real-life cowboy, Rough Rider, avid big game hunter, and the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., packed a ton of living into his 60 years.
How Teddy Roosevelt Fueled His Adventures With an Unholy Amount of Coffee.
by Alice Jones Webb
He had an adventurous spirit and believed a vigorous lifestyle was an essential part of being an American. T.R. was born into an affluent urban family. However, instead of spending his life sitting in comfortable social circles, Roosevelt deliberately chose a lifestyle that embraced hard work, risk-taking, and dream-chasing.
T.R. climbed the Matterhorn on his honeymoon, ran a Dakota Territory cattle ranch, served as a Wild West lawman, led the iconic Rough Riders into battle up San Juan Hill, and practiced a form of mixed martial arts before anyone had even dreamed of a UFC octagon. And he accomplished all of that before he became the youngest U.S. president ever elected to the office.
Roosevelt’s adventurous spirit didn’t simmer down after he became Commander in Chief. While serving in the executive office, T.R. not only pioneered the modern conservation movement, won the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize, and saved American football, but he also regularly went skinny dipping in the Potomac River between challenging staff and diplomats alike to impromptu boxing matches.
During one White House scuffle, Roosevelt took a major blow to the face, which resulted in severe hemorrhaging and partial blindness. But because “Big Stick” Teddy had more important things to do than whine about a detached retina, he kept the injury a secret.
How did one man find the energy to fuel his adventures and absolutely kill it as a human being?
Teddy Roosevelt drank a lot of coffee.
Like an unholy amount of the stuff.
More than any president before or since, T.R. consumed copious amounts of caffeine, stretching his morning brew well beyond breakfast.
It was a habit formed in childhood when young “Teedie” was given strong cups of java and puffs of cigars to remedy his asthma. During his stay in the White House, Roosevelt gulped down as much as a gallon a day, consuming his coffee from a mug his son described as “more in nature of a bathtub.”
Moderation was not something T.R. believed applied to either adventure or coffee.
"How did one man find
the energy
to fuel his adventures and absolutely kill it as a human being?"
Outdoorsman Teddy Roosevelt Visits the Grand Canyon
"Upon seeing the 70
million-year-old canyon, Roosevelt, usually
quite the wordsmith, was left virtually speechless. "
Roosevelt was a passionate outdoorsman and is considered the father of conservation. He worried the natural places that helped cultivate his rugged individualism would be lost to future generations of adventurers, so he worked tirelessly to protect relatively untouched swathes of wild space.
In 1887, Roosevelt teamed up with editor George Bird Grinnell of Forest and Stream magazine (which was absorbed by Field & Stream in 1930) to create the Boone and Crockett Club. The Club was established to “promote the conservation and management of wildlife, especially big game, and its habitat, to preserve and encourage hunting and to maintain the highest ethical standards of fair chase and sportsmanship in North America.”
T.R.’s love of nature and wild places certainly shone through during his presidency. He used his position to permanently protect 230 million acres of land for public use, including 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves, and five national parks.
T.R. visited the Grand Canyon, which would eventually become one of those protected national parks., in May 1903.
Upon seeing the 70 million-year-old canyon, Roosevelt, usually quite the wordsmith, was left virtually speechless.
“I shall not attempt to describe it because I cannot. I could not choose words that would convey, or that could convey to any outsider, what that canyon is,” Roosevelt said.
Although words escaped him in describing the magnificent, wild, 18-mile-wide marvel, he did express a deep desire to preserve it.
“Man cannot improve on it, not a bit. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it for your children and your children’s children and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights which every American, if he can travel at all, should see,” he said during a speech at the canyon’s rim.
On that 1903 visit, Roosevelt took the Bright Angel Trail down into the depths of the Grand Canyon. The trail descends 4,380 feet to the Colorado River. It is an 8-mile haul to the river at an average of 10 percent grade along the length of the trail. There are few level spots to catch your breath or rest your quads, just a steep plunge to the bottom.
Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park still use Bright Angel Trail, which sees more than 200 heat-related rescues each year. Between the distance, the elevation change, and the lack of shade, the trail is a treacherous cocktail of danger.
It is a track that will kick the backside of even seasoned hikers. Heavy breathing, profuse sweating, and swear words are a regular part of the modern Bright Angel Trail experience.
