Who needs dope when we've got caffeine?

[thwart]

Interesting sort of discovery this morning.

The past two days, because of weather and other scheduling issues, I have been doing a quick 15 mile hilly loop (around 900 feet of elevation gain) before heading off to work in the morning.

Yesterday, no time to make my usual morning homebrew cappuccino because of a project that was working on. Wind from the southwest at 5 miles an hour or less. Time of ride: 50 minutes, 30 seconds.

Today, stoked with that cappuccino. Same bicycle, of course. Same time of departure within a couple of minutes. Wind from the south at 10 miles an hour (most of the more exposed sections of this particular ride are heading south). Time of ride: 47 minutes, 50 seconds.

Of course, lots of reasons for day to day variability... but... :D

[Elefantino]

PowerSnot with double caffeine is a wonderful thing, too.

[CPP]

Caffeine is dope. Ask Gianni Bugno

[Kevan]

Last weekend, I was doing a club metric ride and at the food stop decided while waiting on cashier line to pay for my drink to try a piece of that baklava. A couple bites of that thing and I was humming. The cake was so infused with honey and nuts I feared that at some point I would suffer a systems' crash but that never came to be. Finished the ride strong, feeling my phyllo.

[Too Tall]

Interesting sort of discovery this morning.

The past two days, because of weather and other scheduling issues, I have been doing a quick 15 mile hilly loop (around 900 feet of elevation gain) before heading off to work in the morning.

Yesterday, no time to make my usual morning homebrew cappuccino because of a project that was working on. Wind from the southwest at 5 miles an hour or less. Time of ride: 50 minutes, 30 seconds.

Today, stoked with that cappuccino. Same bicycle, of course. Same time of departure within a couple of minutes. Wind from the south at 10 miles an hour (most of the more exposed sections of this particular ride are heading south). Time of ride: 47 minutes, 50 seconds.

Of course, lots of reasons for day to day variability... but... :D

Caffeine is life.

[Elefantino]

A primer (http://www.cptips.com/caff.htm) on caffeine.

I searched for baklava … alas, nothing.

[Steelhead]

I listened to an interesting podcast interview yesterday of Laird Hamilton, renowned big wave surfer and all around bad a%% in all things ocean. He was talking about diet and nutrition and how he only drinks espresso - no drip, ever. He says that the process of drip coffee allows the coffee grounds to sit in water, drawing out not only all of the chemicals way down in the bean, but also the "bad" caffeine -- and that with espresso through its rapid brewing process, you don't get all of the harsh chemicals and it pulls out only the "good" and "pure" caffeine. He says it is the "bad" caff. that gives you the jitters, and the good is more of the pure stimulant effect and mind alertness. Interesting.

On a related note - my old blade grinder from college (circa 1989) quit on me this morning, prior to grinding -- so I limped my way to Starbucks and prior to that with no coffee, I wasn't worth much at all.

[chrisroph]

steve earle calls caffeine redneck cocaine

[Steelhead]

steve earle calls caffeine redneck cocaine

He would know. Love Steve Earle.

[Bart001]

I listened to an interesting podcast interview yesterday of Laird Hamilton, renowned big wave surfer and all around bad a%% in all things ocean. He was talking about diet and nutrition and how he only drinks espresso - no drip, ever. He says that the process of drip coffee allows the coffee grounds to sit in water, drawing out not only all of the chemicals way down in the bean, but also the "bad" caffeine -- and that with espresso through its rapid brewing process, you don't get all of the harsh chemicals and it pulls out only the "good" and "pure" caffeine. He says it is the "bad" caff. that gives you the jitters, and the good is more of the pure stimulant effect and mind alertness. Interesting.

On a related note - my old blade grinder from college (circa 1989) quit on me this morning, prior to grinding -- so I limped my way to Starbucks and prior to that with no coffee, I wasn't worth much at all.

Sounds like too many hits to the head from the surfboard.

Either that or I need a better source. Taking chemistry advice from surfers . . . .

[Steelhead]

You never know -- the guy is a world class athelete that follows a super strict organic nutrition plan and probably has a nutritionist outlining the whole thing. He made one comment about Lance wieghing his food and said that was silly when the food you are weighing and putting "in the tank" is crap anyway. I was skeptical at first but found it pretty interesting.

[barry1021]

Last weekend, I was doing a club metric ride and at the food stop decided while waiting on cashier line to pay for my drink to try a piece of that baklava. A couple bites of that thing and I was humming. The cake was so infused with honey and nuts I feared that at some point I would suffer a systems' crash but that never came to be. Finished the ride strong, feeling my phyllo.

is the new EPO.

b21

[Kevan]

had to part company many years ago, just before the $2 cup became all the craze (Saved myself a fortune.) . I loved my black coffee thick and clumpy, but my ticker took exception to it. I can't avoid caffeine totally, I'll never give up chocolate (If I have to, kill me now.). Went with trying decaf joe but what the hell's the point in that?! Okay...I steal a cup occasionally, but I've had to turn my buzz needs elsewhere.

Baklava: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baklava

You can only eat this stuff about twice a year, if that. Way...way...over the top.

[swoop]

i only ride for the coffee.

[joe torre]

Well I know as much about coffee as any surfer and ignore everything about it as a performance enhancing drug but I have never heard of "good" and "bad" caffeine... Espresso and drip coffee are two very different animals though, indeed due to the fact that the water is in contact with the coffee (which is ground way more fine than you could with a blade grinder) for a very short period of time. I have heard of and unfortunately had good and bad espresso however. And needless to say a good espresso is not what you are being served at Barfsucks.

[Steelhead]

Starbucks is in case of emergency only and I only use the blade grinder in the morning cause my burr grinder is a little messy, and I'm not too concerned with the grind on that weekday morning cup or two. I use the burr grinder on the weekends when I fire up the espresso machine or one of my french presses.

I'm pretty up on the whole coffee thing myself - just making a contribution to the thread that may or may not be relevant. Sounds like there are just as many coffee snobs as there are bike snobs.