Beans In A Jar, Pflugerville Skatepark, & An Afternoon Ride in North Houston

While I was on tour with my band back in June, I made a quick list of roasters in the areas where I was touring so I could pick up a bag or two during my travels.

One of the roasters that I noted was Combs' Coffee near Denton, TX.  Many reviewers noted that Combs' place was like a coffee temple... so yeah, I had to go check it out!

My girlfriend found this coffee "jarringly" great!

When you first arrive at Combs' place - it's not a regular coffee shop. Rather, it's nestled in a small enclave of small but modern warehouses.  When you walk in, there's a wall of mason jars filled with roasted coffee beans from around the globe. When I say "around the globe", I'm not only talking about the usual suspects, but also places such as China, Thailand, Bali, and Nepal.  

And then, when you walk past the small room filled with jars of beans, it's only THEN that you see the coffee shop and finally meet the man behind the brand, James Combs.

From my conversations James Combs, he shared that he is close pals with Weihong Zhang of Blendin Coffee Club (Houston) and they will occasionally work together to buy super high quality beans and split up the prize for their respective shops.  Both of them are Q Arabica Graders - which I had never heard of until I met James. The best way to put it, a Q Grader is the wine sommelier equivalent to the coffee industry.

After spending a lot of time talking about coffee with James, I picked up two jars to take back to Houston. Today, I'm reviewing the Nicaraguan Fincas Mierish bean from the Comayagua region.  BTW - check out the Fincas Mierish link for some fantastic details about their farms and beans.

About the coffee: this is a wonderfully rich coffee. I know I tend to lust after the Central African beans but this batch from Nicaragua is exceptional and worth enjoying.  I noticed a beautifully sweet start with this coffee.  Have you ever had a great "coffee flavored" ice cream or coffee-infused beer?  That's what I tasted when I first took a dive into this brew. It's the taste of what coffee SHOULD taste like. I could see adding a bit of oat milk or a lightly sweet cream to this coffee, but it's so rewarding right out of the pot. I also imagine this would make for a fantastic cold-brew - but it may not be acidic enough for those who like a super strong cold-brew.

Note that when you order from Combs' - your coffee will be shipped in a regular bag, not in the quart-sized mason jar packaging you find at his shop.

Moving on from coffee, let's check out two skateparks I found in Pflugerville, Texas last month!

Pflugerville is north by northeast of Austin, TX.  Super cute city that has monetarily benefitted from the rapid growth in Austin, but I'm not sure the locals appreciate the higher home prices and rapid growth from the Austinites moving into their community. Nonetheless, the city is home to one of the BEST skateparks in the State: the appropriately named Pflugerville Skatepark.

At 41,400 square feet, this park is beautifully laid out, clean, plenty of safe parking, super smooth transitions, and perfectly maintained.  The photo I took does NOT do the park justice, so check out what others have posted. I was legit bummed out that it was so damn hot (over 100 F) and that I could only skate for about an hour before heat exhaustion kicked in. If I lived near this skatepark, I would be here as often as possible.  It's so well laid out and beautiful.  I love the two large seperated pools too.

There was a second Pflugerville skatepark (more like a pocket skatepark) that I skated while my girlfriend checked out a connecting trail.

It's called the "Skate Spot" and the connecting trail that links to it is called Bohl's Loop.  The trail is 7 miles long, but the Skate Spot is basically a ramp and a taco with picnic seating nearby. Yeah, it's tiny! On the plus side, it's shaded by the surrounding trees and if you decide to walk / run on Bohl's Loop like Pat did, then you're in luck as the trail is pretty great. 

And now... lemme talk to you about the bike ride I completed in the north Houston area last week.

The Spring Creek Greenway has been a favorite of mine ever since I started seriously riding bikes again in 2020.  This ~ 30 mile trail is a treasure!  Many parts are shaded, includes clearly marked trail markers, nearly 100% is paved, and (when there's not a drought) the meandering creek is a bonus zen experience.

I added ~ 12 miles to my ride by exploring the western side of the trail.  It was interesting to note that much the western portion was not on Google maps. Also, the western portion (noted as "ExxonMobile CityPlace") does not directly link with the rest of the Spring Creek Greenway. Kind of dumb and also kind of dangerous if you're trying to ride the entire route because you have to get onto the parkway and the highway feeder to get to the rest of the trail.

However, this is only a very small section of somewhat risky bike riding... 99% of the rest of the trails are absolutely beautiful. Sometimes, too beautiful. I remember thinking to myself how the beauty of my surroundings were becoming monotonous. When I first dove into the trail, I was stopping often to take photos of the trees, flowers, bugs... but then, it because the same thing over and over again... for miles.  

I had to stop and remind myself that this "monotonous beauty" was exactly what my soul needed.  This is exactly why I'm here!

When I ride on long stretches of road (such as the Hotter'N Hell ride last month) I remember feeling bored... numb... to the cycling experience. Was I so used to being constantly stimulated by technology and my surroundings that a peaceful bike ride - albeit a scorching hot one - was "just not enough"?

When that thought crossed my mind again, I physically stopped, made myself sit down on a bench to drink some water, and told myself to disengage, relax, and appreciate that I am here.

I found that once I let my mind clear itself, I could enjoy the ride more: the humming sound of the tyres against the ground, the steady cadence of my pedaling, the sound of my breathing, and the smells of my surroundings.

It wasn't all peace and love though. After I had made it to the end and was working my way back to my starting point, I found feel a cool breeze on my face.  The smell of rain was in the air and I was two hours away from my starting point!

