Category Archives: Bicycling

E021 – CJ Speelman: Wrench Raiders

April 11, 2011Advocacy, Bicycling, Communicationsprocketpodcast

CJ Speelman of Portland’s Wrench Raiders tells us about fixing bicycles and sharing time with less privileged folk, and how to get involved.

We discuss: Brandon rides to Salem and back, Oregon City Elevator, Burgerville, dot net, Logan is like our rich uncle, Statesman Journal via Brandon’s Dad: Lee the Horselogger travels cross-country in a horse-drawn cart, Streetsblog via BikePortland: NYC bike lane opponents hired a PR firm to talk trash, Streetfilms via BikePortland: another fascinating look at post-car culture, this time about highway removal, KCET via BikePortland: a fascinating look at Los Angeles’ bicycling history, including a 20 mile long raised bikeway!, Bike Snob NYC: hillariously written piece on NYC bike lanes, CycleWild: Adventure Cycling launches a new website dedicated to overnight camping trips (S24Os), Matt Picio’s cross country journey and gear, GoBicycleTouring.info: The Food Cyclist chronicles a global journey to research food systems, BikePortland: awesome Portland bicycle commuter portraits from Jim Golden, what Wrench Raiders is, coolest rigs in town, not trying to be sexy, disconnection, the crew & community, BikePortland article, reprogramming our relational skills, Brandon goes undercover as a homeless guy, support systems, the Tricycle Campaign, B-Line delivery trikes, busted stuff & star-rusted chain, DON’T USE WD-40 on your bike, chain link bike capsule thing, long distance travel, Portland to Seattle by transit, rainbow people, department store bikes sometimes DO hold up, buying new parts is better, Abraham Fixes Bikes, pulled pork pizza, volunteers and how talking not working is OK, building stereotypes, vietnam vets, everyone’s story is unique, connections

Drinks
Brandon & Brock each drink a 24oz Pabst Blue Ribbon, and CJ drinks a 22oz Newcastle Brown Ale.

Music
“After All Our Yesterdays” by Joe Poppino from his 2009 EP The End.

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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E020 – Joe Kurmaskie: The Metal Cowboy

April 4, 2011Bicycling, Touring, Travelsprocketpodcast

Joe Kurmaskie, Portland’s own “Metal Cowboy” joins us to discuss his writing career, philosophies, and many experiences on two wheels.

We discuss: CycleWild trip and missed connections, “not a man – nay, a god!”, homebrews, lemon juice cure, new Hurtbird news sounder, USA Today via BikePortland:buses losing seating because Americans are getting bigger, C-TRAN’s generous bike policy, CleverCycles via BikePortland: car sharing in Oregon & its barely hidden bikey agenda, belt loops, Boston Globe via BikePortland: city of Cambridge gives its citizens bike repair stands with tools and air pumps, BikePortland: Newport bicycle shop owner developing an iPhone app for touring the Oregon coast, no bike shops in Lincoln City, many hats, Sunshine Boys vs. Hardy Boys vs. Schwinn Twins, Scholastic books, Arkel panniers, “poo in a bag!” (NOT Arkel panniers – kids say the darndest things), Cadence Press books, You Might Be a Cyclist If…, escaping to Canada, experiences on the road cannot be contrived, places he’s been, some cartoons are lame, “the bad does not negate the good,” riding with a family, footnotes & “the love story I’d never write,” dot com bust & what to do with the rest of your life, no book about Africa, difference between touring alone & touring with family, the Far Side, grasshopper frogger & concerned minivan mom, perspective, fear and Chariot trailers, “Mad Max meets KinderCare,” yellow jersey, mileage is less important than great experiences, kids take a different pace, the perfect body, relax and connect, twitter’s inanity, Mia Birk & Joyride, livable/scalable communities, 10th Anniversary edition of The Metal Cowboy, Queen & iPhone app

Drinks
Brandon enjoys a Dustin Bagby amber homebrew (possibly to be 10 gallons of wedding drink), Joe drinks tea due to fighting a cold, and Brock thusly must decide between Pabst Blue Ribbon & Deschutes Brewery Cascade Pale Ale.

