Category Archives: Bicycling

E227b – Aaron Aaron Aaron Brock

March 4, 2015Adventure, Bicycling, Camping, Car Ownership, Cargo, Communication, Downsizing, Fun, Racing, Simpler Living, The Law, Touring, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

Aaron Delani is a recent Portland inductee, taking the admonition of “welcome to Portland, now go ride your damn bike” very seriously. As a webmaster, he codes in coffee shops, and then looks for places to explore and people to ride with. We discuss his downsizing process as he moved here, a misjudgment of #coffeeoutside, and secret commuter racing, among many other things. He’s at aarondelani.com

Also: Donate at Patreon if you’re able to help keep us going!

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Many thanks to new donor Christi! And all of our previous ones.

Matt sends in the saga of a motorcycle cop & a man on a beach cruiser.

Logan mentions CEO of Japan Airlines who took a pay cut and rides the bus to empathize with workers who were forced to retire early. Reminded us of José Mujica, Uruguayan president who lives small and picks up hitchhikers.

A friend reminds Brock of Tom Allen’s beer can stove.

This week’s shift list: Halley Weaver explains bike-resistance from potential employers:
illegal = “do you have a car” unless the job specifically requires driving.
legal: “Are you able to get to all four counties for your job?” “Do you have reliable transportation?”
If they ask about reliable transportation; you say yes. If they ask for elaborate then you can say something like, “I prefer to travel by bike but have a Plan B in adverse weather conditions.”

Josh G: Which president was a big-time cyclotourist? Woodrow Wilson! AlsoPresidents’ Day used to be Bicycle Day!

Daniel drops the gauntlet to Alaska with Fraser Cunningham’s -10º Cincinnati commute. He also mentions the YMCA San Antonio, TX Siclovia, March 29th 10am to 4pm.

Anna shares a question from Oregon’s drivers’ license test.

Eric Iverson (& Paul from yesterday) mention quiet zones for rail crossings: there’s gonna be a lot fewer trains on the show.

JohnnyK is our Google king, and found us foot warming solutions.

Eric recommends a wheelbuilding library of knowledge from Mike Tech Info & Sheldon Brown.

Dave asks about the safety of listening devices while riding on the roads.

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)

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, JohnnyK, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin, Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien, Richard Wezensky, Tim Mooney, Orange & Purple, Glenn Kubish, Matt Kelly, Jim Goodin, Eric Weisz, Doug CohenMiller, Todd Parker, Scott McAllister Morgan, Chris Gonzalez, Dan Gebhart, Zoe Campagna, John Blood, Alison Wiley, Andy Brunner, Dave Knows, Lars V., Chris Smith, Christi Caister, Caleb Jenkinson, JP Kewley, Matt B.

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E227a – Aaron M. Green: We Were Like Sons

March 3, 2015Adventure, Bicycling, Camping, Cargo, Communication, Downsizing, Fun, History, Housing, Simpler Living, Touring, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

Aaron M. Green is the author of the soon-to-be-published We Were Like Sons, a memoir describing his bicycle tour from California to New York City and how he changed along the way. Help him reach his goal for self-publishing the book on Kickstarter! He’s even offering guided bicycle tours as a reward. We discuss, among other things, the writing process, and the nature of offering or receiving hospitality.

This is part one of a two part conversation with 3 Aarons and a Brock. Catch part two afterward!

Also: Donate at Patreon if you’re able to help keep us going!

Headlines (or, “Some Ol’ Bullshit News”)

BBC News Toronto, via bikeportland.org: Canadian ‘freezeway’ could let residents skate to work

bikeportland.org: Oregon lawmaker wants to punish people who bike without reflective clothing

bikeportland.org: Thoughts on lawmakers who “just want to start a conversation”

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E226 – Paul & Caroline Zavitkovski: The Honeymooners

March 2, 2015Adventure, Bicycling, Camping, Cargo, Communication, Family, Fun, Simpler Living, Touring, Train Travel, Travelsprocketpodcast

Paul & Caroline Zavitkovski are perhaps the biking-est couple in Portland. They had a bicycle honeymoon of epic proportions, transport their pug Rando in a specially built bicycle sidecar, and are cheerfully dialed into the bicycle culture here in town. We discuss the best Pug ever, a bikey wedding, and a honeymoon across the northern tier of the continental US, including North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, & Maine.