Lucky for me, it did not rain on the trail area. However, I was pedaling furiously so I could get to a covered area just in case the rain hit.  That hard sprint was for about 30 minutes and THAT seriously drained my energy.

Still, it was a beautiful journey and I relax significantly after I realized the rain wasn't going to hit. The relaxed pace at the end didn't do anything for my average speed / timing... but this was not a race. It was a day off from everything, which means more that the numbers could report.

A Double Shot of Coffee Reviews

Today's post features two coffee offerings as I'm needing to catch up with all the other bags that need to get some blog time.  So... let's begin with a coffee that's a great way to start your day. 

Greater Goods Coffee Company (Austin, TX) - "Take Me Home" blend (Costa Rica)

 I first experienced this coffee when I was in Dallas earlier this year and I loved it. It made such an impact that I've blogged about it twice. Full bodied and slightly sweet, this wonderful morning brew will go well with just about anything. It's delicious for your first cup in the morning as well as an early afternoon brew, but you might not want to drink too much unless you're pulling an all-nighter.

This coffee would pair well with any type of creamers as it has a wonderfully simple but full profile. I'm tasting sweet fruits in the front with a perfect black tea finish.  The product description notes toffee, marzipan, and vanilla... and I think I would mostly agree but it's not as sweet as those notes might indicate. Highly recommended for people who love good coffee.

And no, they are not related to the Greater Goods Company... although they do sell the Greater Goods Gooseneck Kettle at their Austin store. 

Next on the review for today is...

Noble Coffee Roasting (Ashland, OR) - Kenya Muiri Estate Peaberry

With this coffee, my faith in peaberry is restored!

My earlier review of Progress Roasters' Ethiopian Harrar Peaberry was a traumatic experience. So much so that I left the remaining bag of beans in the office for anyone to take.  It was that bad.

But with this outstanding brew - I am back on the peaberry train!  

My awesome girlfriend brought this home from her recent trip to the Northwest US and it has been an outstanding coffee to brew. It has a beautiful, sweet and delicate flavor that play around on your tongue with each sip - typical of a great peaberry roast.  It's a light roast coffee with an interesting lemongrass like essence at first sip.  But that gives way to a nice spice ending... like allspice (as noted on the label).  This coffee received 92 points from Coffee Review, which I had never heard of... but looks like a fantastic resource for people like you and me when it comes to all things coffee!

While the Noble Coffee Roasting's Muiri Estate Peaberry is no longer directly available (as of this post), I see it mentioned on their site in other places -- so maybe it's a seasonal offering?  If so, keep tabs on this one as it's a great coffee to have on hand for an impressive afternoon brew with friends or even on a chill day on your own.

Details on the Muiri estate beans

Progress Coffee Roasters - Ethiopian Harrar

I picked up this bag of beans from Progress Coffee Roasters back in June (see post) and had been eager to try this one once I made it though my stash from March.  I like peaberry coffee beans for an afternoon brew (see January post) as they have a sweet, light character that I find perfect for a casual brew.  I normally like something stronger and bolder for my morning ritual, but I was eager to check out this legacy bean since I have enjoyed so many coffees from Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian Harrar from Progress should have been a slam dunk for me.  It checks all the boxes of my preferred coffees. Plus, when I was at Progress - I had a cup of their house blend and found it delicious!  

But... my first cup of this coffee was highly disappointing.

When I opened the bag, the coffee smelled good: aromatic fruits such as plums and candied currents were present.  But after grinding up the beans, something smelled off.  And after brewing - the coffee didn't smell right at all.  By "right", I mean that it didn't smell sweet as I expected it to be.  It smelled like it was burnt in the roasting process.

I took a few more sips and made a note that the coffee tasted like a Starbucks regular roast - which is to say that the coffee tasted burnt. I truly hate Starbucks roasts because their coffees tastes like they are hiding the low quality of their beans by over-roasting them.  I'm not alone in this sentiment!

After finishing one cup and then pouring myself a second one - I decided I just couldn't drink any more of this stuff.... so I dumped the brew down the drain and tried brewing another batch.

I have a Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder and I normally use the middle  grind setting for my brews with my Moccamaster brewer.  So, I tried a higher setting on the grinder (for a more coarse grind) and tried brewing again.  Even with the coarse grind and adjusting the measurements, the coffee was still burnt-tasting, but not as much.  This coffee does not have that sweet, ripe fruit notes that is normally present in an Ethiopian.  Especially with a peaberry bean!  

BUT THEN - I had an epiphany. I don't think this a bean for a standard drip coffee bean.  This coffee should be used for making traditional Ethiopian coffee... something like this.  

I experimented again by using a slightly finer grind setting and letting the boiled water stay in the drip hopper of the Moccamaster for 30 seconds. I also added a pinch of cardamom to the ground beans in the hopper as I recalled the mélange of spices that were added to ground beans when I had traditional Ethiopian coffee at an Ethiopian shop. I then let the brew slowly drip into the carafe... and then.

Voilà, that made quite a bit of difference, but I still wasn't in love with this coffee.  Since I still have quite a few beans left in the bag and I don't plan on using this coffee again, I'm just going to leave the bag at the office and let someone else give it a try.

Another Porch Culture Coffee + bike updates

Blended coffee (coffees with a mixture of beans) are not my go-to roast and readers have noticed that I tend to drink single origin coffees.

