I didn't take much notice of coffee, until I was warned that generally, American coffee is... well... how can I put this nicely? Yuck. Certainly the swill served up at motels and in many restaurants and cafes we've been to in the US (and there have been many) doesn't match that in Australia. I can understand why the Keurigs and similar have become popular with those who think they are connoisseurs. ;)

Funny story. When Machka first started working in Australia, at a country municipal council, there was a morning coffee run and she got roped in very early on. Black (called a long black here) was her order. Well, the intensity just about blew her head off, such was the difference with that served in North America. She's grown accustomed to what's served here now, around eight years later...

Good advice^^ From rpen

It's been 6 days and two rides, about 2.5 hours each, since I last charged my Garmin, and last night it showed not just full battery bars, but 100% charge when plugged in, much like before the ride with [MENTION=341506]RPK79[/MENTION]. It occurs to me that all of this is after updating the firmware a few weeks ago, too. :mad: If I didn't have to lay out some funds for a new set of hard drives, I'd be sorely temped to get a Bolt.

Of course not all coffee in North America is dishwater. Long before the current coffee craze developed, coffee in my hometown of New Orleans (where I am now) was sturdy stuff. Yes, it could likely be adulterated 1/2 with milk in the French tradition, and even worse to some it could be cut with chicory. But even so, there has always been plenty of the pure black stuff that was strong enough to curl your hair. Both in homes and restaurants. I believe that strong, good coffee was also popular in cities like San Francisco and other coastal cities with large western European immigrant-derived populations. It was usually "flyover" country where the dishwater reigned supreme. Of course that is all changed now. Starbuck's sells pretty foul stuff in general, but we owe them a large debt of gratitude for awakening coffee awareness throughout the country.

It's not the dishwater thing. Even the stronger coffee just tastes awful. I don't know what it is.

Well I know what it is on airplanes which have the worst coffee in the entire universe. Tennis shoes! Yep, they make it out of ground up tennis shoes. I have it on good authority.

Erm, how many coffees have you tried here? I find it hard to believe that there's none you like. Central Market (again) has a dman wall of bulk coffee, much of which is awesome, and you can order an almost unlimited variety from roasteries in Texas alone (Addison, Katz, Cuvee, Third Coast...). There's nothing magical about beans in Australia, or water, or boiling. The commercial coffee available here is, yes, generally fairly sad, but it beggars belief that there would be no way to get coffee you liked here. Even if it meant bringing your own beans.

Call Garmin. Whenever I have an issue they just send me a replacement unit for free if they can't solve it over the phone. Its always something refurbished but it will look brand new.


The whole Stages power meter saga began for me with an out-of-warranty Edge 510 and they still replaced it.


Garmin makes flaky products and lots of their help line people are clueless. But they are really good about replacing units for you at the drop of a hat. I will give them that.


I went through 4-5 Edge 510s and eventually they upgraded me to an Edge 1000 for a nominal fee and they have since replaced the Edge 1000 because the on/off button broke. All for the original price of an Edge 510, plus something like $150 to upgrade to the Edge 1000.


And ironically, there was never anything wrong with any of the 510s, it was the Stages PMs all along. In reality, I have had all those units, but the only true Garmin problem was the button on the Edge 1000.

This stuff is just plain tasteless. And, storebought coffee, run through the in-room machine, also comes out tasteless. Maybe it's the filter bag that renders it so.

When my blood test came back for high cholesterol, I read that unfiltered coffee can raise cholesterol. So I bought some paper filters and ran my stovetop espresso through them. Tasteless. I gave it up after a few days. The espresso that's served here, after 7, has some flavor to it; not much though. The dumbing down of murica.

What does where you are have to do with 'murica?

The filter doesn't take out any of the soluble flavor species, only the insolubles, AKA the sludge. If that is what you need to have coffee that tastes good to you, you should try vacationing in Istanbul. :)

My buddy from Hervey Bay ordered a Short Black from Starbucks, and imagine his surprise when they hand him a small coffee.

I had lots more to say, but you said it well, [MENTION=183557]rpenmanparker[/MENTION].

Se puede alquilar una? Esta seguro montar la bici por alla?

Sorry gang, but I am going to Spain in June and I need to practice.

[MENTION=183557]rpenmanparker[/MENTION]'s been hacked.

My wife and I travel quite a bit though we have never been to Australia but I have had coffee in Mexico, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal and of course, Canada.

The only difference that I've noticed is that they take more care in preparing the coffee than your average US gas station or motel. It does taste more more flavorful and yet more smooth at the same time than my local cafe.

Given all that, When I order coffee in Venice, IT, I don't go, "OMG, how do they do that!? They must sacrifice to the coffee gods to get coffee like this!"

The coffee is gvery good but I don't go home and tell everyone that American coffee is crap because most people don't notice or care. I make my own coffee at home and have a favorite roaster/coffee shop.

No conclusion to post. I'm too busy a long black. ;)

I carry my own portable equipment and beans.

C'mon, you know better. All you have to know how to ask is, "Where do you keep the Marcona almonds?" In fact, there I bet you just say, "almonds". I mean, what other kind is there?

Family forum mister. Reported.

Possibly.

Word of the day: las almendras.

After a couple weeks cycling and drinking my coffee from tiny cups in Spain I was really craving a large coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

So there is that.

Oh, embarrassing. :o

We run on Dunkin.

I'm okay with the variable quality of coffee in the world.

#justsaying