VéloSkiCaffè Journal
We seek adventure. We respect the ground we play on. And we like to laugh, a lot. This is where stories will be shared, personalities will shine, and adventures will take root.
Living life beyond the race with pro cyclist, Alison Tetrick
Heading off the beaten path with a little wider tires and a little lower pressure.
It’s time to head off the beaten path with a little wider tires and a little lower pressure.
Alison Tetrick bikepacking the Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan—her account of this trip of a lifetime is a must read on her blog at AlisonTetrick.com
What one has to love about a conversation with Alison Tetrick, is that you know you’ll cover a lot of territory in a short amount of time. Just like she does on a daily basis—whether it’s on her bike, working as a “free-range entrepreneur,” raising money for NICA, or attempting to organize her closet. She doesn’t stop moving, and nine times out of ten her contagious laugh comes along with whatever she’s doing.
When asked how she prioritizes everything she’s juggling, she readily admits that it doesn’t always look pretty. Chaos and spinning plates in the air and balancing responsibilities between being a professional athlete, an entrepreneur, a biochemist, a gifted writer, an online television host, a daughter, a sister, and a kickass girlfriend—for starters.
"The queen might be considered the most powerful piece because she can control a large number of squares at a single point of time." (Quora)
“The bike helps,” she said. Specifically the training structure provided by her coach, Adam Pulford at Carmichael Training Systems. “I’m more efficient the more I have to do. It’s in the off weeks that I tend to be kind of a laser-focused pinball,” she laughed. Yet when chatting with Alison, there was what I would call an endearing calm in what she may describe as chaos, which I gather comes from a relatively recent shift in how she exists and continues to map her journey as one of the strongest cyclists in the world.
Finding balance is something her grandfather would give good advice about—that, and not taking for granted what she could do. A national champion cyclist himself into his late-eighties, he instilled in Alison a drive and a willingness to keep learning. She loved making her Grampy laugh and spoke of his insatiable curiosity, his uncanny ability to remember everything, and how his being a hard nut to crack and her love for a challenge fueled their remarkable friendship, love, and support for one another.
Alison and her Grampy—himself a national cycling champion into his late-eighties.
After eight years racing internationally on the road, Alison made her move to the gravel scene in 2017. She was soon crowned the “Queen of Gravel” during her three-year winning streak as the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Gravel World Champion, and her step onto the top of the podium at the then named DK200 (now UNBOUND Gravel), where she holds the women’s course record to this day.
Along came 2020, where this stranger than fiction year provided an opportunity for a reset, a time to find and give grace, a time when there maybe weren’t big goals to go after but instead there were little things to accept and appreciate along the way. A time to create, innovate, slow down, and feel fortunate to have a good spot to call home and a chance to look at how to do things differently and perhaps even how to “be” differently.
Having been defined as a professional cyclist for more than a decade, there are the goals and the competition and the results and the expectations that come along for the ride. Maybe these look and feel more like those skinnier tires, the ones that run at 100+ psi, the ones where the pressure is so high they could blow at any moment. Being a competitive athlete throughout her childhood, into college, and then adulthood—there was absolutely time for riding that fine line, for feeling that higher pressure both literally and figuratively.
So how does someone competing at the highest level and managing a crap-ton of expectations make a change? Is it possible to do so gracefully and maintain one’s relevancy in an industry and a world you are so intimately connected to, and where your visibility is paramount to much of your professional success? Can you step into that phone booth, spin around, and come out donning a different cape? Maybe one that introduces you as a new breed of superhero?
Unequivocally, yes—when what’s at your very core is calling you to shift gears. When the podiums look different and chasing points is less of a priority than chasing adventures with your life’s plot twist, your business partner, and your life partner all wrapped up in one. Where the wins are defined by new roads winding up to spectacular views, old west saloons where you can grab a beer with the locals, quirky historical markers and far off ghost towns, or discovering the best apple fritters because cookies are overrated (unless they have frosting).
The person that stepped into the phone booth as a competitive cyclist driven for so long strictly by results, stepped out with a new-found confidence in allowing herself to be more than just an athlete, to know that at any given start line it’s okay if she’s not the best, to give herself grace in those moments of unknown or disappointment, and to channel this new energy into giving back to her community that supported a successful career for herself.
