Sharing stories and adventures about all things coffee, stories, and stoke
I’m not a surfer. Never tried and don’t plan on it. It’s not the sharks (cough); it’s that I already have enough hobbies to keep me happily broke and perpetually busy. But dirt surfing? On a 170 mm enduro bike? Now that I can get behind.
This past weekend marked the kickoff of Ride the Dirt Wave, an enduro series along the Oregon Coast.
I have a road trip ritual I rarely stray from: Diet Mountain Dew, crunchy peanut butter Clif Bars, sunflower seeds, and classic country music. How that combo came to be, I couldn’t tell you. But it works.
I just rolled back home after a weekend of serving coffee at Cascade Gravel in Sisters, Oregon. These events always feel like something special. The energy. The people. That final pre-race sip of coffee before riders clip in and chase 40, 60, or 80 miles through the shadow of the Cascades.
Let’s be honest: most people aren’t drinking espresso pulled from a $20,000 machine, let alone a $1,000-$2,000 machine at home. They’re not measuring water temperature or timing the bloom. They’re grabbing a mug on the way out the door, pouring drip from a countertop brewer they picked up from Walmart, or topping off a gas station cup somewhere on a dusty road between Point A and Point B.
And you know what? That’s okay. It’s actually great.
The light was soft, the gravel still damp from the night before. Riders rolled in slowly, quiet in that pre-race way with legs tense and minds somewhere between stoke and nerves. I had already fired up the kettle in Nacho the Van, the smell of freshly ground beans mixing with pine and chain lube in the cool morning air. It wasn’t anything fancy. Just coffee, a little conversation, and the quiet satisfaction of showing up.
That’s the version of Loam Coffee I’ve grown to love most.
This past weekend, I had the chance to serve coffee at the Gorge Gravel race for the very first time — and let me just say, it was an unforgettable experience.
From the moment I rolled up with Nacho the Van, I knew it was going to be a special day. The energy was electric, the community was welcoming, and the winds… well, let’s just say they added a little extra adventure to the day! Majorkudos to every racer who braved those crazy gusts and powered through. Gravel events are always about grit and perseverance, and this weekend definitely delivered on both fronts.
I’ve always believed coffee should match the moment. Whether it’s a quiet sunrise pourover before a ride or a post-race espresso from the back of Nacho the Van, every cup tells a story.
Right now, I’m excited to share the next chapter of that story: Ethiopia Senna Katta Mountain. This one’s wild—in the best way. But here's the real news: I’m trying something different. From now on, I’ll be roasting and selling one coffee at a time. That’s it.
