Serpentine Routes on a BMW Motorcycle Leads to Rumors Cafe
The Ride
As I thumbed the starter on the BMW S1000R, the 999cc inline four roared to life at our start in Cross River, NY. The compass on the Beeline Moto shows just 10 miles to our destination in Danbury, CT. While a quick highway ride was possible, at Tank of Coffee, we always try to find the fun back roads to our coffee shops.
I headed north on Route 121 and turned right onto Chapel Road, a fantastic winding road leading to an old chapel just west of Lake Waccabuc. The road ends at the intersection with Mead Street, with the chapel on my left at the corner. I turn left to head north on Mead Street till it ends at Hawley Road.
I take this heading east, and it soon passes the Mountain Lakes Park, the northernmost county park with over 1000 acres of rugged terrain and five lakes to enjoy along the trails. Camping is also available.
As the road winds south, I pass through Twin Lakes Village, which sits between Lake Waccabuc to the west and Lake Rippowam and Oscaleta Lake to the east. I’m not sure why it’s not named Triple Lakes Village instead. Perhaps it only refers to Rippowam and Oscaleta?
The road ends at the intersection of Main Street, where I take it heading east, as that most closely aligns with Beeline’s compass indication. Truesdale Lake is right before I cross the border into Connecticut. The road begins to climb up the small ridge and takes on the name of West Mountain Road to reflect that.
The road starts to wind south, so I take a left onto Old West Mountain Road to stay aligned with the compass. It lets me out at Barrack Hill Road, which I take to Route 116, heading north. While 116 is a beautiful road in its own right, I know that it intersects with Route 121 a few miles up, so I turn off onto Sherwood Road to reach Ledges Road, running alongside a ridge.
Barlow Mountain Road sounds promising, so I turn onto that, passing Lake Naraneka on my right. It makes a sharp hairpin turn at a trailhead and climbs the hill. It concludes at Bennetts Farm Road, which also sounds promising, and a head east on that, as my compass is pointing north, and I have no matching roads to choose from until Mountain Road.
Unfortunately, this road ends up turning east and then finally south as it wraps around Wataba Lake. It’s a nice road, to be sure, but with no outlet from any of the roads breaking off from it, I make a couple of laps trying out options before staying on Bennetts Farm Road, which heads south and then turns east as it descends to join Route 7.
While Route 7 is a major road, it is aligned to head north, matching my compass. I pass Danbury Municipal Airport, one of my favorite local airports to fly into. With all the hills surrounding it, your approach to the east/west runway that the winds tend to favor has you flying a map of the earth as you descend, crossing Route 7 to the runway. It’s a unique approach, while the other runway often has you following route 7 in the valley between the two ridges. Both can be a fun challenge & many students take advantage of the flight schools on the field.
Just past the airport is Danbury Fair Mall and the intersection with Interstate 84. I stay to the right to avoid the highway and get onto Mill Plain Road, which leads me directly to the coffee shop on my left.
Arriving in the Rumours parking lot, Rever reports that we had traveled 29.4 miles, so I found the long way to this coffee shop. See the route below.
REVER is a mobile app designed to help you track, plan, or navigate your ride. With the app, you can easily plan your route, view maps and directions, and track your distance using GPS technology. The app is an excellent tool for anyone who loves to ride and wants to keep track of their progress and distance. Check out our full review of Rever.
The Coffee Shop
Danbury is approximately 50 miles north of New York City and the seventh-largest town in Connecticut. It was once the center of the hat industry in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The city produced nearly 25% of all hats in America, but with an emphasis on component manufacturing, it also made 75% of all hat bodies. Of course, with hats falling out of favor as formal dress accessories, many factories shrunk or shut down, with the last one owned by Stetson closing in 1987.
Most people driving past Danbury today along Interstate 84 will notice the Danbury Fair Mall. The mall was built in 1986 on the old Danbury Fairgrounds, which hosted annual fairs from 1869 to 1981.
Right by the mall, a lone silo rises, the only remaining part of Marcus Dairy, which was torn down in 2011 to build a strip mall. The location was a popular destination for motorcyclists, and the dairy bar served various ice cream and shakes to visiting riders. I would often ride up from NYC to visit Marcus Dairy, as it was a destination for many of us & reachable in < 2 hours from most parts of the city.
On the opposite side of the interstate from the Danbury Mall, we find Rumors European Cafe. The exterior looks like a small house. A small front yard offers seating outside in warm weather. Parking is to the side, and I found a spot to park the bike.
As you enter, you find a single large room with wood paneling, giving the impression of a classic library. Star Wars-themed items surround the walls, including several masks for Kylo Ren, Darth Vader, and The Mandalorian. A model of a B-wing fighter hangs just behind the counter, where you can order.
A wood and glass display case shows some of the baked goods options, from which I chose a coffee cake with walnuts. To the left of the counter is a bookshelf with plenty of reading for patrons, and an AT-AT poised on top looks down to ensure the coffee drinkers behave.
Several comfy couches and lounge chairs beckon you to dwell for a while. A family was at the largest table in the center. Board games were on a shelf along one wall. A bench with several stools was in the bay window, looking at the front yard and the road. Some light coffee shop-style music with light rock and flowing vocals was on the stereo behind the counter. The vibe was one in which you could spend many hours relaxing and sipping your coffee.
As I approached the counter, the single employee was finishing up preparing another drink. She asked me to wait one moment and then warmly greeted me when she took my order.
With most of the standard espresso options, sandwiches, and some baked goods, I made my selection and grabbed one of the open tables.
I chose a latte along with a coffee cake with walnuts. My coffee was served in a large ceramic mug. Espresso art in the shape of hearts invited me to sip, and I was happy to enjoy it from the wide brim. It had a rich coffee smell with chocolate notes tempered by the milk. A smooth mouthfeel led to a wonderful flavor.
The coffee cake had the perfect amount of cinnamon, which gave it a dark reddish-brown appearance on the outside. The yellow cake interior was moist and delicious. The middle layer held the walnuts, offering a bit of crunchy texture in each bite.
Whether you’re in the mood to reminisce about the old motorcycle gatherings at Marcus Dairy or to celebrate the completion of a flight lesson at Danbury Municipal Airport, Rumors European Cafe is the perfect nearby spot. It’s not just about the excellent coffee but also the unique and inviting atmosphere that the eclectic interior decor creates.
