Last week we brought STOKED Mobile from Hood River, Oregon, to Park City, Utah. From 160 feet to 7,000 feet, STOKED Mobile trekked through mountains and cities to serve coffee to some pretty crazy adventure-seekers.

Ever been on a helipad? Ever been on a helipad serving coffee? Ever been on a helipad serving coffee while it's puking snow outside? Well, after doing all three at Powderbird's season kick off party I have to recommend the experience to any thrill seeker with a palate that prefers coffee and that extra jolt of adrenaline that comes from doing the surreal.

Sure, I may have been about a foot away from driving our beloved van off the helipad and getting the generator to stay on while snow was blowing so hard our footsteps were covered within minutes were challenges in and of themselves, but being able to have a party inside of a van fueled by our delicious single origin Ethiopian Espresso was totally worth all of it.

Another cool thing about Park City is that so many of the outdoor retailers and awesome brands that make the apps, technology, gear and equipment that we use when we get outside are based in Park City. We even got to hang out with a few of our friends at Mountain Hub and POC. They got to experience a pretty awesome coffee break!

 STOKED Mobile is a pretty awesome embodiment of what we are all about. As outdoor enthusiasts and thrill seekers we know that getting good coffee wherever you are can be a challenge. That's why we want to bring the stoke to you. Whether it's with our instant coffee, STOKED STIX, or with our sick van, we want to be able to fuel your next adventure wherever you are. The coffee culture is super interesting, and I love being a part of it, both as a barista and a lover of coffee, but oftentimes the experience is confined to a coffeehouse. We are breaking through that limitation, come get stoked with us!

On Thursday morning Claire and Devyn, STOKED ladies respectively, hit the road. Taking STOKED Mobile - the tricked out Sprinter van turned mobile coffee bar - on it's first ever road trip.

Claire's morning began with a cup of freshly brewed (and roasted) Winterstoke. The debut trip of the van could only begin with something symbolic of what was to happen: impending disaster until you look around and see the beauty that the storm created.

Devyn's morning got off to a very different start; she attempted to drag her over-sized Christmas tree into her house, attempting to wrestle it into a tree stand (alone), only to realize that 1) trees are very, very heavy, and 2) this specific tree was 5 inches too tall for the ceiling. The giant tree is still on the living room floor..lying on its side. Tis the season, hey! Thankfully, a cup of Super STOKE awaited her at headquarters, making the world seem alright again. If you've ever had coffee, butter and coconut oil blended together, you know that you feel infused with superhero powers afterwards.

Van loaded, mugs full, tunes ready, time to hit the road. Park City, prepare yourself to be taken by storm, the STOKED team is coming for you. But actually we were about to be taken by storm(s). We were running away from one storm that smacked Hood River with over a foot of snow and heading right into another storm that was covering Idaho and Utah with a thick white blanket.

With an overnight stop in Boise, ID, we were able to catch up with fellow coffee lovers and outdoor junkies alike. Boise is pretty cool and definitely underrated and we are stoked that it is so close to us right down the 84.

Oh, vanlife, how we love you so. Mistakes? Of course not! Going the wrong way? Definitely not on our agenda. But, like all travels big and small, there are hiccups along the way. We took some wrong turns, learned some lessons, are still confused about some things, but we made it to Park City in one piece, maybe we lost some sanity along the way but at least I have all my digits still.

Getting to Park City was just the beginning. You know about ice bergs, right? Ninety percent of their mass is beneath the surface. That's what this trip was like. Getting lost, maneuvering our behemoth van, bonding over sisterly talks. It all seems like gravy compared to getting ready for our debut event. Ever get ready to serve coffee on a heli pad while it's puking snow? Come back next week to see how it went. We are still in a daze about it, but in the best way possible.

Here's to the travels behind us and the travels that lie ahead of us, hope to catch a few of you on the way!

This edition of Roadside Coffee was curated on the road, where some turns take you to more corn fields, some to vast mountain ridges, and some to the completely avoidable miscalculation of an empty gas tank. Ever been driving for so long that you wonder when the next sign of civilization will be? The only reason you may wonder this is probably because the gas needle is cozying up next to "E," but otherwise the  scenery, the wind through the window, and the musing that goes along with any type of travel is quite enjoyable. With a lack of civilization though, comes a lack of good coffee, that is unless you brew your own.

Facing a twelve hour drive? Seven hour drive? Three hour drive? Regardless of how long your trip is, ask yourself what difference will a ten minute brew stop make? Time-wise, not a bit! Morale-wise, all the difference! Don't get that gas station sludge, unless you can actually stomach it, then go for the gold and cash in on the convenience of our modern age (that's what it's here for).

Seriously though, ten minutes is all it takes. A Jetboil can boil water faster than I can grind my beans and using a Clever Dripper will actually change your life. These clever brewing apparatuses are big enough to brew more than one cup if you're lucky enough to have a co-pilot and easy enough to use even when you're standing. They're actually easy enough to use when you've run out of gas in the middle of nowhere and your hands are so cold you can barely tell you still have fingers and the only good thing in this world is the cup of jo that you've brewed for yourself. That easy. Pretty impressive in my opinion.

 Gas off, coffee accessories out. I like to grind my beans first, seeing as my Jetboil has consistently beaten me every time no matter how fast I try to crank. If you're using a camp stove or other small backpacking apparatus for boiling water it will take a few minutes longer, go ahead and start that water now. If you're a fanatic about getting that paper taste out (I am admittedly so) do a quick rinse of the paper filter you've placed in the Clever Dripper, regular water works fine, and dump the water out over some thirsty plants. If you don't mind a bit of paper aroma in your coffee then carry right on, you little speedster. You'll want to have your Clever Dripper on a flat surface or you can hold the handle (if you set it on top of your mug it will let the water through). If you have your beans ground already then you're ahead of all of us, add those grounds to the Clever Dripper and once your hot water is ready pour it over the grounds. You can eyeball the amount of water, weigh it out if you have a scale handy, or measure it by volume before boiling. I find that brew times for darker roasts will be shorter, around 90 seconds and up to 2 minutes. Lighter roasts I like brewing for about 3 minutes. If I have a utensil handy I'll give it a stir at about one minute. Once time is up, place that Clever Dripper on top of whatever drinking vessel you have anointed as the chosen one and let it drip away. The coolest thing about the Clever Dripper? You can lift it up and it stops the drip, making sharing a full brew super easy. Talk about the age of convenience.

I'm a traveler and a coffee loving gadget geek, a mixture that is hard to combine heterogeneously at times. I like trying out different coffees with different brew methods, and some work better than others. I'm not just talking about the roast or type of coffee, but also the kinds of situations you will find yourself in. Travelling always calls for adaptability and flexibility and learning to adapt your brew method can make your trip better in many ways. While you CAN bring your ceramic V60, there may be a better option for your travelling needs. The Clever Dripper is awesome for road trips, train trips, trips where you have space, but want something lightweight and easy to use wherever. You could probably even take it backpacking and just loop it onto the outside of your pack, it sure is light enough, but an Aeropress or instant coffee (STOKED STIX anyone?) may be a better option. Join us next time for another perusal into the world of brewing everywhere.