After my spectacular performance at state champs (DNF after first lap) and the subsequent illness that followed, the motivation needed to even think about riding my bike again was absent. Not fit enough to race I needed to get excited about riding again. Some late night park loops with the team kick started the motivation but with the long weekend beckoning and everyone away stage racing at KSR or elsewhere I was at a loose end and needed some miles. I love NYC but I love getting out of NYC too and with upstate NY so close a cheeky bike camping trip fitted the bill nicely.

Rough plans were made with a couple of mates, Ethan and Ben. They were heading to Harriman state park. Exact destination unknown. As I wasn’t able to leave as early as them I had to hop on the train to Garrison and intersect from the east. Due to patchy phone signal communication was difficult but Ben was able to drop a pin into a map and send me their location. Technology = winning.

We met at a small road, ironically right next to Bear Mountain State Champs course where I’d had a miserable time falling off the back only a few weeks ago. This time however I was able to take it at a leisurely pace, working my body to an acceptable level and regaining much needed fitness while still being able to take in the beautiful surroundings that I’d been unable to enjoy on race day. Leaving the main road and climbing through a leafy ceiling we summit-ted to an old fire tower.

The fire tower was pretty run down and the floor boards had seen better days however the metal structure was very much in tact. Careful steps were taken in order to stay close enough to the metal. I’m not great with heights but fortunately we’d toasted our rendezvous with a slug of cheap vodka so it made life a little easier. Safety first. The views granted at the top were something else. 360 degrees of undulating greenery for miles to see. Plus a clear silhouette of the city is a cool reminder of the transition made.

We set up camp nearby and set to usual camp routines – fires, smores, more vodka and bike talk. Sleeping out in the open, on this particular night without a tent, is the antithesis of living in New York. The shock factor of different environments is something we all buzzed off. No taxi horns, no umbrella’s in your face, no smell of garbage, no people. In fact the only smell I had for days after was one of camp fire smoke. The night passed without any bears and morning arrived with the familiar need of caffeine. Regardless of surroundings the desire for a morning coffee stays the same. However methods and brewing equipment may differ… He’s all our coffee brewing methods for that morning.

BEN’S OUTDOOR COFFEE METHOD

• Put aeropress plunger into cylinder, stand on its end (inverted – not typical method)

• Grind beans using GSI outdoor java mill coffee grinder.

• Add 17g of grounds into aeropress.

• Boil water.

• Add 142g water to mug.

• 30 seconds after removing boiling water from flame, pour 142g of water onto grounds in the inverted aeropress.

• Stir and allow bean to bloom.

• Let grounds steep for 2 minutes.

• Add filter to filter holder and pre-moisten filter.

• Push cylinder down on the plunger until the bloom is level with or just below the top of cylinder.

• Install filter holder to cylinder.

• After two minutes of steep, flip the press over and put it on top of your mug.

• Press slowly and evenly, should take 20 seconds.

• Pro-tip: When you hear the first hiss of air STOP pressing to reduce additional bitter taste.

MAT AND ETHAN’S OUTDOOR COFFEE METHOD

• After seeing the perfection that into Ben’s method we employed Ben’s method every time.

Several mugs later we casually made our way back south towards the city. No racing here. Just good banter and exploring to be had. Points of interest being Letchworth Village abandoned mental asylum and some steep descents off of the river trail between Nyack and Piermont.