I've become something of a purist when it comes to food stuff as I tend to buy items with ingredients I can (mostly) identify and/or not processed.

With blended coffees, I want to savor the source beans as they are presented. I acknowledge that a good mélange of beans can result in something special, but I'm currently going through a puritanical phase when it comes to coffee.

Today's post is a great example of why I don't like blends because this bag of beans is quite special.

I was given a bag of Porch Culture's Finca La Amada Yellow Honey Microlot from a friend who was traveling in the north Texas area.  And since I have reviewed a couple of excellent bags of beans by Porch Culture in previous posts (here and here) - I was keen to try out this new batch.

After my first cup, I made the following notes:

Man, what's going on here?!  This coffee does a lot at once: sweet, bitter, then sweet.  I'm tasting dark, ripe cherries in the front.... then something with spice, like... black tea or bourbon?  And then... I'm tasting honeycomb.  What is this magical elixir?

If I sound pleasantly confused, it's because I am!  There's a lot to take in with this coffee which is why I wouldn't want to have it mixed with anything else.  

This coffee makes an excellent morning brew with its sweet / baking-spices notes.  I certainly wouldn't add anything to the cup as these flavor profiles should be enjoyed straight up.  

Here's a link to more details about the farm and the processing.  This coffee is another outstanding offering from Porch Culture - I recommend picking up a bag of La Amada Yellow Honey Microlot from either Porch Culture or your favorite local roaster.

Bike Stuff

This past weekend, I rode about 30+ miles in the Clear Lake (Texas) area.  I had to start around 7:30 in the morning due to the heatwave but also, I wanted to avoid vehicle traffic as much as possible since part of my planned route would involve major roads.

I had made a few small adjustments to my rear derailleur and even took out the jockey wheels to clean and... well... just to check them out. Turns out they are non-branded, barrel-style jockey wheels (no bearings).  I also adjusted my saddle (Oval Concepts 344) a bit before hitting the road.

Here's the video I watched to adjust my derailleur as I was experiencing exactly what this guy talked about with the chain jumping back and forth on the rear cogs.

After completing my ride, I decided the Oval Concepts saddle has got to go.  It just wasn't comfortable after a while as I kept having to adjust my seating position to get comfortable.  My State bike has a WTB Volt saddle that I have used for over two years - including two MS150 rides.  It's a saddle I don't think about, which is exactly how it should be!

Next update: I'm replacing the jockey wheels on the derailleur with a set of bearing-style wheels and I'm taking the seat from the State to test out on the Fuji.  I have been considering a Brooks C17, but since I have the WTB (and I know I like it) I'm going to go with what I have before spending $130 on a saddle.

[EDIT: I adjusted the saddle a little more, so I'm going to give it one more try]

Never Coffee Roasters (Portland, OR)

My girlfriend went to the coast of Oregon last month and she brought back two bags of beans for us to try out. Randomly, we chose to open the bag from Never Coffee (Portland) first... so let's dive in!

Bangarang is a blend of washed and naturally fermented beans.  The inspiration for the name comes from slang for the word for "chaos" in Jamaican and is also used in the movie "Hook" as a battle cry of the Neverland Lost Boys.

The beans in this blend are from Guatemala and Nicaragua - so I expected the flavor profile to be on the sweeter side. Central American coffees are not my default beans, but I'm also open to trying something new.  :)

Opening the bag for the first time, I pick up on strong scent of spices... like meaty spices such as black pepper and... cumin. 

I used a higher grind setting (more coarse) as my instinct told me this was going to be an acidic coffee.  For the curious, here's a link to coffee grinding.

Tasting notes on this coffee was a mixed bag for me and my girlfriend.  I noted darker fruits and spices while she noticed the coffee was more bitter than the usual coffee I make.  I noted a hint of sweetness after the first few sips, but found this coffee was more robust than sweet.  I'm thinking hazelnut mixed with dark semi-sweet chocolate would be the best way to describe what I'm tasting.  I also picked up on the bitter notes that my girlfriend noted (hence the semi-sweet chocolate description) and we both thought that a dash of oatmilk would complement this coffee!

Ranch Road Roasters (Ethiopian Abana)

Oh man... FINALLY!

I have finally opened (and nearly finished, as of this post) my last bag of beans from the March stash.  Everything else in my coffee stash is from May and June, so I'm eager to dive into the newest batches as there are quite a few I have been looking forward to tasting. 

Today's post is all about the beans I picked up at Ranch Road Roasters.  When I was at their shop back in March, I bought two bags of Ethiopian Abana beans: one washed and one natural.  The peeps at Ranch Road were happy to pause and explain the different processing methods -- even though there was a line of customers waiting behind me.

I had reviewed the washed beans version of the Ethiopia Abana beans back in June, so I was curious if the naturally processed coffee beans would be significantly different.

But first - here are a couple of sites [one and two] that outline the differences between washed verses natural processing.

Okay, let's get on with the coffee!

Right away, I taste dried apricot along with other subtle fruit notes - I didn't pick up on the nectarine or papaya as noted on the bag.  Maybe their "candied orange" is the dried apricot I'm picking up in the front. 

After that first sip, I'm tasting traditional, subtle fruit and coffee notes found in my favorite Ethiopian coffees. This coffee has a delicate flavor that's full and satisfying.  As with other Ethiopian coffees I enjoy, I do not recommend a dash of milk or syrups with this one.  The flavors are not complex but, it's full and rewarding.

