Blayne Prowse is a show listener who is up to some great things north of the border in Cumberland, BC on Vancouver Island. We discuss his bicycle tour in the Yukon and his domestic simplicity and adventure pursuits. His blog, The Cynical Cyclist, details some of these things and makes for some great reading!
Brock & his lady are headed out this week for an exciting bicycle adventure through the icy lands of Eastern Oregon, arriving in the city Bend by way of the Central Oregon Breeze passenger coach. If you’d like to read the letter Brock wrote campaigning for guaranteed bicycle reservations, you can find it here. The good news is that if you specifically ask for a guaranteed bicycle reservation when booking your tickets over the phone, they should now work with you to make this possible!
Mailbag
JohnnyK in FL: “Welcome back Brock it sounds like you had a wonderful time on the other side of the pond. What is it about trains that brings out the 5 year old in us. Anyway I am taking the good Dr.’s advise and I am slowing the F!@k down. I think this is why turtles live so long. I want to be a turtle.” Also he found an explanation of old school shaving similar to that of Amos Hunter.
Carl in CA: “I am pissed! While riding through the many parking lots of the Tustin Market Place, I was pulled over on my bike by a mall cop. Why you ask? I had no shirt on! I was heading to REI and as always would put my shirt on before I entered the store. But I was outside in a huge parking lot…” He also wonders when and where he entered a communist country.
Chris in Arcata: “Are you familiar with kinetic sculpture racing? These are hand built pedal powered machines with crazy engineering, and often crazy art. Often machines have multiple peddlers with costumes, bribes, poems, etc… We peddle on street, sand, mud, water. I’m a well known racer within the community, though I’m taking a break from being an actual racer this year. Last our team was first in speed, and I think we got a engineering award…. This race was born in Humboldt county, California. This race is memorial weekend starting in Arcata… Other locations that do this race [are] Baltimore, Australia, Port Townsend, Corvallis (Da Vinci days), Klamath Falls, and perhaps others… peaceful peddling from Arcata.”
Darren from Australia: “just a quick email to let you know about my cycle touring blog, www.cycletourer.blogspot.com. I’m spending the year travelling to various parts around the globe for one mega cycle adventure. I’ve just completed a little over 7 weeks on New Zealand’s south island cycling with some amazing people from around the globe… It’s amazing how many people have commented on the podcast stickers on my bike so I’m hoping to have converted many cycle tourists to the dark side… I was hoping to catch up with Russ and Laura of The Path Less Pedaled as Laura created a custom head badge for my Surly, but alas, we unfortunately did not cross paths.” His next stops are London, Cornwall, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Germany, & Denmark for an estimated 10,000km on the cycle computer before the tour ends.
Vincent Caldoni, a professional actor, history buff, and fantastic storyteller joins us this week to discuss being in Portland as a generational resident, the Pig War, changes, Astoria talk, politics of sustainable economy, and other things as well!
Mailbag
Listener Dan from Leech Lake Reservation, Minnesota writes in; he’s now listened to EVERY episode and shaves his scant beard with an old fashioned razor. He says of the cold in his state: “It does get cold, people say ‘you do not have bad rides but bad gear.’ In other words dress warm and you are fine.”
Patrick in Davis CA: “Hi guys, attending [The North American Handmade Bike Show] today in Sacto. The PDX contingent is very large. My personal favorites are the Metrofiets crew, Renovo wood bikes (beautiful). Seriously considering a Metrofiets bike over a car purchase, especially with the gas prices what they currently are. Wish Bike Friday was here to counterbalance the Bromptons. Have a good show.”
Today’s episode marks the triumphant return of @doctor_jeff, our beloved Twitter-based, colorful and irreverent unofficial TriMet microjournalist! He chats about his suggestions for improving TriMet’s budget, social cues on transit, and the success and continuation of his Holiday Fare project, among other things.
Mailbag
Blayne in BC: don’t ride your bike on the ice, or you’ll wind up like this guy.
Mark from Vancouver WA: “Too much beer to drink and not enough time. We just got back from Breakside Brewery and they always have new beers… it is always a hard choice, should I have the new beer or the good old favorites? Ben makes beer that I don’t see at other breweries and they are good.”
Carl from CA: “for as much as I commute, 120 to 200 [miles?] per week, I have yet to freakin’ tour! Well looks like that is ending, looking at heading down the coast this Saturday for a sub 24: Anaheim to San Elijo beach near San Diego, 70 [miles?] each way. Looks like the wind gods may be in my favor heading down there! It should be Good Times! And a learning experience… Wish me luck on this solo adventure!”
JohnnyK in FL: re: E66, “this was a really good show. Aaron and Brandon you pulled it off. I loved the guest and the topic was perfect. I have a daughter with a her first kid and a kid on the way…I know I probably don’t fit your demographic for listening since I am a grandfather. However the show has given me lots to think about. …Oh BTW Aaron you know way to much about root-beer…I love root-beer but I have never known anyone that does taste tests of it like it was fine wine.”
