Since the beginning, Loam Coffee has been attached to mountain biking and trails. Some of our earliest outings were serving coffee to volunteer trail builders here in the rainy Pacific Northwest. This past weekend, we linked up with a couple of other orgs for a day of free shuttles plus free coffee. The goal? Not only to get out and ride but also to raise funds for a local trail building and stewardship non-profit.
It was raining when I left home just before 7am here in Portland. In fact, it was rainy for most of the drive. The Apple maps app said it would take close to 2 hours to get to the 44 trail system past Government Camp on the eastern flank of Mt Hood. The whole time driving, I was at least relishing that I’d be inside Nacho the Van serving coffee where it was dry and warm. However, by the time I zipped through Government Camp, the clouds were breaking up, and sunlight was pouring.
It ended up being a picturesque Fall day here in the PNW … cool and dry. That made for optimal trail conditions for riding.
Even though I brought my bike and everything I needed to ride, I didn’t ride at all. Instead, I served cup after cup of coffee to those who signed up for a day of free shuttles to ride the 44 Trails. We linked up with Oregon Territory Outfittersand Fat Tire Farm to help raise funds for the 44 Trails Association. 44 Trails maintains, plans, and builds non-motorized, multi-use trails within the Mt. Hood National Forest. They work to maintain and improve the existing trail network as well as advocate for and build new trails to create a thoughtful and cohesive recreation network.
While my bike stayed parked on my bike rack on the back of Nacho the Van, I couldn’t have asked for a better day. Just hanging out, serving coffee, and chatting was as fun as shredding trails. I met and talked with so many people. Everyone was stoked for free shuttles, free coffee, and free copies of Trail Builder Magazine.
This event also allowed me to put Nacho the Van into use after doing little tweaks and upgrades over the past few months. I missed out on serving coffee throughout most of the race season this year because of the mechanical issues with Nacho. I was eager to put Nacho to work and keep making the coffee experience better for people. Little things like getting the new retractable awning mounted, hanging my little “coffee” neon sign (shoutout Temu), or putting on the new vinyl logos, while seemingly insignificant, made a difference. I have a long to-do and wish list of upgrades I’m working on each month.
Yes, I love roasting and selling coffee. However, there’s something special about pulling up to an event in Nacho the Van that is next level. People love lingering around Nacho while I’m brewing their coffee. My coffee setup intrigues them, and it’s a great conversation starter.
Thanks again to everyone who showed up. Special thanks to those who donated to 44 Trails. Lastly, a shoutout to Oregon Territory Outfitters, Fat Tire Farm, and 44 Trails for a fantastic day outdoors.
