It is no understatement to point out that 2020 was a year for the ages. While hopeful, it’s not like 2021 was the quick turnaround we had hoped for. In rapid-fire succession one traumatic event has happened after another over the past year. This goes far beyond COVID-19 and all of the deleterious effects from it (death, job loss, poverty, bankruptcy, etc). It’s just been a really challenging year since the pandemic hit. Not only that, but it has taken a psychological toll on us all. We’re simply worn out and tired. We need a reprieve. An outlet. An escape. That is why exploring is a gift.

I’m not as much concerned with how you explore and get outside as much as I am that you are. Exploring is a gift that until recently I too had taken for granted. As Oregon raged with out-of-control wildfires last fall it literally put a damper on the city of Portland where I live. Not only the city but the whole western half of the state. Smoke blanketed low-lying valleys and normally smoke-free higher elevation communities and wilderness areas. The air quality was so toxic that for over a week Portland had the worst of any city on the planet.

If COVID-19 wasn’t restrictive enough all of a sudden simple things … like a walk in the neighborhood, a bike ride through the city, a short mountain bike excursion on a trail system nearby, or a hike to a favorite waterfall were taken away from us. There was no escape. The air burned our lungs and the region was transformed from blissful blue and pure skies to a scene out of Blade Runner. Even the coast, which normally is a reprieve and an escape, was also socked in with wildfire smoke.

Respite seemed inescapable. Tens of thousands were evacuated and many more stood by ready with suitcases packed ready to leave their homes as evacuation alerts ramped up in severity. It was even jarring enough that many almost forgot about COVID-19, high unemployment and job loss, and the nightly riots and protests. All we could do was sit and wait.

But then the rains came. Almost overnight the air quality transformed from hazardous to pure. We could breathe again. Not only that, we could go outside, walk, bike, hike, and explore. And so we did …

For an urban environment like Portland we’re incredibly fortunate to have within the city limits countless miles of trails through breathtaking parks. Particularly, all along the western side of the downtown are the Tualatin Mountains. Don’t let the name fool you though. A spur of the Northern Oregon Coast Range, they’re most commonly referred to as the “West Hills.” The highest elevation sits at a mere 1,609 feet. Nonetheless, these mountains … hills … offer a quick escape into such dense and pristine forest that you’re immediately transported to seemingly some Jurassic-era setting. Upon leaving the trailhead and after the first curve of the trail you’re surrounded by a dark, brooding, and damp forest surround by massive flora.

I remember the first day of reprieve from the wildfire smoke was on Friday. That meant that Saturday was dedicated to getting outside … exploring. With cameras in hand we selected a close-in trailhead in the West Hills and set out on foot. The goal wasn’t to tack on the mileage nor even get a workout. But to explore … wander … take photos … talk … laugh … and remind ourselves of the gift of exploring. Though that last phrase wasn’t audibly uttered it was on all of our hearts and minds as we talked about the recent wildfires, the smoke, COVID-19, how this all impacted university life, and more. But for that brief moment in time we were swept away. Sure enough the conversations turned towards the forest itself … the moss, the banana slug precipitously crossing the trail, the constant sound of gurgling streams, and pointing out when and where the sunshine penetrated through the dense canopy.

I don’t even remember how long we were there, but time didn’t matter. What mattered was the ability to once again get out and explore. Throughout 2020 and now into 2021 I’ve been reminded time and time again how I need this. No, not every time outdoors is a rip down a trail. Sometimes I need to wander, to sit, to watch, to notice. Things that I miss when I’m barreling down the trail with my seat post dropped while I’m reading and navigating the next ten feet of trail so I don’t hit a root or rock and fly over my handlebars.

While this past year will be one for the ages, at least in our lifetime, we need to rediscover the gift of exploring. Not every outing will be a multi-day bikepacking trip or a laps at the bike park, but it is still a gift nonetheless … no matter how small. Loam Coffee was started to encourage and affirm this need for exploration. Our take on the whole conversation is to (a) get outdoors and (b) enjoy coffee while you’re doing so. Whether an iced Americano on warmer days or a cup brewed with my aeropress and brought along in an insulated mug, coffee is one of the my main travel companions on the trail. If we’re going to explore we might as well enjoy some coffee while out on the trail or at the trailhead.

Here’s to the rest of 2021. May the tide turn …

Cheers!!!

Words by Sean Benesh // Photos by Grant Benesh