stop it Luis!

Dodging street car tracks and morning delivery trucks, the shortcut through augusta takes me past the skeletal remains of a peugeot and the scaffolding bike stands of a delayed renovation.

The fond memories of vegetarian days gone by are covered in brown kraft paper, and the empty crates call for the morning delivery from the ontario food terminal.

Its been two weeks since i've taken this detour, and as I approach the stop sign on Baldwin, a leaning vintage with a eye catching blue front facelift greets me with Luis.



"Luis coffee stop" an iconic coffeeshop on the corner which on a friday morning gives a great three way outlook for the cycle and pedestrian chic.

A great mix of sights, sounds and smells, and depending on the time of day, fresh bread or fresh fish will pair up with freshly brewed Reunion Island Cinnamon and Honey Americanos.

Chi'

Kona Coffee Cycle Connection

as I rode by to purchase another pound of Shogun Cofee beans yesterday, I noticed that at the reasonably priced $13 per pound of coffee ( which is really worth it) was juxtaposed against a higher priced $20 per pound Kona Coffee ... I asked the barist a what the difference was, and he quickly brewed up a single shot americano for me, and left me to enhale the steam. As a child I used to live off Hawaiian punch and Doritos, but this was different, Hawaiian Heaven. As I slowly sipped the cooling coffee traces of volcanic smoke merged with the a splash of surf and sweet pineapples and coconuts. A feeling similar to my rides up Spadina on my now stolen 2006 Kona Jake the Snake. Do Kona Bicycles and Kona coffee share similar DNA?

Kona Bikes is a bicycle company located in Ferndale, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia. It specializes in high-performance mountain bikes, racing and touring bicycles. The company name comes from the owners' love of Kailua-Kona in Hawaii.


Kona Hawaii is famous for sportfishing, snorkeling, sunsets and coffee. It means “leeward” in Hawaiian. The northern portion of the Kona side of the Big Island is also known as the Kohala district. The weather and ocean conditions can be vastly different on each side of the island depending on the time of year and the predominant trade winds. The Big Island is large and diverse, boasting 11 of the world's 13 climate zones. Because the mountains block the northeasterly trade winds, the Kona side of the island gets very little rain and enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year.

wonderful weather breeds wonderful coffee.

next step, ride a Kona Bicycle in Kona Hawaii.

its going to cost way more than $20 per pound.

An Aluminium lust binds us.

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The sweat from her palms left a salty residue on the shaft, while the cold bend of cork gripped bar took the full brunt of pressure as she slid to a stop just as the amber faded red. Mount Pleasant road was in a good mood today.

Light and fast, was her vintage California MASI, and even though her heart was steel it was aluminium that moved her to lust for the bitter dark liquid.

Bialetti, the feminine shape with her bodice tightened at the waist, an aluminium trophy amongst those with a golden espresso fetish.

To sum it up, “ this is one sexy coffee maker.”

Cast in aluminium and an Icon of Italian design the, “Moka Express” model revolutionized the way coffee was prepared at home.

A light but sturdy material suitable for Coffee and Campagnolo, Aluminium is an element that binds the love of both coffee and bicycling together.

Till our next cup.

*Chiara Kael

Coffee on Wheels

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As her lips parted the warmth of a summer night’s kiss with hints of rusted chains and lost keys flashed through her taste buds, a sweet shogun, laced with honey and cinnamon merged with the perfectly aged park bench overlooking the willow lined pond.

The hum of the expressway combined with the distant dings of the queen streetcar muffled the crisp crunch of the amaretto croissant. The dusting of the fallen crumbs signalled the end of her mid city break.

Up the hill through the Japanese garden, the caffeine infused cadence pushed her '76 Superbe past the hidden wooden castle and sleeping yaks, and as she rode through the Ronce' village and past the scene of the crime, repentance was never option.



Tomorrow will start with a Cherry Bomb

Coffee and Bicycles, a relationship that has been strengthened over the years by a flourishing bicycle culture has forever been married to an international commodity that unites all corners of the globe.

In hopes to bring a love of bicycles, coffee and travel, I search for espresso inspired tales of two wheels and freshly pressed pedals.

‘Till the next cup.

*Chiara Kael.