Also: Aaron has his fancy hub on order, and Brock saw a mischievous sea otter at the zoo.

Donate at Patreon if you’re able to help keep us going!

Headlines

The Oregonian: TriMet bus driver saves girl from getting hit by impatient driver in NE Portland

bikeportland.org Biking would win big under Oregon Climate carbon tax plan

bikeradar.com: Things you should never say to your bike shop mechanic

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E225 – Stephen Szucs: #RETHINK Tour

February 26, 2015Adventure, Advocacy, Alternate Fuels, Bicycling, Car Ownership, Car Sharing, Cargo, Communication, Downsizing, Fun, Housing, Simpler Living, Skateboarding, Technology, Touring, Travel, Urban Designsprocketpodcast

Stephen Szucs is fascinated by more sustainable living solutions that the average Joe can implement. He rode one of Organic Transit’s ELF trikes, Rita, on his #RETHINK tour from Canada to Florida. We also talk about transportation choices such as longboarding, housing choices like Craig & Connie Cook’s earthship, and other kinds of choices we can make to create a better world for people now and in the future.

follow this link to Brock’s ELF trike test ride from a year ago.

Also, this is what a conch shell sounds like.

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, JohnnyK, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin, Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien, Richard Wezensky, Tim Mooney, Orange & Purple, Glenn Kubish, Matt Kelly, Jim Goodin, Eric Weisz, Doug CohenMiller, Todd Parker, Scott McAllister Morgan, Chris Gonzalez, Dan Gebhart, Zoe Campagna, John Blood, Alison Wiley, Andy Brunner, Dave Knows, Lars V., Chris Smith

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E224 – Alex Reed & Kari Shlosshauer: Bike Loud PDX

February 24, 2015Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Communication, Family, History, Simpler Living, Technology, The Law, Transit, Urban Design, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Alex Reed helped to launch and coordinate Bike Loud PDX. Kari Schlosshauer is a concerned and involved bikey mom who lives near SE Clinton street. We talk about starting an advocacy movement, the case study of Portland’s first neighborhood greenway, the nature of advocacy vs. that of activism (and are they the same thing?), and innovative experiments such as Better Block.

Want to support a Safer Oregon? Buy some Clinton Street swag inspired by Bike Loud PDX!

Also: Brock takes an 80 mile pub crawl ride & borrows a Bike Friday, Aaron rents a fatbike.

Donate at Patreon if you’re able to help keep us going!

Headlines

OregonLive.com: Modest Mouse releases music video shot on MAX

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Logan shares the xtracycle megarack that converts standard frames to longtails!

Antonio shares a map made by EEG-enabled helmets of Manhattan

Tim Mooney shares Brock & Adele’s tour journals from 2012 on Pedalshift Project

Harm in NZ shares Portland news: sustainable electricity harvested from city water utility pipes

Zoe asks: ”We want to ride from Portland to the coast this summer so I’m looking for the best, most beautiful route with the lightest traffic.” Brock likes Oregon’s highway 6 to Tillamook, but Alex prefers the idea of the Nestucca River Road (Path Less Pedaled did this a while back)

Gerald likes chemical handwarmers in his gloves.

Not mail but from the shift list: Tall Bike Tour!

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E223 – Vivian Satterfield: OPAL Environmental Justice

February 17, 2015Advocacy, Bicycling, Car Ownership, Housing, Simpler Living, Technology, The Law, Transit, Urban Designsprocketpodcast

Vivian Satterfield is a representative of OPAL Environmental Justice, an advocacy group in Portland, OR committed to improving the transportation experience of people using buses and light rail to get around town. We talk about her bicycling experience, work around transit, and how being in public connects us to the world around us.

Also: Brock & Aaron led the Team Sincerity Ride on Presidents’ Day!

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Eric in GA inquires about cold weather cycling gloves; Brock likes Youngstown Glovesand Vivian is sponsored by Cestus Work Gloves.