My awesome girlfriend, Patty, tasted the tanginess of the nectarine at first  but did not like it as much. It's an acquired taste for her as she much prefers coffees with hints of berries and a smoother aftertaste.

And finally, here's a link to a different roaster that is selling this coffee and tells a bit more about the story behind the roaster and their processing. I applauded roasters who take the time to break down the details on the coffee and its preparation.

Bluebonnet Coffee Company (Blanco, TX)

Oh man... on one hand, I feel that I shouldn't be purchasing so much coffee when I travel.  But, on the other hand, it's not like this stuff goes bad as long as it's stored properly.  As one roaster put it... it's basically just roasted wood.  Allegedly, the intensity of the flavours are lost after a few months... or when you open the bag.  However, after opening this bag - it still smelled wonderfully sweet.  And the brew had an excellent aroma.  

So, it's with a slightly guilty conscious that I post this coffee review as I had picked up this bag of beans back in March when I was traveling to the central part of Texas with my sons.

I'm constantly preaching about how much I adore Ethiopian coffees as well as some South American roasts.  This batch from Bluebonnet Coffee Company (Blanco, Texas) is outside of my normal range of preferred coffees... and I like it!!!

The Leticia Lopez roast from the Finca La Unica Farm in Honduras has a special something... subtle yet satisfying.  The mellow dark fruits in the front with a maple syrup finish is delicious but not overly sweet or artificial tasting.  I found this coffee to be a fantastic morning brew with mild acidity when poured as a drip coffee.  Perhaps a dash of milk would go well with this roast, but it's a bit on the mellow side with flavours, so go light on the blending.

The labeling says the coffee is honey processed.  What's that?  Well, read here to find out more!  I should note that maaaaybe, my palette is playing tricks on me... but I swear I can taste a hint of honey in the finish.  It's not like honey-flavoring or anything... just a delicate, sweet roasted honey note.  I like it!

Oh, one additional note: I keep my coffees in their original bags and then, I store those in a large insulated cooler.  Perhaps that extra wall of storage helps? 

Mini-tour recap and upcoming coffee reviews

The mini tour in Texas (see June 21 blog post for details) went very well on several fronts: positive gigs, finding exceptionally good coffee roasters, checking out some great (and one not so great) skatepark, and most importantly - being around some amazing and beautiful people!   So, I'll start by talking about the first stop of the tour: Denton.

We started our series of gigs on Friday night at Killer's Tacos - which was about to be sold off and turned into a different venue.  Killer's vegetarian menu was pretty outstanding -- and I should know because I ordered four of their vegetarian tacos! I thought the sound system was really good and the vibe pretty chill. I've been told that when the place re-opens later this year, the vibe will still be the same.

Saturday morning, I checked out two coffee places and both were beyond amazing.

[NOTE: Photo of my coffee haul at the bottom of this post. I'll post extensively about the coffee roasters I visited in an upcoming post.  There's a lot to discuss!]

After coffee, I went to my first skate stop: Roanoke Skatepark.  I had been to Roanoke before (see post on March 31) and wanted to check it out using my new-ish Texican deck.  You know, I need to write about the Texican deck and the main man before the craft, Frank Gardner.  Again, I'll put a pin in that statement for a future post.

Watauga Skatepark

As last time, Roanoke was super fun, although I didn't go into the bowl this time as it was busy with other skaters.  Still a first class park and very well maintained.

Next park was the Watauga Skatepark.  It's a small park (see photo) but perfect for a beginner / intermediate level skater.  The small covered bench area was highly appreciated as the temperatures was reaching close to 95!

After that, I drove from Fort Worth to Waco and checked out the Sul Ross Skatepark.  Oh man, this place was my favorite of the three this day - mainly because of the long pool feature.  Super clean park with lots of subtle ebbs in the concrete that makes riding a blast.  I wish I could have spent a lot more time here but (a) it was almost 100 degrees outside and (b) I kinda really needed to get back on the road to Austin for a gig that night.  But man, I can't wait to find an excuse to go back there.

My weapon of choice: an IYV 300 Guitar

The gig in Austin was at a house called Arnold House... because it's on Arnold Street.  House shows can be loads of fun, but a major challenge for me as I need a serious PA system to help push the drum machine at level with the guitar.  

Luckily, I have known the people in Shipwrecked and Self-Checkout Renaissance and I asked if one of their members could play an impromptu minute set with me.  

Josh from Self-Checkout got volunteered to play drums for my set and we played a cracking 30 minute impromptu kraut rock set.  I was super pleased with how it turned out and so was everyone else... who thought it was my normal set!

Sunday morning - got up and out to pick up a bag of beans at Greater Goods... but... I saw a review for a place called Progress Roasters that was on my route to Greater Goods and... well... I had to check it out.

Progress Coffee Roasters is located near downtown Austin, just off the highway.  It doesn't have a great view, but man oh man, what a great coffee place!  I ordered a cup of standard black - which was a Central American blend.  Normally, that's not my thing, but it was well done and flavorful.  I picked up a bag of their Ethiopian and hit the road again for Greater Goods.

Now, in my post from February 14th, I made note about a coffee I enjoyed at the Bernie Bean.  Bernie Bean featured a re-branded coffee from Greater Goods as THEIR coffee... but after a little digging, found out that their coffee was sourced at Greater Goods and the coffee I fell in love with was a Costa Rican bean.

Arnold House  (Austin, TX)

So, as you can imagine, part of my objective for this tour was to make a stop at Greater Goods and pick up a bag of this incredible batch.

