Trying to live the “coffee life”

Many people have been asking “Amy, where is your bike?” I reply with “I’ve been so busy I haven’t had the time for my bike.” That is a true statement, but I can be busy and still be on my bike. Right? What is mostly true is that I have become really dependent on my car, thinking it is saving me time and having one less thing to think about. The car probably doesn’t save time-there is traffic, parking issues ( I have the tickets to prove it too), road construction, other crazy drivers etc. If I really evaluate my travel during the day I probably travel within a 2-3 mile area! Now there are days where the car is absolutely necessary; especially on days when I shop in the Strip for Tazza D’Oro and pick up our bread in Monroeville. These days I probably spend more time and energy thinking about being on my bike rather than just riding it. But the car is so comfortable – heat, ac, music, protection from the outside elements. But why, with all the comfort, am I completely cranky after spending the day in the car running around for Tazza D’Oro or seeing clients for East Liberty Development? All I know is that as soon as I stop riding my bike on a regular basis I feel the stress of my life much more, I am totally out of shape and become completely dependent on something that doesn’t jive with what we have been trying to create at Tazza D’Oro the last 8 years.

We have been spending a considerable amount of time at Tazza D’Oro getting more connected to our relationships with the coffee industry, the coffee, the food, the milk and all the amazing people who produce our products like Batdorf and Bronson, Turner Dairy and Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance. Through this connection came more passion, intense training, knowledge, competition and participation with an industry which continues to step it up around quality, sustainability, community, connection with other countries, cultures, the environment and a continued validation that coffee, baristas and coffeehouses continue to influence our communities.

Adam and Soupy are 2 regulars – coffee drinkers, bikers and good guys. Their take on getting back on my bike was I needed a bike that better suits my life – commuting, riding comfort and easy. It’s beautiful – a Surly CrossxCheck designed for commuters and touring. So, Adam and Soupy built this bike with a lot of me in mind. Yes, I was on my bike Sunday and today. Adam was waiting at Tazza D’Oro to make sure all was good.

My passion around coffee and my life as a coffeehouse owner makes me constantly evaluate whether I am truly living the “coffee life”. The next thing for me is to spend less money on gas, cut down my use of the car, get back on my bike and drink more coffee, because coffee is the good fuel!

Update: I actually wrote this post on Saturday evening but didn’t post it until today because I wanted to add a picture of the bike(needed to get batteries for my camera). But today on CNN online there was this great little news click about commuting and exercise. Thought it tied in. Click here