If you do follow along with what Alison has been up to over the past year, you may know about a couple of new ventures she has embarked on. If you don’t, you should—if for no other reason than to put a smile on your face with her unapologetic humor, awkwardness, clever use of emojis, and antics often involving cow sightings, dirt mustaches, snack stops, and group ride shenanigans. All the while she manages to provide bold inspiration to just have fun, be yourself, and get on with it.
Alison grew up on a cattle ranch along the Central Coast of California, and confirmed the number of cowgirl boots in her closet is indeed on par with the number of bikes in her garage—fancy boots and everyday boots included. We talked about the absolute synergies between riding horses and riding bikes. The monotony, the rhythm, the escape vehicle to explore. We talked about the difference in trust between that of the physics of the bike and that of the horse’s brain and intuition. And we landed on gravel being the wild west of cycling.
Perhaps this is what inspired the 20” x 20” squares of cotton that are making dreams come true for young cyclists in her local NorCal community. Little did Alison know what a difference bandanas would make when she co-founded Saga Ventures in July 2020 with her boyfriend, Blaize, and reached out to fellow cyclist and graphic designer, Sarah Sturm, to help bring her vision for the A.M.T. Bandana Project to life. The proceeds to date have funded five scholarships for NICA athletes in the NorCal GRIT Program (Girls Riding Together), in an effort to get more young girls on bikes. To complement the scholarships, Alison will ride with the girls at a camp in her hometown of Petaluma, California in June, where she’ll surprise them each with an epic swag bag complete with gear and goodies from her sponsors including Specialized, Lezyne, Camelbak, Chamois Butt’r, GU Energy Labs, and more—giving the girls everything they need to get started and feel like a part of a team that has their back.
Her latest endeavor is one not to be missed, and who knows—their crew may be coming soon to a city near you! Meet PreemTV—”here to celebrate cycling and the people that ride, taking you on a journey showcasing diverse disciplines, backgrounds, and locations from around the globe.” As a host alongside Phil Gaimon, Lex Albrecht, Rahsaan Bahati and other international correspondents in the world of cycling, Alison takes us “Into the Field,” to learn and laugh about things like the “50 Shades of Gravel,” “Losing Her Boyfriend in the Woods,” and “Staying Inspired,” when you’re not sure what you’re training or preparing for. PreemTV is about cycling culture, meeting more of the real people in, behind, and in front of the sport, sharing stories about why we love riding bikes, getting scrappy, and ultimately offering more ways to stoke your ride. P.S. It’s not about race coverage.
In the Field with Ali—tune in on PreemTV
Storytelling is nothing new to Alison, and I enthusiastically discovered recently that we share a mutual respect for the Oxford comma. Her evocative writing may be found on Gravelle.Life, Carmichael Training Systems, and on her own blog at AlisonTetrick.com. All in all, the perfect blend of insight, inspiration, humor, and thought-provoking journeys for your mind.
We’d be remiss without sharing Alison’s go-to gear (including pre-ride coffee) for epic gravel adventures, so here goes:
Specialized Diverge (love the future shock squish)
SRAM eTap Eagle AXS (all the gears - 10/50 in the rear, 44t in the front!)
Camelbak Chase Vest (they even make a women’s specific one)
Lezyne Mega XL GPS - never get lost, great battery life
Chamois Butt’r because well, you know. Gravel.
Gu Energy Labs - cause snacks
Equator Coffee - Jaguar Espresso
Equator Coffee & Teas - The Mill Valley location is a favorite if you’re in the Bay Area, or use code EQ4Alison for an online discount.
No doubt that the future is bright and the opportunities endless for Alison Tetrick. But one thing that really struck a chord with me was her vision for her future. What does it look like to strive more for being present, to unplug from the rat race a bit, to be happy where you are while ensuring you leave an impact, to be okay with not always trying to go for more and more? I think this is a conundrum we all face today, and we’re lucky to have people in the world like Ali who keep it real, keep it fun, and do good by others along the way. Seems to me she’s mapping a pretty good path in that direction. Follow along @amtetrick.
