drive 30-40 miles to downtown Columbus to pick up a pound of coffee? Then I was told about a micro-roaster in a small town. I looked them up, they were exactly as billed - a small roaster supplying mostly local coffee houses. What I did not know was their business mission (click on mission below to go to their website).

"Fresh Roasted Coffee - If you are looking for fresh roasted coffee that benefits the Christian Church in coffee growing regions, you have come to the right place. Hemisphere Coffee Roasters is on a mission: to assist the Christian Church in coffee growing countries by purchasing coffee directly from farmers who will be a blessing to entire communities.

We do this by working through farming-partners who have demonstrated their care for the community and by paying honest prices for the best coffee our partners grow. These prices are not fixed and are not tied to the commodities (NYBOT) market. Through relationships of trust, respect and transparency, we agree on a price. Last year our average price paid directly to the farmer before shipping was .30 higher than certified Fair Trade coffee."

"Nice" you say, "but what does this have to do with riding?" Well, I took the 20 mile ride to their shop this afternoon. Five minutes to get out of time, and all the rest was on rural roads. Most of it straight and flat, but a few 25mph 90 degree twisties just to wake you up. Run through a few small towns, one of which actually has a traffic light. And then into Mechanicsburg. One traffic light and street signs that have seen better days and no longer match the roads they mark.

The HEMISPHERE COFFEE ROASTERS is a small shop hidden on main street, very easy to miss. I did! I finally gave up, parked the bike, and walked the street. The shop was homey and cute, and the owners were very friendly and helpful. I brought my camera, but forgot to actually use it!

The ride back was just as fun as the ride down. As I turned into my neighborhood, a trailer/SUV had stopped in the middle of the road. A young couple just moving into their new-to-them house had lost several pieces of furniture off the trailer. I pulled off to the side of the road, helped them reload their furniture, wished them happiness in their new home, and headed off for the last 1/2 mile to the garage.

Its amazing the people you meet when you ride. That is what is great about riding - the people I meet. Sometimes they are in the stores and restaurants, sometimes they are running the hotels and campgrounds, and often those I just meet on the road. And that is what coffee and riding have in common - the people.

Great Lakes VROC Rally

Last weekend was the third annual GLVROC rally. Imagine 30+ people riding motorcycles converging on one property in Swanton, a town in the northwestern corner of Ohio. That is what we did this year, pitching tents and taking advantage of Boomer and Shannon's generosity by sleeping on the floor, couches, and spare bedrooms in their home.

It was well represented from as one rider coming from South Carolina, and several from Canada. It truly was an International event!

I rode nearly 300 miles over the weekend. For the evening, I opted for the small blue tent (misplacing the tent poles for the larger tent), and had to sleep corner to corner! But with the king size air mattress pushing against the sides of the tent, I was fairly comfortable and stayed dry despite a couple rain storms.

With high temps, each night we sat around a large circle and shared each others' company and stories. As the sun set, we moved to the fire and continued the laughing and stories until late in the evening...ok, really around 11:00 or midnight - most of us are old folks!