Waking up to a fat bike and coffee

MARQUETTE — Every Wednesday morning a group of guys gather at Blackrocks Brewery, mount their fat bikes and ride.

Where they ride to changes from week to week but the goal is simple: drink coffee and welcome the day.

It’s been a weekly event for some time and originally started with just a couple of riders.

“We were sitting around at the Sports Rack thinking about things to do on Wednesday mornings and we decided a Blackrocks coffee ride so we started doing that,” said Neil Washburn, nicknamed Lingonberry Pancake. “Yeah, it’s cold, but it’s also fun.”

“We’re all just a big group of friends and we like drinking coffee,” said Steve Farr, also known as Cheech McGee. “We figured it’s a lot better to drink coffee outside so we just decided to get on our bikes and come out and ride to a cool spot around Marquette and drink coffee every Wednesday morning. It took off and we’ve been doing it every week and we’re planning on doing it all year round. It’s just a great way to start the morning.”

While conditions aren’t always ideal for extended play outside it’s hard to beat good times with good friends.

“We get a pretty good group out here and it’s a good time,” Washburn said. “You get to wake up in the morning and peddle around this beautiful countryside that we live in, and see some sights and peddle some bikes and wake up before work. It’s a good thing, it’s a good time.”

“I just like to get out and go for a ride,” said Steve Kelly, nicknamed Choir Boy. “It’s a good way to wake up every day.”

“Best way to wake up,” said Alex Leckie, or, Button Buck. “Go out for a little rip, get a little coffee, and hang out with friends, beautiful views, beautiful people.”

“The winter, a lot of people want to sleep in, but it’s nice when you get up,” added Kelly.

“No such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing,” concluded Leckie.

And of course it wouldn’t be a proper coffee ride if there weren’t a long pour or two.

“The idea is to get 90% or more of the coffee from the Thermos into your drinking vessel,” said long pour life coach Evan Simula, as Washburn stood perched on a log demonstrating the act. “There’s a fine line between perfectly aerated coffee and too cold coffee. If you get it to the optimal height you create perfect crema.”

Anyone with a love for riding bikes and coffee can join the wild ride, which leaves the pub at 8 a.m. or shortly thereafter.