After 10+ years of drinking espresso, I finally took it to the beach for a sunset shot (literally)

Believe me—it was a truly undeniable challenge. The stove kept popping off the tank, everything together weighed a ton, and sand kept flying into my eyes and all over the setup. As the tide crept up, waves started reaching the stove and even soaked Adam Savage’s bedroll.

Oh—and when I was tamping, the coffee kept sticking to the tamper base and messing up the tamp (pretty sure it was the humidity). And because the bedroll was soaked and full of sand, it added like 10 extra pounds on the way back. Then came the one-hour trek home to clean all the salt off my gear. I left the bedroll dirty… that’s tomorrow’s problem.

And the sunset? Completely hidden behind thick clouds—not even a sliver of sun. Classic.

Even with all that, it was an awesome, fun experience—and one I’d totally do again. Next time, I’ll prep better… and bring stronger help!

Anyone else ever gone this far just for a shot? I’d love to hear your stories.