Coffeeneuring #2: Sky Cafe

Saturday was all about procrastinating. Later in the day I would be going to a friend's wedding and, while I had at least purchased the gift (a blender from the registry) and the wrapping paper, the two had not yet merged into a presentable gift. And then there was the weather: cool and cloudy. It was supposed to improve as the day went on, so I decided on a short ride up north which would get me back in plenty of time to get both the gift and myself in a presentable state.

Unfortunately, once you leave the core of Seattle, coffee shops that aren't part of a large chain are few and far between. I managed to find one in an unusual setting, one that would include the ambiance of fresh flowers and an open and airy feel. I rode on the Interurban Trail to Sky Nursery, at 190th Street. I walked my bike inside the greenhouse to their cafe and leaned it against bales of hay (part of their fall theme). To my surprise, I was not the only cyclist there; one guy had actually locked his bike to something while shopping inside.

The friendly barista (she asked me how my ride was) made me a soy latte and I sipped it while watching families with dogs and babies, just like in any other coffee shop. I continued on my ride, feeling the heart-pumping effects of the caffeine, just as my heart was pumping plenty on its own, due to the long climb up 25th Ave that I hadn't anticipated.

After my shower and post-ride stretching was done, I had barely enough time to wrap my gift before taking off for the wedding. My procrastinator's penalty came in the form of every single light along my route being red, though I still made the event in plenty of time. Sometimes, it just works to procrastinate.

Route: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/6788422

Sky Nursery Cafe

18528 Aurora Ave N

Shoreline, WA