Vol.2 - Issue 5 - Lonely Design Co.

VOLUME 002

ISSUE 005

FROM THE FOUNDER:

Hey, Welcome back to another round of Slow! We are back with another issue, and we hope this little mag will remind you to slow down and enjoy this life you have been givin’ by livin’!

Here in the Pacific Northwest, summer has changed the entire pace of our community. The sun is out. The rain has stopped. And people are taking off for the backcountry of one of America’s most beautiful regions.

In Oregon alone, we have the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Cascade mountain range running north and south down the middle, the Colombia River Gorge bordering the north, and the high desert out east. All of it is beckoning us to stop working so much to come out and play. It’s God’s playground out here. And endless wilderness waiting to be explored, and what better way to do that than on a motorcycle.

We hope this summer brings you lots of joy and memories you can cherish for a lifetime.

As always... Make your own fun. And bring a friend along for the ride too.

Ride Fast Drink Slow Full of Heart,

Sam Wake

ESPRESSO ON THE BACKROAD: A REVIEW OF THE ROK

sam wake

If you thought you couldn’t have espresso on the backroad, think again!

The ROK Espresso Maker is a manual contraption that looks like it belongs in the garage next to your moto tools. Its stainless steel metal design and mechanical lever design make it aesthetically compatible with the old ways of doing things before the tech world took over.

We took the ROK on the road and brewed up some espresso where no third-wave coffee shop was available.

In this article, we will review this brew method in 5 different scoring communities.

It’s hard to find an espresso machine ready for travel on backroads on a motorcycle. Let alone on a motorcycle with no saddle bags or sissy bar. My ride is a 2019 Thruxton 1200R. It’s quintessence on two wheels. The British inline engine is smooth, and it’s incredibly fast. It looks like it comes straight out of the 1940s, but it’s running on all modern tech. It certainly wasn’t designed for getting you to a backroad camping destination. But I don’t play by the rules. I often find myself taking the wrong kind of bike and trying to fit it into a scenario it wasn’t designed for. So, I threw some nobby TK - 80’s on my bike and took off. It’s probably not the safest for high speeds. SO keep that in mind. But it does look dope as hell, so I am happy.

The Rok is the perfect traveling espresso maker for a weekend of camping. It is relatively light, and with a small design, it fits perfectly in a backpack or in a saddle bag. You will also need a hot water source.

Aesthetic: 5/5

The look of this thing is gorgeous. It is stunning and the entire process of manually pulling shots with a lever brings you right into the experience of what is actually happening on the inside of the ROK. The stainless steel look reminds you of an era past before machines began their rule on the earth.

Brewing Quality: 4/5

For backroad espresso, I give it a 5. But as an espresso maker in a world of leading-award-winning-espresso-makers-and-machines, we decided to score it at a 4 primarily because of the human margin of error. It takes some time to dial in the shots; be sure to dial it in the best you can before you hit the backroad. It will affect the extraction depending on where you brew the coffee (whether that is up in the mountains where the temperature is cold or down in the valley where the temperature is warmer). Grind size, water temp, environmental temp, water quality, and pulling the shot manually will dramatically impact the espresso taste. I recommend dialing in your espresso before heading out to the trail to reduce your chances of bad coffee. I also have discovered that the more consistently you use the ROK, the better the shots become. We have used this at our coffee bar in Portland to make lattes and such, and if we get several espresso orders in a row, it gets more and more consistent with every pull.

This is the easiest coffee brew method to clean. Since there is no need for paper filters, you can wash the grinds off the portafilter and extraction spout by simply pouring boiling water on them. All you need is hot water. This is an espresso maker with no waste. No reason to take a trip to the landfill. It’s good for the earth.

value of money: 3/5

Let’s face it, things are getting more and more expensive. And as prices rise for manufacturers and distributors, they rise for the consumer. I hate when things are costly and think the price is steep for the ROK. I gave the ROK a 3 because of the plastic tamper included in the box. The plastic tamper sucks. It’s awful. I suppose being plastic; it is lightweight and travel-friendly, but a weighted metal tamper is small too. ROK upsells a nicer metal tamper with the ROK logo on it. Still, it’s way overpriced, in my opinion, when you can hop on Amazon and get a nice steel tamper for $5.00 - $20.00.

noah thorne

lonely design co.

Lonely Design

Today we bring the story of the man behind one of Portland’s favorite local brands, Lonely Design Co.

I met Noah in 2020 at a makers popup at Legion Moto Co. right before the pandemic shut the world down. He had a clothing rack with a few t-shirt designs and stickers. He was just getting started. Over the last two years, we have watched Noah, his van, and his brand become a staple in the Portland Moto scene. His personality is exceptionally kind. One of my favorite memories with Noah was sitting with him in St. Johns at a See See pop-up. We sipped coffee and talked about all kinds of things, from art to our past. The word I have for Noah is genuine. He knows who he is and has a peaceful pace about him.