Having no fun at all… ever. :)
One of the reasons I created VéloSkiCaffè, was to spotlight my immense respect for the peeps bringing pure awesomeness to those pursuits that challenge and inspire us. Thank you, Ali, for taking the time to chat, and I can’t wait to publish your thoughts on the parting question I left with you at some point down the road—when you’re competing at the elite and pro level, or at any level for that matter, can competition and fun be harmonious, and if so, what’s your approach to that relationship. You gave me a few hints, and this’ll be good! Thanks again, Ali.
Fresh Roasted Coffee Along the Trail
Where good people and specialty coffees meet face to muzzle.
Where good people and specialty coffees meet face to muzzle
Matt Bishop, Founder of Café Mulé, serving up an early specialty coffee service in the Boise foothills. Photo by: Shane Davila 2016
Come late springtime in the foothills of Boise, Idaho, you may be lucky enough to stumble upon Richard the mule, his owner Matt, and the free trailside coffee service provided by Café Mulé. What began as an effort by Matt Bishop to support local trail work efforts, soon became somewhat of a social experiment, and ultimately has created an approachable sense of community and gratitude.
It’s a story in human kindness, keeping things fun and lighthearted, and remaining genuine, all the same. Free small batch coffee and nitro cold brew delivered trailside, thanks to a thoughtful and creative entrepreneur wanting to do good in his community. Matt simply wanted to bring a special experience to those who hike and bike on the trails in his hometown, and find a means to give back in the process.
In 2016, one lucky pack mule listed for sale on Craigslist found a home. Matt named him Richard, and he was soon bound for stardom. With a campstove and all the goods to brew a stellar cup of coffee packed meticulously on Richard’s back, he and Matt would hit the trails and find the perfect spot to surprise and delight anyone and everyone who would happen upon them. They served up tastings of their small batch coffee and free samplings from the local Guru Donuts bakery—no charge and no questions asked. And by 2019, an estimated 200 people or more would enjoy their free coffee at any given trail service, courtesy of Café Mulé. On hiatus for obvious reasons in 2020—Richard is ready to hit the trails again in 2021.
The quest to find Richard and the welcoming coffee stop in the foothills by way of hints and trail notes posted on Café Mulé’s social media, encourages people to get outdoors, engage in the mystery, work a bit for their freshly roasted cup, and meet new friends along the way. With apples and carrots stuffed in their pockets, cyclists and hikers find joy in greeting Richard, feeding him his treats, and maybe dropping a dollar or two in the jar to help feed the slightly stubborn mule. Otherwise, it’s the simple gesture of a specialty cup of coffee that spreads gratitude left, right, and center.
Matt’s initial efforts to support local trails continues, with $0.25 of every bag purchased going to support trail maintenance organizations in Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming—in those communities where their coffees are sold. Café Mulé’s three blends vary by roast level and pay honor to Richard including from lightest to darkest, Frosted Muzzle (Matt’s favorite and a bit sweeter), Long Fuzzy Ears (the crowd pleaser), and Midnight Mule (my personal favorite—it’s for the dark coffee lover or goes lovely with cheesecake).
Café Mulé sells their coffees by the bag, and offers a range of subscriptions for fast and easy delivery right to your doorstep—free in the greater Boise and Meridian, Idaho area and by FedEx or USPS anywhere in the USA. To learn more about Matt, Richard, and Café Mulé, or to be in-the-know when they’ll be hitting the trail, please follow along on Instagram @richardthemule
As VéloSkiCaffè continues to reach out to and have conversations with the pioneers, pacesetters, and just some really fun people laying it down and bringing pure awesomeness to our smile-inducing pursuits like cycling, skiing, and coffee; our goal is simple—live, learn, and share in collaboration with like-minded adventurers like you.
Amy Jane David: At Home in the Backcountry
Making it her mission to empower others in the backcountry.
How this professional skier, guide, and media maven makes it her mission to empower others in the backcountry.
Amy David sending it into the sunshine. Photo by Hillary Maybery.
“Backcountry” is consistently defined as remote, undeveloped, sparsely inhabited, and difficult to access. And being precisely there is at the heart and soul of professional big mountain skier and wilderness backpacking guide, Amy David. On any given winter day, you’ll find her aboard her speed machine with her skis in tow, in search of epic lines or smashing her skills game and taming the sled’s eagerness to buck like a bronco.
