Sharing stories and adventures about all things coffee, stories, and stoke
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Catering
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.
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.
When choosing a mountain bike destination or gravel riding route, the trails or gravel roads are only part of the picture. The true essence of these places lies in the local businesses—especially coffee shops—that serve as community hubs. Whether you’re in a quiet town along a bikepacking route or stopping for a mid-ride espresso during a gravel adventure, coffee spots play a key role in connecting riders and supporting the spirit of exploration.
Nacho the van has come a long way from being an 11-passenger van used to carry collegiate athletes to games all over the Pacific Northwest. At the same time, there’s still a LONG way to go. Since I bought the van from the university where I teach, many students know its backstory as they see it sitting in the school parking lot. Some joke, saying, “Yeah … it still looks a little sketchy.”
So, what is the latest on the Nacho conversion process?
