INDEPENDENT STORYTELLING PLATFORM DOCUMENTING GRASSROOTS RACE CULTURE AND THE COMMUNITIES BEHIND IT
Viewing entries in
Nacho the Van
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.
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.
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?
When I started Loam Coffee in 2015, I was only focused on roasting and selling bags of coffee. That was it. But things change. Businesses grow and evolve over time. Loam Coffee is going through an evolution right now.
Coffee. Photography. Why not bring them together?
After a little over two months from the night Nacho the Van was stolen, I finally have Nacho back in my possession. It was definitely two months of uncertainty, wondering whether Nacho was fixable, if the finances lined up with the insurance payout to not only keep it but begin fixing it up, and oh yeah … Nacho had to get a drug test. I am excited to share an update on Nacho with you.
As many of you know, Nacho was stolen and got thrashed … a messed up steering column, damaged center console, a broken window, a dented up door, and more. Even before the police found it, many of you reached out about Nacho and shared how you wanted to contribute to seeing the van restored to be fully operational (and serving coffee). Some started giving money, and others pledged without even asking.
