Time for a quick coffee break?

Let's take a breather.

What a way to spend New Year’s Day on the frozen Wisconsin shores of Lake Superior! That was some great tasting coffee, fellow travelers.

I hope you know that all these microescapes are not meant not to add stress to your life with even more things you have to do.

The point is to get good and clever at carving out time to yourself, even if your schedule is so full that it doesn't seem like you can wedge anything else in. Because in that little slice you carve out? Time e-x-p-a-n-d-s.

A quick outside coffee break is a great time expander. Almost everyone already makes room in their life for morning coffee, or a mid-day coffee break, so why not make the most of it?

Gear for your coffee adventure

What makes this different than getting a Starbucks latte and bringing it over to your local park is that I'm actually asking you to brew your coffee outside. Trust me, there is a difference.

So, in addition to your favorite mug, ground coffee beans and a bottle of water, you'll need a couple of simple pieces of equipment:

1. Compact camp stove. For this, I definitely recommend the ​MSR Pocket Rocket 2​ for reliability and speed. Don't forget matches or lighter and fuel. We carry fuel at the Cosmic Bikes, but we can't ship it.

2. Small pot or kettle to cook water. If you don’t have camping cookware, just bring the smallest pot you have at home.

3. We often use a French press, but you can go minimalist with the ​GSI Ultralight pourover coffee kit​, which you can fit right over your mug.

Optional: a really sweet touch, especially if you're setting up your coffee on the ground somewhere, it this cool ​Solow microtable​ from MKS, the Japanese company best known for their pedals.

Where to?

You could do this almost anywhere: at a park on your way to work, on the lakefront during your mid-day break. My favorite Chicago spots include proximity to water:

1. The waterfall outside North Park Village Nature Center.

2. The pond at Gompers Park.

3. Any of the parks along the Chicago River, including River Park, Horner Park, or Clark Park behind Lane Tech.

4. The lakefront outside the Montrose Bird Sanctuary

Or you can find your own wild place in the forest preserves, along the river's edge.

So, let's break for coffee, shall we?

I'll wait till you grab a cup.

Great! Now that you're settled in, tell me: are you enjoying these microescape ideas? Are they inspiring you to try to make space for more small adventures in your life? Have you had your own small adventures that you think others should try?

Are there any topics, equipment or ideas you'd like me to explore further as we head into 2025?

Reach out and let me know. I'm all ears!

From all of us at Cosmic Bikes, I’d like to wish you a happy and restful holiday season. I hope you do find a quiet moment for yourself to relish the outdoors and warm up with a great brew.

I’ll see you next year for another dose of the microescape!

—Justyna

PS. A quick reminder that we’ll be open this Sunday and Monday for your last-minute holiday needs. Here are our updated hours for the holiday season. If you are in Chicago, we hope to see you in the shop, if not —please visit your favorite local merchants!