Music
“I Like My Bike” from Portland, OR band Hurtbird on their 2010 release Nature Vs City.

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E018 – Joshua DeParrie: The Bicycle Plumber

March 22, 2011Bicycling, Business, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Joshua DeParrie is a service plumber, but with a very interesting catch: he gets around, both to and from his worksites, by bicycle! We had him in for an entertaining and informative explanation of how that works. His website for St. Francis Plumbing iswww.bicycleplumber.com

We discuss: Hillstomp puts on an awesome show, Brandon is quitting his job, Jon stalks us on the facebooks, french names, send us your stories, help us design a new logo, we should podcast our morning coffee, The Railroad Revival Tour with Mumford & Sons &Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, PathLessPedaled.com: how to talk to your partner about bike touring, and folding bikes secreted onto airplanes, The Lazy Randonneur: why I don’t dress up like a traffic cone, BikePortland.org: a bike/transit damage case turns out OK, Bike Trailer Blog: go to the ski slopes by bike, drinking in the ski lodge, how does a plumber get around by bike? On a Kona Ute, of course, Black Oak trailers, growing up on bike/on foot in Portland, inspired by not liking large trucks, paradigm shift, motivations, localized life, gas boycotts and the fungability of oil, “digging ourselves into a hole of cynicism,” “wondering if it was really going to work,” substituting a bike for a truck is like LOTR, tools and tool bags, “I don’t carry everything with me all of the time,” going to the store is inevitable, Forest Heights and Portland’s east/west side class battle, Marvin Gaye is dead, malt liquor tastes like formaldehyde or the floor of a WalMart, the real angry bird, close encounter with a falcon, Saint Francis and his connection to nature, Portland could become a car-free city, Jerusalem’s tiny streets, Bicycle City [which is actually planned for North Carolina!], create a socially conscious market demand, “Copenhagen left,” bicycle plumber aspirations, the Sawzall is awesome, incentives, “Supportland,” the bicycle plumber is like Rosa Parks, not so much like Joe the Plumber, pace of life, Phoenix to Portland in a U-haul, walking is best, monads, Sting & The Police’s “Synchronicity II” and Dire Straits’ “Industrial Disease”

Drinks
Brandon – Fish Tale Organic India Pale Ale from Olympia WA, Brock & Joshua: Ninkasi Total Domination IPA from Eugene OR.

Music
“I Can’t Wait” from Seattle-based Explone‘s newest album Dreamers/Lovers released in 2010.

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E017 – Heddy on Bicycles

March 14, 2011Bicyclingsprocketpodcast

David Heddy, a good friend and all-around smart guy, speaks with us about his bicycle experiences and what to look for in a bicycle if you’re just getting started as a commuter.

Ft. Collins listener alert: Portland band the New York Rifles will be in town 3/14 (today, as in publishing day!) with a show at Surfside 7!

We discuss: stolen bike tools, itunes review, re-introducing Heddy, brake adjustments,microwaves, trading bike work for New Belgium beer, Green Garbage Project: making your own butter, BikePortland: Women on Bikes, and a gravity bike at freeway speeds, as well as a big-ass cargo bike with an awesome trailer and electric assist, what do do when you are yelled at on the road, Tuscon Velo: family trades car for extracycle bike, growing up in Flint, reading BMX magazines in church, Stump Jumper, racy bicyclists, bike commuting from a farm, cross crusade, short term bike camping, Rivendell Bikes’ S24O,Burley Trailers for pulling your kids along with you, dangers of being close to the ground,Xtracycles, S24O to Vernonia, getting kicked off light rail, Banks-Vernonia multi-use path, discomfort on bikes, “can I say ass?”, Heddy recommends a road-style bike vs. a mountain bike, get a bike that is big enough for you, “a fistful of seatpost,” Heddy was a bike mechanic, brake clearance, handlebars, ergonomic (like a keyboard?), paying for bike stuff, getting your butt broken in, commuting can be easier than it seems, “go out and hold some hands,” Rivendell’s tip sheet for happy cyclists

Drinks
Brandon’s is the Ninkasi Otis oatmeal stout (7.2% ABV), Heddy consumes a New Belgium 1554, and Brock uninterestingly drinks a steaming cup of Echinacea tea.

