Mixing It Up

As you're reading this, at least if things have gone to plan, then I'm currently hiking around and chasing after elk, somewhere in the mountains of Colorado. Don't worry, I'm probably not lost. And if I am lost, at least I'm with two of my friends, my bow, a fishing pole, and probably twice as much food and gear as I'm needing for this little adventure. Since I knew that I would be hunting today and I knew that I wouldn't want to take the time to write my blog, and not sure if I would have a way to upload it from here anyways, I thought that I would write this one ahead of time. And since the trip hasn't happened yet, what has been happening is that I've been really busy trying to get the things done that need finished before I leave as well as trying to get ready for the upcoming trip.

The thing with trips like this is that while you are preparing, you remember all of the good things from different trips in the past and you anticipate and try hard to make the same thing happen again. Of course it very seldom happens that way. But the thought is that if you have with you those same ingredients that you believe made for good memories in the past, then more than likely you'll make more good memories on the upcoming trip. It's just like baking a cake. If you have some of the same ingredients, you should get the same cake.

I'll just say that I learned something on the contrary to that way of thinking when I splurged and picked out a bag of Caribou Coffee for our trip.

I spotted it on the shelf while Jenelle and I were shopping for food. It instantly reminded me of a previous time when Jenelle and I were at my in-laws in Iowa.

We had left the kids with Grandma and Grandpa and headed up to Iowa City for a little getaway date. I don't remember a lot of things from that day, but I remember that as we were walking along one of the streets there, we came across the neatest little coffee shop with a  sign that said Caribou Coffee on the front. So we went in and I'll just say that I was impressed. I had never heard of Caribou Coffee before, but the stone work, the wooden floors, everything about the place made for a great atmosphere. Neither Jenelle nor I remember the coffee that we had that day, but my memory is telling me that it was some of the best. Later I found some Caribou Coffee Granola bars. These truly were delicious! I was really excited when they made their way into Walmart stores and I could get them way out here in my hometown in the mountains of Maryland. But then back in 2009 they quit making the granola bars and I kinda of forgot about the coffee.

At least until this week when I spotted it on the shelf at Walmart. I thought, "man, wouldn't this make the trip special."  Of course Jenelle said to go for it. "After all, you don't get to go on a trip like this everyday." And so I did. It was a little pricier than my normal can of Folgers, but I didn't need a whole lot, and like Jenelle said, I  don't get to go on trips like this very often.

Since there was more coffee in the bag than I needed for the trip, I decided to try it out the next morning. And I made some for Jenelle as well.

I built my cup of coffee, plopped down in my rocker and took a long sip. I like my coffee black. Hmmm. Not quite what I remembered. When Jenelle got up, she tried some too.

"You can have it, I think I like my regular coffee better."  That was a pretty strong statement, considering that she pretty much drinks her coffee, half and half. Half coffee, half French Vanilla creamer. 

Now I'm not trying to put down Caribou Coffee in any way. They have lots of different types of beans and I obviously didn't pick out one that fit my fancy. 

The point I'm trying to make is that I don't think it was the coffee that made that day special, way back when. It was probably the atmosphere and the fact that I was hanging out with the cutest girl on the planet that made that day special. 

Now back to the coffee and the trip. 

Well I hated to waste it and so I mixed it half and half with my regular grind. It's not too bad.

 Hopefully someday, way off in the  future, when I'm shopping for another hunting trip, and I see Caribou Coffee on the shelf, I'll say, "man, I remember when I used to get that and mix it with Folgers. I've got to get some of that. After all, it sure does make for a great hunting trip!"