She makes it look easy—in those quintessential backcountry photos shot by the masterful Hillary Maybery and others—over and through the marshmallow fluff-like powder and bouncing through the trees and off the crags. She describes the similarities between ‘the float’ when you’re powder skiing and finding the flow on her snow machine. So much so, that sometimes the skis just go along for the ride. The adventure of going faster and farther off the beaten path feeds her determination to consistently get better in this male-dominated sport, serving both as a Polaris Ambassador and member of the Empowersports Women’s Riding Council.
Amy David aboard Polaris. Photo by Hillary Maybery.
Amy grew up in Pinedale, Wyoming, a small town nestled in a high alpine valley at 7,175 feet elevation, and known for its rich history in exploration, ranching, and fur trading. Her childhood playground offered endless opportunities for outdoor recreation and quenching one's curiosities of what could be found in the surrounding mountain ranges—the Wind River Range, the Wyoming Range, and Gros Ventre Mountains.
Having earned her BA in the Psychology of Communication and a minor in Outdoor Education and Leadership from Westminster College, Amy has intentionally shaped her career to bring the best of both together. She is the founder of Action Inspired Productions, an adventure-based multimedia content company, and also the Media Coordinator for the Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center.
By way of her time spent in Salt Lake City, Amy now lives near Stanley, Idaho in the Sawtooth Mountains as a caretaker on a ranch accessible only by snowmobile in the winter months—a few miles off any main road in a place that perfectly speaks to her purposeful wanderlust. As we had the chance to catch up, I couldn’t help but feel like Amy has a special partnership with the mountains themselves—like her energy is found through their two-way collaboration.
Photo by Amy David in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho
One might think it’s the solitude of the backcountry that fuels her internal fire; but rather, it’s sharing these wild experiences with others, and building people up through the power of adventure and oftentimes the unknown. She gracefully moves between her role as a winter sports athlete for companies like Icelantic Skis and Rab, and her role as a guide—helping people and passing on what she loves—so others can understand the gear, learn how to navigate, and feel safe in the unfamiliar.
Charting her course as a professional athlete has taken her to the far reaches of the world, to podiums across the Freeskiing World Tour, and to the covers of magazines. She’s been in front of and behind the cameras—creating stories, being the story—always inspired by and inspiring others through action. As a professional athlete, so much of one’s time, energy, and commitment can turn inward; yet while Amy does focus on continuous growth in sport and otherwise, she is definitive about understanding and evaluating the best role for her in any given situation, and about leaning in to those she can learn from.
Amy David finding the good stuff. Photo by Hillary Maybery.
She continues to augment her backcountry certifications, which include Wilderness First Responder, Avalanche Pro 1, AMGA Alpine Skills, Adaptive Sports Ski Instructor, and Leave No Trace Trainer. She is currently an American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) Ski Guide Apprentice on her way to achieving the next-level guiding opportunity for winter off-trail and glacier terrain. She appreciates how her time guiding skiers in the backcountry forces her to look at things differently in the sense of how she would ski it on her own, versus how she can help a beginner to intermediate skier conquer their first couloir.
From Amy’s perspective, supporting others in their quest to accomplish things they never thought possible is as gratifying as carving that perfect line down a steep cirque. Of course, there are those epic powder days when she may feel that inkling of wanting it all to herself, but at the end of the day, many smiles outweigh the power of one.
Amy takes guidance from the best through her mentor, Margaret Wheeler. Margaret was the second woman in the US to complete her full AMGA and IFMGA guide certification at the international level. An active member of the guiding community, she is an instructor of guide training for the AMGA and serves on its board of directors and as president of the organization. Not surprisingly, Amy is taking this opportunity to give back herself, bringing Margaret along on the snowmobiling side of things—like a two-way mentorship.
In the summer months she leads multi-day backpacking trips for Sawtooth Mountain Guides and continues her work as the founder of the retreat program for And She’s Dope Too, where she leads women of all ages and experience levels on week-long educational wellness wilderness trips across Idaho, Wyoming and Utah.
Amy exudes this combination of calmness and confidence that tells me I could learn so much from this woman some twenty years my junior. While her accolades in the sport of skiing are undoubtedly impressive and I’d sure love to mirror her line on a powder day, what captivated me during our conversation even more so was her compassionate humility and her driven ambition. And when you think about stirring these together in a big ‘ol bowl with a nice wooden spoon, what you come up with is a pretty inspired recipe of a human being.
