Around two or three o’clock every day, my eye lids get heavy and my brain turns to sludge. There’s no mistaking the symptoms—it’s coffee time! Out in the boonies, my buddies and I will pull over and brew a cup of cowboy coffee to clear our heads. In civilization, we’ll risk a fix from a gas station or café.
Riding with a tour group in Patagonia, I knew my options for brewing or buying would be limited, so I tried an idea that’s been percolating in my head for some time—mixing Starbucks’ Via brand instant coffee in cold water. I’m not a big Starbucks fan, but I give them full credit for upping the quality of instant. Via tastes pretty darn good and packs a bigger punch than your typical coffee dust. Each morning in South America I put an 8-ounce bottle of water and a packet of Via in my tank bag. If I needed a lift, I mixed them together and—voilá!—coffee. Close enough, anyway. It wasn’t hot, it wasn’t fresh-brewed, but it tasted fine and gave me the lift I needed to concentrate on the ride. Easy, convenient caffeine – give it a shot.
(To read more about Arden’s nine-day Patagonia Adventure Tour, click here.)
