Category Archives: Communication

E076 – Ryan J. Lane

May 7, 2012Bicycling, Communication, Gardening, Music, Technologysprocketpodcast

Ryan J Lane is a musician, photographer, deep thinker and all-around good guy. As the creator of our show’s theme music, we wanted to have him in to discuss what simple living looks like to him, and also have a chance to hear him play some songs live in our studio! We talk about giving recordings away for free, his bicycling experiences, his career as an independent photographer, the advent of iphone photography, and the philosophic and theological discussions in Tolstoy’s writings on faith, simpler living and life change.

Brock’s 30th birthday party is coming up at Cartlandia: Best Bands Ever 2012, a free music festival!

Bike Safe Portland wallet-sized accident reports are available now in Portland bicycle shops near you! Thanks to Josh Zisson from Bike Safe Boston and the Bike Safe Nation project.

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Headlines
TRANSPORTland: my grandma was a cargo bike rider
NW Farms & Food: what weeds can tell you about your garden
LiveLeak.com: chinese dog acts as sentinel against bicycle theft
STV: Scottish thief returns bicycle to owner with chocolate bar and apology note

Mailbag
Patrick in Davis CA: “Hello Brock and Brandon, continue to love the Sprocket Podcast, keep up the good work. Wanted to respond to last weeks show regarding voting in national elections. I feel it’s very important to vote in both local and national elections. The current Tea Party controlled house is an excellent example of why elections matter. Important funding for transportation, research and other important social issues has dissipated. Replaced by old social issue battles that we all thought were over. I happen to be running for City council this year. It’s been a very educational experience. One issue that may interest you is how local businesses enjoy bike tourists and weekend riders.”

Josh in Cully, PDX: “Heard of anyone Railbiking in Oregon? Quite a few abandoned railroads in OR. Best thing I’ve heard about Charlie Hales is that he wants to turn an abandoned rail into a trail from the city [of Portland] all of the way to the coast. It’s hard to imagine how successful it would be for tourism if you could fly/ train into the city and get all the way to Astoria (great coast city) without being on a road at all.”

Chris in Arcata CA: “Just a heads up. I ordered some swrve stuff. The cotton skinny knickers, and the milwaukee ES jacket. Great products ! Wanted to mention that some products are made in LA. They also make some products overseas. My knickers have a made in USA tag on them. Talked with them over the phone a few times. Very friendly they sound like a good small crew of folks! My Levi commuters have a happy place with me though as well.”

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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E075 – Michael Andersen: Low-Car Life & Politics

April 30, 2012Advocacy, Alternate Fuels, Bicycling, Communication, Doin' It, Downsizing, Gardening, Housing, Kitchen, Technology, Transit, Walkingsprocketpodcast

We welcome our favorite relentlessly upbeat transit journalist Michael Andersen, chief dictator of the fine publication Portland Afoot, back to the show for more talk about Portland’s transit environment and economy and the joys of low-car life.

Brandon is freaked out by billionaire asteroid miners.

Bike Safe Portland wallet-sized accident reports are available now in Portland bicycle shops near you! Thanks to Josh Zisson from Bike Safe Boston and the Bike Safe Nation project.

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Michael brings a lightning round quiz for simple life perspectives on nouns, but after a discussion on local transit politics.

Headlines
BikePortland: “Dutchtubs” are about to revolutionize Portland OR’s leisure scene
BikePortland: jogger asks about legality and courtesy of jogging in streets
Grid Chicago: Bees are coming! On bikes!
Taking the Lane: Elly Blue hosts a contest to discover the nation’s worst bicycling streets
BikePortland: circling Mt. Hood on a mountain bike just got easier
PSU Vanguard: Bus, MAX, streetcar, or taxi?

Mailbag
Jim says: “Check out this link to an upcoming indie film to be released regarding Tom Allen’s big tour and the decisions he had to make….:http://janapar.com/ Looking forward to your upcoming path less pedaled interview… and also appreciated your interview w Rebecca Lerner.”

Dan in MN on the foraging episode: “looking for free food was a must in my family when I was growing up. We caught fish, ate mushrooms, harvested wild rice, did maple sirup camp, picked hazelnuts, and ate ferns. We also made our own medicines. Nice to know that other people do this.”

JohnnyK in FL: “if you don’t want flats from glass just get Tire Liners; however you will never get a Fred to use these because God forbid they add weight to their bikes.” Also: “Ok just got back from the Dinner with Elly Blue and friends. I really enjoyed it and it was very much a learning experience. So now I cannot wait for your interview with her.”

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E074 – Adam Clement: Retroshift

April 23, 2012Bicycling, Building, Communication, Technology, Transitsprocketpodcast

We welcome Adam Clement from Retroshift to talk about cyclocross, manufacturing and sales in a complex financial world, and his innovative new method of changing gears!

Bike Safe Portland wallet-sized accident reports are available now in Portland bicycle shops near you! Thanks to Josh Zisson from Bike Safe Boston and the Bike Safe Nation project.

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Mailbag
Rory from Kalamazoo commutes to school 5 days a week now that it’s warmer, and is curious about our suggestions for merino wool clothing companies. Also suggests Bell’s Brewery Oberon Ale!

Logan in PDX points us toward the Global Database on Bus Rapid Transit!

And Chris from Arcata CA gives a positive review of the Levi’s 511 Commuter Jeans. Brock also suggests the Swrve Cordura jeans if you want to support the little guy.

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E073 – Rebecca Lerner: First Ways

April 17, 2012Communication, Downsizing, Gardening, Kitchen, Simpler Living, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Rebecca Lerner is an experienced forager who has taken on many experiments in eating wild local food. She shares with us how she got interested in foraging, some stories about her experiences and the nature of our relationship with food.

