How to do coffee outside

As bike riders, many of us enjoy having a coffee before or after a ride. Sometimes both. And sometimes in the middle as well. For the social media fans and fiends, you may have seen the #coffeeoutside hashtag over the years. Bicycle Queensland’s Director of Advocacy, Andrew Demack, saw it a few years ago and saw a chance for a bit of fun.

‘One of my friends in Brisbane suggested that we do #coffeeoutside. The concept isn’t mine, it probably came from somewhere like Portland in the US. But I thought it sounded like fun.’

The concept is simple: have coffee outside. Andrew sets his own meet ups with friends, with no requirements about BYO coffee or any coffee snobbery. That’s not really what it is about.

‘I like a few things about it. It is a fun thing to do to come along and make your coffee. It gives you a chance to drag out your camping coffee kit from the depths of your cupboard. You can see other people with their own coffee making kits – so they probably have another interest in common with you besides bikes. They are probably interested in bike touring as well. It creates a different group of bike riders than I normally see.’

‘A #coffeeoutside event is absolutely about getting the people together. It is more about vibe and stoke, and using bikes for getting together.’

Andrew explains that with his group of friends, their meet ups are often times to discuss plans for more bike adventures further afield.

‘You’ll hear discussions about doing a trip west to ride the Munda Biddi Trail, or down to the Mawson Trail, or a long trip here in Queensland. Quite often wild ideas hatch from the conversations on these mornings. And they end up becoming bike rides that I do.

Andrew’s #coffeeoutside meet ups go to a range of locations in parks around Brisbane. Not to suit the hashtag – but there is an underlying reason.

‘It helps break people’s routines, but it is a call back to a previous Bicycle Queensland morning staff ride. We would go to a different café every Friday before work – we tried to cover every café in West End and inner city Brisbane. So with #coffeeoutside, I just thought going to a different park every time would be the same idea, in a different way.’

If you want to do your own #coffeeoutside rides, it’s simple. Set a location, tell your friends. Pack up your Aeropress and stove, or your thermos, your plunger – you do you. But make time for catching up with friends over a coffee in the great outdoors.