My Coffee Crisis

The most important meal of the day (for me) is the first cup of coffee in the morning. For the last year, I’ve been brewing the Kirkland coffee shown in the photo. I noticed my local Costco started easing the product into a smaller and smaller space on the shelf. Then poof!, it was gone from the store and online.

I figured that might happen, so I had snagged a few bags while it was available. Now I am down to my last 2 pound bag. What to do? I’m a big fan of single source whole bean coffee, but am not trying to break the bank. For years I purchased the Volcanica brand, but their one pound bags crested the $20 mark during the pandemic. Good coffee, but not that good.

My first attempt at a replacement will be Copper Moon Costa Rican Blend. I found it on the Costco website. Two 2 pound bags for $26.99, shipped for free. $6.75 per pound is pretty cheap. The regular price is $34.99, or $8.75 a pound. Hopefully it tastes OK. I’ll test it soon. I think finding a good single source bean for about $10 to $12 per pound is more realistic.

Flashback Music from DJ-LX

I watched a video from that I liked a number of years ago on YouTube. Very quickly, YouTube decided to fill my video page with more from that timeframe (about 8 years ago). Interesting. A selection:

I like the album version of this song the best, but the like versions with My Morning Jacket band members as his backing music are awesome.

I’m a sucker for left-handed guitarists.

I alvvays give the KEXP videos a try - the recording production quality is top notch.

No one can convince me that the 80’s weren’t the best of times.

Drove Right By It, Part 1

Ever see or read something amazing about an area you visited, but featuring a spot so cool you wonder how you missed it? I get this feeling all the time. Like today.

Here is the video I watched which caused me to figure this out: Video Link on X

Here it the location of the crater, in SE Oregon. Closest access to this area is via the Boise area. Sidenote for those with a keen eye: Idaho has a place on the map named Dickshooter. I don’t want to know more.

While living in Pullman, WA, one of my favorite motorcycle camping routes was straight south to Oregon, which led to the Wallowa Mountain range, the Grand Ronde and Snake River gorges, and then the Umatilla National Forest, once south of I-84. Once in this region, there are a multitude of smaller mountain ranges, curvy roads, dispersed camping and generally an empty perfect area. It can be hot, so May and September are great months to visit. Somehow I completely missed Coffee Pot Crater.

I basically made a complete loop around Coffee Pot Crater while on my way to Steens Mountain and the adjacent Alvord Desert. This area is remote and awesome. You sort of need to “bring it with you” as there are not many services available. It should be noted that Coffee Pot Crater is accessed by Blowout Reservoir Road. A little photo research indicates a real high-clearance 4WD vehicle is a good choice. I was not using a 4WD vehicle. Maybe that is my excuse.

Out on the playa due east of Steens Mountain. The closest “town” is Fields, which has fuel, water, and milkshakes. And a little hotel, too. On this trip I was camping.

If you like the site and smell of sage brush, this part of Oregon is perfect for you.

This is the western side of Steens Mountain. There is a road that leads up to an overlook of the Alvord Desert, however is was still closed for snow (9500 ft elevation!) in May.

I’ve made other trips to Eastern Oregon and Idaho specifically to visit desert landscapes that are unique to the region, including the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument - Painted Hills Unit and Craters of the Moon National Monument. Both are worth a visit when in this part of the PNW.

There are three units of John Day Fossil Beds parks in central Oregon. You can visit all three in a weekend fairly easily.

That’s all for now. I’m sure it will only take me a few days to decide what Part 2 will be about.

Good Morning Sunshine

After a few rainy days, today has started with beautiful blue skies. I eased out of bed 45 minutes before my alarm. Up with the sun.

Unfortunately, my front porch is mostly blocked from direct sun in the early mornings due to the large elm and maple trees. Dr. Huberman suggests getting 20 minutes of sun early in the day to help set circadian rhythms or some such thing…whatever - it just feels good. And in Michigan, take sun whenever available.

Peek shade at 7:00am. Oh, well, at least the lawn is looking great.

Welcome to Sparkle City

Most mornings in Spring, Summer, and Fall, you’ll see my on my front porch, enjoying my coffee, solving Wordle, or staring at the sun. A few weeks ago I attended a class where the trainer kept referring to Midland as “Sparkle City”. His tone was sort of mockingly saying that Midland was a bit full of itself. I prefer to say that Midland has always been a nice & well-managed city. And it does sparkle here. But not by accident.

Case in point, the photo above: It is several weeks past the end of the school year, yet across the street at the middle school, an employee was diligently casing the area and picking up any litter. Sidewalks, parking lot, curb side - very thorough. He had a little music speaker hanging on the bucket playing classic rock. I may have toasted him with my coffee cup.

What Am I Doing?

Hard to believe I am approaching 3 years out of the “professional career” work force. As I plod along in a semi-retired state, I often question my choices - not really second guessing but just wondering, as David Byrne famously stated, “How Did I Get Here?”

I saw the image above on X this morning and it almost made me shudder. Yikes, I spent a large portion of 25 years in one of those cubes. For the most part, never quite that dreary, but dimensionally, that photo is pretty accurate. Phone & monitors, spot on. Obviously, working with smart, nice people makes any location tolerable. They also payed me, so there’s that, too. Time to go putter in the garage, happily retired…

Camping is Back!

Of all the many recent developments in the US, who would of thought in 2024 that camping would be the activity of the year? Let’s get outdoorsy!

Like many people my age, camping has always meant tent camping. I understand the appeal of sleeping on a comfy bed in a hotel or travel trailer, but real camping means roughing it and sleeping close to the ground. Layer in hanging around a camp fire, cooking outdoors, and hot coffee on a cold morning, and the experience just gets better and better.

The low cost of camping is also attractive, which is probably why we see so many young college students giving camping a try. Most universities have awesome recreation centers which rent all kinds of equipment at affordable prices, thus lowering the barrier to entry. Rec centers also provide training and advice on the best parks to try first. Practice makes perfect, so sometimes setting up camp in a safe location like a backyard or the campus quad is a good idea, just to make sure all the setup and equipment are in good working order. It might be cold out, so make sure to bring a scarf.

Motorcycle camping is my preferred method. I can carry about the same kit as a backbacker.

On my way to a great camp site in British Columbia. No chance of tear gas in the forecast on this day.

A cooler, chair and little table creates the perfect tent-side kitchen for making breakfast and coffee. Sometimes a local NGO will provide breakfast for free!

Oh the friends you’ll meet camping! Friends from around the world, sharing the outdoor experience.