And now... with treasures of coffee beans safely tucked away in the car, I sped off to find the next series of skateparks.

My first skatepark of the day was at Mueller Skatepark. I noted that while Google Maps notes the park as Gaylord Sackler Memorial Park, all the signs at the park say Mueller Park.  Apparently - the park has both names officially.  But... what's most important was how nice this park is.  AND, it has a pump track!  I really had a blast at this park, even though it was freakishly hot.

My next stop was at the Jackson Tyler Norris Memorial Skatepark (see photo below).  I loved this park too!  Nice ramps, clean and well maintained, and so much fun.  I thoroughly enjoyed this park and was disappointed when I couldn't spend more time there due to being super hot and tired.

So, with a couple of bottles of fresh, cold water in the car, I drove off to Houston... but had a note to stop in Sealey as I wanted to see their park next.

Jackson Tyler Norris Memorial Skatepark
& my Texican deck

However, I knew there was a park or two on my way to Houston -- specially at a place called power plant skatepark.  More specifically, the Smithville Powerplant Skate Park.

Once I arrived, I was intrigued as it looked kind of small, but well used.  However, once I got wheels on the ground, it was apparent that the park suffered from a lack of maintenance.  The graffiti didn't bother me at all, it was the crumbling concrete and dirt build up all around.  If you click on the link to the park - you'll see photos of how it looked when it opened.  But today, it's a sad and neglected.  I hope the city / parks board does something to give the skatepark a little love.

So, I didn't spend much time at all at the Smithville Powerplant Skatepark and was back on the road to Sealy, Texas.  That park was diametrically the opposite of Smithville!

Both are small, but Sealy's skatepark is very clean, well-maintained, and great for beginners.  Smithville looked rough around the edges, but expert skaters might enjoy the challenge of the place.

I enjoyed the Sealy skatepark a lot... mainly because I could skate it without getting stopped by rocks / broken bits of pavement.  Nice but also nothing special.  If you're traveling near Sealy, Texas and you have your deck... give it a spin!

Anyway, I made it to Houston and got to the venue just in time to get set up and soundcheck for the set.  The gig went well, but it was super sad to note that it was Shipwrecked's last gig for a long time as their drummer is moving to (ugh) Santa Monica.  :D

All in all, a great three day trip with friends, coffee, and lots of skateboarding... and almost dying from heat exhaustion!!! 

Self-Checkout Renaissance (Houston gig)

Shipwrecked (Houston gig)

Look at all that roasted bean goodness!!!

A Different Kind of Tour (no band this time)

I had hinted about this a while ago on my Instagram accounts, but here we are for the big reveal!  Yup - instead of touring for band promotion, I am hitting the road to enjoy traveling for a change and have fun exploring trails and parks.

Typing that sentence out is weird for me as I've spent 14+ years planning tours based on where my band can perform and how much distance we can "reasonably" tackle between cities.  Touring life - contrary to popular belief - is neither glorious nor fun.  It's a race from city to city, trying to stay awake, friendly, fed, passably sober and, not go broke in the process.  All in the name of trying to increase your fan base.  Many times, it's a thankless and frustrating experience and must be done with a degree of consistency for it to "work".

And now, with the passing of time, I don't have an interest in that lifestyle.  Often when I was on tour, I would wish I had more leisure time to explore the cities we stopped at and just enjoy the community and the surrounding countryside.  

I started embracing that concept on my last few tours with Stockhausen & The Amplified Riot -- taking my bike and/or my skateboard and giving myself extra time between gigs to enjoy the experience.  And now... I'm ditching the band aspect completely and focusing on exploring the bike trails and skateparks without any band pressure.

And so, below is my plan of travel for late September [edit: November].  I'll be packing up my trusty Nissan Rouge with my bike, skateboard, and whatever else I need for the journey.

Along the way, I'll also check out local breweries and (most importantly) coffee roasters!  I'll have a large, insulated bag so I can keep the bags of coffee protected as I drive from place to place over the course of two weeks.

My goal is not to achieve hundreds of miles of bike riding - it's to enjoy the trip and check out the bike trails and skate parks that I had to drive past when I used to hustle for band work.

In other bike news, I'll be training for the Hotter'n Hell bike ride (100 miles) in August and the Bike Around the Bay (174 miles) in October.

Other big endeavors on the horizon - I'm planning on late Spring 2024 to ride on the Great Allegheny Passage.  This route will take about 10 days to complete and cover 500 miles from Pittsburgh, PA to Harpers Ferry, WV and back.  I'm planning to do this ride instead of the MS150. I'd like to do the MS150 again... but I feel there's some changes that will need to be made in the management of the ride for it to become enjoyable again.

I know there are plenty of riders and groups that can accomplish these rides / routes in far less time... but my goal is not to crush miles under my wheels in the name of distance.  I want to enjoy the sights, sounds (solitude) and nature and be able to enjoy these rides while I still can do them.  :) 

Tour, Skate, Chill

It's time for another quick tour around Texas for Stockhausen and the Amplified Riot. 

This time, I'll be touring with my friends from Shipwrecked and Self Checkout Renaissance - both from Baton Rouge.  I'm super excited to travel with these awesome bands - and also excited to be hitting up a few new skate parks along the way!

Here's how it's looking for this weekend:

I've hit up Roanoke before during a tour last March - and it was a fun, easy riding park.  But the others will all be new to me.  I'm especially looking forward to Gaylord Sackler skate park because it has a pump track!