So let’s take what we did just there in the bowl, add the courage, grit, and work ethic instilled at an early age on the ranchlands of the West, and you can see how the lure of the highest peaks doesn’t seem to pose as much of a challenge or a threat as it does an invitation.
An invitation for Amy David to head into the backcountry on a scouting mission, and then bring others along to experience a few transformational days.
An opportunity for others to spend time with someone who can teach so much, but isn’t above learning from others.
A chance to be coached through dealing with potential fears in the backcountry.
And the benefit of learning her methodical approach to backcountry risk assessment and keeping it fun!
Amy David leading the way. Photo by Jeremy Lato.
VéloSkiCaffè looks forward to publishing a story written by Amy sometime down the road.
Head on over to AmyJaneDavid.com and give her a follow on Instagram at @amyjanedavid
As we continue to reach out to and have conversations with the pioneers, pacesetters, and just some really fun people laying it down and bringing pure awesomeness to our smile-inducing pursuits like cycling, skiing, and coffee; our goal is simple—live, learn, and share in collaboration with like-minded adventurers like you.
Cycling to the top of Slovenia
A must-do cycling adventure in the Julian Alps.
A must-do cycling adventure in the Julian Alps
When looking for a cycling adventure and more than just a bike ride, the options are endless while the preferences certainly vary. Some prefer the rolling hills, coastlines, or backcountry double-track. Others go rails-to-trails, bike packing, or century-ride hopping. For those inclined to seek out the epic climbs, the road to the Mt. Mangart, in the mountainous region of northwest Slovenia, should find its way to your list.
The highest paved road in Slovenia winds its way to the Mangart Saddle. Look south and you see the beautiful Log Koritnica Valley in Slovenia. Do a 180 and the extraordinary colors of the Lakes of Fusine glimmer from the north in Italy. Welcome to the Julian Alps, situated near the triple border between Italy, Slovenia, and Austria.
Originally built in 1938 over the course of six months, this narrow, one-lane road up Mt. Mangart served as part of the Italian Army’s defense against the Yugoslav Army. Now found on the map as Route 902, the umpteen switchbacks, hairpins, and five tunnels carved out of rock lead you to the deadend summit and the pinnacle of the climb. Lush and forested landscape precedes the approach to treeline and the rugged, exposed limestone reaches to the skies. It’s near to impossible to keep your eyes on the road, but for the effort needed to keep turning the pedals over.
Our small group of six cyclists started the day from our home base at the Valbruna Inn, the heartbeat of this exquisite little village nestled at the base of the mountains just south of Tarvisio and Mt. Lussari, and an easy two-hour drive north of Venice. We would ride 15 miles to the beginning of the Mangart ascent, including several miles along the buttery-smooth Alpe-Adria bike path and then a gradual climb up and over Predil Pass into Slovenia.
Having visited the region previously, I had often imagined what it would be like to climb this rocky massif separating the eastern and western Julian Alps. Growing up in the Colorado Rockies and cycling across mountain passes in the American West was my familiar, and nothing compares to the sensory overload of taking yourself out of your element to a completely unfamiliar and awe-inspiring environment like this.
In less than 12 kilometers (7-ish miles), the road ascends 980 meters (3,215 feet). With an average gradient around 7%, it was the pitches that reached 11-12%, 16-18% and 22-23% that let’s just say, mmm… got my attention. My mantra was “just keep pedaling.” For 90 minutes, I’d say I achieved some of the lowest RPMs I ever had on a bike. I relished in the short stretches of road that fell below a six percent grade and let me turn the cranks over a bit quicker, as they were few and far between.
As I rounded the final switchback to reach the summit of Mangart (said like we were now on a first name basis), I wasn’t sure if I was going to burst into tears, smile until it hurt because that’s what I do, scream (or swear) with joy and perhaps a little disbelief, or maybe a combination of them all. Yep—you got it—all of the above.
My best friend was waiting for me at the top with her notorious big bear hug and perhaps the sweetest surprise she could have handed over, a perfectly wrapped in periwinkle paper, bar of Milka chocolate—and my happy dance ensued.
Our crew of six rolled in one by one as we took in the magnificent views, rediscovered the feeling in our legs, and eventually turned our attention to the prospect of riding back down the beast we had just conquered—all part of the day’s cycling adventure.
