Sharing stories about coffee, stories, and stoke
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Travel Journal
One of the topics I want to hear more about is thinking through more sustainable ways to access trail systems than simply driving. No, I am not anti-car or anything like that. I sometimes think about the absurdity of endless shuttled runs and all of the gas wasted, time wasted, and of course, CO2 emissions emitted. Maybe that is why I have been thinking of gravel riding a lot more of late.
Brewing coffee outdoors is pretty easy … or so it seems. On one hand it is straightforward and uncomplicated. On the other hand there is not only a process, but you need the right equipment. So often the focus is on the specific brew method and even what kind of coffee to use (and rightly so). What we want to share with you in this article is one part of the equation that doesn’t get enough attention … how you actually heat the water for your coffee.
From the very beginning Loam Coffee has been about supporting trail advocacy and new trails. Whether that is supporting our local trail alliance, sending innumerable bags of coffee for dig days across the U.S. and Canada, serving coffee to trail builders, or having our own Trail Builders Blend to raise awareness … we believe this is an important topic.
What I’ve learned is that it’s not as much as what we do nor how we explore … as long as we’re out and about doing this together. Making memories. We can go to the coast and do nothing other than walk along the beach and look at the waves. Or hike to a waterfall we’ve been to several times. The “what” is not as important as the “why.” And that is to be together and make memories.
So often when we utter the word “adventure” we are usually thinking of or referring to far off places. The kinds of places that require either long road trips or a plane ride … with a few connecting flights en route. While those certainly live up to being noteworthy adventures, maybe we need to expand on the term “adventure” a bit.
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.
