Bloc 11 & Diesel Cafe

Everything I Need.

Diesel was eight years old when we decided to open Bloc.  I do own 2 motor vehicles (a car and a motorcycle), but as many of you know, I pretty much only ever ride my bicycle.  I have taken the T once in the past 5 years and maybe only twice more in the past 10.  I have not been on the bus in over a decade.

One of my main concerns in owning two stores was balancing the stores, our employees, customers, and the space.  How to physically divide my time and my energy so that it made sense and felt right.  On a given day, I try to be at each store at least once a day and usually I am back and forth more than that.  People ask me where I will be on a particular day and the reality is that I don't know.  While I do my best to be organized and make a schedule, I go where I am needed most or where I feel like being. 

I do not really celebrate Christmas, but it came early this year in the form of my newly modified commuter bike.  You may notice the custom painted fenders in hot metallic pink and white candy-cane stripes, the custom titanium rear rack for panniers, and the custom titanium front rack for a u-lock and anything else I can strap down.  All of these items were custom-made at Seven Cycles in Watertown.  (I know, it seems as though every other post is about them, but this bike has changed my life.) 

Driving, being underground on a train, being on a crowded bus have never appealed to me.  I fall asleep at the wheel after 30 minutes, I start pacing on trains, and I can't really get on a bus.  I don't drive often enough that I forget about feeding the meter and I get too many parking tickets.  I miss my stop on the T because I space out and I can't keep strange people away from me on the bus no matter what I do.  I love riding motorcycles, but understand the danger of them and don't ride as often as I would like.  But, what I love more than any form of transportation is riding my bike.  I have had many bikes in my life but this bicycle really gives me all that I need.  I can carry all that I need in a day on me and this bike.  I even have a trailer in my office at Diesel that I can attach if I ever need to bring along another 100 lbs (I have been trying to convince Tucker to get on it).

Riding has afforded me the ultimate flexibility of transportation while being energy efficient.  I don't have to wait for the bus or the train and often times, I can get between the two stores in almost the same amount of time as a car can, not that I ride fast, but mostly because I don't have to wait behind a line of traffic-locked cars.  In addition to the added convenience factor of avoiding fender-benders because I fell asleep behind the wheel of a car, riding my bike to and from work, between the stores, out for a longer ride, or to run errands is one of my most favorite times of the day.  I listen to my music, appreciate the weather (whatever it may be), feel the day, and move.  It is a time of introspection and quiet for me.  Oftentimes, the short commute between the two stores also serves as a necessary transition for me. 

Happy Riding!!! Hope to see you out there.

Seven Cycles at Bloc11.

I debated whether or not to put these images up.  One, because I have no eye for photography.  And two, because they do not do these bicycles justice. 

I first learned about Seven Cycles about eight years ago when the significant other of an employee of ours was "dying to get a job there".  I had just started to get back into commuting on my green Gary Fisher hybrid and was happy if I rode my bike once a week.  Nearly a decade later, I am a proud owner of 4 (kind of, it is a long story) Sevens.  The photos that I took are of my commuter bike highlighting a few of their brand new products like the Tiberius Bar and the custom titanium rear rack. 

While the products that Seven manufactures are pretty amazing, what I have had the fortune to learn about their company and their values is even more amazing.  Yes, it is true that Rob Vandermark is a good friend of mine, but beyond any personal relationship, what they do to build a frame from start to finish is pretty incredible.  And what is even cooler, is to think about how some of the challenges and systems that go into building a frame can translate to running a cafe.  Needless to say, I have learned a great deal from Rob and Seven Cycles that have both helped and shaped our business over the past decade.

We are excited to host their staff holiday party tomorrow night at Bloc11.  In addition to seeing some good friends, I am looking forward to hearing more of what they have been up to and what they are going to be doing.  It's always something new and cutting edge.    Sorry, it is a private event.  (If you are interested in having a private event, you can contact us at info@bloc11.com).