I'll also (of course) be checking out coffee roasters - especially in Austin.  I was looking forward to hitting up Texas Coffee Traders but they will be closed by the time I make it into town.

Ranch Road Roasters and recent Houston gig

It's been weirdly busy but also - not so bad that I am stressed out or lacking time to do the things I love... like drink coffee!  Note: I'm only slightly exaggerating. 

I picked up this bag of beans a few months ago (I know... shame on me for waiting so long!) at the Ranch Road Roasters in downtown Fredericksburg, Texas.  I have to give credit to the staff at Ranch Road for being patient - even with a line of customers behind me - for taking time to explain their coffees.  The staff brought out their head roaster who also took some time to explain to me (and everyone within earshot) of their roasting methods with the various beans.

So now, after a few months, I finally made it to this batch!  I have been searching for more information on the Ethiopia Abana Anderacha Lot - but very, very little can be found... which is frustrating because this is a pretty special coffee. 

With my first sip, this coffee starts off mild and blooms slowly with lemon, honey, and a floral coffee finish.  It may be mild, but the "fruit" notes of the coffee stay on my palate after sipping -- this is a good thing!  I don't like milk in my coffee but I could see a dash of oatmilk going well with the sweet, fruity coffee notes of this brew.

For this coffee, I used a slightly finer grinding setting than I would normally use for Ethiopian and the results were quite good. The coffee fruit and floral essence came out much stronger on the finer grinding settings.  Also, I normally like to wing it when I'm making coffee, but for my initial tasting, I kept to the golden ratio so I could bring out the complex notes of the coffee properly. 

In other news: I played a gig at The End last week with my friends form the band Sex Mex, Pathos and Logos, and Rhizomata.  

I've played gigs with Sex Mex several times and I've seen them when they were a three-piece, a duo, and now.. and four-piece band.  Each time I see them, they always deliver an outstanding, tight show of post-punk / new wave.  Absolutely have mad respect for them!

Pathos and Logos are super nice dudes who play a style of music I would call gamer soundtracks, however - I think they would call it prog rock.  It's not too complicated and fussy, keeps a steady beat,  and is instrumental... so it's perfect music for playing action / fps type video games.

Here's a few pics from the night -- I didn't stay long for Rhizomata as it was getting late and I had to be up early for work.  :/ 

Sex Mex

Pathos and Logos

Lemma Coffee Co - Mara Estate (Kenya)

I was in the North Dallas area a little while ago for gigs and general mayhem... and, like I usually do, I went on the hunt for some good coffee.  And boy howdy, did I find it!!!

I found Lemma Coffee Company in a small strip of shops in Carrollton, TX and was immediately in love: GREAT selection of coffee, excellent staff, a good location to just chill (either in the shop of around Carrollton Square), and... it's next door to Dead Wax Records!

But for now, let's check out this bag of beans I picked up.

I haven't tried a lot of coffees from Kenya, but I am super into the idea of trying beans from Africa.

The Mara Estate in Kenya has had a brief, but interesting history.  While Kenya coffee production is not as long as their neighbor Ethiopia, they produce some exceptional coffees.

This roast from Lemma is quite good and complex.  The coffee is not as smooth as Ethiopian and initially, I felt like it left a coffee film in my mouth.  But as the coffee cooled a bit, that filmy texture went away... or I just got used to it.  I definitely picked up on the blueberry and dark cherry essence of this coffee as well as a hint of cinnamon.  This is especially true after grinding the beans before brewing as the fragrance of blueberries and coffee fills the kitchen!

As an espresso - this coffee would work well as it imparts an almost Turkish coffee sweetness when finely ground.  Maybe that filmy texture I noticed is what Lemma calls "creamy"?  Also, I'm not picking up on the mango tasting notes as printed on the package - but that's not a deal-killer as I'm very happy with this bean and hope to check out Lemma again the next time I'm in the Dallas area!

In other news - I freaking completed the MS150!!!  one hundred and fifty miles on a bike.  And strangely enough, my body was not in complete pain afterward.  I probably don't look very ecstatic in the photos below because it was HOT and I was wiped out & sore by the time I got to the finish line.  I almost started crying once I crossed the finish as I was so relieved and just... I don't know how to explain it.  Relief / exhaustion / overwhelmed...?

I want to also note that I will probably not be riding the MS150 next year as I felt like I have accomplished what I wanted to do and would like to participate in other big, long-distance rides.  Plus, I kinda hate fund-raising.  I had to fund-raise when I was in 6th and 7th grade while at a Catholic school and I hated it then too: both the fund-raising and the Catholic part.  I'd rather just pay a fee (I know these things can be expensive to organize) and focus on the ride. 

But, I also gotta say that I am going to (gasp!) buy a multi-speed bike.  Yup - after three years of being obstinate about riding a single-speed EVERYWHERE, I'm going to pick up a multi-speed bike for longer rides such as these.  Alas Purple Reign, you will always be with me for local, fun rides - but the time has come to acknowledge that I need to use better gear for these more demanding rides.  

I'm kinda sad again!  :(

Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters - Suke Quto

Every time I see the name of this coffee, I think of Suzi Quatro.  While it's a great batch of beans, it has no relation to the artist.

Instead, this coffee hails from the Guji area of Ethiopia - in the south of the country near Kenya.  The story behind the Suke Quto Farm is quite interesting and a great story about vision and community perseverance.  Definitely click on the link to read about the farm collective as well as a fantastic story about the growth of the Guji area.

