How is it going? (End July 2015)

Mid year Cafe Cycle review

Now we are well past the year's half way mark I thought it was time to check up again against my critical cafe cycle goals that I sensibly set myself at the start of 2015. You may recall I put them in place in order to make sure that my cafe cycling activities had proper focus and governance and to make sure that I was developing as a cafe cycle reviewer. I still find it hard to believe that I was able to do any meaningful cafe cycling before I had put these bad boys in place.

This time I am particularly focusing on drilling down into the data that I have been collecting which I have been able to present graphically making it both more fascinating and meaningless.

1. Cycle to more than the 80 different cafes I visited in 2014 by avoiding any more near death experiences (see sometimes need a plan b) this year.(Measure: number of cafes visited greater than 80, number near death experiences less than 1)

This continues to go extremely well with still no near death experiences to report (green line) whereas I had already had one by this time last year. I'm also ahead on the cafe visit target having reviewed 48 UK cafes so far (blue line) plus an additional 27 posted about (but not reviewed) either in Europe or on special non reviewing rides (did I mention I was on the BBC?). I could even break the 100 barrier as I have some exciting adventures planned for later in the year.

Cafe visits vs near death experiences

2. Record number of bike miles covered in the search for cafes to produce even more fascinating cycle/cafe/cake related meaningless facts. (Measure: Bike miles accurately recorded via bike GPS and new cafe cycle data capture spreadsheet)

My cycle cafe data capture spreadsheet is fully up to date and I can now deliver the following fascinating facts:

I have covered 1997.79 miles at a rate of 32.22 miles per cake

I have been on the bike for 6 days 5 hrs 36 mins 30 secs which is a cake every 2 hrs 25 mins 

Average cafe cycle trip speed of 13.35 mph

I have been accompanied by 90 cycling guests 

My cycling guest cake choice break down is 

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Whereas my cake choice break down is

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My guests guest hot drink break down 

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Whereas my hot drink breakdown is

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Of the over 100 cakes tried between me and my guests 10 (almost 10%)  have been flagged as possible contenders for cake of the year 2015

3. Campaign to stop cafes serving cake on top of the serviette, as this renders the napkin useless for mouth wiping activity (Measure: Cake serviette serving coefficient is greater than 0.8)

This is going very well with publicity and support on Twitter plus a mention of the campaign in the local paper (did I mention there was a double page spread about me (pages 28 and 29) in the Eastern daily press). Cake serviette serving coefficient is currently standing at 0.88. #Keepcakeoffserviettes.

Cakes on serviettes/cakes off serviettes 

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4. Get cake Tuesday (first Tuesday after Black Friday and cyber Monday) to be a nationally recognised day (Measure: More press and media coverage than the 1 retweet of 2014)

Poor progress as references to it In my in depth item on the BBC ended on the cutting room floor and I forgot to mention it to the journalist so it made neither page 28 or 29 of the EDP. However cake Tuesday is not until November so there is still time.

5. Encourage all cafes to follow the old rhyme 'cheese Scone hot, fruit scone not' at all times (Measure: Cheese scones served warm factor of over 90%) 

Poor progress here I'm afraid. of the 31 cheese scones I have had to date only 19 have been warmed and 12 have arrived cold giving a cheese scone served warm factor of only 62%. Which is exactly the same as at end of March. Despite my campaign being mentioned on page 28 of the local paper this remains a low point for me.

Number cheese scones eaten 31

Warm/cold ratio 19/12

6. Break the world record for most cafes visited on a calorie neutral bike ride in one day (Measure: Cycle to 20 cafes in one day as per the official calorie neutral bike ride rules)

Good Progress with date set (September 11th) and 3 practice rides undertaken to sort the route and set the official calorie neutral bike ride rules. The 20 cafes, plus 1 reserve, have been selected and the route is nearly complete. With a bit of luck I might just do it.

I believe the above shows exceptional progress and that I'm continuing to develop well as a cafe cycle reviewer. Let's hope things remain on track for the rest of the year.