Needless to say, down was significantly faster than up. There’s always that pesky little climb that comes after a long descent, which then feels like a bigger challenge than it truly is. But as we dropped back over into Italy and found our way to a little lake for a quick dip, I couldn’t care less about how many more ups versus downs we’d meet along the ride back.
We saddled up, hopped on, and rolled to Valbruna. I can’t say enough about the coziness, the cuisine, and the 5-heart hospitality offered in this special little corner of the world. Throughout the following week, our rides would take us into Austria to find bakeries, to the top of mountain refugios for delectable lunches, and point-to-point to return by train through the stunning Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. I look forward to sharing more stories from this place, in due time.
As the world opens up and we find ourselves willing and able to travel more again, I’ve included a couple of resources, which I couldn’t speak more highly of. Valbruna Travel offers small, custom cycling, skiing, and culinary adventures with experiences only made possible through their local ties to and deep knowledge of their hometown.
“It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels.”
Cat skiing serves up the perfect family ski day
“There are no friends on a powder day.” But what if you had the opportunity to enjoy perfectly hand-picked fresh tracks all day…
Where you can make friends on a powder day
The saying typically goes like this. “There are no friends on a powder day.” But what if you had the opportunity to enjoy perfectly hand-picked fresh tracks all day without the pressure to rush from lift to lift to beat the frenzy? What if someone led you directly to the secretly sweet stashes and then stepped aside and said “it’s all yours—go for it!”
We are lucky to live eleven miles from the number one ski resort in North America. My husband and his two sons grew up ski racing, and the boys have made the transition now as teenagers to the world of “I’d huck myself off that.” I grew up in Colorado and started skiing at three years old, so as a family we aren’t strangers to ski weekends.
But we were hoping for something different. Something special that would make our first trip as a family unforgettable. A time we knew we would always look back on and hope we could do it again. More like an adventure than just another day skiing. And with two teenage boys in the mix, finding that something which would both knock their socks off and alleviate as much heckling or arguing as possible was a daunting task.
Hey—I have an idea! Let’s put ourselves in a place where we’re stuck with five people we don’t know, all day, outdoors, where we have no idea what the weather is going to do, and there’s little to no cell service—how does that sound, boys?
Needless to say, we didn’t share that bit of information, yet we were able to “coerce” them to be pulled out of school for a couple of days so we could load up the car and head for the Tetons. Priority number one? Road trip snacks. To this day when done well, this stands out as one of the highlights of spending five hours trapped in a car with the “parentals.” Cooler with assorted teenager-approved drinks, salty crunchy things, homemade baked goods, and some veggies and hummus and fruit for the win.
Close to five hours later, we pulled up to the Teewinot Lodge at Grand Targhee Resort. Already this was a foreign situation. Normal would be finding a conspicuous spot to park the van, throw up the shades and sleep for the night. Checking the boys into their own room down the hall, proceeding to eat “Wydaho” waffle fry nachos at the Trap Bar & Grill and then making our way in snow boots to the outdoor heated pool and hot tub? This was “sic.”
Snow was in the forecast and fat ski rentals were on the agenda for the next morning—massive underfoot Black Crows all around. A quick stop at Snorkels Cafe for ski legs fuel and coffee, and then the signing of the waivers and avalanche beacon checks as the guides gave us the game plan for the day. One short lift ride to where we’d meet our mode of transport and new best friend, Pisten Bully. We loaded up and the snow cat began to make its way up the mountain via, you guessed it, the cat tracks. Up, up, and up we went—all in eager anticipation of what our guides had in store for us.
Remember that part about no pressure to find the fresh tracks? And the sweet stashes finding their way to your line down the mountain. The guides at Grand Targhee Cat Skiing had everything dialed. The way they casually yet affirmatively controlled the environment, showing everyone where to lay down the next set of tracks so we, and others, could keep coming back for more of the epic marshmallow fluff. Slowing down, taking it all in, and spooning the tracks was our collective mission, and friends were made—even on a powder day.
We couldn’t remember the last time we skied from open to close and then some. Cat skiing gives you this special mental decompression and physical recovery every time you reach the bottom, climb back on board, take in the turns you just made, and think about how it could possibly, or impossibly get better on the next run.