When I saw the bag of Suke Quto at Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters, I was intrigued because I had never heard of it before, but I knew I loved Ethiopian coffee.  It turns out that Suke Quto is quite common among many high-end grocery stores as well as many indie coffee roasters... so maybe I wasn't paying attention?  Or... maybe it's just generically labeled as "Ethiopian" at the store.  Either way, let's dive into the Suke Quto roast made by Noble Coyote.

Right away, this coffee has a pleasant acidity but also a bright and cheerful coffee aroma.  I'm tasting dark cherries / berries with this one.  The flavor profile is very full of these darker fruit notes (I also note a plum like character with each sip) but I do not get that apple note as it says on the bag, but I do taste a hint of bergamot - perhaps that's what I'm noticing when I say full flavors of dark berries?

Either way, the coffee has a full mouth feel with each sip.  Excellent straight (my preference) or with a dash of milk.  I feel that oat milk would pair exceptionally well with this coffee.

When it comes to the grind settings, I have been using a medium / coarse grind with these beans.   

I would not recommend this coffee for a French press as the acidity from too long of a brew time would disrupt the beautiful, darker fruit notes.

See if you can find a bag of these beans near you and let me know your thoughts on this bean!

Noble Coyote Coffee Roaster – Mapendo (Congo)

Oy!  I'm a wee bit behind on my posts this month, but with so much has been going on, I haven't made time to sit and type it all out... so, let’s start with some coffee!

Today, I opened up a bag of beans from Noble Coyote that are from Congo.  I’m not familiar with Congolese beans, but I'm a fan now.  Here's an outstanding blog post about these beans and their cultivation.  

With the first sip of this brew, I was like, oooooooh yeah!  Right away, I’m tasting dark cherries in the front with a finish of (stay with me here) graham crackers.  Yeah, graham crackers because I can taste that honey, cinnamon essence. It’s mild but definitely not boring.

Noble Coyote says it has a bright and zesty finish…. And yeah, I would agree.  It’s a wonderfully smooth roast that I would not dilute with any creamers or sugar.  Definitely not sugar as it has a natural sweetness that is pleasant.  Also, because of its natural sweetness, this coffee would also be outstanding as a cold brew.

Yellow Dog Coffee Company (Norman, OK) + skateparks + gigs

While I was traveling last week, I could not resist the urge to buy some locally roasted coffee.  So today's post is about some beans from Papua New Guinea roasted at the Yellow Dog Coffee Company in Norman, Oklahoma.

The bag doesn't indicate much about the beans, but from my tasting notes, I suspect it's New Guinea Arona.

As soon as I poured my first cup, I noted the coffee was mellow on flavor and texture.  It starts with a citrusy, floral essence and then finishes with a honey note.  Interesting!  I would say that this coffee is pretty bright with a clean finish.  If you like your coffee with a strong, bold character, then this coffee is not for you.  However, I bet it would go great as a latte.  You know, it reminds me for the Peruvian coffee I reviewed last month from Noble Coyote Coffee: light body and mild flavor.  So I would rate this coffee as polite for an afternoon break.

Besides looking for coffee - I also played several gigs (the main reason for this recent adventure) and checked out numerous skateparks while in the north Texas / Oklahoma region.

I had a fairly aggressive schedule lined up with gigs and skateparks (see previous posts) and I am quite amazed that I was able to hit up five of the six parks on my list:

• Lewisville Skatepark (Lewisville, TX) 
• Northeast Community Park (Frisco, TX)
• Vandergriff Skatepark (Arlington, TX)
• Blake Baldwin Skatepark (Norman, OK)
• Roanoke Skatepark (Roanoke, TX)

Of the ones I got to skate - my favorites were Lewisville and Roanoke.

Lewisville gets high praise because it's a big, roomy park with a wide range of features.  Beginners to experts can find something to love there. I got to the park early (9:30am) and was the only one there for two hours!  By the time I left, two moms showed up with their small children and scooters... but I imagine the place gets much busier later in the day.

Roanoke gets high praise from me because it has several unique features as well as plenty of space for all level of skaters.  Definitely not as large as Lewisville, but still roomy.  Check out this video from Braille Skateboarding where they explore the park.  Actually, it was because of that video that I specifically sought out the park while I was in the region! 

Unrelated side note 1: I had also made a note to visit the gravesite of Townes Van Zandt in Dido, Texas - but I just ran out of time... which I'm sure Townes would appreciate.

The Blake Baldwin Skatepark was interesting in that they used natural rock formations as part of the obstacles / features.  A very cool idea.  

Oklahoma is well known for their red dirt and its ability to permanently stain everything red.  The stuff is not like the dirt found around Houston.  No, this stuff is kind of clay-like.  So... when you skate over it... you might be in for a surprise on how your board has stayed put while you continue falling forward!

Which brings me to why I want to give a shout out to the locals at the Blake Baldwin Skatepark... they brought brooms!  Someone brought a small PA to blast hardcore, punk, and metal... but there were also two brooms sitting next to the PA... and skaters would randomly pick one up to sweep an area to skate.  It was endearing and awesome to see that level of community.