Music
Portland-based baroque pop band Sunbeam shares their song “Bulldogs,” available for free on their website!

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E016 – Seth Richardson: Meticon Bikes

March 8, 2011Bicycling, Communication, Technology, Travelsprocketpodcast

Seth Richardson of Meticon Bikes joins us for an engaging discussion on running a bike shop and local bike politics.

We discuss: big words, breaking cogs, Streetfilms: Moving Beyond the Automobile, Travelling Two: The Art of (Not) Planning a bike tour, BTA releases another video on bike lights, featuring Mark Allyn & a klingon, Brandon reminds us to drink, the Hamm’s bear, Zach calls from Ft. Collins about the handbuilt bike show (where BikePortland, The Path Less Pedaled, and Bike Snob NYC also reported), tires, bamboo as an anarchist tool, moving to Portland, Volkswagen Bus in a snowstorm, bicycling in Memphis (that’s a weird take on the Marc Cohn song), bike lanes in Memphis, starting a bike shop, Volkswagen maintenance, hundreds of groupon tuneups, down tube snap, the bicycle is not a simple machine, cycling is faster & simpler, Revolutions in Memphis, bicycles are human-shaped, balanced perspective on vehicle usage, practice fixing flats, utilitarian riding, bike capes, wool, wet feet are the worst, convenience & rain defense, impossibly loaded bikes,Chairman Mao with a Bird on him, Portland’s “50s Bikeway Project,” negativity vocalized, bike infrastructure is good for neighborhoods, bicyclists don’t all know each other, we giggle unexplainably about Mayor Sam Adams, proposed routes and crosswalk kerfuffle,Lents Urban Renewal District, bisected by a freeway, streetcars in the future, those new to cycling shouldn’t be afraid to try, “I navigate by weaving in the general direction I’m headed.” Plus, a BONUS: the explanation of Meticon Bikes & Brandon does Seinfeld, both after the credits!

Drinks
Brandon promotes Central Point, OR’s Walkabout Brewery Worker’s Pale Ale, while Brock & Seth try the Kona Brewing Co.’s Fire Rock Pale Ale.

Music
“Feels Like Rain” from Josh Schicker’s 2005 album “Moonlighting.”

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E015 – John Feeds Multitudes

February 28, 2011Bicycling, Kitchensprocketpodcast

John Eads of Pyro Pizza joins us to cook an incredible bounty of food, and then to discuss food systems, budgets, and the state of nutrition in the industrialized world.

Note: We also recorded our conversation during the meal if you’re interested in hearing our off-the-cuff observations with our significant others. The charts that John drew up are available here for your perusal.

We discuss: Zach in Ft. Collins might give us a handmade bike show update,bikeportland.org has some great galleries, Logan’s neighbor looks trustworthy, whiskey stones, NYT (thanks Mark Parrish): retired police officer grows her own tobacco in her backyard, Bike Trailer Blog: Moving from house to house in Kentucky by bike,Oregonian: TriMet bus routes look a bit like an anthill. 1 day’s routes in 2 minutes,Oregonian: bus driver refuses to drive bus after driver’s seat is smeared with feces,BikePortland: as bicycle ridership increases, road accident numbers go down across the board, gobicycletouring.info: newlywed couple plans to bicycle through all 50 US states, Filmed By Bike: April 15-17 ($8 per show or $25 weekend pass), “I micromanage for a living,” food cart explosion, “I Am John Eads” T-shirts, moving the cart with a dump truck, the great meal, Newsweek article: The Dinner Divide, “what the hell are they buying? for $1000/month I could have almost everything imported from france!”, cheap, mid-level, and most expensive versions of the same meal, charts on what people spend per calorie, $.88 Banquet frozen meal, shopping for 4 items in 2.5 hours, 16 plates worth on 12, “my wife scolded me for not making dessert,” french bread crust sleeve/cast, big box stores are scary, american processed cheese food, polymers, 4000 calories a day, portion control diets, eating your child’s food,uncrustables, folks in the west hills can donate, “meat is not a spice,” sodium goes through the roof, Brock was the only one that ate the meatballs, industrial food is the standard, availability of high quality food, america is becoming a food desert (see alsothis article), “No one I knew could cook anything,” the dodo bird of vegetables, addiction to junk & organic MREs, “we’re not crusting the sandwiches,” making food can be time consuming, the Old Crow melted the lacquer off of the coffee table, cooking beans in quantity (and soaking them), “the problem with a lot of poeple…”, fast food logo stress study, mostly natural & organic & local is possible with planning and other people, “bug ’em to hell,” obvious red flags on breakfast cereals & juices, oranges are better & cheaper anyways.

