Sharing stories about coffee, stories, and stoke
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Travel Journal
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.
Recently, Loam Coffee teamed up with Mudslinger Events to serve coffee at the Oregon 24-hour mountain bike race outside of Bend, Oregon. By the end, everyone was hot, sweaty, and exhausted, but at least there was coffee! Serving coffee to mountain bikers is special. It’s even more so when they’re slugging it out in a non-stop 24-hour race. Here’s what happened …
One of the conversations I have with racers, whether they’re riding mountain, gravel, or road bikes, is their coffee plan before their race starts. How much coffee do you have? When to drink it? How much is too much? More than that, how do you plan on brewing coffee wherever the race is at? Let’s jump into this and explore how to get the most out of your coffee experience before your race begins …
Coffee is an experience. It’s more than a beverage, but a process or ritual to enjoy and even find meaning in. Especially when traveling in Nacho the Van or bikepacking, there’s nothing better than waking up and beginning the process of making coffee … even if, at times, doing so, still cocooned in a mummy sleeping bag. Why do you drink coffee?
Sometimes, riding your local trails becomes mundane. It’s like going to the gym each week, where it’s more of a discipline rather than an epic and awe-inspiring adventure. Don’t get me wrong, like going to the gym, I still enjoy riding on my local trails. However, it’s always good to mix things up. That’s what I did when I ventured to Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort in Eastern Oregon.
Summer is always peak travel season, whether they’re big vacation kinds of trips or local and regional weekend excursions. I’ve lost track of how many overnight trips I’ve taken in Nacho the Van over the past few months. When I road trip in Nacho, whether for mountain bike adventures or trail-building events, there are several non-negotiable items that I bring … my bike and gear (helmet, shoes, etc.), plenty of water, and stuff to make coffee. Here’s what I’ve learned about making good coffee while traveling …