We’ll never know if the guides had this planned all along, or if it was happenstance that our quest around the mountain brought us here and now, but as we crested the top for our last run of the day, the sun getting low in the mid-winter sky, we happened upon the perfect pristine face glistening in the approaching dusk light. One more run towards the Teton Valley floor, my Black Crows perched on the edge.
Bounce like Tigger, I thought. And I did—with smile cramps and cold teeth to last for days.
Different? Unforgettable? Hope we can do it again? Check. Check. And Check.
Four votes for the win.
Did someone say freshly roasted specialty coffee delivered by bicycle?
Why, yes they did! Eight years ago, a simple good cup of coffee changed Joshua Crane’s perspective…
Joshua Crane on his Thursday Coffee Ride route
Why, yes they did! Eight years ago, a simple good cup of coffee changed Joshua Crane’s perspective on how he wanted to make an impact in the world. His intended path to medical school had proved not to be his calling, yet along the way his pursuit of good coffee to fuel his studies provoked further curiosities around specialty coffees, coffee roasting, and the science behind it all.
Unsure of what exactly he was going to embark on career-wise, he did what many of us with a penchant for cycling would do. He turned to his bicycle for escape and insight. This ironically landed him a job in the cycling industry. His intent? Ride more. The downside? An office with really bad coffee. The upside? An office overflowing with fellow cyclists (namely, willing and discerning coffee taste testers).
The best two parts of Josh’s day? Riding to work, and sharing his freshly roasted styles and coffee blends he’d refine in the evenings and on weekends.
It didn’t take long for this routine to spark Josh’s next venture. In 2013, he sold his car, poured those dollars into a commercial roaster, and has since then focused on building his company on a foundation of doing fewer things well, with purpose and impact at the heart of every decision.
To take this further, Josh leaned into the nostalgia and stories from his grandfather’s career—he was purely and quite wonderfully, a milkman. The families and people in his grandfather’s community back in Wisconsin knew where their milk was coming from. They knew who was delivering the fresh, delicious, cold milk to their front doorstep. There were connections through stories shared and smiles exchanged over an unassuming bottle of milk.
Brewing a good-tasting, not crappy, fresh roasted cup of coffee, delivered with genuine care to fellow coworkers, had similarly planted the seed for The Coffee Ride. And while yes, it tasted damn good, it was the symbiotic relationship between doing something that made someone feel good, in exchange for something as humble as a smile, that solidified Josh’s commitment to how and where he would go with his business.
Today, The Coffee Ride offers eight speciality coffees at any given time. I will be the first to admit I’m more of a coffee enthusiast—not yet a coffee savant. But I am eager to learn, and as I spoke with Josh I started to visualize the roadmap that could help me get there and how many flavors there would be along the way. My coffee tasting travels could take me vicariously from Sumatra to Central and South America, Brazil, Columbia, Guatemala and Honduras, to Africa and ultimately to Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee and where the beloved beans near and dear to the specialty coffee roasters are grown.
Tobacco and clove, and nuts and chocolate, and raisins and fruits. Arabica beans grown in the high altitude microclimates and Robusta beans more available at the lower elevations. Why some coffee tastes like dirt, how dark roasting has the potential to obliterate the unique flavors of the beans’ origin. How espresso is its own world and technically a preparation method to draw the perfect shot. And how time is of the essence between roasting and consumption, which made me ponder, how many cups of coffee have I had that are truly fresh roasted? But at the end of the day, what’s great is that there is a coffee for everybody, so many options to explore, and you can plan your own coffee journey through customizable subscriptions fresh-roasted for you and delivered directly to your front door.
The Coffee Ride roasts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and delivers locally around Boulder by bicycle (or ships nationwide) on Thursdays. Fun fact: specialty coffee roasters are required to include a roast date and an expiration date on their packaging; but here’s where the fine nuances come in. Josh explained that after roasting, the beans should rest for a minimum 24 hours before being brewable or drinkable. For the first 15 days after roasting, the beans are “gaining momentum,” and then they reach their peak between 15 and 45 or up to 60 days. After that, the sought-after acidity found in specialty coffees drops and you may just be heading down the road to gas station coffee. And super dope baked goods deserve a coffee that will complement their indulgence, right?