Roosevelt took that same dangerous path in long pants and a dark jacket, with a pocket watch tucked in his vest pocket and a perfectly tied Windsor knot, as was fitting of a man of his position in that time period. There is an antiquated photo of the event in the Library of Congress that proves he was flawlessly put together.
How Coffee Improves
the Outdoor Experience
Having experienced the tough conditions of Bright Angel Trail firsthand, there is no doubt in my mind that T.R. must have had a super-human disposition. Probably one fueled by coffee.
Science is only beginning to catch up with what Roosevelt seemed to know intuitively: Coffee has a number of benefits for outdoor adventurers.
4/4
Coffee may reduce perceived pain levels
Although evidence is not well-established, research suggests that caffeine could reduce pain sensation through its effect on the body’s adenosine receptors. A higher pain threshold could make those steep uphill hikes feel far less brutal.
Tips for
Making and
Drinking Coffee
on the Trail
The absence of drive-thru coffee venues and the expensive, froofy beverages they sell is one major selling point to venturing into wild spaces. However, savoring a steaming cup of java while the morning sun bounces off the russet gold of canyon walls is something everyone should experience. Thankfully, there’s no reason to renounce coffee, no matter how far away your camp is from the nearest corner café.
Here are a few practical tips for using coffee to fuel your next outdoor adventure.
Cowboy coffee is the easiest (and most rugged) way to caffeinate when you wander off-grid. You simply dump grounds into boiling water, let it sit for a few minutes, and your coffee is ready to go.
The quality of the coffee you use to brew with the cowboy method will significantly affect enjoyment levels. This isn’t where you want to skimp and use a cheap grind.
Extra fine grounds will make a faster cup of coffee, but coarse grounds are easier to scoop out before drinking. However, authentic cowboys and hard-nosed backcountry campers rarely strain out the grounds. Instead, they just let them sink to the bottom of the cup and toss the left-over sludge before they hit the trail.
Fig. 01
Cowboy Up
If you prefer slightly less rugged coffee, you can perfect your backcountry pour-over skills. Using a lightweight pour-over stand and a paper or cloth filter, you simply pour boiling water over quality coffee grounds, wait until the water drains through, and then enjoy a delicious cup of coffee pretty much anywhere.
Fig. 02
Pour it on
Whether wandering deep in the backcountry or enjoying a short journey on a well-maintained trail, it’s important to leave only footprints and take only memories.
While it is tempting to let Mother Nature take care of your leftover coffee grounds, grounds are highly acidic and could mess with the intricate balance of some ecosystems. Their delicious aroma could also attract bears, which no camper wants to deal with.
As good stewards of wild places, we must pack out all our trash, including our used coffee grounds.
Fig. 03
Leave no trace
There’s a reason many Americans reach for a hot cuppa joe first thing in the morning. The caffeine content in coffee provides a much-needed boost that helps us shake off sleep and get going. Caffeine also plays a key role in enhancing stamina, which is crucial to vigorous outdoor activity—like hiking the Grand Canyon.
1/4
Coffee increases energy levels
Studies show that the caffeine in coffee improves alertness, attention, and reaction time, which are essential for safety when traversing difficult or dangerous terrain.
2/4
Coffee improves
brain function
Caffeine increases dopamine levels. Dopamine, often dubbed the “happy hormone,” promotes feelings of satisfaction, well-being, and optimism. Having a positive attitude makes any strenuous outdoor activity more fun for both you and your companions.
3/4
Coffee makes
you happier
He had an adventurous spirit and believed a vigorous lifestyle was an essential part of being an American. T.R. was born into an affluent urban family. However, instead of spending his life sitting in comfortable social circles, Roosevelt deliberately chose a lifestyle that embraced hard work, risk-taking, and dream-chasing.
T.R. climbed the Matterhorn on his honeymoon, ran a Dakota Territory cattle ranch, served as a Wild West lawman, led the iconic Rough Riders into battle up San Juan Hill, and practiced a form of mixed martial arts before anyone had even dreamed of a UFC octagon. And he accomplished all of that before he became the youngest U.S. president ever elected to the office.
