Part the fourth of my attempt at the 2017 coffeeneuring challenge, and to keep to the rules, I have to go for a ride and a coffee today. Like the and the , this is a lunchtime mini-ride to somewhere – anywhere – preferably somewhere I haven’t previously visited. Since the was to the south, and the to the west, clearly now, in the immortal words of Mark E. Smith we need to … Hit the North – yes, I’m making my own rules up as I go along. Pinewood shops looks to be in range and a likely candidate, so off I went, through campus then north straight up Blackburn road. Ugh. Blackburn road is a six lane truck route, no shoulder, no bike lane, at least at this time of day the traffic is light so its only a suburb and a half of noise and traffic before I arrive at the shops and can look around for a likely candidate. First corner and there’s a café – South Society – with outdoor tables in the sun so I plonked myself down – have I mentioned how it’s currently around 27 °C?
An iced coffee seemed to be in order due to the weather, followed by an order for a chocolate and berry muffin on the recommendation of the waiter. Woops, all the muffins are gone, perhaps you’d like an apricot or a pear danish. I asked for the apricot… and the waiter returned somewhat crestfallen, all the apricot danishes are gone, but there are definitely pear ones left. OK, OK! Perhaps third time lucky. The pear danish did appear and it was good, as was the iced coffee, which thankfully wasn’t overly sweet and syrupy as many seem to be.
Sadly, despite the weather, I have to go back to work for the afternoon so when I’d finished both drink and snack, and paid, I jumped back on the bike and returned via one of many parts of the Scotchmans creek bike path. Like a river delta it seems to split and rejoin a few times between Mount Waverley and Jells Park and there are a number of possible routes, none wholly off-road, but none wholly on-road either. Then back to work straight along Forster road and Gardiners road, bike lane all the way… except for where it vanishes ten or twenty metres back from each set of traffic lights or intersection.
Fifty minutes desk to desk, 7.3 km, one iced coffee and 4/7 of my way through the challenge. Only the one photo, it was only a quick trip. Onwards to coffee ride number five…