Drinks
together, we drink a large portion of a bottle of Old Crow Bourbon

Music
the fabulous Portland-based Hillstomp presents their unique blend of buckets-and-cans-blues on their latest release Darker the Night and this week’s featured song, “Banjo Song #1.”

the meal:

wrangling the ipod into place with tape to record the dinner conversation:

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E013 – Mark Parrish: Epic Bicycle Tour

February 14, 2011Bicycling, Brewing, Touring, Travelsprocketpodcast

Mark Parrish is our friendly neighbor, mathematician and home-brewer, and in addition to that, he also has taken many bicycle tours across long distances. On this episode he shares stories of his cross country journey from Alaska to California, and then to Ohio and finally to Florida (impressive!). His friend Paula who made the trip with him joins us by phone.

we apologize for the abberant audio in this week’s episode – slicing plastic off of ill-fitting cables is a start, but we’re working on a better solution to have in place soon. 😀

We discuss: Brandon gets a week off, Brock takes the Worst Day of the Year Ride,way up in the west hills, bucking the system by homebrewing, Darren Alff of bicycletouringpro.com rides a taxi trike more than 250 miles through Peru, Oregon headphone bill pulled from the legislature, Bike Trailer Blog tells you how to overhaul your cheap trailer’s bearings, Sunset magazine names Portland OR “best city to ditch your car” in, when was that tour?, 1 1/2 years, the plan changed, L.A., “Fuck it, let’s just cross the country,” body rebellion, kindness of strangers, not too good at planning, “can we buy some butter? (we needed some fat),” a much needed bath, “we almost died” (Mark told this story after we wrapped the program), terrain preferences, Kansas winds, tornado hotel, raining sheets (not sheep), “where did we go from Oklahoma?”, Bikecentennial & an atlas, Whitehorse will confuse you, “it tastes kind of like seal,” “fishy butter,” Florida was the end, Kentucky & Tennessee are lumpy, 100 mile days through the Smokies, your body remembers it, going home to Alaska, 600 mile circuit solo loop (300 miles unpaved!),

Drinks
Mark provides his Vagabond Gingered Ale, a dark ale with strong hints of ginger and about 7-8% ABV.

Music
“Don’t Hear Me Wrong” by Centrevol, a Long Beach CA based band, from their 2010 EP Momentum.

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E012 – The Car-Free Potters

February 7, 2011Bicycling, Car Sharing, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

The Potters of downtown Portland, OR join us to discuss their lasting foray into car-free living!

We discuss: mustaches & calico facial hair, Brock almost forgets to talk about beer, shaking a stick at beer in John’s Market, child on the way & going without beer,Portland “Bikeshed” camping map from Cycle Wild, Australian Taxi Trailer (!), Dude makes a snowplow out of a bicycle, Kid in California builds his own tandem tallbike, A rural Oregon private bus company is becoming quite popular, PSU in Portland now boasts 3 in 4 people getting there without car, Wrench Raiders fixes bikes for those without a lot of cash, Porche? No, bicycle, bikes growing up, Zwinglian European self-study (and trains!), people lending vehicles as a gesture of kindness, owning a car downtown is more trouble than it’s worth, other people’s cars getting towed, riding bicycles in traffic, carrying toilet paper, booties, pedal terminology confusion, wiping out in the snow on a fixie, Mia has a pimpy bike, Amsterdam bike looks classy but rides cheap, Jerrod is selling his fixie, fixies will kill your knees, all-in-one bike trailer,Brompton folding bicycles, Clever Cycles is a great little shop, riding in the car with the windows rolled down and the stereo up, Zipcar.com, karma & lending, intimate with your neighborhood, earbuds and awareness, finding a place for your bicycle, missing pieces, not much will change with the baby’s arrival, small living spaces, breakfast on the bridges, cushioning convictions for other people, Brandon saves the credits