In delivering coffee locally by bicycle, The Coffee Ride has racked up more than 16,000 miles on Thursdays alone since Josh launched the business. His story of entrepreneurship is such an honest one. The risks, the mistakes, the little wins followed by the failures, mishaps and striving for continuous improvement. The 22,000 mis-printed bags sitting in the roastery, forcing Josh to pivot, get creative, and stay true to their sustainability standards they’ve spelled out for all they do. He wasn’t about to toss those bags aside. “Imagine the impact of more people doing a few things to make a difference,” Josh shared when we spoke.
The Coffee Ride focuses on those few things and wants to inspire more people to do the same. Their relationship with 63rd Street Farm is one perfect example. It brings everything full circle in a way that benefits everyone. The chaff, a byproduct or the exoskeletons of the coffee beans left during the roasting process, are provided to the Farm as a composting material. Chaff adds nutrients to compost as well as bulk, improving the soil texture. The Coffee Ride is committed to ensuring every possible packaging and delivery material is compostable or recycled responsibly.
So in my quest to continue to learn more about coffee, to hear from the independent coffee roasters and visit the little local coffee shops near and far, I’ll never forget this. “There is a tragic-romantic relationship with coffee,” Josh explained. “Coffee is like a journey—as soon as you find something you love, it’s gone.” The great news? I can always be on a quest for another great cup of coffee, there is always a story behind it to share, and in the meantime I’ll order up another bag of the Black Lightning Blend.
For more on Josh’s story and to place your own roast to order, visit thecoffeeride.com
VéloSkiCaffè—The Adventurer’s Good News Channel
VeloSkiCaffe was born out of three simple things that more often than not bring the highly sought-after…
Springtime is for out-and-back rides and waiting for the melt.
VéloSkiCaffè was born out of three simple things that more often than not bring the highly sought-after smile cramps to my face. Cycling. Skiing. And coffee. Each on its own is one thing never to be understated, but looked at collectively there is an appreciation of the energy, the essence, the sense of place across these three pastimes that prompted my creation of VéloSkiCaffè.
It’s the common ground amongst the three—the people, the places, the stories. The penchant for gear, and gadgets, and pastries. And the continuous cycle from season to season, from wheels to skis and back again, with that fragrant cup of java invariably the common denominator. Where the yearning for the next season is on par with the one just past.
And while some are more inclined to seek adventures by bike, and some are further drawn to the backcountry, and some are the masters of the small batch coffee roast, my hope is for VéloSkiCaffè to share these pursuits through carefully curated imagery, lessons, wisdom, and experiences that have been or are yet to be. In many ways, VéloSkiCaffè is the evolution of an idea I had many years ago.
In the mid-nineties, I was in my mid-twenties and I dreamt of starting “The Good New Channel.” The underwhelm of good news in the media struck a chord with me. I was about five years out of college and on track to build my career in the world of advertising as an art buyer and as a creative director in the photography industry. I didn’t have the gumption to get scrappy, take a leap, and make it happen. So here we are.
VéloSkiCaffè brings full-circle an iteration of that dream. Sure, it looks quite different. But it carries forth my vision to deliver good news, learn from the best, and serve up helpful information along with insight and inspiration—to an audience of kindred spirits.
It is a place where my intent is to welcome questions, reach out to those we can learn from, and feature the findings on the best cycling destinations, backcountry ski trips, and local coffeehouses. Where we can tap into key takeaways about cycling gear, backcountry safety, and the nuances of independent coffee roasters. Where we can meet some of the masterminds, innovators, and ringleaders out there encouraging us all to up our game.
I’m not a professional athlete, or a world champion, or an influencer. I’m just me—an avid and passionate cyclist and skier, and a long-time coffee enthusiast. I simply enjoy that feeling of smile cramps drawn from doing the things I love most and I want more of. Sometimes it’s a new summit or an “epic” of some sort, other times it's that gravel road to a hot spring, and still others it’s the local coffee shop I stumble into along a road trip. I aspire to be stronger, to learn tricks of the trade from the talents of the best, to often find the biggest joy in the little things, and to inspire others to do the same.
Welcome to this place I hope will feel like our adventure’s common ground. Thanks for visiting and coming along for the ride.
Side note: this is where I want to send major kudos to Geri Weis-Corbley, whom I would be remiss in not mentioning. She took that leap just a couple of years later and built what is now the Good News Network.