Cycling for Coffee and Cake.

Cycling, brings new challenges, new routes, new speeds, distance targets ect.

Like any serious sports person, I have become quite a number cruncher, rushing in from any ride to analyse the digital data from the GPS and phone app, speeds distance time elevation even wind speed and direction. I have set myself a few targets and they are getting hard and harder to manage but I’m loving the cycling.

July I was aiming to lose a bit of weight, (in order to get up the hills) eating real food, and trying to cut out the rubbish. Cover larger distances and even set myself a 100 mile weekly target in the third week of the month. Which by the way I smashed. The 500 Kilometres monthly target was a bit harder, and it didn’t help that a couple of times I forgot to set the recording data, so those rides simply didn’t count.

With Targets, Come Rewards.

Cycling targets come the reward of general fitness, but after a couple of months of being tight with my cash, saving every spare penny for the new bike, I decided to treat myself, go out for coffee and maybe even cake if I could manage 500 kilometres in a month.

With a few long rides done, one of which was the longest I've recorded. Using a bicycle everyday last week for general transport, leaving the car at home, and then on 30th of July, with a whole day spare, I hit the 500Km monthly distance target.

507Km to be exact! And where was I? TESCO's - so I stopped after doing the shopping, and before going to the dentist at the coffee shop, Harris and Hool in Broadstairs. In case you don't know it, it’s the new coffee shop inside The Tesco Store for an excellent cup of coffee.

“An excellent cup of coffee”

These are very find words from the coffee snob that I am, just ask my family and friends who will tell you I would rather go without or even drink tea, than drink bad or worse instant coffee.

Not only was this good, it was more than just fine taste. Served with love by a human that asked my name, and then used it. A person unique with their own style, so very different from the normal uniformed drone of the coffee chain stores we know. The crockery was a mighty fine cup and saucer too. I don’t take sugar in my drinks, but missing was the portion controlled sachets and dreaded plastic spoon. Instead Demerara Sugar in a real jar & spoon! This was much the same as coffee at home only served by someone else and I was truly ready for a good one.

The cake hardly touched the sides, going down so quick that I will have to go back to review it.

The emptily plate and cup says it all. Better get back on my bike quick, and reach the next target, because I could try it all.