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E222b – David Griffiths: Handcycling

February 11, 2015Advocacy, Alternate Fuels, Bicycling, Car Ownership, Communication, Handcycling, Transit, Urban Designsprocketpodcast

David Griffiths is a person on a bicycle using adaptive technology for mobility and transportation, and is playing to his strengths! We discuss all the aspects of that statement in this bonus episode. What is this town like for someone using specialized equipment? And how do people react?

Find David’s fundraiser for his trip to Columbia and the World Bike Forum here andchip in a few bucks if you can!

Read the extensive Friday Profile of David on BikePortland. David also hosts a weekly meetup at Velo Cult on Tuesday evenings for anyone involved in adaptive cycling or interested in learning about it!

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, JohnnyK, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin,Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien, Richard Wezensky,Tim Mooney,Orange & Purple, Glenn Kubish, Matt Kelly, Jim Goodin, Eric Weisz, Doug CohenMiller, Todd Parker, Scott McAllister Morgan, Chris Gonzalez, Dan Gebhart, Zoe Campagna, John Blood, Alison Wiley, Andy Brunner, Dave Knows

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E222 – Bryan Hance: Bike Index

February 10, 2015Advocacy, Bicycling, Car Sharing, Communication, Technology, The Law, Theft, Transit, Urban Designsprocketpodcast

Bryan Hance is one of the people behind the Bike Index, a database of bicycle serial numbers and traits that helps tie people to them when a theft occurs. We talk about the website, the situation on thefts (especially in Portland OR), avoidance tips, and their partnership with Spinlister. Bryan mentioned this inspiring story about some people who got their bikes back!

Brock also asked a few questions about the dialogue on bicycle theft as it relates to homelessness, and meant to mention this article from Street Roots, a newspaper published by and for people living outside.

Also: Brock got buzzed on an early morning commute (but refrained from u-lock justice a la R.A.M.B.O. [via JP]); Aaron is in Federal Way, WA for work. Gladys Bikesowner Leah Benson joins as this week’s co-host!

Join the Team Sincerity Ride on Presidents’ Day!

Donate at Patreon

Headlines

Washington Post via Tim Mooney: Portland is the only city gentrifying faster than D.C., report says
From bikeportland.org: Portland’s low-car transportation web ranks 7th nationally, study says
From Jackson Hole (WY) News and Guide via bikeportland.org: Bill would require neon clothes, government ID for cyclists

Mail

Eric Iverson’s call to action: join the Clinton Street ride

Alvaro recommends fw: thinking podcast on the future of bicycles

Logan alerts us to the presence of Rivendell bikes’ test fleet in Portland!

Nurse David asks how great smartphones actually are (or aren’t)

Glenn Kubish recommends a guest & signs up to be our foreign correspondent.

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E221b Jeremy Mendelson

February 7, 2015Bicycling, Transitsprocketpodcast

Boston month may be over, but we still have one more interview to bring you: Jeremy Mendelson of Critical Transit.

Jeremy is a traveling geographer, bike and transit fan, and sustainable transportation advocate. He has designed bus and rail networks for a wide range of transit agencies; toured dozens of cities and towns; and written extensively about transportation planning, social and environmental justice and equity. Originally from New York City and Boston, Jeremy was recently hanging out in Minneapolis, but returned to Boston, to prepare for the next adventure.

That’s all for Boston Month. Thanks for your patience everyone (esp. Jeremy Mendelson) in getting this out.

Let’s keep in touch.

Not like last Summer.

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E221 – Maren Souders: Open Ears, No Car

February 3, 2015Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Car Ownership, Car Sharing, Communication, Downsizing, Simpler Living, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travel, Urban Design, Vegansprocketpodcast

Maren Souders has never, ever owned a car. That’s an achievement even for those who’ve tried! She brings us some inspiring stories and thoughts on low-car life, the value of listening, and trying to eat vegan while taking Amtrak trains across the country. Notably, she’s spent some time on a multi-city listening tour, sitting in public places with a “free empathy” sign! Her webistes:dreamintochange.com & happytolisten.com

click here to find her petition for easier access to vegan meals for Amtrak passengers.