For the last several years, Kaldi's has sponsored a bicycle team for the annual Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour. Our team is mainly made of our coffeehouse customers and their friends and family. Over the years, the team has continued to grow. This past weekend, our team of 117 - the largest team in the event - rode their bicycles anywhere from 80 to 200 miles across the middle of Missouri to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, which funds MS research and helps MS victims with medical costs, among many other great things. Team Kaldi's was the third place finisher in donations for the 2006 and 2007 rides and is on track to match or top that finish this year.

The team celebrates the ride on Saturday evening after the first day of biking is finished under a large tent on the Midway Expo Center grounds in Columbia, Mo. The festivities include a large pig roast donated by long-time team member Stew Clark, cases of donated Schlafly Beer and a long raffle of bike-related prizes.

Kaldi's Coffee was again provided for all riders and volunteers (over 3,000) both mornings of the event by our Columbia co-manager, Eric Soete, his wife Jess and our mega-brewer, Bertha.

"We served 62 gallons of coffee on the first day and had to go get more at the cafe for the second day," Eric said.

Cyclists like to ride early before the traffic and sun are too heavy, so the Soete's had to rise early to get Bertha brewing.

"We got there at 5:15 a.m. Saturday and decided to get there at 4:15 a.m. [on Sunday]. The line starts forming at 6:00 a.m. and there is a lot of coffee to brew."

Bertha can brew 6 gallons at a time, but even at that pace, Eric was serving straight from a batch still brewing. Even though it all seems hectic, the Soete's love serving coffee at the event.

"We called dibs on [working the event] right after we did it last year and again on next year because the people are so great. Riders will wait in line for 15 minutes for coffee and still thank us. It's such a happy atmosphere," Eric said.

above right - team Kaldi's lines up at the start Saturday morning (photo by Dorothy Baird)

above left - Stew Clark roasts the party pig (photo by Steve Gamache)

bottom left - Jess Soete lets riders know that Bertha is ready.

below - Team Kaldi's shares a bit about why they ride (video by Mark Axe)