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Headlines
NBC 11 News: Aspen CO remorseful drunk returns stolen bike
Denver Post: Hot on Velo Cult’s heels, Bicycle Cafe offers beer & space

Mailbag
Listener Ryan from Georgetown ON: “Buy something Canadian. Brandon’s highbrow tase will enjoy a Unibroue “Maudite” (look for the devil in a Canue). Brock you should try a Mousehead [sic?]. Keep up the excellent work.”

Logan in PDX: “I saw a new post by Jonathan Maus on Bike Portland and I looked at the figure depicting carbon emissions of Portland relative to the US average and I noticed something astounding. After listening to the latest podcast and learning the wonders of the year 2002 I was really impressed to see your observations also apparent in carbon emissions. The year 2002 marks the first year Portland deviated its carbon emissions away from the US average and started its current trend downwards! Wow! Pivotal year indeed.”

Donation from James in Maryland – thanks! (you can donate here if you wish)

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E072 – Ayleen Crotty: Filmed By Bike 10

April 9, 2012Bicycling, Brewing, Communication, Gardening, Technology, Transitsprocketpodcast

Ayleen Crotty, unassailable overlord of the immensely popular Portland institution Filmed By Bike, joins us to celebrate the event’s 10th year, and to explain how it got started and how it works today. She also brought along a generous and tasty supply of Temperance Bourbon!

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Headlines
Oregonian: A Bethlehem PA transit bus blocks the getaway of a hit-and-run against a bicyclist
Oregonian: cycling clothing Rapha more than just a clothing company
BikePortland: bike culture hub VeloCult moves to Portland from San Diego to much acclaim
BikePortland: community bike shops are changing the face of cycling in America

Mailbag
Louis Avden leaves us a gardening update from Kentucky!

JohnnyK, resident FOG says of peak oil: “You can’t suck on mothers milk forever kids…” Also he pointed us towards these folding pedals available from Universal Cycles to stave off future thread-stripping incidents.

Steve in MT refers us to the Theft Resistant Bike Light, the Defender, on Kickstarter (almost there!) and the physics of how bicycles stay upright.

Dan from the Leech Lake Reservation says: “Nice show, You guys motivate me every day to get out and keep riding my bike.” And he has a bike blog: http://ditibiwebishkiganbicycle.blogspot.com

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E071 – James Bernard Frost: A Very Minor Prophet

April 1, 2012Bicycling, Communication, Kitchen, Travelsprocketpodcast

This week we speak with James Bernard Frost, the author of the just-released novel A Very Minor Prophet, featuring a soul-searching story based around Portland’s independent publishing and freakbike cultures (press release). He was kind enough to put up with our shenanigans for an interview! The book is available from Portland-based Hawthorne Books at retailers near you or on the internet. Also, Brandon unintentionally snorts beer and Adele briefly enters the room to obtain crafting supplies.

Brock also summarizes his trip of the last week through central Oregon by bicycle and the mishaps and small glories to be had along the way. Check@SprocketPodcast on Twitter for a list and miniature reviews of the places he stayed.

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E070 – Blayne Prowse: The Cynical Cyclist

March 26, 2012Bicycling, Communication, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

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!

We also respond to a pointed email sent in by Steve on the many differences between those from the “Carbon Spandex Jungle” (term attributed to Allen Lim) and those from the hipster enclaves of the urban forests. Brock referenced this article about how You Can Wear Anything On a Bike by Dave Feucht from Portlandize.com and a chapter from Joe Kurmaskie’s book Momentum Is Your Friend.

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!

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E069 – Matt Picio on Peak Oil

March 19, 2012Alternate Fuels, Bicycling, Communication, Downsizing, Gardening, Housing, Kitchen, Technology, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Matt Picio rejoins the show to discuss the Peak Oil hypothesis/phenomenon with Brandon.

Youtube Video Series: Albert Bartlett on the Exponential Function
Recommended Reading: The Long Descent by John Michael Greer, The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler, Reinventing Collapse by Dmitry Orlov

Also: the man (not a woman, as we had thought) undertaking a bicycle tour while eating at a budget below the poverty line.

Also: Humanity on Wheels: An Evening of Mass Transit Tales! This Tuesday, March 20 at 7:30pm at The Jack London Bar, 529 SW 4th Ave in Portland OR

Headlines
Treehugger via Carl: the “Mamachari” from Japan offers mothers a compact kid-carrying solution

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.

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E068 – Vincent Caldoni

March 12, 2012Communication, History, Housing, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

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!

Also: Humanity on Wheels: An Evening of Mass Transit Tales! March 20 at 7:30pm, The Jack London Bar, 529 SW 4th Ave PDX

Headlines
Path Less Pedaled: Russ & Laura post the complete Kiwi Chronicles, their touring video series!
Portland Afoot: there are at least 3 Good Things about TriMet’s proposed cuts
Oregonian: Amtrak is quietly serving Oregon City commuters on their trip into Portland

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.”

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E067 – doctor_jeff returns!

March 5, 2012Bicycling, Communication, Transitsprocketpodcast

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.

Headlines
from Logan: “Mia Birk kicks the Oregonian in the gonads!” journalistic controversy abounds.
Pedal Powered Family: a review of their home-on-the-road, a Hilleberg Nallo tent
BikePortland: Wrench Raiders have been putting their cargo trike to good use
BikePortland: scrap-bike wizard Tom LaBonty to be subject of documentary film
Taking the Lane: mom of transit-riding family questions the economic toll of fare hikes

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.”

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