In 2011, I served as documentarian for BlueCat Motors, a motorcycle repair shop in St. Paul, Minnesota. Specializing in vintage and modern European and Japanese motorcycles, there was always a story to tell. Each week I told the tales of the shop — the bikes on the lifts, and the mechanics that worked on them. This brotherhood of wrench wranglers and I spent the year together bringing bikes back to life, including some of my own. Beyond the gasoline and the carb cleaner, I got to watch a handful of motorcycle brothers hew a business out of almost nothing in the middle of a recession. I got to watch as the shop grew and thrived in its new location. They started as a client, and soon became friends. They’ve done a lot to feed my love of motorcycles, and I’m really proud of the writing I’ve done for them. I’ve stepped away since my move to Chicago, but you can still read the blog at BlueCatMotors.com.