Top off that cup of jo and enjoy getting to know the artist behind Lonely Design Co.

Sam

Design Co.

What’s your name? Where are you from? How did you end up in Portland?

Noah Thorne, I’m from Capistrano Beach, CA. I came to Portland in August of 2009 to pursue a career in design.

What do you do? Tell us about Lonely. What is it?

Why did you start it?

I am a graphic designer and illustrator. Lonely Design Co. is an apparel brand and design company providing graphics and logos for other businesses. I started Lonely for a number of reasons. I have a drawing club with my partner Elizabeth; we draw for an hour every morning. I also have had this four-color silver press in my basement for a while and started to print the drawings I was creating onto apparel for myself. Everything came together organically. I never sought to start an apparel company; I started making things I wanted to wear myself. Then the requests and orders came.

Tell us about your van. Where did you get it? What did it look like before you put work into it? What’s unique about it?

Oh, Black Magic?

She’s a 1977 Chevy G20 Shorty. I got it from a guy who had it in a barn in Medford. So the van was in good shape, straight, with no body damage, no rust. It was originally black, but the doors had been swapped and were blue and

silver. I’ve done a complete restoration. New crate 350 engine, new paint, the interior is bison leather, sprayed a bed liner inside to insulate and protect it while hauling my displays for trunk shows. New suspension, wheels, exhaust. I got these outstanding dash gauges from Speed Hut. They are really nice. AC and Heat from Vintage Air. Found a brand new, unopened 1977 Chevy Van radio on eBay - insane score. It’s pretty much a brand new car. Currently has 4,000 miles on it. Oh, and I took ¾ of a coil off the front to drop the nose down to give it that classic boogie van stance.

How has the moto community in Portland impacted you?

The moto community here is some of the most supportive people I’ve ever met. I feel lucky to have met so many awesome people Specifically Alex, Gabe, and Matt from Legion Moto. That’s my family right there. They have been nothing but supportive of Lonely and wear my gear all the time.

How would you describe Portland moto culture?

It’s a somewhat small scene, but that’s a good thing. A lot of accountability comes with a small circle like this. It weeds out people fast. I love that chopper kids, and Dyna guys hang out together. It doesn’t feel separated. There is a lot of closeness. How did you become acquainted with motorcycles?

I grew up surfing and never thought I would move away from the ocean. So I always had a longing for something that would give me that feeling of movement. Motorcycles just happened like everything good in my life, organically, through friends letting me try their bikes. From that, I figured out what I liked.

What do you currently ride?

It’s a 1999 Harley Davidson Sportster, +8 over, and a bunch of mods. It’s a really pretty bike. I wanted something simple and clean. T bars, Prism hand controls, Frisco tank, Paughco drag pipes, Prism chain conversion, S and S 1250 kit, the engine has been gone through and runs strong. I love it.

How have motorcycles impacted your life?

That feeling of moving through space weightless is a nice break from reality. Working all the time and then getting the opportunity to ride for a couple of hours and completely forget what is going on back at the shop is priceless. Not to mention the friendships I’ve made and the community we have all developed together feels really special.

Tell us about a time in your life when you have had to overcome something difficult? How did you do it?

I’m lucky to have a good family. Thankfully I come from some really smart people. My family’s motto is “There is no right way to do the wrong thing.” So anytime life gets difficult, I have that to draw from. Personal difficulties like getting divorced at a young age and the difficulty of building a business all seem to get the same treatment. I just try and take care of myself and be healthy in mind and body. I got my

partying out early in my late teens and early twenties, so I’m usually on a pretty strict schedule with sleep and food. If I’m drinking, it is for a special occasion. I have goals and want to see them through while my body is intact. Slow and low is how I roll. I definitely have strong reactions to stress, but I’ve managed to surround myself with good people like my girl Elizabeth. She’s a big part of everything I do and is as steady and easygoing as a person could get. As I’ve figured myself out, I’ve realized life isn’t really about correcting my shortcomings; it’s more about strongly curating the environments and people I’m surrounded by.

How has art been an outlet for you?

Art has always been there. It’s been my constant. Everything in my life has been dictated by making time for art and design. My mom passed away in 06, and I remember sitting in the hospital with her drawing in my sketchbook. I still have those drawings and look at them from time to time.

What’s one of your best memories of riding?

Ripping through those twistys in Estacada with Matt Faisity, for sure!

What advice would you give to someone who has never ridden before or is new to riding?

Approach it like anything, be humble, learn the fundamentals, go at your own speed, and have fun. Always have fun.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

BUILDING A BRAND IS DIFFICULT. WE’RE HERE TO ease the process.