Category Archives: Beer

E115 – Sky Boyer: Velo Cult

February 4, 2013Beer, Bicycling, Building, Business, Communication, Mountain Biking, Technology, Touring, Travelsprocketpodcast

photo by beervanabuzz.com

Sky Boyer is the genius behind Portland’s unique bicycle shop and tavern, Velo Cult, a common space that is open late for business and amenable to events and impromptu gatherings. He welcomed us into the seemingly unending space in their Hollywood district location to chat about his philosophy on bicycles and business. We discuss: weddings, the “man-cave” beginnings of the shop, moving to Portland and becoming a cultural epicenter, touring (particularly off-road), his experience in racing, the dearth of mountain bike access in Portland, the region’s unique climate, San Diego’s negative aspects, the danger and excitement of the velodrome, the future of Velo Cult, and the artistic side of a talented employee.

A little more audio of our conversation with Sky can be heard here.

Brock & Aaron also discuss drunk texts, itunes, Steph & Ed’s move by bike, andGigantic Brewing.

Headlines
fastcodesign.com via Brandon: The Growler Bike is designed around beer transport

Mail
JohnnyK comments on stickers and notes that a cargo bucket is a good place to display them. Does the bucket rattle, and is it stable? (great directions here)
and lastly, on Piscataquis Village: Reminds him of St. Petersburg FL’s pre-colonial section and would be a “utopia”, and asks: Wouldn’t connected buildings increase the fire hazard?

Tracy Gayton responds that buildings would need to be built meeting a certain level of fire resistance. Additionally he adds that a donor was inspired to pledge to the project. As a postscript, he corrects Aaron on Maine counties.

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)

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E105 – The Professor Does The California Coast

November 26, 2012Beer, Bicycling, Brewing, Camping, Downsizing, Touring, Train Travel, Travelsprocketpodcast

Aaron “The Professor” LaVanchy of Fort Collins, CO joins us for another entertaining discussion of his summer bicycle travel and the fantastic people one meets along the way.

We discussed:
Some beer talk (we talked even more about beer, and you can hear it here!)
Moving & downsizing,
The posse for the journey,
Bit Tai Tai (or Stanley S. Bay) & his omnipresent qualities,
Jugwater & the merits of a bucket for travel,
pizza & beer delivered to a state park,
the sturdy boot technique (Lance Armstrong’s new drug of choice),
meeting epic travelers on long rides,
#hobofabulous & #hoboprophet apply,
Tour De Fat and recognition of a distinct appearance,
“typical Americans with your junk and beer,”
our collective sports illiteracy,
destinations full of interesting people,
a legitimate vacation by bicycle,
a return trip by Amtrak, compassionate employees and the Trails & Rails program,
and sundry other travels as well (Doe Bay Fest)!
and mentions of unique tours including Tall Bike Bobby.

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E032 – Brewery Tour By Bicycle

June 29, 2011Beer, Bicycling, Brewing, Touring, Travelsprocketpodcast

L-R: Jeff, Joe, Ian, Jason, and Brock

Brandon hosts a conversation with Brock and his friends Joe, Jeff & Ian about their recent brewery tour by bicycle along the Pacific Northwest I-5 corridor.

The World Naked Bike Ride in Portland OR, “I was in the pool!”, Jonathan Maus wearing nothing but a camera bag, furiously doing nothing, the New Old Lompoc, Bridgeport Brewery’s Hop Czar, two-stroke engines in our neighborhood, Brock introduces the beer, Barleywine and Brandon’s brewing of the 21-15, too much fun with beer pouring, Brandon’s wedding gift pint glasses, the breweries:

Bellingham WA’s Boundary Bay Brewing,
Mount Vernon WA’s Porter House,
Mount Vernon WA’s North Sound Brewing and Cherry Wheat beer,
Mukilteo WA’s Diamond Knot Brewing,
The slightly corporate RAM brewery,
Seattle WA’s Big Time Brewing,
Seattle WA’s Elysian Fields,
Seattle WA’s Georgetown Brewing,
Tacoma WA’s Harmon Brewing,
Olympia WA’s Fish Brewing,
Centralia WA’s Dick’s Brewing and taking a three hour break, Portland OR’s Hopworks Bikebar,
Portland OR’s The New Old Lompoc,

Brock’s wife Adele joins us in Kalama, loafing at Jeff’s house and eating food, beatboxing the good life, Ian joins the conversation, “the motherbuckets,” Chuckanut Drive, Oskar Blues’ Old Chub, fire building at Washington state’s Lewis & Clark State Park, Big Time’sAve Rat malt liquor, the Georgetown Brewing experience, brewhand Harlow was awesome, carrying Lucille, Olympia’s Woodland Trail, bow-chicka-wow-wow, Jeff’s motivational phrase, Brandon’s motivational phrase, riding on the freeway, Nada Surf’sBlankest Year, first time cycle touring wisdom, Jeff bakes 40 gluten-free granola bars, Joe breaks his belt and then decides to lose weight

Drinks
all enjoy a Hopworks Urban Brewery 64oz glass bottle of IPA divided evenly beween them, with great relish and to hilariously deleterious effect.

Music
“Making Sense” from Joe’s 2009 EP The End.

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E030 – John Boblett: Portland Pedalounge

June 14, 2011Beer, Bicycling, Business, Technologysprocketpodcast

John Boblett, the man behind Portland Pedalounge, joins us to explain his journey into owning and operating a pedal-powered party machine.

ALSO: It’s still survey month! give us your input on the show and enter our contest to win $10!

We discuss: intro from memory, LOLcats, tuition pays for dinner, Pedalpalooza kicks off!,Cirque du Cycling and the chopper Brock noticed, Prince vs. David Bowie dance partyand massive stereo systems, Lance from Edible Cycles and his trailer, dancing in a graveyard to “Thriller,” born the day that James Dean died, stranded in Minnesota, Brock mixes metaphors, Northeast Portland neighbors shake hands, John’s first bicycle: a Schwinn with backpedal shift, Minneapolis as #1 Bicycle City, Dr. Seuss & the Lorax, Brandon & John beatbox, Darren & his Australian accent, the word “whilst,” the “Farmer Blow” method of blowing one’s nose, meeting the bicycle dealer, literally kicking the tires, rolling with a keg in Europe, other operations in Minneapolis MN, Austin TX, Bend OR, etc., difficulties with the OLCC, Brock’s phone rings, red tape can be fun, 2 hour tours, meetup at Amnesia Brewpub and visit Prost, Saraveza, Lucky Lab, etc., iPod hookup, how does it handle?, www.pedalounge.com, beer talk

Headlines
All over the Internet: NYC filmmaker Casey Neistat demonstrates the problem with blocked bike lanes
M-Bike via BikePortland: Amtrak to offer roll-on bicycle service throughout Michigan
Ron Con Coca Cola: NYC is a 3 way street
PathLessPedaled: Farm Stays are an innovative way to connect with the land and meet people
Low Tech Magazine via Logan: the forgotten future of the stationary bike

Drinks
Brandon tries the Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout from Tadcaster, John drinks the Bridgeport Hop Czar, and Brock enjoys the Kirin Ichiban – “Brewed For Good Times.”

Music
“Headlong Into the Abyss” by We Are Augustines from their 2011 release Rise Ye Sunken Ships. www.weareaugustines.com