For those who like data, here's how the parks I visited measured.  I have North Houston on the list because I stopped by there while on my way home... but also because it's interesting to note its size:

• North Houston Skatepark - 78,000 square feet (second largest skatepark in the United States)
• Northeast Community Park - 47,000 square feet  ("second largest in Texas")
• Lewisville Skatepark - 33,000 square feet
• Blake Baldwin Skatepark - 20,000 square feet
• Roanoke Skatepark - 20,000 square feet
• Vandergriff Skatepark - 7,500 square feet  

On my way out of town, I made a quick stop at Guestroom Records to drop off some tapes and check out their vinyl.  Highly recommended shop... they even had the Neu 50 box set!!!

Unrelated side note 2: Sadly, I discovered that the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in Norman was closed (apparently, for quite some time).  

So yeah - the gigs!  Ha ha... guess I should mention those too while I'm here.

It may sound contrived or "playing it safe" when I say that all five were awesome... but yeah... all five gigs were great and absolutely worth it.  The show in Norman at The Deli got posted in the printed city music & arts newspaper!

I've finally purchased a clip-on tuner and removed the trusty Boss tuner that would normally be taped to the folding table where the drum machine sits.  (reminder: I need to find a tuner that is re-chargeable via usb)  As far as I can remember, I've never been a multi-pedal player.  I'm not trying to be an elitist about it, I'm just kind of busy with trying not to mess up the songs I'm playing by trying to remember which pedal to turn off/on!

I also got to say... many times while I'm watching bass / guitar players with loads of pedals... I never hear a significant difference when pedals are switched on / off unless it's something like a phaser / delay / etc... something that drastically alters the sound of the instrument.

So, if my guitar + amp is not giving me the sound I want, I will go out and find the right combination.  When I played metal and punk - I normally used a Mesa Boogie or a basic Marshall.  These days, it's a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV.  The amp is plenty loud and can effortlessly go dirty or clean and all points in between.  I modified the circuit board as there are well documented issues with this amp and the values / placement of capacitors & resistors.  Nothing crazy complicated... but I will make a note to post about the mods in a later entry.

And finally... I had left a three-star rating for a place in Farmer's Branch, Texas called The Diner. The food was (at best) okay and the service was slow.  So, three-stars as a reminder to not go back.  Apparently, they had something to say about my rating:

Ha ha ha, fuck those guys.

But... the next time you're in Oklahoma, come visit my valley!  Let me know what it's like because all I know about it is from this highway sign.

Tre Stelle Coffee Co (Dallas) + Gig & Skate

It's a new week and time for a new bag of beans!

I'm back on the Yirgacheffe train this week with a fresh bag from Tre Stelle Coffee Company, based in Dallas but has its roots in Eritrea.  I found Tre Stelle while on a recent tour with the band.  The morning I was leaving Dallas, I stopped by Benny's Bagels and picked up some road snacks as well as a fantastic bagel with lox.  Tre Stelle has several great reviews for their coffee and their beans - and it was along my route - so I stopped by to relax with my bagel and coffee.

And oh damn - both were great!  I think the regular drop they were serving was a Central American blend - which had a great balanced flavor and paired well with my bagel w/ lox.  However, I knew that I was out of Ethiopian coffees at home, so I picked up this bag before hitting the road again.

For the record - all of my coffee is made using either a Moccamaster KBGT or a Chemex Classic carafe. 

So, I would describe this coffee as having zesty fruit notes in the front with a smooth milk chocolate finish.  It feels like velvet on the palette - so it's an easy yet energetic brew.  It's so easy that when I finished my mug, I was kinda disappointed.  No, not kinda... I was sincerely disappointed that it was already gone.  Now I have to wait until tomorrow morning to enjoy another travel mug of this coffee.  Que será, será.

With a new mini tour coming up this month - I've decided that instead of hauling my bike with me, I'm going to bring my skateboard and hit up several skateparks along my route.  I might seek out another coffee roaster too, but I have a good stock now after my recent family trip to Fredericksburg, Texas.

While I was in the Woodlands, Texas about two weeks ago, I skated at the North Houston Skatepark - which is the second largest skatepark in the United States and the largest in Texas.  For this trip - I'm hitting up the Frisco Skate Park (another super large park), the Roanoke Skatepark (featured in this video) as well as TheDailyShredd in Oklahoma City, which is an indoor skatepark!  I've been posting reviews of the skateparks I visit on Google Maps - mainly so I can keep track of the various parks I visit during my travels.  I use Strava to track my progress on my bike rides and hikes - but it doesn't work as well with skateparks since I'm not traversing over a lot of terrain. Plus, I tend to keep my phone off me when I'm skating.

Whole Lotta Shakin Going On

Got a crazy busy month ahead of me!

This weekend, I'm participating in the Pedaling the Prairie ride with several members of the Saint Arnold's Bike Team - along with a few hundred new friends joining in on the fun.  Last weekend I rode 66 miles and I've already forgotten how terrible I felt after the ride.  How much I was regretting the ride by the mid-way point.  How much I wanted it to be over when I had another bridge to crest while riding against the wind.  Yup, I have totally forgotten all of that and I'm ready for the next one.

And then, the following week - I'll be up ion the Woodlands for my annual coursework on my professional certification.  I'll be taking time in the evenings to hit up a few skateparks in the area - making sure I make time on Friday to skate the 2nd largest skate park in the world!

THEN - I'm on a short tour in the Texas/ OK area with my band.  I'm super excited for the tour because I'm running low on coffee (I always pick up a bag or two while I tour) and I'll keep working on the new material that I'll be recording in May in Chicago.

And finally - of special note - I'll be riding in a Gran Fondo being held in far north Houston.  This will be my last big ride before the Texas MS150.  Yowza!!!