Drinks
Brandon savors the Hopworks Secession Ale, Brock & Jerrod drink the Hopyard Dogfrom Pale Horse Brewing, and Mia enjoys Chamomile Tea.

Music
Joe Pug, a singer/songwriter from Chicago, presents “Hymn 101” from his 2008 EPNation of Heat. (also view the excellent video for this song)

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E011 – Kate Lopresti: The Constant Rider

January 31, 2011Bicycling, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

This week we bring you a delightful conversation with Kate Lopresti, author of a public transit themed independent ‘zine (which happens to be attractively bound and presented!) titled “The Constant Rider.” She shares her experiences and observations about riding the bus in Portland, OR and writing about them.

If you want a copy of The Constant Rider Omnibus for your very own so you can read the same stories we have, use the “Donate” button to the right to send us a few bucks for postage – we’ll slip it into an envelope and send it right to your door! Supplies are limited, but Kate was generous to give us a few extra copies and we’ll share them while we can!

We discuss: hello to listeners (including the Ft. Collins CO Belle Stars), introducing Kate Lopresti, the IPRC, Microcosm Publishing, surprisingly classy beer, the Bike Trailer Bloglinks to Austin Bike Zoo’s Rattlesnake, CycleWild releases their 2011 bike camping schedule, the Bicycle Travel Network tells of the Cycling Silk project, BikePortland.orglinks to the BTA’s new video: “Strategies for Getting Around Without Bike Lights (Or Pants).” A Washington DC blogger proposes a cycling social contract, bikes couldgenerate wind power (!), Oregonian columnist writes about transit “seat hogs,” Kate reads a selection about “bonking” while riding light rail, “a free car is never free,” getting into riding buses, zipcar.com, the 24 hour neighborhood, cultural diversity on buses, Brandon gives away a free business idea, buses are great for reading, thanking bus drivers, talking to drivers (nice or otherwise), “I flash my pass like I’m all that,” curiosity about schedules can start conversations, “the longer I ride, the more normal these outbursts seem,” young man pop-lock-break-dancing at the bus stop, “A Drunk In Three Parts,” police pulls a dude with a joint, “line 75 is the hipster bus,” one last reading of “passenger descriptions.”

(click here for a few extra minutes of conversation we couldn’t fit into an hour’s program – bus stories for those interested)

Drinks
we share a half gallon growler of Hopworks’ Organic HUB Lager to the enjoyment of all.

Music
Seattle alt-rock outfit Explone – “Girl With a Black Eye” from their 2010 albumDreamers/Lovers.

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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E010 – Louis Avden: Plants As Pets

January 23, 2011Bicycling, Gardeningsprocketpodcast

Louis with a large water bottle

We are joined by our good friend Louis Avden who discusses his unique perspective on gardening. We record late at night and so we use our NPR news voices.

Music
“Stand By My Side” by Brock Dittus, featuring Louis Avden on piano, from the 2009 EPHandbuilt. myspace.com/brockdittus

Stories from BikePortland.org featured with permission from editor Jonathan Maus.

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The Sprocket Podcast

simplifying the good life

Category Archives: Bicycling

E021 – CJ Speelman: Wrench Raiders

E020 – Joe Kurmaskie: The Metal Cowboy

E018 – Joshua DeParrie: The Bicycle Plumber

E017 – Heddy on Bicycles

E016 – Seth Richardson: Meticon Bikes

E015 – John Feeds Multitudes

E013 – Mark Parrish: Epic Bicycle Tour

E011 – Kate Lopresti: The Constant Rider

E010 – Louis Avden: Plants As Pets