Roosevelt’s adventurous spirit didn’t simmer down after he became Commander in Chief. While serving in the executive office, T.R. not only pioneered the modern conservation movement, won the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize, and saved American football, but he also regularly went skinny dipping in the Potomac River between challenging staff and diplomats alike to impromptu boxing matches. During one White House scuffle, Roosevelt took a major blow to the face, which resulted in severe hemorrhaging and partial blindness. But because “Big Stick” Teddy had more important things to do than whine about a detached retina, he kept the injury a secret. How did one man find the energy to fuel his adventures and absolutely kill it as a human being?
Teddy Roosevelt drank a lot of coffee.
Like an unholy amount of the stuff.
More than any president before or since, T.R. consumed copious amounts of caffeine, stretching his morning brew well beyond breakfast.
It was a habit formed in childhood when young “Teedie” was given strong cups of java and puffs of cigars to remedy his asthma. During his stay in the White House, Roosevelt gulped down as much as a gallon a day, consuming his coffee from a mug his son described as “more in nature of a bathtub.”
Moderation was not something T.R. believed applied to either adventure or coffee.
Roosevelt was a passionate outdoorsman and is considered the father of conservation. He worried the natural places that helped cultivate his rugged individualism would be lost to future generations of adventurers, so he worked tirelessly to protect relatively untouched swathes of wild space.
In 1887, Roosevelt teamed up with editor George Bird Grinnell of Forest and Stream magazine (which was absorbed by Field & Stream in 1930) to create the Boone and Crockett Club. The Club was established to “promote the conservation and management of wildlife, especially big game, and its habitat, to preserve and encourage hunting and to maintain the highest ethical standards of fair chase and sportsmanship in North America.”
T.R.’s love of nature and wild places certainly shone through during his presidency. He used his position to permanently protect 230 million acres of land for public use, including 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves, and five national parks.
T.R. visited Grand Canyon, which would eventually become one of those protected national parks., in May 1903.
Upon seeing the 70 million-year-old canyon, Roosevelt, usually quite the wordsmith, was left virtually speechless.
“I shall not attempt to describe it because I cannot. I could not choose words that would convey, or that could convey to any outsider, what that canyon is,” Roosevelt said.
Although words escaped him in describing the magnificent, wild, 18-mile-wide marvel, he did express a deep desire to preserve it.
“Man cannot improve on it, not a bit. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it for your children and your children’s children and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights which every American, if he can travel at all, should see,” he said during a speech at the canyon’s rim.
On that 1903 visit, Roosevelt took the Bright Angel Trail down into the depths of the Grand Canyon. The trail descends 4,380 feet to the Colorado River. It is an 8-mile haul to the river at an average of 10 percent grade along the length of the trail. There are few level spots to catch your breath or rest your quads, just a steep plunge to the bottom.
Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park still use Bright Angel Trail is still used by visitors, which sees more than 200 heat-related rescues each year. Between the distance, the elevation change, and the lack of shade, the trail is a treacherous cocktail of danger.
It is a track that will kick the backside of even seasoned hikers. Heavy breathing, profuse sweating, and swear words are a regular part of the modern Bright Angel Trail experience.
Roosevelt took that same dangerous path in long pants and a dark jacket, with a pocket watch tucked in his vest pocket and a perfectly tied Windsor knot, as was fitting of a man of his position in that time period. There is an antiquated photo of the event in the Library of Congress that proves he was flawlessly put together.
There’s a reason many Americans reach for a hot cuppa joe first thing in the morning. The caffeine content in coffee provides a much-needed boost that helps us shake off sleep and get going. Caffeine also plays a key role in enhancing stamina, which is crucial to vigorous outdoor activity—like hiking the Grand Canyon.
1/4
Coffee increases energy levels
There’s a reason many Americans reach for a hot cuppa joe first thing in the morning. The caffeine content in coffee provides a much-needed boost that helps us shake off sleep and get going. Caffeine also plays a key role in enhancing stamina, which is crucial to vigorous outdoor activity—like hiking the Grand Canyon.
1/4
Coffee increases energy levels
There’s a reason many Americans reach for a hot cuppa joe first thing in the morning. The caffeine content in coffee provides a much-needed boost that helps us shake off sleep and get going. Caffeine also plays a key role in enhancing stamina, which is crucial to vigorous outdoor activity—like hiking the Grand Canyon.
1/4
Coffee increases energy levels
How Teddy
Roosevelt Fueled
His Adventures
With an Unholy
Amount of Coffee.
And how you
can, too.
And how you can, too.