Buena Vista, CO
*Reposted from the original coffee blog: Expedition Cafelier*
I sat happily watching chipmunks jump between abandoned logs while shoving their cheeks full of seeds. One crawled onto my toes nibbling at its treasures. A ground squirrel crawled over my purse before hiding in the arch under my knees. A second, smaller chipmunk came running over and jumped into my lap only to place two little paws onto my screen as if sneaking a peak at the post I was writing. I glanced behind me gazing at the building where the postmaster and last person in St. Elmo (at the time) lived. To my left stood the Miner's Exchange, now a general store, where I had disposed of the coffee I found on my way into the abandoned mining town. It all started the night before as we were driving down highway 24, smelling faintly of alligator and dead fish, when I saw a small coffee shop & art gallery. I was ecstatic, living off the thrill of the idea of the two living under the same roof. Unfortunately, the doors had already been sealed shut, locking away any potential of visiting the shop that night. Today, as we drove back through the area in pursuit of St. Elmo, we pulled over where we thought the gallery coffee shop had been. Lighted by the afternoon haze, we found Cool Beans Coffee in its place. To be completely honest, when I first saw the shop I had a moment where I battled between my dedication to my coffee tour and my hesitation to try the coffee they had to offer. The outside of the building advertised itself as a gift and antique shop. The front porch was overridden with a fascinating variety of wind chimes and colorful spinners stuck out of scattered flower pots. Though I could somewhat appreciate the cluster of merchandise displayed outside as it reminded me of the kite shops in Oregon, I was thrown off by the sign: "Drive Through Coffee". It's safe to assume that if you've ever been to a city, you are bound to have seen and probably used the drive through lanes at main stream Coffee shops. For that reason alone, the sign shouldn't have nerve racked me but, none the less I expected gas station coffee from them. Swallowing my apprehension, the car pulled forward and as a ding rang clear to announce our presence, a barista slid the window before me open. I struggled with the menu debating over their options and my love of black coffee before ultimately deciding to wander out of the ordinary and try their signature drink: The Rocket Man.
I ordered and paid, signing my signature quickly over the wood block they had propped the receipt on. Soon my drink appeared through the drive through window and as we drove away, I unwrapped the sturdy black straw and tested The Rocket Man. As it slid out of the straw and into my mouth, my first thought was strawberry milk. It's the perfect choice if you need caffeine but hate the taste of coffee. The almond like chocolate and raspberry flavoring blended together perfectly to mask the flavor of espresso, leaving you with well, adult strawberry milk. For me, The Rocket Man dubbed Cool Bean Coffee as the small town Starbucks.
One of my favorite quotes was beautifully stated by Robert Frost: Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by and that made all the difference. We all come across choices we have to make on a daily basis and every choice we make creates a unique experience. Stepping out of your comfort zone is always worth the risk whether it's approaching an odd looking Coffee Shop and ordering a drink you normally wouldn't or letting chipmunks crawl over you as you gingerly scribble down stories.
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